SEL 101 - Mood Meter
“How are you feeling today?”
A simple, yet powerful, question.
Sometimes we can go through an entire day without being asked or asking ourselves this question. As a teacher, when I ask my students how they’re feeling, they are given the opportunity for self-assessment. When kids assess their own emotions, they are more likely to effectively manage stress, control impulses, and achieve goals. An emotional check-in also forges a stronger rapport between teacher and student, or child and parent.
Incorporating Mood Meters into my classroom has been a game-changer for classroom management and positive student relationships.
There are many different types of Mood Meters depending on which grade level you have, or age your child is. I like using a Mood Meter with emojis, because I teach Pre-K through 5th, and the non-readers, or students with certain disabilities, may only be able to understand symbols. But in middle school and high school, you could go more in-depth by using the Mood Meter that features more complex emotions, and have students place a Post-it note, sticker or magnet on the Mood Meter. This also give them an opportunity to expand their vocabulary for expressing their feelings.
For my Mood Meter, I printed off some emojis and taped them to a magnetic board. You can get these emojis for free on Teachers Pay Teachers. I’ve seen other teachers use the exact Mood Meters we’re sharing with you, and blow them up to poster size! I always meet my students in the hallway as they are lined up outside of my classroom, and have them point to the emoji that represents their feeling that day. I also give them the opportunity to choose the type of greeting they’d like by pointing to the picture of a handshake, fist-bump, hug, high-five, handshake or wave. You can also have students color their own Feelings Meter in your classroom.
My students ALWAYS look forward to this! I have found that it’s best to set it up as a part of your classroom structure from the very first day of school. That way your students are trained in this routine. I believe that if you are going to incorporate any SEL strategy that will dramatically transform your classroom environment, you should try to incorporate these Mood Meters and Morning Greetings first. If you’re using it at home, it could be a great part of your morning routine. It’s a perfect way to build respect and strong relationships with kids!
Another part of your routine could be our Mood Song, available on Spotify and Youtube!
Hope you enjoyed this practical SEL:101 tip!! Let us know how it’s working for you and your kiddos. Stay tuned for the rest of our SEL:101 blog series for more simple strategies to incorporate SEL into your learning, or home, environment!
Creative Songs for Creative Kids
-Narwhals & Waterfalls-
