Category Archives: social emotional learning

Helping children with the social struggles of social media…

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

We’ve just concluded our winter grade level roundtables at Seven Hills, and some of our parenting conversations have been very similar to the advice shared here.

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, education, new york times, NY Times, parenting, parenting middle school aged children, Seven Hills School, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, social emotional learning | Tagged | Comments Off on Helping children with the social struggles of social media…

Being Grateful CAN prolong your life…

Posted on November 24, 2018 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

  At Seven Hills, one of our core values is Be Grateful. We teach students to be aware of how lucky they are to be able to attend Seven Hills and to recognize that not everyone is as fortunate. We … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, childhood development, education, empathy, global skills, gratitude, leadership in children, parenting, parenting middle school aged children, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, social emotional learning | Tagged | Comments Off on Being Grateful CAN prolong your life…

The Atlantic: How to address loneliness

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

As loneliness remains a troubling and pervasive problem in America and around the world, teaching preventive skills to students could help create future generations that are healthier and more socially connected.  One could feel despair in reading this quote, but … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, adolescent development, childhood development, education, global skills, Harvard's Caring Schools Initiative, social emotional learning, The Atlantic Monthly | Comments Off on The Atlantic: How to address loneliness

Helping Children Understand the World Around Them…

Posted on October 20, 2017 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

This latest round of news that is difficult to process around the wildfires very close to our community creates another opportunity for adults to explain the world to children and give them a sense of safety and reduce their anxiety. … Continue reading →

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Harvard Business Review: Why Diverse Groups Feel uncomfortable and perform better…

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Why Diverse Teams Perform Better… This is a food for thought as we navigate our ever increasingly diverse world and create leadership for the 21st Century.        

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, diversity, education, Harvard Graduate School of education, Harvard's Caring Schools Initiative, HBS, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, social emotional learning | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Postscript Japan 2016

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

For the better part of July and August I have let the Japan experience marinate in my mind. There were so many special moments with students, between students, among the adults, even through some pretty substantial language barriers. As we … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, Japan, leadership, leadership in children, Seven Hills Japan Trip 2016, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, social emotional learning, the science of emotion | Tagged | Leave a comment

Japan Day #14 Tokyo tour and then long flight home…

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

The morning had us bidding farewell to host families and Kita City educators. It was a bittersweet farewell. Then we were off to see a few more sites: The Meiji Shrine (a Shinto Shrine) The Edo Tokyo Museum and one … Continue reading →

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Japan Day #7: Each group to a different school…

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Given the raucous conversations at the end of the day, each group had some terrific opportunities to interact with students ranging from kindergarten through 9th grade. I have a few pics of other group activities, as well as mine… Pretty … Continue reading →

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Day #5 Happy Birthday Grace! …and the bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo!

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Grace turned fourteen in Japan on Sunday. There was a free morning and then we gathered up all our things to get to the bullet train for the ride from Kyoto to Tokyo. First we waited in the station. Ryan … Continue reading →

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The question about errands…

Posted on June 5, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

I related to this blog post on so many levels. At Seven Hills, I have been talking to our parents about making their own learning visible, about letting children see their executive function in action. Growing up the oldest of … Continue reading →

Posted in adult development, childhood development, gratitude, grit, leadership, leadership in children, parenting, social emotional learning | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment