Implementation Guide - The Charter

Emotional Intelligence Charter Lesson 4 | Upper Elementary

4. Have students get together in pair-shares. Then, have them think of Time: 30 – 40 minutes total
one feeling from the Charter that their partner has helped them to (20 minutes for Charter
experience (and how). Give students 5 minutes to share with their reflection activity; 10 – 20
partners. minutes for Charter summer
goal activity). Lesson can
5. Ask students to brainstorm with their partners at least one way that be shortened or lengthened
they can continue to honor the Charter over the summer with their depending on how much
families or friends. For example, one student might pledge to give her time students are given
sibling a compliment each week, while another student might pledge to create and draw their
to talk to his mom when he can’t resolve a conflict with a friend. summer goal.

6. Ask students to work individually to create a drawing, symbol, or other Evaluation: Have students
visual reminder of their Charter goal for the summer. Have students share their summer Charter
write a sentence or two describing what they will do over the summer reminders in pair-shares.
to honor the Charter.
CASEL Competencies:
Learning Extensions: Have students sit in a large circle on the floor in Students will develop
the gym or multi-purpose room. Supply a large ball and have students the following CASEL
toss the ball to members in the circle. When a student receives the ball, recommended
s/he shares one situation where the Charter worked for him or her in the competencies:
school year. • Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills
• Responsible

Decision-making

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Emotional Intelligence Charter Lesson 4 | Middle School

RECOMMENDED GRADE Lesson 4:
LEVELS: 6–8 Reflecting on the Charter at the
Purpose: The end of the End of the School Year
school year is an ideal
time to reflect on the many Middle School
ways that the Charter has
been used to cultivate Procedure
a warm and caring This activity will provide students with an opportunity to reflect on the
classroom community. ways that the Charter has been used throughout the school year – and
During this lesson, to celebrate any Charter successes. Consider combining classes for this
students consider their use activity so that students can hear successful Charter stories from other
of the Charter throughout grade-levels or classrooms.
the entire school year;
they identify particular 1. Ask students to close their eyes and take a journey with you. Have
events or aspects of the them think about the first few weeks of school when they developed
Charter that have been the Charter. Ask them to reflect on how the Charter has been used
especially successful and since the time it was created. Remind them of any amendments that
celebrate those successes. have been made. After about 2 minutes, ask them to turn to their
They also consider ways neighbor and share what they remembered.
that they can continue to
use the Charter in their 2. Ask students the following reflection questions and write responses on
personal lives over the the board:
summer. What parts of the Charter have been particularly helpful for our
class this year?
Learning Objectives: What feelings have we, as a class, done an especially good job
Students will… of bringing about this year?
• Identify particular events What behaviors did we practice well in order to promote our
or aspects of the Charter Charter’s target feelings?
that have been especially What are some examples of challenging situations or conflicts
successful that using the Charter has helped us to resolve successfully?
• Celebrate Charter What aspects of the Charter were difficult to honor? Why?
successes together as a
class 3. Debrief the group brainstorm by reading out loud all of the ways that
• Come up with several the Charter has been successful during the school year.
ways that they can
continue to use the
Charter over the summer

Materials and
Preparation:
Students will need…
• Materials to create
a written and visual
reminder of the Charter
for the summer

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Emotional Intelligence Charter Lesson 4 | Middle School

4. Have students get together in pair-shares. Then, have them think of Time: 30 – 40 minutes total
one feeling from the Charter that their partner or someone else in (20 minutes for Charter
the class has helped them to experience (and how). Give students 5 reflection activity; 10 – 20
minutes to share with their partners. minutes for Charter summer
goal activity). Lesson can
5. Then, ask students to brainstorm with their partners at least one way be shortened or lengthened
that they can continue to honor the Charter over the summer with their depending on how much
families or friends. For example, one student might pledge to give her time students are given
sibling a compliment each week, while another student might pledge to create, draw, and write
to talk to his mom when he can’t resolve a conflict with a friend. about their summer goal.

Learning Extensions: Have students sit in a circle, either in their chairs or Evaluation: Have students
on the floor. Ask students to roll a large ball of yarn across the floor to share their summer Charter
each other. The student receiving the ball holds the strand of yarn in his/ reminders in pair-shares.
her hand and shares how the charter made him/her feel connected to his/
her classmates. As this continues, students are designing a cat’s cradle CASEL Competencies:
by each holding their strand and continuing to roll the ball to the next Students will develop
student. When the web is complete, all students will be connected both the following CASEL
by the yarn and implementation of Charter principles. Take a photo for recommended
students to remember the value and importance of the Charter. competencies:
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills
• Responsible

Decision-making

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Emotional Intelligence Charter Lesson 4 | Middle School

One student’s description and symbol of her Charter
goal for the summer.

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Chart e r
Enrichment
Act i v i t i e s

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Charter Enrichment Activities

The following enrichment activities are designed to keep the Charter alive throughout the
school year. The frequency and pacing of these activities depend upon class culture, student
skills, and teacher preference. We encourage you to incorporate many of these enrichment
activities to complement the basic four Charter lessons.

• Charter Revisions and Amendments: The Charter is designed to be an active and
dynamic document that is revisited and updated throughout the school year. Think about
different times of the year when the Charter could be revised: At the beginning of each
term? After every holiday break? At the beginning, middle, and end of the school year?
At least twice per year, re-examine your original Charter and each of the three questions
you used to create it to see if you have any changes or new ideas to contribute. Also,
consider: “What other feelings do we want to experience?” “What will we do to feel these
ways regularly?” “What more can we do to make our classroom a more positive place to
learn and work together?” “What else can we do to prevent conflict?” Amendments to the
Charter can be made regularly. For example, after a month or two you or your students
may realize that the feeling of trust needs to be added to the Charter along with behaviors
to promote trust. These amendments can be posted along side the Charter or integrated
directly into a revised Charter.

• Highlighting Charters: Some schools have a school-wide exhibit of the most creative
Charter designs. Other schools highlight a different Charter each month, posting it on the
front entrance of the school building or on the school’s website. Charters also can be kept
in a scrapbook or school community portfolio to showcase to visitors or to revisit during
community meetings.

• Charter Proclamations: When is a good time for you and your students to review the
Charter? The Charter should be read regularly to remind students about their commitment
to creating a safe, welcoming, and positive classroom environment. Consider having
different students read the Charter aloud daily, weekly, or monthly. If a new student joins the
class, one or more students can be assigned to teach the student about the Charter.

• Charter Goal Setting: What aspect of the Charter is especially relevant to your students
right now? Students can be directed to select one statement from the Charter that they
would like to focus on for themselves that day or week. The goal is for each student to “live”
their chosen statement as fully as possible in and out of the classroom that week, including
at home with family members. Examples include: listening to others without interrupting,
helping others with their challenges, or showing appreciation by saying, “thank you.” Older
students can journal on a daily or weekly basis about how they lived up to the Charter
activity, where they have fallen short, and what they can do to improve.

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Charter Enrichment Activities

• Charter Reinforcement: What can everyone do to make sure the whole class is “living
up” to the Charter? The Charter can be used to ensure everyone is accountable to the
agreed-upon norms developed by the class. For example, when a student interrupts
another student, the Charter can be referred to and discussed. Likewise, a great way
to reinforce the Charter is to point out when someone does something consistent with
the Charter. You may say in front of the class, “Maria, that was great active listening”
or pull George aside to say, “I like the way you stood up for Lillia today in accordance
with our class Charter.”

• Using the Charter in Class Meetings: Regular class meetings can provide a routine
structure that supports the development and maintenance of the Charter throughout the
school day. Meetings allow for the celebration of accomplishments, promote reflection and
goal setting as a group, and facilitate forgiveness and moving on after difficult events. It is
during these class meetings that teachers and students can: make decisions, discuss and
solve problems, and practice key aspects of the Charter. Here are some ideas for integrating
the Charter into daily meetings.

– Ask students to reflect on a feeling word from the Charter (e.g., Think of something
or someone that inspired you over the last week. What have you done in the last
week to inspire someone?) and then share the details of their reflection with a partner
or the class.

– If you feel as though one or more feeling(s) on the Charter have been neglected in
the classroom, instruct students to reflect on this feeling and on ways they can act or
new things they can do to promote this feeling in class.

– Ask students to select a key sentence or phrase from the Charter (e.g, “We promise
to encourage one another with positive words”) to discuss and practice. Students
can model what this phrase might look like for the class or discuss in pairs or small
groups. A “typical” scenario also can be presented where this practice does not take
place. Student can then “redo” it with the Charter goal in mind.

• Charter Check-ins: A wide range of spontaneous acts can be integrated into the classroom
to ensure the Charter stays alive. Here are a few ideas:

– For the word “Kind” or related feelings: Remind your students to “Carry out one
random act of kindness today.”

– For the word “Supported” or related feelings: Post on the blackboard or front door a
note to “Think about and share (anonymously) something that you would like to see
change about the way students get along in our classroom.”

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Charter Enrichment Activities

– For the word “Inspired” or related feelings: When the energy in the classroom drops,
ask students to stand back-to-back and share an uplifting story.

– For the word “Accomplished” or related feelings: Discuss personal and class
successes as a regular part of class meetings.

– Post famous quotes related to Charter concepts for students to discuss what the
quote means to them. For example, to promote the feelings of autonomy, you might
post the last phrase of Frost’s Road Not Taken, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and
I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference” and ask
students to share what that means to them.

– Encourage students to bring in their own quotes, poems, or images that represent
concepts in the Charter. Post these around The Charter that is displayed in the
classroom.

– Make “Caught In a Random Act of Kindness” cards. Tell students you will be handing
out these cards when you notice them putting into practice specific things that are
listed in the class Charter. Ask students to make a notation of why they received the
card on its back. After several weeks, debrief with class when they got cards, why,
and how it made them feel.

• Creating a Personal Charter: This activity for older students involves the creation of a
personal Charter. The goal of the personal Charter is for students to create personal goals
for their own behavior. Students take themselves through the same process that was used
for the classroom Charter. How do I want to feel (and how do I want my peers to feel)
when I’m at school? How do I need to behave in order for these feelings to be present
consistently? What are my strategies for preventing and handling uncomfortable feelings
and conflict? Students can keep a “success” journal and also record the challenges they
face when they are not reaching their Charter goals.

• Modeling and Role-Playing: Through modeling and role-playing, teachers can help
students explore what all aspects of the Charter look, sound, and feel like.
– For example, if one of the behaviors listed on the Charter is “active listening,” have
students practice this during morning meetings. Ask one or more students to share
an inspiring story with the class. Then, have other students paraphrase parts of the
story and ask questions about specific parts. Discuss with the class what nonverbal
behaviors they saw that indicated active listening.
– Ask students to work in groups and choose a particular word in the Charter that is
meaningful to them. Have the group design a script for a role-play of what that feeling
looks like in school. For example, if students want to be accepted, they may do a
role-play of being selected for a team, being asked to sit with friends at lunch, or
being invited to join an after-school club.

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Keeping th e
Charter Alive
Acco u n ta b ility
for Breaking
the Charter

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Keeping the Charter Alive

“Every day a Keeping the Charter Alive

different The Charter is most effective when it is embedded in the daily fabric of the
student reads classroom as a living document. As soon as the Charter is created, display it
the Classroom prominently in the classroom and observe a ritual to read it out loud every day or
Charter… they week. Make plans to amend the Charter several times throughout the year using
know it by the lessons provided in this guide. Below are some additional suggestions for
heart and use ways to keep the Charter alive throughout the school year.
it in their daily
language. Daily/Weekly Ideas
The Charter
is a part of 1. Make the Charter part of “morning meeting” exercises by conducting
the fabric of individual or group activities that include journaling and sharing
our whole with peers.
classroom
culture. 2. Develop a classroom routine for the weekly use of the Charter. For example,
(Teacher) you might have students establish personal and classroom Charter goals on
Monday. On Tuesday through Thursday, they would conduct short check-ins
” on their goals in their journals. On Friday, they would break into pair-shares
or small groups to debrief using reflection questions like, “what aspect of
the Charter was upheld this week? What goals do we need to make for the
following week?”

3. Conduct informal two-minute check-ins each day. Ask students to turn to
their neighbors and share a private reflection about the Charter or to write in
their journals about different emotions or behaviors mentioned in the Charter.

4. Initiate a “feeling of the week” activity that is inspired by the Charter. For
example, you might establish a goal one week for students to show
appreciation to at least 5 classmates a day.

5. Use the Charter spontaneously during “teachable moments.” For example,
compliment students regularly to model the emotions of kindness and
appreciation. Make sure to celebrate any positive behavior (or reductions in
problem behavior) by referencing how the class is honoring the Charter.

6. When applicable, use the Charter language when referencing academic
material and lessons.

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Keeping the Charter Alive

7. Create a survey to assess how the class feels about the Charter. Sample questions might be:
“Over the last month, we have felt valued (1 to 5)… we have used active listening (1 to 5), etc.”

8. Inform family members about the Charter by sending copies home and letting them know what the
class is doing with the Charter in classroom newsletters so they can practice at home.

9. Choose an “Emotional Intelligence Student-of-the-Week” who did the best job upholding the
Charter.

10. Use the Charter to work through issues, conflicts, or problems and to promote positive behavior.
For example, you might have students role-play ways to handle difficult situations and to promote
the Charter’s tenets.

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Accountability for Breaking the Charter

Accountability for Breaking the
Charter

Developing and displaying a Charter does not guarantee that it will be
followed. Students of all ages as well as teachers and school leaders need
constant reminders about the importance of committing to it. Moreover,
due to the busy nature of leading and teaching, establishing procedures
for responding to those who do not live up to the Charter is critical. If
overlooked, the Charter will lose its value in creating a warm, safe, and
caring classroom community. Below are a few tips:

1. For the Charter to be successful, everyone needs to practice the
principles covered in the Charter regularly. They also need to be
encouraged and directed to apply Charter principles in a variety of
classroom situations (as discussed above).

2. Consistent, non-punitive, logical consequences for handling those who
break the Charter must be developed. Logical consequences should be
respectful of the student (or adult), relevant to the aspect of the Charter
that was broken, and reasonable to implement and carry out. These can
be developed individually or in groups. (The Meta-Moment and Blueprint
are useful tools to employ when the Charter is broken.)

3. Below are two simple techniques that can be used with students to
ensure everyone is accountable to the Charter:
a. Teacher states to entire class, “We all agreed that we would solve
problems without hurting each other. Let’s talk about what we can
say or do to live up to this aspect of the Charter when someone
doesn’t follow through with this.” The discussion should focus on
dealing with the issue and not making personal comments.
b. Teacher names a specific aspect of the Charter that is not
being followed. “We all agreed to treat each other with respect.”
Students can then be asked, “What do we need to do as a class
to ensure this aspect of the Charter is followed? What can we do
to avoid breaking this part of the Charter in the future?” Results
can be added to the Charter. Below are two examples:

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Accountability for Breaking the Charter

i.“I heard that it didn’t go so well yesterday with the substitute
teacher. Let’s take a moment to reflect on our class Charter. In
what ways did you/didn’t you live up to the Charter? What does
respect look like when I am absent and someone else is here?
How can we ensure this doesn’t happen again?”

ii. We were about to brainstorm topics for our research papers
(or for younger students what songs we will sing at our holiday
concert.) So many students called out and yelled their ideas
that I had trouble hearing students and the noise level became
unacceptable. We had agreed to ‘speak one at a time and listen
attentively to each other’ in our Charter. What happens when we
all call out? How does it make each of us feel? How might it make
me feel? Since we want to feel heard and valued (as stated in the
charter), what can we do more to ensure these feelings?

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Charter FAQs

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Charter FAQs

1. Why should I develop a Charter when we already have classroom rules?
• The Charter takes on a different flavor than classroom rules; it is predicated upon
research showing that emotions drive attention, learning, much of our decision making,
and how well we get along with others.
• The Charter, unlike most classroom guidelines, focuses on students’ needs and feelings,
as well as agreed-upon behaviors to create a positive learning climate.

2. The beginning of the school year is quite busy. What if I don’t have time to create
a Charter?
• Teachers are extremely busy and the mere thought of spending time developing a Charter
will feel like extra work. However, asking students how they want to feel in class and
creating agreed-upon norms for how everyone will treat each other shifts the climate of
the classroom so that there is less conflict and more time for learning.
• Most Charters can be developed in about an hour or two. Importantly, developing a
Charter is a collaborative project that connects students (creating community early in
the year) and allows for everyone to have a voice. It also eliminates the “guessing game”
about how everyone should be treated and what is needed in a classroom setting to
ensure everyone feels safe, valued, and respected.
• Ultimately, the Charter helps to create a more productive and cooperative learning
environment; therefore, the initial time investment is well worth it.

3. What if my students are too young to do this?
• Younger students are accustomed to having rules at home such as cleaning up after a
meal or putting away their clothes. At school, there also are rules such as keeping your
hands to yourself and no pushing. Young students also experience intense emotions
in school – loneliness, fear, disappointment, pride, and excitement – that govern how the
school day unfolds. The Charter provides a great opportunity to build a connection
between healthy behaviors and rules of conduct and target feelings and experiences. Our
research shows that students as young as 4 years old have benefitted from classroom
Charters. Early childhood teachers have further reported great success in using this tool
with their student.

4. Why should I develop a Charter in middle school or high school classrooms?
• How we manage our emotions affects our learning, decision-making processes and
relationships throughout our life. Even large businesses and other organizations are
recognizing the power of emotions and incorporating the Charter into the professional
development of managers and directors. This facilitates the creation of a culture and
climate that promotes the productivity and well-being of their employees.

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Charter FAQs

• Moreover, the developmental needs of students shift from elementary to middle to
high school, requiring advanced skills in self-awareness and self regulation that can be
practiced regularly. If your classroom is difficult to manage, the Charter can be instituted
on a daily basis to create a healthy and productive learning environment.

5. My students are having trouble coming up with what they want to feel in the
classroom. How can I help them?
• Some students might at first have trouble determining how they want to feel in class.
Instead, they may come up with words like “productive” and “organized,” which describe
behaviors more than feelings. When this happens, push students to focus on their
emotional needs in the classroom. This may require some prompting, like “how do you
feel when you walk into the cafeteria for lunch?”
• Give students some examples that might help them understand the difference between
feelings and specific behaviors or actions that support those feelings. By way of example,
most people want to feel relaxed (rather than stressed) at the dentist’s office while waiting
for an appointment. Things that the dentist’s office might do to cultivate these feelings are
having fish tanks, toys, and magazines in the waiting room.

6. I created a Charter and now it sits on the wall. What do I do with it?
• Once the Charter is developed, it can be used in myriad ways that enhance instruction
and classroom climate. Most follow-up activities take very little time. The sections,
Charter Enrichment Activities and Keeping the Charter Alive provide many ideas for how
the Charter can be used regularly throughout the school year.
• Some examples include:
– Taking two minutes to share an inspiring story in order to generate positive emotions
when students are feeling overwhelmed or disappointed.
– Practicing active listening skills regularly in order to help students to become better
learners.
– Spending a few minutes per week reviewing the Charter to remind students about the
importance of a caring classroom environment.
– Creating a survey to administer to students that includes the feelings and behaviors
represented in the Charter. Students’ responses can be used as a formative
assessment to help guide behaviors that need to be practiced or amendments
to the Charter.

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