Using Visuals to Teach Emotional Regulation

Teaching students about emotional regulation can be challenging, but incorporating visuals into your lessons can make a big difference. Visual cues can simplify complex concepts, making them more accessible and engaging for students. One effective way to integrate these visuals is through a well-designed classroom bulletin board. Classroom bulletin boards...

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January Calendar

There is lots happening this month! Get your calendar with our free download.

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Research Connection

In June 2025, to test a theory linking a lack of playtime to chronic stress in kids, researchers conducted a novel experiment - they compared 130 fourth-grade volunteers who received either 30 or 45 minutes of daily recess during the academic year. Hair samples of the children were then analyzed for cortisol levels, providing a unique biological measure of chronic rather than short-term stress. Students in the 45-minute play group had 68 percent less cortisol stored in hair strands—from head to toe, they were chill. Clearly, more independent play yields happier, more socially competent children, according to an ever-expanding body of research.

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Product Spotlight: Growth Mindset and the Brain

Learning the science behind a growth mindset is empowering and an important aspect of the growth mindset journey.

In Growth Mindset and the Brain, students learn about the brain’s neuroplasticity. They explore the function of neurons, dendrites, synapses, the brain’s lobes, and the limbic system. Students will learn that struggling to learn something new is actually a good thing because it helps build and strengthen new pathways in the brain.

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Advice from the Nordics to beat the winter blues

The Associated Press spoke to experts in Norway, Sweden and Finland about the winter blues. Here’s how they suggest looking for light, literally and figuratively, during the darkest months of the year:

1. Embrace winter - keep a positive outlook about the season.
2. Nurture your relationships.
3. Seek out light - morning sunlight, a dawn simulator (sunrise alarm), or light therapy for 20 minutes every morning.
4. Exercise daily to feel good and to fend off the average winter weight gain of 4 to 11 pounds.
5. Take a cold plunge followed up with a sauna.
6. Snuggle up or cultivate an indoor hobby that brings enjoyment.

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About Us

Molly, a school counselor, and Jill, a school-based occupational therapist, combine their know-how and energy, or their "MOXIE," to create relevant and actionable resources for student well-being and resilience.