C.A.R.E.S. Council Tips for Setting Intention

A positive culture and climate is a priority for all CTECS schools, and top-of-mind this year as students returned full-time to the classroom. CTECS C.A.R.E.S. Council, which stands for Creating Attitudes and Relationships that Empower Staff and Students, works to embed Social and Emotional Learning strategies in all facets of the school day with the goal of students becoming caring, connected, and culturally responsive members of our community.

Setting intentions is one strategy the C.A.R.E.S. Council recommends for staff, students and families. Read on to learn how to do this in your own daily life.

What is an intention?
An intention is a simple way of dedicating your focus for a day, a week, a month or a year. It provides a guiding principle for all the work that is done in the school year. An articulate shared vision for each day, making each day matter.

Setting an Intention at Home:
Setting an intention at home means taking time as a family to decide together what is important. An example of this could be, creating a calm and quiet work space for school work completion by providing students in the home with a well-light, quiet space away from everyday distractions for a dedicated amount of time.

Setting an Intention in a Classroom:
Setting an intention in a classroom setting means to work as a team to decide together how learning is informed each day. An example of this could be having a student dedicate their learning to an important individual in their life such as a parent or grandparent. When the classroom moves away from the shared intention, you can draw on the intention to refocus the work.

Setting an Intention in the Building:
Setting an intention in the building means deciding as a faculty and staff how we want a building to look and feel. An example of this could be thinking about how we speak about our schools and our students. Choosing the words we use when we think about our buildings from deficit language to growth mindset changes the culture and climate of the school for ourselves and students.