This post is sponsored by Classroom Champions
For nearly 12 months, the pandemic has changed our lives dramatically. The way we work, shop, and socialize has been altered while our kids long for in-person school like they’re used to. Some days we’re thriving and other days we’re holding on by a thread, barely surviving.
Our kids are the same way. They’re finding it hard to be excited about the future when there’s so much uncertainty about when it will be safe to see their friends, how their school year will end, and what will be ok to do this summer. Many also struggle to stay motivated when school continues to be online.
But what happened to the goals and dreams our kids had before the pandemic?
Dreams of hanging out with friends, playing for an elite sports team, auditioning for the lead role on stage, landing a coveted in-person internship, and traveling are still there. Mask wearing, social distancing, and safety have pushed these dreams into the recesses of their minds.
The pandemic may have shifted our priorities, but it doesn’t mean pre-pandemic goals and dreams have disappeared. Pandemic or not, there are times when kids of all ages need a little help remembering their goals and this is where Classroom Champions can help.
About Classroom Champions
Classroom Champions features resources that support student mental health, wellness, and academic achievement as educators work to improve engagement and build growth mindsets. Keep reading to learn how their materials can help in the classroom and at home.
Founded over 10 years ago by Olympic Gold Medalist, Steve Mesler, and Dr. Leigh Parise, a PhD Educator, Classroom Champions curriculum inspires a positive classroom culture and empowers students to reach their full potential.
Eight age-appropriate thematic units for all grade levels feature Olympic and Paralympic athlete mentors who use personal stories to motivate kids to set goals. Curriculum also inspires students to act as leaders and be involved in their communities.
All resources support student mental health, wellness, and academic achievement as educators work to improve engagement and build growth mindsets. Teachers and athletes support students while engaging families as part of the conversation. And the best part is that you can try their first unit that’s focused on goal setting for free!
5 Reasons to Use Classroom Champions for Goal Setting
Classroom Champions realizes that goal setting takes a village. That’s why they enlisted the help of 2x Olympic gold medalist and athlete mentor Christian Taylor to teach this first unit of their program. They provide important foundational supports for students of all ages but want to involve parents too.
Whether you’re a teacher or parent who is looking to teach goal setting at home or in your classroom, here’s a look at free Classroom Champions resources that can help.
Free Social Emotional Learning Curriculum Teaches Goal Setting
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development. It teaches kids to understand their emotions so they can be empathetic towards others. Other benefits of SEL include:
- Understanding and managing emotions
- Setting and achieving positive goals
- Feeling and showing empathy for others
- Establishing and maintaining positive relationships
Since Classroom Champions believes SEL learning is essential, they provide access to their first SEL Foundations unit for free. The curriculum consists of 8 units that address goal setting, emotions, community, perseverance, teamwork, feedback, healthy living, and leadership.
Units reinforce positive classroom culture and teaches goal setting through a library of age-appropriate materials for teachers and parents.
Since Classroom Champions believes that teachers and parents know their kids best, they provide flexibility. Choose lessons, materials, and resources that resonate with your learners from their library then teach it in a way that meets your classroom and student needs.
Keep reading to learn about the many materials Classroom Champions makes available when you sign up to access the free SEL Foundations goal setting unit.
Olympic and Paralympic Athletes Serve as Role Models to Help Students Set and Maintain Goals
While the topics presented may sound similar to other SEL curriculum you’ve looked at, the Classroom Champions’ athlete mentorship sets it apart.
Each unit features one of eight athlete mentor’s personal stories shared through video. Olympic and Paralympic athletes share insight and knowledge to build social and emotional skills in kids.
In the videos, each athlete mentor proposes a challenge to learners. The lesson activities are designed to help develop students’ skills to be able to meet that challenge by the end of the unit.
These videos are powerful because they’re told by the athlete mentors themselves and are a core building block of the curriculum. Athlete authenticity helps illustrate how the unit’s theme can be applied in the real world. Mentors speak of their successes, as well as their failures, to demonstrate how we all need to dream big in life.
Having these inspiring athletes teach each unit helps kids develop a personal connection to their stories. They’re able to see that athletes didn’t just wake up one day and head to Tokyo, but rather, they worked hard over years (even decades!) to get to where they are. This helps kids understand these lessons in a powerful and impactful way.
Bilingual Mindful Minute Videos Reinforce Goal Setting (in English and Spanish)
As parents and teachers, we know things we tell our kids can fall on deaf ears. Having a different voice share the same messages can be a more effective way to reach kids of all ages.
Mindful Minute videos are created by athletes so kids can hear advice from someone new. Advice from athlete mentors are available in English and Spanish to guide them through difficult situations and assist with themes like courage, stress and anxiety, healthy living, and teamwork.
Flexible Learning and Lessons Meet Teacher and Student Needs
All SEL Foundations lessons can be taught in 30 minutes, or extended based on student and classroom needs. Units feature a thematic overview with background information for the theme’s topic, an Athlete Profile Kit, and 4 lesson plans with assessments. All materials are easily accessible through the teacher dashboard.
The teacher dashboard also allows you to sort materials and resources according to in-person, social distancing, and distance learning models. This is extremely helpful since many school systems are preparing to return to in-person instruction this spring. Having maximum flexibility while transitioning to different learning models mid-year takes some stress away from providing instruction. It also promotes continuity of learning for students.
Classroom Champions lessons can be implemented in a variety of ways including, but not limited to:
- Using school-wide approach, as the lessons spiral developmentally across three grade bands: K-2, 3-5, and 6-8.
- Teaching the curriculum over eight months: one lesson per week, one unit per month.
- Taking a bootcamp approach and teach one unit per week over an eight-week period.
- Weaving the 30-minute lesson plans into core curricular areas like English Language Arts.
- Using the 30 minutes of lesson activities during morning circles or advisory periods, or with lunch or after-school groups.
Family Resources Engage Parents
It is more likely that SEL Skills will be realized if students get support at home. Classroom Champions has resources and activities that engage families. Parents and caregivers can access discussion guides for each of the eight units completed in school.
There are also bite-sized inspiring videos for parents, SEL Comes Home. The series focuses on the themes of each unit of the curriculum, and former athletes that are currently parents talk through their experience with each of these lessons, and how to talk it through with their kids.
Free, printable activity guides can be completed with someone at home to make learning more relevant.
To learn more about how Classroom Champions can inspire goal setting at home or in your classroom, visit Teach.ClassroomChampions.org and teach.cc.org/start for free 30-day trial.
If you’re interested in purchasing the entire program for yourself or a teacher, you can use LETICIA15 for 15% off!
This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own.
