FAQs

Though there are other companies and tools that focus on SEL, mindfulness, and student SEL data, none of them offer student assessment with real-time data for teachers as well as providing strategies to the student that match their current mental state/needs. Most importantly, we focus on harnessing the power of the student-teacher relationship. We are student-centered to lift student voice and agency, while simultaneously staff-focused, working to build the capacity of educators to take care of their own well-being while strengthening their SEL implementation skills to create that critical connection with their students.

Class Catalyst is a web-based SEL platform that uses live feedback from students to help increase self-awareness, improve self-regulation, and better connect teachers with their students. It offers check-ins and activities that let you monitor your students’ emotions, and gain insight into any behavior or life changes.

Typically, 2nd-12th grade. Depending on the student grade-level, they will view age appropriate emojis and activities. All K-12 students are uploaded into the system, so it will be available to teachers who would like to use the platform with their students. The teacher account has access to Activities as well as the SEL on Demand Video Library for all grade-levels.

Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. Though it has its roots in Buddhist meditation, a secular practice of mindfulness has entered the American mainstream in recent years, in part through the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn and his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Since that time, thousands of studies have documented the physical and mental health benefits of mindfulness in general and MBSR in particular, inspiring countless programs to adapt the MBSR model for schools, prisons, hospitals, veterans centers, and beyond. We believe in the power of mindfulness to bring students and educators into a more self-aware space.

Mindful Practices brings a student-centered and culturally relevant approach to wellness education. The organization features SEL Specialists who are PreK-12 educators, social workers, dancers, therapists, musicians, theatre artists, behavior interventionists, and administrators who display versatility in their approach to engaging teachers, students and communities from all walks of life.

The organization’s founder–Carla Tantillo Philibert–and her team of talented instructors and coaches have been dedicated to developing the “whole child” and helping maximize students’ learning potential.

Given this “whole child” perspective, MP’s vision for quality SEL teaching includes matching your school with an SEL Specialist who will work to bring all members of the classroom into the community, creating a safe, equitable learning environment. We are happy to share more about each of our SEL Specialists’ backgrounds and teaching expertise areas to ensure their work in your school is as impactful as possible.

Since it was founded in 2006, Mindful Practices has partnered with several reputable organizations to enhance the company’s product offerings and services.

Included below is a list of partnering organizations over the past 15 years:

• CPS Office of Social Emotional Learning
• CPS Office of Student Health & Wellness
• CPS Office of Business DiversityConsortium for Educational Change (CEC)
• IL Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ILASCD)
• Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)
• Roosevelt University
• Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
• Ingenuity
• Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association (MEMPSA)
• Michigan Department of Education
• Michigan Learning Network

Class Catalyst is the name of the main platform (and place you login – https://classcatalyst.app) and tool used for student check-ins. SEL On Demand (the video library) is housed within Class Catalyst and meant to supplement and complement the Class Catalyst check-ins.

Yes, Visit our resources page to view all our available materials!

Mindful Practices Resources

Classroom teachers experience movement and SEL activities alongside their students with the guidance of a Mindful Practices SEL coach. These 25-minute sessions focus on mindfulness and SEL activities not only to get students moving and breathing, but also to strengthen their self-awareness, self-regulation and interpersonal skills.

Class Catalyst is a quick, simple and effective way for teachers and students to improve their emotional competency.

It offers:

• Simple check-ins that take about 30 seconds
• Real-time class- and student-level insights
• Individual, evidence-based behavior management solutions for student/class/teachers
• Outlets for explaining the “why” behind students’ behavior
• Data insights into the progress of the students and classes
• Teacher self-care
• Grade and school-level data for administrators

Mindful Practices’ SEL Specialists are trained to provide Tier 1 SEL Support Programming and also provide expertise in assisting school partners with creating an SEL Framework/Curriculum unique to their community. All of Mindful Practices’ services and programs are taught through a trauma-informed lens, however our team of SEL Specialists are not licensed trauma therapists or child psychologists.
As a Tier 1 SEL Support Program, Mindful Practices works diligently to assist educators with creating a safe, respectful and ready to learn classroom environment for all students. If you are working with a population in need of additional support related to trauma, please reach out to our Director of Operations, Erika Panichelli, for our Resource List or a consultation with our Trauma Specialist.

Menu of SEL Coaching Practices may include, but are not limited to:

• Provide Resources
• Deliver differentiated Professional Development (PD), such as workshops, SEL Cohort Planning groups
• Work with certified/non-certified educator teams (grade level, subject areas)
• Co-plan
• Co-teach
• Model Instruction
• Review Data in Partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago
• Provide Feedback
• Additional observation and data collection