Social Emotional Learning Resources for Schools

We are thrilled to introduce you to Ohel's newly curated collection of Social Emotional Learning resources for educators and students, preschool through high school. Our student-centered resources are designed to foster personal growth, emotional intelligence, and healthy interpersonal relationships. Our focus in creating these tools is to help children grow their resilience, identify their strengths, and learn how to navigate their emotions.

In today's ever-changing world, developing our social and emotional skills has never been more fundamental. Our ever-growing range of resources offer a collection of evidence-based tools, activities, and strategies to support individuals of all ages in proactively building emotional health and wellness, so that they can thrive within the classroom and beyond.

For more information about any of the resources, please email schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

Helping Children Cope After Trauma

Helping Children Cope After Trauma

For Parents, Caregivers, and Educators

The effects of youth trauma can last beyond childhood. Child trauma survivors whose needs remain unaddressed can have long term physical, behavioral, learning, and emotional consequences.

The good news is that children can demonstrate remarkable resilience in the face of adversity. A key protective factor is when the adults in their environment (parents, caregivers, teachers) identify and address their trauma reactions.

Download Ohel's Helping Children Cope After Trauma to better understand how children of different ages react to trauma and how you can help them manage their fears to feel safe and secure again. Download Now

For more information, please email schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

Early Childhood

I Feel That Way and That's Okay!

Early Childhood Resilience-Based Resource & Training

Ohel recently released a storybook for preschool children, I Feel That Way and That's Okay!, that aims to help children understand their emotions and how they are experienced inside their bodies.

This innovative resource touches on the four cornerstones of healthy development in young children: emotion regulation and coregulation, attachment, communication, and interoception.

With its easy-to-follow narrative and its central message that characters can "feel that way and that's okay," this resource can help children identify and learn to manage their emotions with the help of adults in their lives, laying a strong foundation for building resilience from a very young age. This resource has an accompanying Teacher’s Guide, complete with many supplementary classroom exercises, as well as classroom activity pages.

This comprehensive early childhood package includes:

• I Feel That Way and That's Okay! children’s books
• Interactive and experiential teacher training (1-1.5 hours, can be tailored to school's needs)
• School coaching on integrating social-emotional learning tools within instruction
• Teacher's Guide for every classroom, complete with social emotional learning activities
• A set of puppets featuring the main characters from the book
• Coloring pages with characters from the book reinforcing key concepts
• Coming Soon: Lesson Plans for incorporating the key social emotional learning concepts of the book in the classroom

This resource has been translated into:

• Hebrew
• Arabic
• Simplified Chinese
• English
• Spanish

For more information, please email schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

Elementary School

Inner Space: My Resilience Workbook

Elementary School Resilience-Based Resource & Training (Grades 2-5)

Ohel’s newest resource, Inner Space: My Resilience Workbook, provides children with the opportunity to identify their personal strengths and enhance their ability to understand and regulate their emotions. The workbook incorporates the theme of space exploration as children learn to navigate their emotions and develop personal coping tools. The skills embedded throughout the workbook integrate work from the field of resilience-based research and positive psychology in order to proactively build resilience and well-being. The workbook is accompanied by a companion Teacher’s Guide, which contains many supplementary activities to be used in the classroom to integrate skills and concepts from theworkbook into practice.

This comprehensive elementary school package includes:

• Inner Space: My Resilience Workbook for children
• Interactive and experiential teacher training (1-1.5 hours, can be tailored to school’s needs)
• School coaching on integrating the workbook and associated social-emotional learning activities within instruction
• Comprehensive Teacher’s Guide for every classroom, complete with 40 additional social-emotional learning activities for the classroom
• 2 large posters that reinforce key themes and skills in the workbook
• 10 key tips for implementation of the workbook in the classroom

There is a version of the workbook available for Yeshiva/Day School students.

The workbook has been translated into:

• Ukrainian, for children impacted by the war in Ukraine
• Spanish
• Hebrew
• Arabic

For more information, please email schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

Middle School

Middle School Anxiety Prevention Program (MAPP)

This psycho-educational curriculum is geared toward 6th grade students, as a preventative program to deal with the stress of the many transitions that occur during this period – puberty, bar/bat mitzvah, change from self-contained to departmental schedule, increased academic pressure, change in peer relationships, etc. Topics in this curriculum include: stress vs. anxiety, emotions and the brain, friendship, effective communication, conflict resolution,

and stress management. This program is accompanied by teacher training, parent education, and consultation to ensure carryover and consistency. The program comes complete with a Teacher’s Manual, interactive presentation slides, classroom activities, and sample parent communication and newsletters regarding the content of the program.

This comprehensive middle school package includes:

• Interactive and experiential teacher training (1-1.5 hours, can be tailored to school’s needs)
• School coaching and support in program implementation
• Comprehensive Teacher’s Manual
• Complete set of presentation slides for each lesson
• Parent communication and newsletters

For more information, please email schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

CCSA Substance Use Prevention Education

CCSA Substance Use Prevention Education: Student, Parent, and Faculty Programs

Middle School & High School Student Programs

CCSA’s evidence-based prevention education programs are designed to teach students the dangers of using substances and how to make educated and informed choices. Presentations are differentiated according to grade level for 6th - 12th grade students and are delivered by Jewish individuals with lived experience with addiction.

Middle School Programs

• Understanding the dangers of substances
• Protecting the brain as it develops
• Exploring resilience and coping skills
• Learning about peer pressure and refusal skills

6th grade: Introduction to basic information on substances
7th grade: Delving into nicotine, marijuana, and alcohol
8th grade: Focus on self-care, stressors, and transition

High School Programs

• How addiction happens and protective factors
• Decision making and impulse control
• Exploring anxiety, stress, and coping skills
• Peer pressure and making healthy choices

9th grade: Current drug trends and marketing tactics
10th grade: Hands-on experience of impairment effects
11th grade: Our teens’ concerns and tools available
12th grade: Post high school and harm reduction

Parent and Faculty Programs

• Current drug trends and paraphernalia
• Identifying issues related to substance use
• Communication skills and resources
• Strategies to prevent addiction amongst our youth

For more information, please email schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

Elementary, Middle, & High School

Ohel’s Resilient Schools Initiative for Elementary, Middle, and High School

Building Resilient Schools: A Trauma-Informed Approach

Ohel is in the process of piloting a Resilient Schools program that includes a comprehensive range of support services:

• Teacher training in evidence-based tools that foster resilience, trauma sensitivity, and emotional well-being. The teacher training is titled Resilient Teachers, Resilient Students, as teachers are guided and supported in learning key resilience-building and trauma sensitive tools, which they can then impart to their students. These tools will help schools foster enhanced resilience and become more trauma-informed in their approach to student learning and managing students’ emotional and behavioral needs
• Supportive coaching for teachers
• Consultation to support and guide carryover in the classroom
• Social Emotional tools and strategies for integration in the classroom
• Parent education

This pilot program is available in certain areas.

For more information, please email schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

Mental Health First Aid

Teen Mental Health First Aid

Teen MHFA is an evidence-based training that teaches teenagers (10th grade and up) the skills they need to recognize and help their friends with mental health and substance use challenges and crises, and how to get the help of an adult quickly. It certifies them as first responders in a mental health crisis or challenge until an appropriate adult arrives. This is a highly effective model, as teens often turn to their peers before they turn to adults/parents with their difficulties. Training can be presented virtually or in person.

Youth Mental Health First Aid – for Adults Working with Children

Youth MHFA teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This 6.5 hour training gives adults who work with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to adolescents (ages 12-18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care. Participants do not learn to diagnose or how to provide therapy or counseling – rather, participants learn to support a youth developing signs and symptoms of a mental illness or in an emotional crisis by applying a five-step action plan. Training can be presented virtually or in person.

The Mental Health First Aid training programs are available in certain areas.

For more information, please email schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

Teachers & Youth Support Professionals

Helpline for Teachers & Youth Support Professionals

Ohel’s Helpline for Teachers & Youth Support Professionals, funded by UJA New York, is a confidential space to access support and guidance. Under the supervision of Dr. Norman Blumenthal, the Helpline is staffed by a team of experienced school psychologists and mental health professionals, available to provide free, confidential, one-on-one support, and links to professional help and resources as needed. The Helpline is accessible to educators and youth support professionals, offering support for teachers’ emotional needs and the behavioral and social-emotional challenges in the classroom.

During the summer, the Helpline is open for camp staff
Monday - Wednesday 2:00 - 4:00 pm EST.

During the school year, the Helpline is open
Monday - Wednesday 12:00 - 1:00 pm EST, Wednesday - Thursday 4:00 - 6:00 pm EST.

Teacher Helpline: 718-686-3230

For more information, contact teachersupport@ohelfamily.org.

We also have a robust menu of trainings and presentations for educators and youth support professionals and would welcome the opportunity to discuss these with you. To schedule a training/presentation or if you have any questions about our resources, please contact us at SchoolResources@OhelFamily.org.

Teacher Support Helpline Webinars

Ohel’s Teacher Support Helpline frequently presents webinars to support the mental health and well-being of students, teachers, and youth leaders. Examples of past webinars include:

• Educating During A Time of War: Supporting Ourselves, Supporting Our Students
• Resilience in Challenging Times: learn More about Ohel's Resilience Resources
• Never Again is Now: Coping With The Virulent Rise in Antisemitism

Past webinars can be viewed at www.ohelfamily.org/service/webinars.

For more information, please email schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

Combatting Antisemitism

Coming Soon: Mental Health Toolkit for Combatting Antisemitism

An educational toolkit to support discussions with children and adults in light of today's climate of increasing antisemitism. This toolkit involves a multifaceted approach to foster a deeper understanding of the issues at hand in order to build resilience in individuals and communities impacted.

Each module of the toolkit is designed to address different aspects of the response to an antisemitic event, from understanding and processing the incident to empowering individuals and communities to act against discrimination. Together, they form a comprehensive approach to dealing with the complex and multifaceted nature of antisemitism.

For more information, please email schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

Whether you’re an educator or student, or simply on a journey of self-discovery, these resources are here to support you in developing a deeper understanding of yourself and others. Explore, learn, and embark on a transformative journey of building resilience through the power of Social Emotional Learning. For more information, please reach out to schoolresources@ohelfamily.org.

School Services

Social Emotional Learning Resources for Schools