Mr. Jack

Hello!

My name is Jack and I teach Social Emotional Learning and Music at Timothy L. Johnson Academy. Social emotional learning (SEL) helps scholars better comprehend their emotions and hopefully learn how to demonstrate empathy for others. I love teaching SEL because it gives scholars a protected space to feel out loud, while helping to remove the stigma so often associated with emotional vulnerability. I grew up in Northern Ireland, studying Drum Kit and Guitar at Music College and was a session musician in various bands before emigrating to the USA in 2014. I love using music as a tool to encourage scholars access their own creativity and self-expression, giving them a chance to explore their feelings and talents.

Below is a song I wrote for my scholars that hopefully sums up a lot of what we talk about in my classroom. At the end you will hear the elementary school helping to sing along.

Thank you!

(Here are the lyrics if you'd like to read along)

Feelings are feelings, they won’t bite

Even the feelings you don’t invite 

Even if you don’t feel alright

Feelings come and go 

Feelings are feelings all the time 

Even if they’re not on your side 

Even if they don’t treat you right

Feelings come and go 

Wait a while, you’ll find a smile 

Not so far away 

Give it time, one day you’ll find 

You will be okay 

Feelings are feelings in your mind 

Even when you hold them inside  

Even when they get hard to hide 

Feelings come and go 

Feelings are feelings every night 

Even when you aren’t sleeping tight 

Even when they put up a fight 

Feelings come and go 

Wait a while, you’ll find a smile 

Not so far away 

Give it time, and soon you’ll find 

You will be okay 

Feelings are feelings, let them be

Feelings are feelings, set them free