In my classroom, I plan to create simple and safe opportunities for learners to identify and express their emotions. One approach I would like to use is a short “emotion check-in” at the beginning of class. Students could point to a feeling on a Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions or choose a character from a Blob Tree image that represents how they feel that day. I believe this can help students develop the language to describe their emotions and feel more comfortable sharing them.

To understand my learners’ social and emotional needs, I plan to observe their behaviour closely and create small moments for reflection and conversation. For example, I may ask students to write short anonymous notes about how they feel about school, their learning, or their personal challenges. I hope this will allow me to identify difficulties early and respond with more supportive teaching strategies.

I also intend to include short physical or breathing activities during lessons to help students relax and regain focus. These activities can reduce stress and create a more comfortable learning environment, especially for learners who may have experienced instability or displacement.

In the future, I hope these small practices will help students feel safer and more confident in the classroom. I expect that at first some students may hesitate to express their emotions, but over time I believe they will begin to trust the space and communicate more openly about their feelings and needs.