Jen.Made

As an educator or parent, you’ve likely encountered social-emotional learning (SEL) programs that focus on helping children manage their emotions. While the intention behind these programs is good, I’ll admit that I’ve often found myself skeptical about how they’re implemented. For example, the popular “calming corner” approach—where kids are encouraged to retreat to a quiet space when feeling overwhelmed—feels like it’s missing a crucial piece. While stepping away might offer temporary relief, it doesn’t always prepare kids for  real life. In the real world, you can’t always escape to a calming corner when things get tough. Life requires us to adapt, think critically, and build strategies to process and respond to what we’re feeling. What I  do  believe in, however, is teaching kids how to identify their emotions, understand what’s happening in their brains, and develop the tools to respond to those feelings. That’s where a tool like  The Emotion Compass  comes...

Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset fundamentally changed how we approach learning. Andrew Huberman expanded on this by explaining  why  effort-based praise works through the neuroscience of dopamine. Adding to this conversation is psychologist Alia Crum, whose work on the  stress-enhancing mindset  challenges traditional beliefs about stress in education. Together, their findings offer a powerful framework for raising resilient, motivated learners. The Missing Piece: Stress as a Tool for Growth Traditionally, stress is seen as the enemy of learning. Educators and parents alike try to shield kids from it, assuming stress will hinder their performance. But Alia Crum’s research flips this notion on its head. She discovered that  stress itself isn’t inherently harmful —it’s how we perceive stress that determines its effects. Crum’s studies reveal that people with a  stress-enhancing mindset —those who believe stress can boost performance, focus, and growt...

Teaching is hard. Whether it’s juggling lesson planning, managing behavior, or stretching a small paycheck to cover classroom supplies, we all feel the weight. But one thing is clear: we’re all in this together. Despite our differences in teaching styles, beliefs, or methods, we share the same goal—to do what’s best for kids and to help shape them into future leaders. And let’s talk about  the why. You know, that big existential question we’re all supposed to reflect on every August, usually at a staff meeting where someone hands us a sticky note and tells us to write it down. Why do we teach? The easy answer (and let’s be honest, the one we jokingly say when things are rough) is  summers.  But for most of us, that’s not the real answer—because we know we don’t really get summers off. For me, I’m lucky enough to coach swimming during the summer, which keeps me busy and connected. But my real  why ? It’s because I want to create lessons that I would want to sit throug...