Author: Chris Dudick

Something to think about…
“Change your thoughts, change your world.”
–  Norman Vincent Peale

Spring is on the horizon! The sun can certainly change your thinking. Enjoy the nice days when they arrive and count your blessings on those days the sun doesn’t shine. With just our thought, we can retrain our brain! It is up to us to decide if we will increase the joy or feed the moody! JOY is much more fun.

Software and Curriculum Updates

Our Foundational Curriculum is almost complete! Like the basic level, the Table of Contents has been removed. The lesson and independent student activities are located directly underneath the lesson introduction. We have even added a link to the Pre and Post tests right in the lesson. The Foundational level is designed for students in grades 3-5 or those who have some exposure to the skill being covered. The content is written with Bloom’s Taxonomy in mind. The questions and responses require a higher level of thinking when compared to the Basic lessons. Students are asked to apply and analyze the material presented during the traditional teaching portion. Quick tip; use knowledge application as an evaluation criteria when scoring animations.

Global SEL Day

March 26th marks the second annual Social Emotional Learning day! We know how vital social emotional learning is in shaping our lives. Unfortunately, there is a huge population of people who don’t! The Urban Assembly and SEL4US decided to change the narrative on mental health and social emotional well-being. Bringing to light research and outcomes is the best way to spread the news. How will you celebrate SEL Day? Ready to join the movement? Check out this link for ideas and to signup and help SEL become a priority! https://selday.org/sign-up/

Spring Training 2021

This year, it isn’t just the baseball players who have been “off the field” all winter.  With school schedules changing quicker than a Nolan Ryan fastball, SiLAS understands that you may be in need of a quick tutorial or a deeper dive into understanding how our curriculum can be applied to students’ issues about re-entering school, their diminished social skills and coping in general.  We are offering training to you individually or as a school at no cost, simply contact navigator@silassolutions.com to schedule a time.

Rewards & Recognition
Garden State Film Festival 

Chris Dudick, CEO SiLAS, was named “2021 Educator of the Year” by the Garden State Film Festival for SiLAS’ use of animated film in education.  Chris and the team at SiLAS gratefully share this award with you, our fellow educators and congratulate your students, for making their first award winning films.

“The best success, for me, is not one trophy. It’s not harmony. It’s when players improve and grow- Unai Emer”

Garden State Film Festival Podcast with Chris Dudick and Bernadette Mullen

Multi-Player = More People + More Places + More Fun!

We have been actively listening to the needs of our education partners, like you, and continue to develop and enhance both the in person and remote SiLAS user experience.

SiLAS’ Multi-Player “Create Room” feature will allow students and teachers to create animations no matter the educational setting! The steps to connect are simple; first, the teacher creates a secure link. The links are then sent to the students. The last step is to have students click the link on their own devices (wherever they may be) and record their social animation!  All that is needed is a computer with both a keyboard and internal microphone. Check out the Create Room tutorials below. We promise you will be ready to start creating social animations from anywhere!

Create Room Tutorial
Create Room In-School
Create Room Google Hangout / Zoom

Even Avatars Wear Masks!
As art imitates life, so does SiLAS.  Silas and all his friends have the option to mask up.  Users choose the mask by selecting the mask option directly under the microphone setting.

What People Are Saying
Shout out to Mrs. Norman and Mrs McManus from Asbury Park, NJ!  We love when teachers show us their creative uses for SiLAS!  Follow us and post the great things SiLAS makes happen in the classroom (or livingroom)!

Share the Love
All WE need is love! This SiLAS team has been feeling the love from educators, students and families! Love may not be ALL WE need, but WE can never get enough! STAY TUNED to see how YOU too can “Share the Love!”

Rewards & Recognition
We are elated and honored to have been shortlisted for Reimagine Education’s Sustainability Award. Known as the “Oscars” of education, this global competition and conference showcase innovative approaches that enhance student learning outcomes and employability, Winners will be announced during next month’s Reimagine Education Week.

Stay Connected!
We have relaunched our social media channels! If you aren’t already following us, NOW is the time!  We will be sharing the latest news, updates, and engaging in important conversations with all of YOU.  And we promise to make you smile too!

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL (Sorta)

Your SiLAS family hopes you all had a happy and safe summer. We understand the tremendous amount of pressure that you, your families, your students and their families are under, and we are here to help.

SEL has never been more important.  It’s reported by Unicef, that as the pandemic continues, nearly 3 in 10 parents have reported their child experiencing mental health distress due to social distancing and school closures.  (That is in addition to the number of general and special education students that were struggling prior.)

As you all know, our simulation software can be used in class or virtually, and increases children’s coping skills, improves behavior and helps keep children connected and engaged.  A huge benefit to both you and your student’s parents.

With users throughout the United States, SiLAS saw the need to adapt and add to our program to provide implementation options for almost any setting. Over the summer, our development team was in full swing..Whether you are return user, or brand new to SiLAS, We think you will love what you see

Remember, our curriculum is fully provided and we have free and continual training.

WEBSITE UPDATES

The most obvious development is the overall look and feel of the SiLAS website. As the number of organizations using SiLAS continues to diversify, so does our curriculum. Not only is the site more appealing, but you will find it easier to navigate. The buttons for each component are now color coded. By using different colors, you can access the topic you are looking for in no time!  Below are a few enhancements made to the curriculum over the summer.

• With SiLAS, Social Emotional Learning can occur if you are Six Feet Apart from your classmate, or Six Miles Away  from your classmate. With our three “create” features, the animation process can be accommodated for use in any educational setting.

• Have a question? Check out the “Tutorials and Cheat Sheets” tab to find the answer! A series of brief, step by step videos for each of the SiLAS components is right at your fingertips.  Here is a link to our Training Modules as well.

• The “Movie Library” tab is where you will find your student created animations and  a wide-variety of example videos with topics ranging from “Introductions” to “What is Social Distancing?”  These movies are great for showing the entire class or as a social narrative for an individual student.

By now you may be feeling like you are watching a late night Infomercial…WAIT! There’s more! And there absolutely is MORE!

• SiLAS has added SEL lessons focusing on the timely and crucial topic of cultural diversity, discrimination and empathy. Our curriculum scope has been updated and with both the new and original lessons addressing the topic.

• Do you teach students life skills? Are your students transition aged? If so, today is your lucky day! The Social Vocational tab has been updated to include Transition and Vocational Skills. Keep an eye out for teacher resources and materials relating specifically to life skills and transition IEP components.

• Another change you may have noticed is that the “analytics” section has been given a new name, “Progress Monitoring.” With the new name comes additional student progress measures. Monitoring a student’s performance is a necessity for ALL students. SiLAS has made data collection quick and simple. Each lesson now includes a pre/post test to gather baseline data and skill performance after the lesson. The student activities included in each lesson can also be completed, submitted and assessed. Practitioners still have the opportunity to score student animations as well.

What hasn’t changed is the promise to our users.. As always, the SiLAS team is available to answer any question, brainstorm any ideas, or listen to a comment. Our training has continued across the country through the use of the tutorial library or “live” virtual training. Remember, this is at no cost to you or your district. We look forward to another great, albeit unbelievable, year!