PAWsitive Choices

Social and Emotional Learning System

PAWsitive Choices is a trauma-informed social and emotional learning program that teaches children to make positive choices, solve problems collaboratively, learn from mistakes, and set goals. This system has the key components to help a classroom run smoothly: visual aids, problem solving, goal setting, data tracking, emotional regulation, and family communication. The Home Edition of PAWsitive Choices helps students build and apply the social and emotional learning skills with their families.

Check out our podcast!

Visual Aids, Drawing & Gestures for Positive Choices & Classroom Routines

PAWsitive Choices makes use of visual aids to support visual learners. Show direction cards to help students build their working memory and follow multistep directions. Refer to the positive choices visuals to keep students on track. Integrate drawing so everyone can more effectively set goals and solve problems. Use gestures based on American Sign Language to provide another level of non-verbal cues.

Goal Setting

Help children learn exactly what to do by explicitly teaching the key social and emotional learning habits for success using a goal setting routine. Based on international social and emotional learning (SEL) standards, each goal helps students thrive in the classroom. The goal setting process gives students the tools to identify SEL skills and track their growth on a daily or weekly basis.

Problem Solving

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the number of social problems that come up during the day? Teach students key problem solving strategies with visual aids and gestures so they can solve problems on their own. Use problem solving reflections to make the process more streamlined and understandable. Train students to become problem solving helpers so they facilitate conflict resolution independently. Doing this helps you focus on teaching and not putting out fires.

Intrinsic Motivation Inspired by Neuroscience

How do you keep students motivated without a prize box or behavior chart? Teach them about their brain! When students realize just how powerful their brain is and how their choices impact their brain's ability to grow, they become intrinsically motivated to make positive choices and learn. Emphasizing how positive choices strengthen relationships builds a culture of kindness and a trauma-informed classroom community.

Strategies for Teaching Emotional Regulation

Learn teaching strategies for the prevention and intervention of disrupted learning using the PAWsitive Choices digital videos. Show students how to use quick and effective calming strategies to help their brain stay in control. Teach students what happens inside their brain when their big emotions feel overwhelming and equip them with the skills and tools they need to self-regulate. Set up brain break routines so students can take responsible breaks and return to tasks without disrupting their learning or the learning of others. Help students build empathy for their peers who need extra self-regulation support by reviewing the neuroscience and being transparent about teachers’ need for taking breaks as well. Review healthy choices that everyone can make on a daily basis to thrive inside and outside of the classroom.

Data Tracking

When it comes time for your school's data tracking meeting, what behavior data do you use? Bring goal setting records and digital problem solving data to meetings to show your students' social and emotional growth and needs. Documenting the location, triggers, behavioral responses, and responses to intervention provides you with concrete information to share with your staff and to use to inform your instructional decisions on a daily basis. Use this data to help families as well.

Family Partnerships

Teach families about the brain, problem solving, goal setting, positive choices, and more with family connection resources. Effectively communicate with families when there is a problem by having students share their problem solving reflections. Since students reflected and drew and/or wrote about the problem at school, they are equipped to tell their family what happened and what they did to repair the situation or what they can do at home to follow up (i.e. make a card for the person the affected). Celebrate students' social and emotional growth with families by sending home goal setting forms.