How to Answer Kids’ Questions about COVID

As children head back to school this fall, many are asking questions that teachers may feel unprepared to answer. While we can’t provide a script for how to respond to each question a student may ask, here's some guidance on appropriate ways to handle these tough conversations. 

This Fall, Consistency is Key

While we can’t create consistency in this unpredictable world, we can create it where we have control – in the classroom (or virtual classroom).

Learning at School or Home: How to Prioritize Children's Mental Health

Regardless of the circumstances, the decision between virtual learning and in-person learning can be surrounded with anxiety and uncertainty.

How We Created a Bitmoji Classroom

Momentous School 4^th grade teachers share this back-to-school strategy designed to help teachers create a virtual classroom for distance learning.   

How to Help Students Adapt to Wearing a Mask

Many states and schools require or encourage people to wear a mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Here are seven quick tips to help students adapt. 

Partnering with Parents in the New Age of School

There’s never been a better opportunity for schools to capitalize on the partnership with parents as there is now. 

Reminding Students (and Ourselves!) How to Do School Again

Students coming back into the classroom this fall, or students logging on to virtual platforms, will need an even more intentional refresher course on how school works. And frankly, teachers probably will, too!

How and Why to Start Each Day with a Classroom Morning Meeting this Fall

When students start back at school this fall, creating a sense of belonging must be top priority.

Behaviors You May See at the Start of This School Year

Here are some behaviors we may see in children as we head back into classrooms this fall.

Three Tricks to Master Students’ Names in a Virtual Back-to-School World

Here are a few tips to get started learning student’s names if the school year starts with remote learning.

Thank you, Momentous School Teachers

From daily distance learning zoom sessions to birthday visits to a special drive-thru send-off, our teachers went above and beyond to make sure our students and their families were able to finish the year on a positive note.

Teaching from Home Strategy: Online Faculty Meetings

To help teachers and administrators handle the stresses of teaching from home, consider adding a social emotional component to your online faculty meetings. Here are a few tips!

Teaching from Home Strategy: Ask the Parents!

In this new age of teaching remotely, relationships between parents/caretakers and teachers have never been more intertwined. To capitalize on this new relationship, teachers can lean in to parents and ask how they'd like to be supported.

Teaching from Home Strategy: Individual Touchpoints

Having one-on-one connection with students can be tough during distance learning, but we have a few tips for setting up individual touchpoints.

Teaching from Home Strategy: Virtual Meeting Expectations

Every teacher has classroom expectations. As classrooms have shifted to online platforms, it is important to set expectations for distance learning.

Teaching from Home Strategy: Think 'Meal Prep'

Many people meal prep their meals for the week, why try 'meal prepping' lessons for the week!

Teaching from Home Strategy: Create a Daily Schedule - For Yourself

Creating a schedule for yourself is more important than ever when teaching from home. We have a few tips to help you get started creating your schedule. 

Teaching from Home Strategy: Virtual Recess

Students of all ages love recess, to give them some time to experience recess from home, try a virtual recess.

Teaching from Home Strategy: Virtual Office Hours

Even for classrooms as young as elementary school, virtual office hours can provide a great way for students and teachers to connect. 

Teaching from Home Strategy: Mindful Listening

Let's look at an easy mindfulness strategy that students can do from home: mindful listening.

Teaching from Home Strategy: Stretch it Out

Kids are currently spending more time on screens than they normally would in a classroom. Today's strategy looks at ways to get them up and moving.

Teaching from Home Strategy: Starfish Breathing

Starfish breathing is a quick breathing strategy that can easily be done via video chat.

Teaching from Home Strategy: Morning Meeting

Morning meetings help start the day and build a sense of community. Just because students and teachers aren't in the same room doesn't mean morning meeting can't happen!

Teaching from Home Strategy: Video Box Breathing

As teachers adapt to a new method of teaching, prioritizing social emotion learning in the absence of a classroom environment can be a challenge. We're here to provide some strategies that teachers can implement from their homes.

Three Things on My Mind

Momentous School Principal Daniel Knoll shares what's currently most on his mind during this global pandemic. 

Three strategies for Fun Home Education

Here are some learning strategies to walk through together at home so you don’t just survive with your children, but thrive. 

Three Strategies to Survive and Thrive If Suddenly Faced with Homeschooling

In the United States, schools are closing at a rapid pace and parents are in uncharted waters to figure out how to homeschool their children. We’ve got three strategies that will help!

Can a teacher Get Some Help Here?

Meet Ms. Garcia as she walks us through Momentous Institute’s Strategic Intervention Model that equipped her with tools to help her student, Sarah.

Three Strategies for Parents to Help Children Achieve at School (Without Homework!)

While homework aids students with repetition exercises and memory, it can often limit evening family time. These three strategies will help children succeed in school without homework.

Momentous Institute Goes to Austin

Momentous Institute is passionate about being a leading voice for equipping educators with trauma-informed practices and had the opportunity in May to take part in advocating for Texas House Bill 18, which just passed in the Senate! Learn more about House Bill 18, how Momentous Institute is working with legislators and how social emotional health is being showcased throughout political platforms.

Dear White Teachers

Dear White Teachers, Are you like me, a white teacher in a classroom with mostly students of color? Do you feel secretly uncomfortable at the idea of talking about race in the classroom? Keep reading...

The Emotional Keyboard

We recently read Eric Jensen's book, "Teaching with Poverty in Mind". Find out more about why we love the concept of the emotional keyboard. 

The Link Between Healthy Food and Academic Performance

Nutrition is a vital part of a child's development. For children living in poverty, there are obstacles that prevent access to healthy food, which in turn affects their performance in school. 

Are Standardized Tests Biased Against Students in Poverty?

In this post, we discuss the inherent bias in standardized tests and how students' life experiences and socioeconomic situations affect their ability to perform on standardized tests.

Does it Cost More to Educate a Child in Poverty?

How much does it cost to educate a child in poverty? We break down school funding and look at the effect of poverty on education cost.

Avoiding the Poverty Language Traps

How we talk about poverty matters. In this post, we take a look at how we define and talk about poverty. 

Three Main Differences in How Boys and Girls Bully

Both boys and girls bully and are bullied. In this post, we take a look at some key differences in how boys and girls bully.

What I Learned When I Lined Kids Up By Gender

Taylor Freeman shares a powerful story about a time when she asked students to line up by gender... and what she learned from it. 

Are Classrooms and Playgrounds Serving Girls and Boys Equally?

Spaces and places, and how we move within them, are deeply rooted in gender. In this post, guest author April Larremore asks if these spaces are serving boys and girls equally. Read more...

Young Men's Leadership Academy: An All Boys Middle School

Continuing to learn about how gender plays a role in education, I recently visited Young Men's Leadership Academy, and all-boys Middle School located in Southern Dallas. Read more about my visit.

Solar Prep: An All-Girls School Review

I recently toured Solar Preparatory School for Girls, an elementary school in the Dallas Independent School District. Read my thoughts about this amazing all-girls campus!

Seven Ways to Get Girls Interested in STEM

It is widely accepted that careers in STEM fields are dominated by men, and that women and girls do not pursue these fields at the same level as their male peers. Through my research and practices, I want to share seven ways to help girls gain interest in STEM. Read more...

“Future Husbands, Fathers and Leaders” - An All-Boys School Profile

Today's conversation is with Mr. Jim Taylor, director of admissions at Cistercian Preparatory School, a small, private, all-boys school in Irving, Texas. Read more about what makes a boy's school unique...

Good Morning, Boys and Girls!

It’s common to walk into an elementary school classroom and hear a teacher say, “Good morning, boys and girls!”  Is there any harm in this approach? Let's take a look at the research. 

Prioritizing Students' Cultural Identity

This post comes from former Momentous School teacher, Jorgelina Marin, on helping students' develop a strong sense of self. 

Working with Undocumented Families

As adults, one of our first instincts is to protect and comfort children who are afraid. But that instinct can be challenging when a child’s fear is real, and there’s nothing we can do to protect them from it. One big area where we see this fear is around the topic of immigration. Keep reading...

Talking about Race and Ethnicity in the Classroom

Misconceptions and misinformation can quickly become the norm if educators do not address differences within a classroom. Here are some tips for how teachers can be proactive in the process of talking about race and ethnicity in the classroom. 

#Me Too: In Our Classrooms

"We were on a seventh grade class field trip. I don’t remember where. I do however, remember being in the elevator. He stood behind me and touched my body, without my consent." Read on...

Be Awesome and Love Kids

For some back-to-school motivation, watch this story of how relationships make all the difference. 

Tour Momentous School

Make yourself comfortable and enjoy this full tour of our elementary lab school, where we focus on social emotional health in concert with rigorous academics.

Building Excitement for the School Year

It’s back to school season, which means teachers everywhere are setting up classrooms and getting ready for the new year. At Momentous School, August means home visits: a week-long excursion visiting every student in his/her home. Keep reading...

Summer Reading Goes Digital

The students at Momentous School are hard at work on their summer reading. And we know they're enjoying it, because we can see their progress! Read more about how we went digital with summer reading...

Flip the Cafeteria

We made an intentional shift in the way our cafeteria works and it’s made a world of difference. Keep reading...

Closing Circle

Here's how we end every day at Momentous School. 

Ready to Quit: A Teacher's Reflection on the Most Challenging Student of her Career

"It wasn't too far into the year when Cristina considered quitting her job. She loves teaching and knows that it's her passion in life. But this student had pushed so many buttons that she thought it might be time to walk away." Read more...

Morning Meeting

Want to know how we start every day at Momentous School?

What Kind of Teacher do you Want?

Teachers often set expectations for students. But another step is sometimes left out: expectations for the teacher. Read more!

The Happiest Classroom

We don't like to play favorites, but... we do love this classroom! Join us for the next stop on our tour of Momentous School. 

A Classroom Set-Up for Success

Want more parent involvement? Try a Parent Center.

We’re big on parent involvement at Momentous School. Learn about how we involve families in our school community through our Parent Center. 

Build a Sensory Wall in your School

Ever heard a teacher say, "Please don't touch the walls"?  At Momentous School, we say, "Go ahead! Touch the walls!"

Joy in our Hearts: A Parent Engagement Art Project

As part of our tour of Momentous School, read about our huge entry art project designed by school families.

A Peek Inside Momentous School

Want to know more about what happens in our elementary school? Join us as we showcase our work and strategies in action. 

Vision Statements

Momentous School families write vision statements for their children. Watch this video to learn about the incredible impact this has on our families and teachers.

Skyping with Susan Kaiser Greenland: Questions and Extensions

Dive deeper into our relationship with Susan Kaiser Greenland by reading about our recent Skype session. 

Our Work with Susan Kaiser Greenland

Our Director of Education Sandy Nobles shares more about our in-depth work with Susan Kaiser Greenland. Read more...

How I Learned to Stop Yelling

Learn how one teacher overcame the urge to yell when frustrated, and how that impacted her classroom. 

Our Growing Brains

"We were blown away by their responses." Read more about this amazing brain project!

What's in Your Bag?

Have a child fill a bag with a special item from home. Read more...

Home Visits

Momentous School teachers visit each student in his/her home at the start of the school year. Watch this video to learn more about the impact that home visits make on the kids, parents, and teachers all year long.

Home Away from Home

Our students spend more time in our classroom than they do even with their own families. How can we make this home away from home a comfortable place? Try this simple idea from our fourth grade teacher, Kim Robinson.

Building a Championship Team

All year long my fifth grade class talks about champions. What is a champion? Are champions only athletes? Are champions only famous people? Heavens no! All of us can be champions!

How Schools Kill Creativity

In the number one most viewed TED talk of all time, Sir Ken Robinson argues that schools are killing creativity. Read on to learn more about this message, and a chance to hear from Robinson in person!

My Best Mistake

Instead of returning an assignment with a bunch of red marks, try this strategy to help build grit.

A Day in the Life of Momentous School

What makes Momentous School so unique? Experience a day in the life with this video.

Social Emotional Health... in college

A Momentous Institute intern asks her fellow college students about social emotional health. What does she discover in their responses? Read on.

Appreciations

Momentous School teacher Jennifer Hartmann shares a strategy she uses to help kids express their appreciation for each other.

A Second Grade Service Project: The School Gratitude Tree

Momentous School teachers Sarah and Rene think that every school should have a gratitude tree. Read on to see why.

Inside the Principal's Office

Watch this short video on how Momentous School's principal, Sandy Nobles, uses social emotional health strategies to reinforce positive discipline.

Mindful Observation

Learn how Momentous School teacher used mindful observation with her fifth grade scientists.

Teaching Strategies | Thankful Pumpkins

Thanksgiving is around the corner and a great way to be festive while teaching gratitude is utilizing Thankful Pumpkins! Use this with your students or children!

Flipped Classroom Agreements

We're all familiar with classroom agreements, but have you considered adding agreements for what students can expect from their teacher? Learn more in this quick video. 

Teacher Tips: Self-Care Strategies

3 self-care practices to help teachers prepare for the upcoming school year.

Teacher Tips: Expectations and Procedures

Classroom expectations and procedures for teachers to consider in preparation for the school year.

Flip the Clip

Most teachers are familiar with the classic clip chart, a behavior management technique designed to help students control their behavior and make good choices. Flip the Clip turns this concept into a method that is positive, respectful and results in a classroom culture with strong social emotional health.

The Brain Song

Momentous School 3 year olds perform "The Brain Song" by their teacher, Juanita Cabrales. Enjoy!

Don't Stress the Test: Self-Care for Teachers

Testing can be just as stressful for teachers as it is for our students, so it's important to remember to take time for ourselves during this time. 

Classroom Strategy: Friendly Wishes

Try using Friendly Wishes to have your students practice empathy for their friends and classmates!

Safe Relationships: Adults on Campus

One of the keys to building safe relationships with students is making sure the adults on campus have safe relationships among themselves. Vickie Echols fills us in!

Harllee Partner Project: Amber Shields

Harllee's new principal, Amber Shields, talks about her excitement in starting her first year as Principal for Harllee Early Childhood Center and working with Momentous!

Back to School: Time and Space

When hoping to build safe relationships with a new class after summer break, it's important to consider your space (the learning environment) and time!

Back to School: Ruptures and Repairs

Ruptures and mistakes can be fairly common to classrooms and, although they are unfortunate, they can be used to further build repairs with your students by focusing on repairing those mistakes or ruptures.

Mindfulness in the Classroom

Want to know how we incorporate mindfulness into the classroom at Momentous School? Watch this short video to learn more.

Momentous School Tour

Learn more about Momentous School, a lab school in Dallas, Texas dedicated to social emotional health.

Momentous School Closing Circle

Here's how we end every day at Momentous School.

Momentous School Morning Meeting

Learn how every morning starts at Momentous School. 

Flash Focus on Relationships

Flash Focus on Relationships, a presentation from staff at Momentous Institute. Jennifer Hartmann shares about Relationships: The Difference that Makes a Difference.

Vision Statements

We believe that all parents truly want the best for their children and have high hopes and dreams for their futures. At Momentous School, we ask all parents to complete a vision statement for their child. We use these to help guide our students and to refocus on the big picture if things go off-track. We encourage every school to add vision statements to their beginning of the year routine!

What is Empathy?

Momentous Institute staff and students share the definition of empathy. 

A Day in the Life of Momentous School

What is a typical day for Momentous School? Check out this video to learn more about how we infuse social emotional health into everything that we do.

Gratitude Journals

Learn more about how to use gratitude journals in a classroom. 

Home Visits

Before the start of each new academic year, Momentous School teachers visit students at their homes.  This helps build a great relationship between home and school.

Home Visits 101

Learn more about how Momentous School visits each of our Pre-K families in their home throughout their first year. Home visits help strengthen the parent-school connection and set students up for success both at school and at home.

Positive Discipline

Momentous Institute's Director of Education shares how she approaches discipline with social emotional health in mind. 

The Glitter Ball

The glitter ball is our favorite strategy for helping kids understand the power of breathing to calm their big emotions.