Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Strengthening Your Personal Leadership Resources For Catholic School Leaders Social PLRs – Session 3. 2 Managing Emotions

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Prayer of Saint Francis Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seekto be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Ice Breaker: Finding Peace Share the following with the group: 1. Name 2. What helps bring you to a calm state of mind? 3. Explain why.

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Managing Your Emotions 1. Know that emotions are temporary. 2. Realize that how you think about emotions affects how you experience them. 3. Know that you have the ability to change the way you react.

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Reframing your Uncomfortable Emotions into Productive Thoughts • It is normal to have uncomfortable emotions. • It is essential to see these emotions as growth opportunities. • Our emotional reactions, whether expressed inwardly or outwardly, can be great teachers. • Anger, for example, can be a great motivator. Read the example on page 14 of the reflective manual. Work with a partner or on your own and complete the activity on page 15 of the reflective manual.

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Cognitive Distortions (Thinking Traps) • right or wrong thinking • Overgeneralizing • Catastrophizing • Mental filtering • Personalizing • Mind reading • Disqualifying the positive • Magnifying or minimizing

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Reframing Cognitive Distortions The most dominant cognitive distortion I experience is personalizing. For example, if someone complains about the PA day activities, I feel they are upset with me because I am in charge. This impacts my emotions because I try to compensate by acquiescing when the person asks for something later on. Then I feel disappointed in my behaviour. Instead, I would like to stop taking things personally, stop giving in, and be compassionate with myself. I would use positive self talk like, “I don’t need to please everyone, ” or “I made an error. There is no need to put myself down. I did the best I could in the situation. ”

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Mindfulness to Help Manage Emotions Resource #1: The Body Scan This exercise can be used for: • Relaxing your body; • Learning where your emotions are stored in your body; • Preparing for Christian meditation.

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Mindfulness to Help Manage Emotions Resource #2: Grounding Exercise Use this exercise for: • Being in the present moment; • Helping you regroup after a difficult situation; • Times when you feel out of balance.

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Mindfulness to Help Manage Emotions Resource #3: How to Breathe Use this exercise for: • Calming your limbic system; • Clearing your head; • Preparing to have a courageous conversation.

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Mindfulness to Help Manage Emotions Resource #4: Christian Meditation Use this exercise to: • Connect with your experience of God; • Help you re-focus; and • Pray.

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Share … What do you do (or what have you seen others do) to manage emotions?

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Next Steps … 1 Read page 10 of Ideas into Action 2 Review the IEL Self. Assessment Tools 3 Complete an Emotional Intelligence Test

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being KEEP GROWING and

Ontario Institute for Education Leadership Ontario Leaders Collaborating for Student Achievement, Equity and Well-being Resources for leaders www. education-leadership-Ontario. ca https: //twitter. com/IELOntario communication@education-leadership-ontario. ca www. education-leadership-Ontario. ca