Because EQ is not a regular school subject, it may be difficult to make time for it in an already full school program. For that reason, GoEQ™ materials have been developed for Lower Elementary (Kindergarten–Grade 2), Upper Elementary (Grades 3–5), Middle School (Grades 6–8), and High School (Grades 9–12). The curriculum includes 12 weeks of instructional materials for each level.

Yes! In the various pilots done with this curriculum, not every teacher taught it for the designed 40 minutes per day, four days per week. Lessons can easily be cut in half. Many teachers have taken the program slowly, rather than getting through the program material in 12 weeks. One way to fit the lesson material is to preview the lessons and decide which scenarios and activities you are going to do. You may decide to decrease the examples presented and then use the others as a review the following week.

Another aspect of this curriculum is that you can plug various lessons into different parts of the day. For example, the lessons on brain anatomy easily fit into science classes as a sub-unit. The lessons on promoting brain health can easily fit into health or science. Lessons on emotional intelligence and untangling thoughts can be included in Bible, Social Studies, Health, or even worship. Once students have started learning the emotional tools for calming down and untangling their thoughts, you can gently remind them to use the tools throughout the day as situations come up to reinforce the skills that build emotional intelligence. These tools, even in small doses, will go a long way toward fostering healthy thinking and emotional brilliance in your students for the rest of their lives.

The materials provided include: the teacher’s manual with full instructional script, student worksheets/workbooks, discussion questions, activities, stories, PowerPoints, teaching videos, read-aloud books, music playlist, references to information for further study, evaluation ideas, grading rubrics, student objectives, pre-lesson preparation and materials lists, and pre- and post-assessments. Additional materials on the website include further reading for teachers, additional books and videos suitable for students, unit tests for Middle School and High School, letters to send to parents informing them of the content being taught in each unit, and bulletin board ideas.

The GoEQ® curriculum is designed for Christian schools wanting to bring holistic mental health education into their classroom. The lessons have a biblical foundation without endorsing the specific beliefs of any one religious group.

The GoEQ® materials give a broad understanding of brain health and lifestyle habits that enhance brain function. They educate students in the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet, physical activity, daily and weekly rest and recreation, adequate hydration, abstinence from drugs and alcohol, mindfully limiting screen-time, and the calming, optimizing benefits of classical music. These all have solid, scientific research backing.

Students are given principles to guide their decision-making and opportunities to consider how they can best apply the ideas shared in their lives to support their mental health. They are not pushed to adopt any specific lifestyle or worldview.

The simple answer is yes. The GoEQ® Curriculum is a scripted curriculum allowing anyone to successfully share mental health principles with the children in their lives. While the curriculum was developed with typical classrooms in mind, it can be easily adapted to after-school programs, youth group meetings, homeschooling, or co-op settings.