The way we are implementing SEL programming is changing. As noted in CASEL’s SEL Trends Newsletter, a program that was once an infrequent treatment for children who needed emotional support has evolved into a classroom subject (CASEL, 2018). With the compounded impacts of school closures, economic crisis, COVID-19, and racial inequity, the concept of supporting students’ emotional and mental health has reached new heights. SEL in the classroom is necessary; it may seem overwhelming to integrate SEL into your teaching practice but it is easier than it seems!

Implementing SEL in the Classroom from a Districts’ Perspective

Many districts are increasingly recognizing the need for Social-Emotional Learning and are starting to adopt school-based SEL programs based upon their schools’ needs. Districts like Naperville Community Schools have identified SEL as a priority. Naperville provided professional development and is implementing SEL curricula across 22 schools with the hope that doing so will increase academic achievement, promote a positive school climate, and increase virtual attendance.

The Palo Alto Unified School District created “kindness ambassadors” utilizing the Second Step curriculum in which teachers emphasize “self-talk” to help students focus on their self-management skills. Last year, Palo Alto developed a multi-district plan; collaborating with other districts, which included parents, staff, students, and community members.

School districts in Virginia are developing holistic programs to serve the whole child. Some districts are starting to consider community organizations that provide mental health services and programs that have systematic approaches to helping students with mental needs. Teachers are already at capacity, thus support systems like this allow external programs to collaborate with schools to meet individual student’s needs so that they are successful in school.

Next Steps: SEL in the Classroom

If teachers are interested in implementing a SEL curriculum within their classrooms, it is critical to research, reflect, and prepare. For a teacher new to SEL, there is more than one curriculum and more than one organization providing tools and activities.  If interested, teachers should make sure they become familiar with the materials and choose to implement them wisely. (For those needing a trusted source, start with CASEL). Students’ emotional states and academic outcomes are affected by classroom culture, even without SEL (Jones, 2013). In light of this, teachers must act as role models in implementing SEL competencies within their classrooms. Reflect on your own lens through which you see the world and consider the following:

• How will you be integrating daily SEL practices into your classroom? 

• What curriculum or activities will you implement, and when?

• What am I doing to learn about and improve my social-emotional capabilities?

• Am I demonstrating SEL competencies when conflict arises in the classroom?

Checking in with District Resources and Ongoing Support

There is a misconception that SEL programming for teachers and students can be implemented infrequently and with minimal effort. In reality, research notes that SEL requires ongoing reflection and preparedness;it also requires administration and colleague support to improve school climate and culture. Educators who received ongoing training in SEL were found to be more prepared and adept at implementing SEL practices than teachers who received infrequent training (Learning,Institute 2019). More on-going support at the district level is needed; teachers report they have “never received opportunities to reflect upon and improve their own social-emotional skills,” and roughly 71% of educators acknowledged that their SEL programming for teachers was nonexistent, underdeveloped, or infrequent (EdWeek 2020). 

Overall SEL Programs Are Beneficial

although the District and Classroom levels are fundamentally different, the approach to SEL remains the same: provide a space for educators to reflect upon and refine SEL strategies. SEL programs at the district level are only as good as the ongoing teacher support also provided by the administration. Our current, stressful environment currently, it is paramount that educators receive the same ongoing support and space to reflect that districts are seeking to provide students. Teachers looking to kick-start an SEL curriculum in their classroom can personally reflect on their SEL competencies and select activities that consistently integrate SEL. By intentionally acting as role models for SEL practices, while being mindful of their own social-emotional capacities, students and teachers alike will greatly benefit from SEL in the classroom.

Sources

Adams, J. (2017, July 28). As schools adopt social-emotional programs, a new guide offers help. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://edsource.org/2017/as-schools-adopt-social-emotional-programs-a-new-guide-offers-help/581639

At American Institutes for Research. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://gtlcenter.org/technical-assistance/professional-learning-modules/social-and-emotional-learning-daily-life-classrooms

CASEL (2018, March) SEL Trends Reorganizing District Central Offices Social Emotional Learning: https://casel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/SEL-Trends-1-March-2018.pdf

Martinez, L. (2015, November 20). Developing Teachers' Social and Emotional Skills. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/developing-teachers-social-emotional-skills-lorea-martinez

Naperville Community School District. (2020, August 19). Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://www.movethisworld.com/naperville-community-school-district/

Stephanie M. Jones, S. (n.d.). Educators' Social and Emotional Skills Vital to Learning - Stephanie M. Jones, Suzanne M. Bouffard, Richard Weissbourd, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/003172171309400815

[Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://measuringsel.casel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/image-2.png

Stephanie M. Jones, S. (n.d.). Educators' Social and Emotional Skills Vital to Learning - Stephanie M. Jones, Suzanne M. Bouffard, Richard Weissbourd, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/003172171309400815

Will, M. (2020, May 19). The Success of Social-Emotional Learning Hinges on Teachers. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/04/08/the-success-of-social-emotional-learning-hinges-on.html