Essential Connection Skills, K-6

"Essential Connection Skills is a practical, specific, inspirational, and must-have resource for any teacher, coach, school leader, or parent who aims for a more empowered and successful student."

Julie O′Connell Alholm, Instructional Coach and EL Teacher, MN

"Essential Connection Skills is a must-read for any teacher—whether you′re already focused on social skills or looking to include them more in your teaching. The suggestions in each chapter are practical for novice to veteran teachers."

Amber Quirk, Regional Superintendent, DuPage County Regional Office of Education, IL

Foster joy and engagement by building community in your school and classrooms

Do your students struggle with low boredom tolerance, lack the confidence and skills needed in social interactions, or find it hard to collaborate? Are you seeing more behavioral disruptions, a wider range of learning challenges, and increased absenteeism? Today’s classrooms need to move beyond traditional teaching methods; they need strategies that will re-engage students and build on meaningful connections.

Essential Connection Skills offers practical solutions to help educators reignite the joy of learning through purposeful, reflective interactions. These strategies empower students to build connections, embrace multiple perspectives, and develop the social and academic tools necessary for success. Inside you′ll find:

• Chapter-by-chapter resources and techniques
• Assessment recommendations
• Targeted strategies for culturally and linguistically diverse students
• Techniques to help students develop self-reflection skills
   

By cultivating authentic engagement, Essential Connection Skills restores a sense of community and purpose in classrooms and empowers students with the lifelong skills they’ll need to succeed.

Other Books from Corwin

Dohrer, The Schools We Need Now
Rogers, The SEL Coach

"Essential Connection Skills is a practical, specific, inspirational, and must-have resource for any teacher, coach, school leader, or parent who aims for a more empowered and successful student."  -- Julie O′Connell Alholm

"Essential Connections, K-6 is a call to action. In this crucial resource for educators, Paonessa and Zwiers identify the greatest challenge facing our schools today—the loss of connection and community—and provide an effective and intuitive framework to address it. By leveraging the power of schools to help students develop meaningful connections (to themselves, to others, to their community, to their own learning, and to other learners), students will develop the skills they need to navigate school and realize the basic promise of education: to be fully engaged as members of an interconnected society. This, very simply, is the right book at the right time."

-- Doug Bolton
"Essential Connection Skills, K-6 is a powerful and insightful guide for educators seeking to transform their classrooms. With a focus on fostering meaningful conversations, this book highlights the profound impact of teaching students how to connect with each other and themselves. By cultivating these essential relationships, teachers can unlock a deeper level of engagement and learning, making this a must-read for anyone dedicated to creating a more inclusive and interactive elementary learning environment and helping students be successful in life outside of the classroom." -- Gina Greenwald

"Anne Paonessa and Jeffrey Alan Zwiers make a compelling case for academic and social-emotional learning to be integrated every day, in every content area, and in every possible way. This must-read book creates a roadmap for building much-needed connections to ensure that SEL is not merely a designated period but an integral daily practice. I urge all K-6 educators to explore this volume, which is rich in practical references and jampacked with lots of carefully crafted, ready-to-implement lesson ideas." 

-- Andrea Honigsfeld
"The goal of Essential Connection Skills, K-6 is to foster student success. It is a well-crafted resource for all educators and partners. It provides educators with the skills needed to empower their students and give them the tools required to be lifelong learners and critical thinkers." -- Eileen Matos
"Essential Connection Skills, K-6 is an invaluable resource for educators navigating the challenges of reintegrating social connections into the learning environment after the pandemic. With practical strategies and real-world examples, this book provides effective ways to foster collaboration, empathy, and community, making instruction more engaging and responsive for students in today’s world." -- Melissa Payne
"Essential Connection Skills, K-6 is a must-read for any teacher—whether you′re already focused on social skills or looking to include them more in your teaching. The suggestions in each chapter are practical for novice to veteran teachers." -- Amber Quirk
"This is an inspiring and timely book that reminds us of the power of human connection. It offers practical tools and illustrates how teaching SEL competencies in schools transforms students′ lives, fostering social emotional intelligence, resilience, and empathy." -- Ellen Swanson, PhD
"Essential Connection Skills, K-6 is a game-changer for new or veteran educators. As technology becomes more present in our classrooms, we are forgetting that early learning is a social endeavor. When students have the confidence and skills necessary to interact with one another in a supportive learning community, academic gains will follow. This book clearly presents the research explaining why connection skills are so important and provides ready-to-use activities, tips, and tricks to build those skills in students." -- Kevin Skomer, EdD
"This book reminds us of an important truth—when we intentionally teach connection skills, we don’t just improve classroom culture; we prepare students for life. Paonessa and Zwiers offer a roadmap for educators to help students develop social and emotional competencies while excelling academically. Essential Connection Skills (K-6) equips educators with practical strategies that can be applied across all content areas." -- Todd Whitaker

Dr. Anne Paonessa holds a PhD in curriculum and instruction leadership. She is currently an assistant superintendent and a speaker/consultant. She has served as both an elementary and middle school principal and teacher. She also served as a director of multilingual learners in pre-K through high school. Dr. Paonessa has designed and taught graduate-level college courses related to innovation within instruction and meeting the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Her research focus is enhancing instructional outcomes through the integration of social structures. Dr. Jeff Zwiers was previously a senior researcher in the Stanford University Graduate School of Education and is now an educational consultant. He has taught all subjects bilingually in secondary and elementary settings. His research and work focus on collaborating with teachers to enhance instruction and assessment for multilingual students, with an emphasis on improving student–student interactions. Jeff has also written books and articles on literacy, conversation, and language development, along with children’s books and curriculums.

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