Branching Minds now offers district partners the ability to systematically identify students who need more behavior support using the SRSS-IE universal screener. Learn more >>

    3 Lesson Plans to Build Resilience & Help High School Students Succeed in School and Beyond

    SEL and Behavior, Interventions and Learning Supports' Strategies, MTSS for Secondary

    A critical part of education is helping students build the life skills and resiliency they need to complete high school and successfully transition to adult life. Branching Minds partners with The Jed Foundation (JED) to bring practical resources to high school classrooms that are informed by direct research with high school students about what they need as they graduate. These areas include:

    Tips & Tools for Resetting Behavior After a Break

    SEL and Behavior, Reflective Teaching

    It’s never too late to assess and make changes to the behavior structure and support you offer to your students. Natural breaks in the school year offer an opportunity to reset your approach to behavior and get your classroom or campus back on track. So, let’s talk about how to use the re-entry after a break to move things in the right direction!

    Supporting High School Students’ Mental Health and Well-being with The Jed Foundation

    SEL and Behavior, Interventions and Learning Supports' Strategies, MTSS for Secondary

    Branching Minds is excited to partner with The Jed Foundation (JED) to bring essential resources to high school classrooms through the Branching Minds Support Library. Informed by direct research with high school students about what they need as they graduate, these new support cards offer concrete tips, tools, and resources on a comprehensive range of topics geared toward helping students manage the transition out of high school. Carefully curated and evidence-based, these resources provide teachers and students with accessible and actionable advice to aid in this critical — and often difficult — transition. 

    The Power of Strength-Based Instruction

    SEL and Behavior, Tier 1 - Core Instruction

    We all have strengths and weaknesses, but in K-12 education, student weaknesses are often a focus of attention, while strengths fade into the background. Over the past decade, there has been a movement in education to capitalize on student strengths while using instructional practices that promote growth in areas that might need improvement. 

    How To Track and Support Student Attendance in MTSS

    SEL and Behavior, MTSS Practice

    Attendance plays an important role in a student’s school experience and learning outcomes — they can’t learn if they’re not there. But throughout the pandemic and following, attendance concerns have skyrocketed. A report from 2021 found that the rates of chronically absent students was 22% — double the rate from before the pandemic. Recent findings also show an increase in school refusals among students struggling with their mental health.

    PBIS: More than Points and Parties

    SEL and Behavior, MTSS Practice, Instituting MTSS

    My experience in education has made me a true believer in the good things that can come from a fully implemented Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) practice. I worked with students who went from ditching daily to being eligible for graduation because they found a person on campus who saw their abilities and recognized them for their efforts until they grew toward success. When looking for a solution to behavior problems and disproportionalityon campus, PBIS is typically at the top of the search list. Many educators hesitate to invest in PBIS, though, because they have heard it is just “points and parties.” But a PBIS system, when implemented with fidelity, is so much more than acknowledgments and celebrations. And it is not a replacement for campus discipline procedures!  Rather, PBIS is the behavior and attendance branch of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Just like MTSS, PBIS is a three-tiered, evidence-based framework that enables the success of all students while improving social-emotional competence, academic success, and overall school climate. This blog will share the why and the how behind creating a campus-based PBIS practice with integrity.

    Supporting Students’ Social, Emotional, & Behavioral Needs: Moving From Referrals to an Interconnected Systems Framework

    SEL and Behavior, Instituting MTSS

    It is widely recognized that students' sense of well-being plays an important role in learning outcomes. Therefore, it is no surprise that schools have a growing need for systemic practices that better support students' social, emotional,  and behavioral needs. In a lot of cases, classroom teachers are the first people to recognize when students have an escalated need for support. Yet, most teachers do not have the training or available time that is needed to address intensive social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students on their own. This is why schools need to ensure that a system of support is in place along with practices and procedures for early identification and the implementation of supports and services before issues become escalated.

    Check In Check Out and Beyond: Tier 2 Behavior Interventions That Build Relationships & Foster School Connectedness – Webinar Recap

    SEL and Behavior, MTSS Practice, Tier 2, Interventions and Learning Supports' Strategies
     
    A well-run Tier 2 behavior intervention program can be life-changing on a campus. For students, the additional positive attention, structure, and feedback helps them follow the rules and expectations that make academic and social success possible. For teachers, a campus-led program for such students means that they are not alone in meeting the behavioral needs of their students. Instead, the school community works together to support both students and teachers.

    The Importance of Social-Emotional Learning in Secondary School

    SEL and Behavior, MTSS Practice, Interventions and Learning Supports' Strategies, MTSS for Secondary

    In education, I know what keeps me awake at night.

    I would imagine that each professional in their chosen career, when asked, could identify the thing that keeps them up at night. For the day trader, it might be an unexpected stock market crash. The comedian could lie awake in fear of an empty auditorium. Restless nights may come to the dentist who lays awake thinking of drilling the wrong tooth, or the professional athlete who misses the field goal to miss the playoffs.

    How MTSS Fosters a Sense of Belonging - Video & Blog

    SEL and Behavior

    After over a decade in the school setting, I have a healthy collection of thank-you notes from students, colleagues, and mentors. These notes are reminders of my relationship with the individuals who took the time to write them. Often on hard days, I revisit these notes for encouragement and to remember my connection to those individuals.