You can use these to connect with yourself which helps to build resiliency as you take students through their empathy and connection work. These are also great to use as a part of a staff meeting or even at home with your family.
Connection CHallenges
Students follow the prompts to write a letter to themselves that they will look back on at the end of the year
Dear Future SElf Letter
Students are encouraged to define the role models in their lives and why they admire them
ROLE MODEL WORKSHEET
Students write hope notes and are encouraged to share them around their community
30 HOPE NOTE MESSAGES
Students explore the life experiences that have shaped the person they have become
My history project
Students are encouraged to reach outside their usual circle to find connection with others who have a similar interest
My Interests NAme Tags
Students identify their core people and let them know by writing a note of appreciation
My PEOPLE NOTECARDS
31 intentional acts of kindness to encourage students to practice kindness
Kindness Challenge
Students are encouraged to expand their connection circles through a bingo challenge card
Connection Bingo
view challenges
Additional Connection challenges
If you are engaging in more than one Connection Challenge each month, you may find you need additional challenges. These challenges can be used any month and can be repeated.
view pacing guide
curriculum pacing guide
While the overall structure of the Connection Curriculum is set to be a 9 month program, there are a few ways the program can be customized to fit the timing of your school.
We know that teaching is a very lonely profession, and we see you. We provide these challenges for you to complete to connect with yourself and the people in your life. You can use these to connect with yourself which helps to build resiliency as you take students through their empathy and connection work. These are also great to use as a part of a staff meeting or even at home with your family.
TEACHER RESOURCES
Think about the 3-5 things you need most to feel connected, map those things to the people in your circles, identify your needs or abundance. Take action and make needed adjustments.
Map your connections
Connection circles worksheet
Reflect on how you know your students. Identify their names, strengths, story, and needs. Evaluate how you can increase a culture of connection in your classroom.
reflect on your students
One of the best ways you can show up for your students is by connecting with yourself. Begin a journal and check-in with yourself. How are you doing emotionally? How connected do you feel? Jot down some observations of how you feel today.
journal check-ins
Complete the Connection Circles Worksheet for yourself. Set some goals for how you want to improve the connections in your circles.
Seek out someone different from you—find someone that coaches if you like to read; a math teacher if you do writing, etc. Ask them questions to get to know how their life is similar or different from yours.
seek other connections
UTILIZE RESOURCES
Build a timeline and divide it into 5-year sections, list the relationships that mattered the most to you during those years, consider reaching out and sharing how those people impacted you or reconnecting if healthy to do so.
relationship timeline
Participate or lead a SHARE day in your community. Create post it notes to leave in the community (on mailboxes, front doors, car handles) or work with a local business to include on the 7th of the month. Learn more about SHARE Day >
join on a share day
Look into apps like Calm, Mood Meter, Balance, Fabulous, Headspace, Shine, StopBreatheThink, Ten Percent Happier, UCLA Mindful, WOOP to see if one of them might help you. *Rates do apply. O7S does not recieve funds nor do we endorse any of them specifically.
