Develop SEL Skills with the Feelings Monster in Reflect
Education research consistently indicates that SEL improves academic outcomes and lifelong wellbeing measures, however, educators have limited support in introducing and monitoring SEL with their students. With plates overflowing, educators have little time to learn and implement new curriculums, particularly when they are also bridging learning loss and navigating their own emotional needs through tense times.
We built Reflect in Microsoft Teams to support educators in checking in with their students and easily interpreting the class’s emotions through data dashboards. Educators can view student responses at-a-glance, helping to identify students who may need extra support and informing their overall classroom management. With Reflect, even those students who may normally slip through the cracks have a quiet opportunity to share with their teacher. We can’t wait to see Reflect in action helping educators establish classroom communities where every student has an opportunity to be heard.
Bring emotions to life
Sharing emotions isn’t easy – and like all skills, it takes practice! We created the Feelings Monster to make practicing more comfortable. With over 50 emotions for students to choose from, the Feelings Monster’s carefully designed facial expressions and body language provides scaffolding for emotional fluency. The Feelings Monster makes a Reflect check-in more engaging while helping to build student’s emotional vocabulary, a critical SEL skill.
Ready-to-play games in Kahoot!
To help build classroom ecosystems that welcome Social and Emotional Learning conversations, we partnered with Kahoot! in creating ready-to-play games that introduce concepts through the Feelings Monster. Try our games in Kahoot! to initiate classroom conversations about empathy, stress management, anger, and more!
Get started with Reflect
We’re all processing so much over the last two years, from loss and trauma to the abrupt adjustment back to in-person interactions. Students and educators deserve time to reflect and address their feelings. Reflect in Microsoft Teams is here to support the efforts educators are making to build that time into their routines.
Reflect is available to be used in staff teams, creating space for educators to revisit their own SEL skills and foster a supportive community. Some of the best social and emotional learning comes from the modeling of trusted adults! When students and educators have opportunities to practice their social and emotional skills, cognitive and behavioral improvements follow.
We look forward to seeing educator’s use of the Feelings Monster to scaffold SEL skills and meet students’ needs with care.Learn how to create your first Reflect check-in.
Resources
- Learn more about Reflect
- Get support to create your first Reflect check-in
- Free course: build social and emotional skills
- Use Reflect with educators and staff
- View Reflect data in Insights
- Try our games in Kahoot!
A huge THANK YOU to all of the educators, students, and SEL experts who have worked with us and given us feedback along this exciting journey. We look forward to collaborating with you as we continue!
Have questions, comments, or ideas? Let me know! Share your comment here or find me on Twitter (@grelad).
Elad Graiver
Principal Product Manager
Microsoft Education
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/education-blog/develop-sel-skills-with-the-feelings-monster-in-reflect/ba-p/2917583 https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/education-blog/develop-sel-skills-with-the-feelings-monster-in-reflect/ba-p/2917583 2021-11-04 14:32:18Z