# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hearts & Minds: Picture Books that Strengthen Social Emotional Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Resources for a selection of titles on this theme

# data[].attributes.body
The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures. The ability to understand social and ethical norms for behavior and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

Perspective-taking

Empathy

Appreciating diversity

Respect for others

(CASEL)

# data[].attributes.body
May Your Life Be Deliciosa

# data[].attributes.body
Outside, Inside (COVID)

# data[].attributes.body
Your Name is a Song <https://www.theinnovationpress.com/yournameisasongvideo>

# data[].attributes.body
Under My Hijab

# data[].attributes.body
Benji, the Bad Day, and Me

# data[].attributes.body
Horrible Bear!

# data[].attributes.body
You, Me and Empathy

# data[].attributes.body
Don't Touch My Hair!

# data[].attributes.body
Saturday at the Food Pantry

# data[].attributes.body
The ability to make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms. The realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and a consideration of the well-being of oneself and others.

Identifying problems

Analyzing situations

Solving problems

Evaluating

Reflecting

Ethical responsibility

(CASEL)

# data[].attributes.body
Picture Perfect Day

# data[].attributes.body
One

# data[].attributes.body
Be Kind

# data[].attributes.body
That's Life!

# data[].attributes.body
I am Human

# data[].attributes.body
The Sandwich Swap

# data[].attributes.body
Niko Draws a Feeling

# data[].attributes.body
Enough to go around: a story of generosity

# data[].attributes.body
Everyone Walks Away

# data[].attributes.headline
Collaborative for Academic Social & Emotional Learning Guide to Reopening Schools after COVID-19 closures.

# data[].attributes.subject
Collaborative for Academic Social & Emotional Learning Guide to Reopening Schools after COVID-19 closures.

# data[].attributes.body
What the matter Marlo?

# data[].attributes.headline
Collaborative for Academic Social & Emotional Learning (CASEL)

# data[].attributes.subject
Collaborative for Academic Social & Emotional Learning (CASEL)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Advancing Social and Emotional Learning - CASEL

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CASEL is helping make evidence-based social and emotional learning an integral part of education, preschool through high school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
T-SEL Competencies and Conditions for Thriving

These guidance tools, developed for voluntary use, aim to build on and respond to the call from California's diverse stakeholders to embed equity-focused Transformative Social and Emotional Learning (T-SEL) in every learning and teaching context across the education system.

Social and Emotional Support During Distance Learning

Visit the California Department of Education (CDE) Social and Emotional Support During Distance Learning web page for resources for educators, educational leaders, and families/guardians in kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) schools, to provide social and emotional supports during distance learning.

Social and Emotional Learning Basics

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) reflects the critical role of positive relationships and emotional connections in the learning process and helps students develop a range of skills they need for school and life. SEL skills include the ability to:

set and achieve positive goals

feel and show empathy for others

establish and maintain positive relationships

make responsible decisions

understand and manage emotions

All of these skills are necessary-both for educators and students-to function well in the classroom, in the community, and in college and careers.

While many teachers instinctively know that SEL is important, historically schools have been primarily focused on teaching academic content such as reading, math, science, and history, and less intentional about supporting the social and emotional skills that are so important to learning and life success.

There is a growing body of research proving that SEL is fundamental to academic success, and must be woven into the work of every teacher in every classroom and every after school and summer learning program, if we truly want to prepare all our students for college and careers.

The CDE is committed to helping educators learn more about SEL and how to make this a part of every child's school experience. To support this work, the CDE has joined the Collaborating States Initiative a group of states that share information, best practices, and promising tools and ideas in the interest of building strong SEL in schools across their states. The Collaborating States Initiative is hosted by the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning .

The CDE has convened a group of experts from different sectors of the education system to advise on the best ways to support SEL implementation. The following are products this team has developed:

See the CDE's press release on California's participation in the Collaborating States Initiative.

Advance Social and Emotional Learning Campaign

In 2020, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond launched the Advance SEL in California Campaign. The initiative gathered large-scale input through a forum called WikiWisdom , a virtual resource where educators, school leaders, and families can collaborate, interact with peers, and share best SEL practices to support students dealing with the impact of the Coronovirus (COVID-19) pandemic and over the long term. In total, the project engaged nearly 800 diverse California education stakeholders to gather perspectives on SEL practices, needs, and goals.

The project culminated with a report on the status of SEL in California, with recommendations for how teachers, school leaders, and families across the state can address the social and emotional needs of students, both in response to COVID-19 and over the long term. The findings in this report are grounded in what we heard from nearly 2,000 educators, students, parents, and other stakeholders throughout this project. The resounding message we heard was that SEL is more important than ever-and racial equity must be part of those SEL conversations.

For both the executive summary and the final report, visit the Education First website .

General Resources

To better understand the role of SEL in schools, the resources listed below are a good starting place. This list will be updated as relevant information is gathered and reviewed:

Support

If you need support in your school, district, or county in better understanding SEL or if you need implementation tools or technical assistance, the following are some resources to consider:

Register for Updates

If you would like to receive updates from the California Department of Education about California's SEL efforts, please sign up for our listserv.

To subscribe to the SEL Planning listserv, send a "blank" message to join-sel-planning@mlist.cde.ca.gov.

To unsubscribe from the SEL Planning listserv, send a "blank" message to unsubscribe-sel-planning@mlist.cde.ca.gov.

To view archived SEL newsletters, visit the California Educators Together SEL Newsletter Archive collection web page .

Last Reviewed: Thursday, September 23, 2021

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These guidance tools, developed for voluntary use, aim to build on and respond to the call from California's diverse stakeholders to embed equity-focused Transformative Social and Emotional Learning (T-SEL) in every learning and teaching context across the education system.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Today we are pleased to share this guest post from Librarian and Diversity Coordinator Laura Reiko Simeon on using picture books to support social and emotional learning (SEL). Welcome, Laura!

One day a new sixth grader walked into my school library, wandered over and gazed longingly at the picture book shelves, and then told me sadly that at her old school her teacher told her she wasn't allowed to read them because they were below her reading level. I bit back my initial uncensored opinion of said teacher and mildly replied that the wonderful thing about picture books was that you could enjoy them at any age-and that no one here would stop her from borrowing whatever she liked!

This story connects to a project I developed that is currently in its seventh year. It's taken various forms and spanned various grade levels from K-4 to K-8, but the goals have remained the same:

To make conversations about diversity something that happen naturally and routinely, not just when there is a problem to be solved.

To cultivate all teachers' cultural competency skills. This helps avoid the impression that some teachers are fostering a "personal agenda" by bringing these conversations into the classroom, and reinforces our school's commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.

To remind students that social justice issues are not a thing of the past, solved long ago. They are also not just about one dimension of being human-not just about race or gender, for example, but about many overlapping facets of our existence.

Teachers are incredibly busy, so I support them by choosing a different picture book each month and creating a handout with related resources, background information, and discussion questions of varying complexity. In recent years the books have been integrated with the monthly social-emotional learning traits selected by our counselors, giving them even greater relevance.
Why picture books?
Picture books are ideal because they are infinitely flexible: a 5-year- old and a 12-year-old can enjoy the same picture book while understanding it in dramatically different (but equally valid) ways. The interplay and interdependence between the text and illustrations promote thoughtful analysis and the brevity of the text leaves room for the reader to contribute his or her own interpretations. With only 10-15 minutes of reading time you can present complex ideas to a group of students and foster rich conversations.
How did we do it?
First, I did a trial run during library storytimes, carefully recording students' questions and my responses across various grade levels. The concrete examples helped reassure any nervous teachers that the children's responses were positive, and their curiosity was not something to fear. Next, we brought in a diversity trainer for a valuable day of professional development. Then we took a deep breath and plunged right in.
How did it go?
Overall it has been transformative. A veteran kindergarten teacher told me that one book, Let's Talk about Race by Julius Lester, inspired the single best classroom discussion she'd ever witnessed. Another said that she has seen her skills and comfort level with diversity discussions grow dramatically over the years thanks to this project. The response from children has been equally enthusiastic! We began to incorporate the books into our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day assemblies, using them as a jumping off point for performances, illustrating the ways that the values Dr. King espoused have resonated throughout the decades and across continents.
What are the questions like?
For Munro Leaf's classic The Story of Ferdinand, the questions start with ones that allow any kindergartener or first grader to talk about the constraints of gender stereotyping, such as "If Ferdinand had been a girl called Fernanda, do you think everyone would have expected her to be fierce and rough? Why or why not?"

At the other end of the spectrum, the following questions provoked much discussion and quite emotional responses from our middle school students: "What do you think of Ferdinand's mother's decision to let him be? Should she have tried to get him to be more like the other bulls? Should parents always accept their children just as they are?"

Another book we used with great success was Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story by Paula Yoo, which we connected to that month's social-emotional learning trait of patience. Some of the questions for this book were:

What kinds of things did Sammy's father sacrifice when he came to America? In what ways did he need to be patient?

What can we learn from the way Sammy respected his father's sacrifices and the goals he had for him instead of just doing what he wanted? How does this show patience?

Why can it be good to compromise instead of doing just what you want or just what someone else wants? Can you think of a time when compromising led to a better solution? Did you have to be patient while you worked things out?

When Sammy wasn't allowed to go to the prom because he wasn't white, what could the white students have done to support him?

The books you choose and the questions you write will depend in part on the makeup of your school community and the particular conversations you'd like to encourage. Whatever you do, it can be incredibly rewarding and a wonderful way to extend the use of picture books.
About the author: The daughter of an anthropologist, Laura Reiko Simeon's passion for diversity-related topics stems from her childhood spent living all over the US and the world. An alumna of the United World Colleges, international high schools dedicated to fostering cross-cultural understanding, Laura has an MA in History from the University of British Columbia, and a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Washington. She lives near Seattle where she is the Diversity Coordinator and Library Learning Commons Director at Open Window School.
Further Reading:
Social Emotional Learning Diverse Book List for Grades PreK-8

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Using Picture Books to Support Social Emotional Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Today we are pleased to share this guest post from Librarian and Diversity Coordinator Laura Reiko Simeon on using picture books to support social and emotional learning (SEL). Welcome, Laura!

# data[].attributes.body
The ability to accurately recognize one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior. The ability to accurately assess one’s strengths and limitations, with a well-grounded sense of confidence, optimism, and a “growth mindset.”

Identifying emotions

Accurate self-perception

Recognizing strengths

Self-confidence

Self-efficacy

(CASEL)

# data[].attributes.body
Eyes that Kiss in the Corners

# data[].attributes.body
There Might Be Lobsters

# data[].attributes.body
School's First Day of School

# data[].attributes.body
A Dog Wearing Shoes

# data[].attributes.headline
Teacher Librarian Shannon McClintock Miller's SEL lists

# data[].attributes.subject
Teacher Librarian Shannon McClintock Miller's SEL lists

# data[].attributes.body
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read

# data[].attributes.body
I Will Be Fierce

# data[].attributes.body
Always So Grumpy

# data[].attributes.body
I am Every Good Thing

# data[].attributes.body
The ability to successfully regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations — effectively managing stress, controlling impulses, and motivating oneself. The ability to set and work toward personal and academic goals.

Impulse control

Stress management

Self-discipline

Self-motivation

Goal-setting

Organizational skills

(CASEL)

# data[].attributes.body
I am Love

# data[].attributes.body
Allie All Along

# data[].attributes.body
Emily D. and the Fearful First Day

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Emily D. and the Fearful First Day book. Read 10 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. The first day of school can be filled with a flu...

# data[].attributes.body
The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. The ability to communicate clearly, listen well, cooperate with others, resist inappropriate social pressure, negotiate conflict constructively, and seek and offer help when needed.

Communication

Social engagement

Relationship-building

Teamwork

(CASEL)

# data[].attributes.body
Bad Day

# data[].attributes.body
Nerdy Birdy

# data[].attributes.body
The Buddy Bench

# data[].attributes.body
The Invisible Boy

# data[].attributes.body
First Day Jitters

# data[].attributes.body
All Kinds of Awesome

# data[].attributes.body
Do Unto Otters

# data[].attributes.body
My Friend Maggie

# data[].attributes.body
All Are Welcome

# data[].attributes.body
Be You!

# data[].attributes.body
I am One: A Book of Action

# data[].attributes.body
Grumpy Monkey

# data[].attributes.body
Ambitious Girl

# data[].attributes.body
Because by Mo Willems

# data[].attributes.body
Jack (Not Jackie)

# data[].attributes.body
Sometimes It's Hard to Be Nice

# data[].attributes.body
The Patchwork Bike

# data[].attributes.body
We're All Wonders

# data[].attributes.body
The Good Egg

# data[].attributes.body
The Bad Seed

# data[].attributes.body
One by Kathryn Otoshi

# data[].attributes.body
The Crocodile and the Dentist

# data[].attributes.body
The Breaking News

# data[].attributes.body
I Just Like You

# data[].attributes.body
The Color Monster

# data[].attributes.body
Grow Happy

# data[].attributes.body
Give Me Back My Book!

# data[].attributes.body
We've Got he Whole World in Our Hands

# data[].attributes.body
I Am Enough

# data[].attributes.body
Colin the Chameleon

# data[].attributes.body
How to be a Lion

# data[].attributes.body
I am Human: A Book of Empathy

# data[].attributes.body
Mindful Me: Mindfulness and Meditation for Kids

# data[].attributes.body
Mixed: A Colorful Story

# data[].attributes.body
Quiet by Tomie dePaola

# data[].attributes.body
Alma and How She Got Her Name

# data[].attributes.body
Quiet Please, Own McPhee!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Quiet Please, Owen McPhee!
Trudy Ludwig, Author

Patrice Barton, Illustrator

Alfred A. Knopf, Fiction, Jul. 3, 2018

Suitable for Ages: 5-8

Themes: Talking too much, Being a good listener, Social skills

Opening: Owen McPhee doesn't just like to talk. He loves to talk, morning, noon, and night.

Owen spends every waking minute chattering away at his teachers, his classmates, his parents, his dog, and even himself. But all that chatter can get in the way of listening to important instructions from the teacher during a science experiment. Not only does he mess up his own project, he messes up another group's project. His chatter spoils story time. Even his classmate are annoyed and yell "quiet" when they've had enough and exclude him from playtime.

When Owen wakes up with a bad case of laryngitis, he resorts to writing down the things he wants to tell his classmates. When he can't write fast enough, it gives him a perfect opportunity to observe and listen to what others have to say. He may just learn something or have something to offer in a different way.

From the author-illustrator team behind The Invisible Boy comes a bright and lively picture book that captures the social dynamics of a busy classroom while delivering a gentle message about the power and importance of listening...not only with your ears but with your heart.

Why I like this book:

Trudy Ludwig's newest treasure, "Quiet Please, Owen McPhee!" is the perfect resource for home and classrooms. Many children - and adults - talk to much. And their nonstop chatter may cause problems, that include loneliness because everyone wants to avoid a chatterbox. But, Ludwig tackles this subject with humor and wisdom as she lets a spirited Owen find his own way of learning to listen to others. Owen doesn't change overnight, but he realistically works hard to control his chatter. This story also reminds readers that it's important to put others first. There is so much heart in Owen's journey.

Ludwig once again teams up with illustrator Patrice Barton, whose colorful pastels are lively and dramatic. Barton brilliantly captures the dynamics between Owen and his classmates through page after page of priceless expressions! Children will also enjoy the great use of speech bubbles, which show how chatty Owen is. Check out the book endpapers.

Resources: The author has prepared Questions for Discussion that teachers can use in the classroom to personalize Owen's story. Parents will also find the discussion questions useful.

TRUDY LUDWIG is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids cope with and thrive in their social world, including My Secret Bully, Confessions of a Former Bully, and The Invisible Boy. An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association and a contributor to Sesame Workshop, Trudy has received the Mom's Choice Gold Award, the IBPA Gold Benjamin Franklin Award, and the NAPPA Gold Medal, and also been recognized as NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Books for Young People. Visit her at Trudy Ludwig on her website. Follow her on Twitter at @TrudyLudwig.
Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill's website.
*Review copy provided by the author.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Quiet Please, Owen McPhee! by Trudy Ludwig

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Quiet Please, Owen McPhee! Trudy Ludwig, Author Patrice Barton, Illustrator Alfred A. Knopf, Fiction, Jul. 3, 2018 Suitable for Ages: 5-8 Themes: Talking too much, Being a good listener, Social skills Opening: Owen McPhee doesn't just like to talk. He loves to talk, morning, noon, and night.

# data[].attributes.body
Nothing Rhymes with Orange

# data[].attributes.body
Beautiful Oops!

# data[].attributes.body
The Most Magnificent Thing

# data[].attributes.body
Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed

# data[].attributes.body
Pete & Pickles

# data[].attributes.body
How Are You! Como Estas?

# data[].attributes.body
What Do You Do with A Problem?

# data[].attributes.body
Thanks for the Feedback

# data[].attributes.body
Going Places

# data[].attributes.body
Hidden figures : the true story of four black women and the space race

# data[].attributes.body
Drawn Together

# data[].attributes.body
Someone New

# data[].attributes.body
Erik the Red Sees Green

# data[].attributes.body
We are grateful : otsaliheliga

# data[].attributes.body
La idea más maravillosa