We hope you are all looking forward to a restful winter break and happy holidays! We know educators around the world have great plans for the remainder of the school year, with fresh goals and determination for 2023!

As virtual learning and remote staff meetings remain essential – and promise to be more-so the norm – NSRF plans to continue to improve and expand what we provide for educators in regards to virtual protocols, activities, and courses.

In virtual settings, our biggest challenges often lie with creating a culture of social-emotional learning, implementing ways of supporting each other with sensitivity, building trust and a sense of belonging in groups who come together online to work and learn. We look to words shared by our long-time international training facilitator, Kaethe Perez, when we say:

“Supporting one another with grace and sensitivity is more important than ever.” 

In NSRF Connections, September 2020, Kaethe Perez shared an adapted activity with us called “J-O-Y: Just One You,” an energizer initially put forward in the book, Tribes: A New Way of Learning and Being Together by Jeanne Gibbs. The activity is one that can be used for inclusion, presenting self, and building social skills. Kaethe adapted the activity for adults to use at the beginning of an online meeting, but the same steps can work in a classroom or on-site/in-person meeting as well.

Kaethe’s adaptation of the “J-O-Y” activity is similar to NSRF’s Transitions Protocol, but it allows groups in breakouts to be more intimate, acknowledging where participants are socially and emotionally. And it only takes 15 minutes!

Given it is the season of giving  and JOY, NSRF offers Kaethe’s adaptation of “J-O-Y: Just One You” activity to you here as a transitional activity you can use in virtual or in-person gatherings throughout the coming new year!

Go to Kaethe’s original post in NSRF Connections to view her overview of the activity and additional insights regarding debriefing.

Happy Holidays from NSRF! 

Purchase an NSRF Regular Annual Membership for yourself or as a gift for someone else to support us and to gain access to all materials available in the Members’ Protocol Library in the coming new year.

Also, consider becoming a certified CFG Coach in 2023! We have Open CFG Coaches Trainings on the calendar for February and July 2023. We also offer the gift of a $50 discount per person for colleagues or friends who attend one of our coaches’ trainings together.