Recognizing the need to ensure the impact of the Harmony program is sustained, amplified, and reaches millions more students, Harmony refreshed its program with expanded content and improvements to the user experience—Harmony Third Edition. The Third Edition provides educators (teachers, counselors, and out-of-school instructors) a set of refreshed, familiar resources (Everyday Practices and Units, Lessons, and Activities) to ensure students have an integrated, relevant, and comprehensive healthy learning experience. With a range of refinements and updates that reflect the latest research on healthy learning practices along with suggestions from users, the program refresh includes healthy learning concepts and instructional models designed to improve the effectiveness and enhance the relevance of Harmony for all students (Yoder, 2022).

As part of the Harmony Third Edition development process, Harmony partnered with four districts—two midsize districts in the Midwest, one midsize district in the South, and one midsize district in the Southwest—to receive early access to the refreshed Everyday Practices (Meet Up and Buddy Up) and to Units 3 and 4 of the Units, Lessons, & Activities and Storybooks. Educators received two district-specific trainings—January 2022 focused on the refreshed Everyday Practices, and February/March 2022 focused on the Lessons & Activities. Educators had opportunities across five months (January through May 2022) to pilot Harmony Third Edition.

Most participating educators across the four districts offered feedback on their experience with Third Edition through surveys (n=61) and focus groups (n=51) in April and June 2022; and 34 educators participated in classroom observations (in-person or video) in April and May 2022 to help Harmony understand how educators implemented Harmony Third Edition—providing Harmony a robust set of data to create the Case Study Report.

The case study includes:

• Executive Summary
• Chapter 1: Getting Started with Harmony
• Chapter 2: Student Outcomes
• Chapter 3: Everyday Practices—Meet Up and Buddy Up
• Chapter 4: Units, Lessons, & Activities
• Chapter 5: Storybooks
• Appendix: Methodology.

Recommendations:

Through the surveys, focus groups, and observations, the Harmony team were able to revise the program in real time. Further, the team were also able to determine key recommendations for educators and administrators on how to use the program materials.

1. Prioritize students’ social, personal, and academic development and well-being. Educators and students need time to be able to build relationships, get to know one another, and apply their relationship-based learning. Students benefit when they get opportunities to connect and have Harmony be a part of their routine. A third-grade teacher explained that prior to using Harmony Third Edition, her students “. . . really struggled with group work, talking to others, communicating, and controlling their own feelings.”

2. Become familiar with the program. As educators engage more deeply with Harmony and the overarching goals and principles, they are more likely to understand the active ingredients, understand the knowledge and skills that students learn during the program, help students participate in a more well-rounded Harmony experience, and improve student outcomes.

3. Find time to embed Harmony principles with academics. Students benefit when they can use Harmony materials or concepts within academic instruction; for example, using Storybooks and Z for vocabulary instruction, using Buddy Up partners during instructional tasks, and using Harmony Lessons prior to academic tasks (e.g., problem solving).

4. Make certain to implement the core pieces of Meet Up. Meet Up includes a specific process to ensure all students are seen and heard, solve problems in classrooms, and get ready to participate in the next activity. To get through each piece, it is important to ensure each student’s name is said during the greeting, and that a small number of students share per day so other students can respond and ask questions regarding their share. Doing so will provide opportunities for students to solve problems or talk about achievements related to Harmony Goals. For example, a pre-kindergarten teacher relied on Meet Up to model interpersonal communication skills with her students. She explained, “They love sharing with everyone and they like to talk about themselves. So, we’re trying to get them to ask questions about what they’re [all] sharing about.”

5. Let students know the importance of Buddy Up. As educators engage in the Buddy Up process, they need to help students process why they engage in these conversations and activities, including reinforcing relationship skills they use throughout the process. A third-grade teacher shared, “[Buddy Up] builds your classroom community and just helps other kids be more social and kind of get out of their own little box.”

6. Make sure to use the Facilitate the Activity section of Lessons and Activities. The Facilitate the Activity section was written in a way that educators and students would not have to engage in the other two pieces if they do not have the time to do the full Lesson. The Set the Stage section is intended to build and connect to student background knowledge, and the Review and Reflect section is to help students transfer the relationship skills to other aspects of their lives. Thus, they are important pieces to engage in with students, but these portions are adaptable.

For these recommendations and more, please refer to our multi-chapter case study linked earlier in this blog.

We live in an information age where new knowledge and technologies are emerging rapidly and creating jobs of the future that we do not even know exist yet, and the ability to adapt, learn, and grow is more important than ever. To thrive in such an environment, cultivating a growth mindset is essential. Healthy learning is pivotal in fostering this mindset. Harmony Academy, backed by National University’s Whole Human Education, proudly offers a holistic approach to help individuals embark on lifelong learning.

What does a growth mindset entail?

A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence, such as personal, social, and academic capacities, can be developed through learning opportunities. Embracing a growth mindset encourages resilience, a love for learning, and a willingness to embrace challenges and failures as opportunities for growth.

How does having a growth mindset and healthy learning connect to the Whole You?

As a leader in healthy learning, National University and Harmony Academy offer resources and programs to enhance student learning outcomes and increase educator impact in the classroom and beyond.

Focusing on the Whole Human, National University takes a holistic approach to student well-being through a supportive ecosystem that measures financial, social, and emotional success as well as through family, community, and career.

National University’s College of Education has developed an interactive, engaging, and innovative professional development website that houses digital playbooks and other resources focusing on pathways to well-being for teachers. Each playbook features in-action scenarios, steps for classroom implementation of healthy learning practices, guided reflections, and a place to share ideas and best practices.

Mastering new knowledge and skills takes time and is part of the learning journey. It is important to keep a growth mindset while learning how to integrate core personal, social, and academic competencies in all that you do. It is worth the investment as it ultimately supports the Whole You!

Healthy learning is an educational framework that develops self-awareness and interpersonal skills. Through this process, Harmony can provide individuals with opportunities to build resilience and the emotional regulation skills to bounce back and persevere. A growth mindset acknowledges that mistakes and failure are essential parts of learning, and Harmony provides the emotional tools and relationship-building strategies to navigate these setbacks constructively.

Harmony’s Practices, such as Buddy Up and Quick Connection Cards, and their units specifically curated for grades Pre-K – 6th including Being My Best Self and Communicating with Each Other encourage collaboration, teamwork, and empathy. These interpersonal skills are essential for embracing a growth mindset, as learning involves seeking help from others, sharing knowledge, and understanding different perspectives.

How does Harmony offer a comprehensive approach to cultivating a growth mindset through healthy learning?

Harmony approaches this mission through:

1. Curriculum Integration: Harmony integrates healthy learning curriculum principles into daily classroom teachings, ensuring that healthy learning is intertwined with academic learning. This approach helps students see the connection between life skills and academic and personal growth.
2. Teacher Training: Harmony provides professional development and training for educators to implement healthy learning practices in the classroom effectively. Teachers play a pivotal role in modeling and fostering a growth mindset in their students.
3. Real-World Application: Healthy learning is not limited to the classroom. Harmony Curriculum encourages students to apply their relationship skills in real-world scenarios, essential for developing a growth mindset in practical situations.

How and where can I get started?

1. Explore Harmony Professional Learning: (previously Inspire Leading in Learning) our 88 on-demand learning modules are dedicated to fostering community, belonging, and supporting the Whole Educator™.
2. Register for An Upcoming Live Webinar: Our monthly hour-long webinars with thought leaders and Harmony partners help inform educators about social and emotional learning and provide practical strategies that can be used in schools and organizations worldwide.
3. Book a Demo: Bring Harmony into your school with a demo with one of our professional learning specialists! Learn how to add it to your daily teaching or out-of-school time programs.
   

Are you looking for more information on this topic? Reach out to harmony@nu.edu, and we are ready to support your no-cost journey to healthy learning!

Teaching is a noble and rewarding profession, but it can also be incredibly demanding. Oftentimes, wonderful teachers face common challenges that can lead to teacher burnout, and ultimately, stressful learning environments for all. As a leader in healthy learning practices, Harmony Academy powered by National University is dedicated to providing resources that improve educators’ and students’ lives through the classroom and beyond.

In this blog post, we will:

• Define healthy learning.
• Learn about Harmony Academy and how it can help improve teacher well-being and the Whole Educator.
• Explore the signs of teacher burnout.
• Discuss proactive steps teachers can take to prioritize their well-being.

What is Healthy Learning?

Healthy learning is a teaching and learning process to develop and acquire the skills, knowledge, and beliefs (e.g., initiative-taking, communication, collaboration) all individuals need to be successful in school, work, and life.

What is Educator Well-Being?

Educator Well-Being is when educators engage in an intentional process to continue to nurture competencies and capacities. Specifically, Educator Well-Being includes two core components: (1) competencies — processes educators take to nurture their social and personal competencies (e.g., understanding and managing emotions, forming meaningful relationships, making helpful choices), and (2) capacities — the ability to translate knowledge of relationship skills to support student social, personal, and academic development.

What does teacher well-being encompass?

Teacher well-being encompasses physical health, social, emotional, and psychological dimensions. It connects educators’ sense of purpose and fulfillment from their profession, ability to manage stress, and overall job satisfaction.

Why is Educator Well-Being so important?

“Through the Collaborating Districts Initiative (CDI), CASEL has learned that schools are more effective at teaching and reinforcing relationship skills for students when they also cultivate relationship competencies in adults.” (casel.org)

To promote educator well-being and avoid teacher burnout, it is critical to look out for the signs of teacher burnout, which can include the following:

1. Emotional Exhaustion: One of the primary signs of teacher burnout is emotional exhaustion. A clear indicator is when teachers feel drained, emotionally detached, or overwhelmed by their responsibilities.
2. Decreased Job Satisfaction: A sudden decline in job satisfaction can signify burnout. Teachers who once loved their profession may begin feeling disillusioned, disinterested, or even resentful toward their jobs.
3. Physical Symptoms: Burnout can manifest as physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances. It could be a sign of burnout if a teacher is constantly fatigued, experiencing regular headaches, or having trouble sleeping.
4. Reduced Professional Efficacy: Another common sign of burnout is decreased professional efficacy. Teachers may start to doubt their abilities, question the impact they’re making on their students, and feel a sense of hopelessness about their work.
5. Isolation and Withdrawal: Burnout can lead to a sense of isolation and withdrawal from colleagues and friends. If teachers avoid social interactions or feel disconnected from their support network, it’s a sign that something may be wrong.

How can school leaders promote educator well-being and prevent burnout?

1. Check in With Your Teachers. Are leaders supporting their teachers to set boundaries, practice mindfulness, and engage in fun activities outside of work? How do they encourage the work-life balance for their staff?
2. Offer Resources and Community. Be ready to share the resources the district offers for colleagues facing life challenges with access to professional help if needed. Consider offering fun staff activities that can instill a sense of community as well.
3. Refresh Professional Development Opportunities. Teachers can reignite their passion for teaching by pursuing professional development opportunities. Harmony Academy proudly offers no-cost online professional learning courses, webinars, and more at Harmony Professional Learning.

How can Harmony Curriculum help prevent teacher burnout?

Harmony Academy offers a free relationship-driven curriculum through lesson plans, games designed to improve relationship skills, and fun ways for students to engage.

1. Provide Ready-to-use Materials for Your Staff to Readily Access.
2. Plan for the Integration of Harmony’s Everyday Practices, such as Buddy Up and Quick Connection Cards, and review the units specifically curated for grades Pre-K – 6th, including Being My Best Self and Communicating with Each Other, all encouraging collaboration, teamwork, and empathy building.

Creating a strong sense of community is the first step to supporting teacher well-being campus-wide. Educators everywhere can take proactive steps to prioritize their well-being, ensuring they can continue inspiring and educating the next generation without compromising their health and happiness. Leaders can support their staff on their journeys to maintain their well-being and will continue to support the Harmony-filled school community we all know and love.

“OST providers have many competing requirements to fulfill in their short time with students. That’s why I’m excited to share the new Harmony OST Edition. It builds the foundation yet remains flexible in its practices to create the ‘secret sauce’ to a healthy and happy environment for kids to grow and learn!” —Lauren Puzen, Chief of Strategy, Harmony Academy

We Are Thrilled to Announce Harmony Out-of-School Time Lessons Are Now Easily Accessible!

Snuggle up with a cup of coffee — or herbal tea — and take some uninterrupted time to explore the Harmony portal and familiarize yourself with the content.

Communication is an essential part of healthy relationships. Without it, it’s difficult to learn and thrive in multiple environments. With the OST lessons in Harmony, students can practice their communication skills in quick snapshots to help them thrive and form meaningful relationships. Topics include:

• Whole-body listening 
• Conversation bloopers and boosters 
• Using conversation “dos” 
• Using words to tell a story 

Since these lessons are short yet substantive, they’re perfect for any out-of-school staff member, volunteers, high schoolers, education-oriented college students, and experienced OST professionals. 

OST Highlights

In Harmony, lessons are created for Out-of-School Time.

• Designed to be used by Out-of-School Time professionals (i.e., coordinators, coaches, facilitators, volunteers, etc.).
• Applicable to multiple age groups in one setting through grade banding for upper and lower grades.
• Upper-grade and lower-grade lessons aligned to each Harmony unit.
• Concepts are introduced in a bite-sized format.
• Lessons open with one of three suggested Quick Connections: a Conversation Starter, Collaboration topic, or Community Builder.
• Lessons follow a four-step process of Get Ready, Get Set, Go!, and Stop and Reflect.

OST Highlights for Providers:

In Harmony, customized lessons are created for Out-of-School Time. Perks include:

• Promotes healthy relationships and social wellness within out-of-school environments.
• Supports the Unit Themes through highly engaging activities.
• Offers device-friendly format (i.e., can be printed for use at the playground, cafeteria, or in other non-classroom facilities).
• Requires little or no materials.
• Allows for work in small or large groups with provider facilitation tips.

Out-of-School Time is the perfect place to foster healthy relationships. Lessons from OST give you all the benefits and connection to Harmony resources while honoring the uniqueness and flexibility of after-school.

We look forward to continuing the work of healthy learning in our schools and surrounding communities.

EXPLORE OST FOR LOWER GRADES!

EXPLORE OST FOR UPPER GRADES!

Learn more at Harmony-Academy.org

As a high school teacher, you know better than anyone that your students will let you know when they don’t find something interesting.

While younger kids may love healthy learning activities, students in grades 9 through 12 might respond with, “we already know everything about relationships!” You may even be wondering if it’s worth the time to incorporate relationship-building activities for older kids.

If this sounds familiar, we have two good things to share with you:

1. There are proven benefits of relationship skills far beyond the school community and student success. Studies have shown that the benefits are long-term and global, showing increased well-being in individuals up to 18 years later.
2. Healthy learning lesson plans can be implemented into your day in as little as 5-10 minutes, some with little-to-no prep.

In this blog post, we will explore both of these further, as well as answer questions you may have, such as:

• What is Healthy Learning?
• What is Educator Well-Being Capacity Pathway?
• How does Harmony Professional Learning work?
• What are some of the favorite online healthy learning activities for high school teachers?

We will also share ways you can further explore healthy learning, your professional development, and how to be the best healthy learning teacher out there! Let’s dive in!

What is Healthy Learning?

Healthy learning is a teaching and learning process to develop and acquire the skills, knowledge, and beliefs all individuals need to be successful in school, work, and life.

In their updated definition, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) defines healthy learning as “an integral part of education and human development. Healthy learning is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.”

What is Educator Well-Being Capacity Pathway?

Educators may engage in an intentional process to continually nurture competencies and capacities. Specifically, Educator Well-being includes two core components:

• Competencies — processes educators take to nurture their personal and social competencies (e.g., understanding and managing emotions, forming meaningful relationships, making helpful choices).
• Capacities — the ability to translate knowledge of relationship-based learning to support student personal, social, and academic development.

How does Harmony Professional Learning work?

The program is built on two Inspirational Pathways:

• Building Teaching Practices (modules that explore engagement strategies for high-quality classroom instruction).
• Developing Well-being Capacity (modules on how to build healthy relationships in supportive learning environments).

The modules within each program are structured to help you succeed. They:

• Emphasize a unique aspect of teaching strategies and classroom management and include role-specific Implementation Resources.
• Are organized by topic. For example, the Professional Practices Unit includes the “Supporting Students with ADHD” module.
• The on-demand modules typically take 30-60 minutes to complete.
• Include a research-based micro course, followed by an assessment.
• Can earn you a certificate of completion which may be used for professional development hours or in some states, Continuing Education Units.

There are features throughout Inspire that help make the process easy and enjoyable, including:

• Multiple Module Resources enhance and expand the learning experience in different professional settings.
• The CARE model (it stands for “Care, Apply, Refine, and Elevate”) helps you incorporate modules depending on your learning environment:
  • After determining the Topics/Modules that best meet the group’s needs, everyone COMPLETES their assigned On-Demand Module(s), which could differ based on needs.
  • APPLY strategy from On-Demand Module(s) in the classroom.
  • REFINE application through peer observations and/or feedback from leaders.
  • ELEVATE teaching practice to inspire students. ELEVATE impact by sharing best practices with colleagues and becoming a teacher leader.

What online healthy learning activities do high school teachers love?

High school teachers like you use a variety of activities with their students to implement healthy learning lessons and activities in their classrooms. Some of the favorite activities among teachers in higher grades are:

Greeting students. One basic (and often overlooked) relationship skills activity is simply greeting your students as they start their day! Encourage light conversation on a topic of their interest to show them you are interested, too. The Harmony Quick Connection Cards are a fantastic way to incorporate this into the start of your day.

Role play. Relationship skills can be taught using situations drawn from students’ lives. Role play gives students the opportunity to explore a situation from someone else’s shoes and broaden their own view.

Reflective questions. Reflective questions can be used both personally and within the classroom to help reflect on important topics. In the module, “Working Against Racial Bias” you are encouraged to develop a strong sociocultural consciousness. This understanding is gained by learning to ask reflective questions.

Choosing a quote for the day. Give each student an opportunity to choose a quote for the day or week in the classroom. Display it somewhere everyone can see it and reference it within your teaching.

Incorporating ‘associated actions.’ Associated actions are used alongside strategies to bring healthy learning to life within the classroom. In Inspire modules, “Using Critical Consciousness to Challenge Inequity” and “Linking Identity Through Cultural Competence” important topics are broken down into strategies perfect for the classroom.

Connect using literature. Find stories of individuals from all different backgrounds in life, giving students the opportunity to connect with their struggles, challenges, and successes. Ask students to pick out books they feel a connection to, and share why!

Do you have questions about teaching relationship-based activities in high school?

We know you may have additional questions regarding Harmony interventions and how they can become a part of your everyday classroom setting. We encourage you to attend an upcoming webinar focused on supporting professional development and implementation of our programs online and at no cost.

What if I want to take my Harmony Professional Learning to the next level?

As an affiliate of National University, we are pleased to connect you to higher education pathways as a way to continue to support your well-being. National University offers multiple healthy learning degrees and certification programs, including a master of education, to help you excel in your professional development.