Enchancing Social and Emotional Skills with RULER

We build our emotional intelligence by practicing the RULER Skills – recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating. By building these skills, we can better handle the range of emotions we encounter, help others better handle their emotions, and improve our relationships, well-being, and overall performance.

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Staff Reflections

After viewing the video, find relevance and meaning by making connections between the video and your OST experience by reflecting. Feel free to respond to the prompts below by writing in a journal, sharing in small/large groups, or taking a moment to sit with your own thoughts. Use the approach that fits best in your setting. 

Prompt 1

How can you practice the RULER skills (recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating)?

Prompt 2

How can youth in your program benefit from your use of the RULER skills?

Staff Activities

After viewing the video, engage staff in activities to practice and explore key RULER concepts. Click the thumbnails below to download the activities and tip sheet.

When I _____ , I feel _______

Act Out That Emotion

RULER Skills of Emotional Intelligence Tipsheet

Youth Activity

Practice emotional intelligence skills with the youth in your program.

Act Out That Emotion!

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Learn More

RULER in OST videos and resources are available at no cost. Any organized program that works with youth outside of school time (e.g., afterschool programs, camps, clubs, sports, parks, recreation programs, etc.) will be able to take advantage of RULER in OST.