Morning Classroom Conversations: Build Your Students Social-Emotional, Character, and Communication Skills Every Day

About Kellie A. McClainMaurice J. EliasNina A. Murphy

Maurice J. Elias PhD is Professor Psychology Department Rutgers University Director Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab (www.secdlab.org) Co-Director of the Rutgers-based Academy for SEL in Schools which offers online certificates in SEL Instruction and School Leadership (SELinSchools.org) and a member of the Leadership Team for SEL4NJ and SEL4US (www.SEL4US.org). He received the Joseph E. Zins Memorial Senior Scholar Award for Social-Emotional Learning from CASEL the Sanford McDonnell Award for Lifetime Achievement in Character Education and the Jane Bostrum Service to School Psychology Award. Dr. Elias is a past winner of the Lela Rowland Prevention Award the Ernest McMahon Class of 1930 Award for service to New Jersey and the American Psychological Association/Society for Community Research and Actions Distinguished Contribution to Practice and Ethnic Minority Mentoring awards. His books include Emotionally Intelligent Parenting The Educators Guide to Emotional Intelligence and Academic Achievement: Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom and The Other Side of the Report Card: Assessing Students Social Emotional and Character Development (how schools and districts can integrate social-emotional and character development systematically into their ongoing student report cards). Most recently he is the coauthor of The Joys & Oys of Parenting: Insights and Wisdom From the Jewish Tradition Boost Emotional Intelligence in Students: 30 Flexible Research-Based Lessons to Build EQ Skills Nurturing Students Character: Everyday Teaching Activities for Social-Emotional Learning and Social-Emotional Learning Lab: A Comprehensive SEL Resource Kit (with Victoria Poedubicky). He writes a blog on SECD for Edutopia (www.edutopia.org/profile/mauricej-elias) and can be reached at secdlab@gmail.com. His Twitter handles are @SELinSchools and @SECDLab. Take a look at a review on The Other Side of the Report Card from the New Jersey Association of School Psychologists at https://us.corwin.com/sites/default/files/review_of_the_other_side_njasp_0.pdf.   Nina A. Murphy PsyD is a practicing school psychologist in Three Village Central School District adjunct professor at St. Josephs College and Senior Consulting and Field Expert at the Social-Emotional and Character Development (SECD) Lab at Rutgers University. Dr. Murphy has had a commitment to supporting positive youth development since she can remember but learned during her graduate work at Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology and in the SECD Lab that this passion was targeted in helping youth develop positive character and purpose. She worked as a consultant in an urban school opening her eyes to the intricacies of systems-level work and the importance of collaborative change. Dr. Murphy has worked as a school psychologist for Grades K through 12 and feels inspired each day by the potential of her students to be the leaders of the future. Whether facilitating groups individually counseling consulting with teachers coaching parents or engaging in committee discussions Dr. Murphy embeds her passion for social-emotional learning and development within each part of her work. At St. Josephs College she teaches classes based on adolescent development and personality which align with her passion for supporting student growth. Dr. Murphys research targets youth leadership self-efficacy perseverance of effort and student voice. She has trained teachers administrators and fellow psychologists in social-emotional curricula embedding behavioral emotional and social competence into multitiered systems of supports and formulating social-emotional character development plans. Dr. Murphy has presented at conferences such as the National Association for School Psychology and APA Division 36 (Religion and Spirituality). She has been published in professional journals such as The Middle School Journal and Evaluation and Program Planning highlighting a preventive youth leadership Ambassador program and the importance of preparing youth for social action. With experience in training youth leaders and supporting the implementation of social-emotional curricula she is committed to ensuring youth establish positive character skills through programming and intentional coordinated school supports. Kellie A. McClain PsyD is a practicing school psychologist for the River Edge School District and a Senior Consulting and Field Expert at the Social-Emotional and Character Development (SECD) Lab at Rutgers University. She earned her doctoral and masters degrees in School Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Bachelors degree with a dual major in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. It was through these years of study that Dr. McClain developed a passion for helping at-risk youth through preventive measures. This passion is what led her to become a curriculum writer and consultant for the MOSAIC program a social-emotional learning (SEL) program that helped bring Morning Classroom Conversations to life. Over a three-year span Dr. McClain worked closely with students and teachers in multiple MOSAIC pilot schools and consulted around what is now known as Morning Classroom Conversations. Dr. McClains experience working with students and teachers in urban areas has further deepened her passion to provide children with the tools they need to succeed both within and beyond the classroom. Dr. McClain actively incorporates several SEL and SE CD strategies in her current daily work as a school psychologist with children ages 5 to 21. She specializes in professional development training with middle school teachers and administrators who are looking to incorporate SEL into their students learning in a cohesive systematic way. Dr. McClains research on the effects that studentteacher relationships have on SEL and academic achievement was published recently in the journal Research in Middle Level Education. Dr. McClain is committed to using her knowledge and experience to continue to help educators prepare students to tap into their full potential and live successful and purposeful lives.