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This video introduces the Relational Agreement & SEL Padlet and explains how to create a post.

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The Relational Agreement is comprised of 4 quadrants, the Goal of the Week, and the Make it Right Box.  Using the RA is an equitable process that supports SEL.

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Relational Agreement, Equity & SEL Graphic.PNG

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After reading this post and watching the video, add a comment to share how Restorative Practices and SEL are related?

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After reading this post and watching the video, add a comment to share how Restorative Practices and SEL are related?

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Restorative Practices is a social science that studies how to strengthen relationships between individuals as well as social connections within communities. It is a way of thinking and being based on a foundation of caring, collaborative and respectful relationships.

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What Is Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

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The CASEL Wheel explains each SEL Competency.

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Foster knowledge, skills, and attitudes across five areas of social and emotional competence;

Establish equitable learning environments and coordinate practices across four key settings that support students' social, emotional, and academic development.

Download more information on the framework (available in and Spanish).

Use our reflection protocol to facilitate a discussion on implementation efforts in your school, district, or other setting.

Read more about the 2020 update to our framework, which highlighted the potential of SEL in promoting educational equity and excellence.

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Communities

Communities. Community partners often provide safe and developmentally rich settings for learning and development, have deep understanding of community needs and assets, are seen as trusted partners by families and students, and have connections to additional supports and services that school and families need. Community programs also offer opportunities for young people to practice their social and emotional skills in settings that are both personally relevant and can open opportunities for their future. To integrate SEL efforts across the school day and out-of-school time, school staff and community partners should align on common language and coordinate strategies and communication around SEL-related efforts and initiatives.
Learn more: CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL - Community Partnerships

Families & Caregivers

Families & Caregivers. When schools and families form authentic partnerships, they can build strong connections that reinforce students' social and emotional development. Families and caregivers are children's first teachers, and bring deep expertise about their development, experiences, culture, and learning needs. These insights and perspectives are critical to informing, supporting, and sustaining SEL efforts. Research suggests that evidence-based SEL programs are more effective when they extend into the home, and families are far more likely to form partnerships with schools when their schools' norms, values, and cultural representations reflect their own experiences. Schools need inclusive decision-making processes that ensure that families-particularly those from historically marginalized groups-are part of planning, implementing, and continuously improving SEL.

Schools can also create other avenues for family partnership that may include creating ongoing two-way communication with families, helping caregivers understand child development, helping teachers understand family backgrounds and cultures, providing opportunities for families to volunteer in schools, extending learning activities and discussions into homes, and coordinating family services with community partners. These efforts should engage families in understanding, experiencing, informing, and supporting the social and emotional development of their students.
Learn more: CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL - Family Partnerships

Schools

Schools. Effectively integrating SEL schoolwide involves ongoing planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement by all members of the school community. SEL efforts both contribute to and depend upon a school climate where all students and adults feel respected, supported, and engaged.

Because the school setting includes many contexts-classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, playground, bus-fostering a healthy school climate and culture requires active engagement from all adults and students. A strong school culture is rooted in students' sense of belonging, with evidence that suggests that it plays a crucial role in students' engagement. SEL also offers an opportunity to enhance existing systems of student support by integrating SEL goals and practices with universal, targeted, and intensive academic and behavioral supports. By coordinating and building upon SEL practices and programs, schools can create an environment that infuses SEL into every part of students' educational experience and promotes positive social, emotional, and academic outcomes for all students.
Learn more: CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL

Classrooms

Classrooms. Research has shown that social and emotional competence can be enhanced using a variety of classroom-based approaches such as: (a) explicit instruction through which social and emotional skills and attitudes are taught and practiced in developmentally, contextually, and culturally responsive ways; (b) teaching practices such as cooperative learning and project-based learning; and (c) integration of SEL and academic curriculum such as language arts, math, science, social studies, health, and performing arts. High-quality SEL instruction has four elements represented by the acronym SAFE: Sequenced - following a coordinated set of training approaches to foster the development of competencies; Active - emphasizing active forms of learning to help students practice and master new skills; Focused - implementing curriculum that intentionally emphasizes the development of SEL competencies; and Explicit - defining and targeting specific skills, attitudes, and knowledge.

SEL instruction is carried out most effectively in nurturing, safe environments characterized by positive, caring relationships among students and teachers. To facilitate age-appropriate and culturally responsive instruction, adults must understand and appreciate the unique strengths and needs of each student and support students' identities. When adults incorporate students' personal experiences and cultural backgrounds and seek their input, they create an inclusive classroom environment where students are partners in the educational process, elevating their own agency. Strong relationships between adults and students can facilitate co-learning, foster student and adult growth, and generate collaborative solutions to shared concerns.
Learn more: CASEL Guide to Effective SEL Programs

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness: The abilities to understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts. This includes capacities to recognize one's strengths and limitations with a well-grounded sense of confidence and purpose.

Such as:

Integrating personal and social identities

Identifying personal, cultural, and linguistic assets

Identifying one's emotions

Demonstrating honesty and integrity

Linking feelings, values, and thoughts

Examining prejudices and biases

Experiencing self-efficacy

Having a growth mindset

Developing interests and a sense of purpose

Check out this video from PBS Learning Media for more information.

Self-Management

Self-management: The abilities to manage one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations. This includes the capacities to delay gratification, manage stress, and feel motivation and agency to accomplish personal and collective goals.

Such as:

Managing one's emotions

Identifying and using stress management strategies

Exhibiting self-discipline and self-motivation

Setting personal and collective goals

Using planning and organizational skills

Showing the courage to take initiative

Demonstrating personal and collective agency

Check out this video from PBS Learning Media for more information.

Social Awareness

Social awareness: The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts. This includes the capacities to feel compassion for others, understand broader historical and social norms for behavior in different settings, and recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

Such as:

Taking others' perspectives

Recognizing strengths in others

Demonstrating empathy and compassion

Showing concern for the feelings of others

Understanding and expressing gratitude

Identifying diverse social norms, including unjust ones

Recognizing situational demands and opportunities

Understanding the influences of organizations and systems on behavior

Check out this video from PBS Learning Media for more information.

Responsible Decision-Making

Responsible decision-making: The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations. This includes the capacities to consider ethical standards and safety concerns, and to evaluate the benefits and consequences of various actions for personal, social, and collective well-being.

Such as:

Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness

Learning how to make a reasoned judgment after analyzing information, data, and facts

Identifying solutions for personal and social problems

Anticipating and evaluating the consequences of one's actions

Recognizing how critical thinking skills are useful both inside and outside of school

Reflecting on one's role to promote personal, family, and community well-being

Evaluating personal, interpersonal, community, and institutional impacts

Check out this video from PBS Learning Media for more information.

Relationship Skills

Relationship skills: The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups. This includes the capacities to communicate clearly, listen actively, cooperate, work collaboratively to problem solve and negotiate conflict constructively, navigate settings with differing social and cultural demands and opportunities, provide leadership, and seek or offer help when needed.

Such as:

Communicating effectively

Developing positive relationships

Demonstrating cultural competency

Practicing teamwork and collaborative problem-solving

Resolving conflicts constructively

Resisting negative social pressure

Showing leadership in groups

Seeking or offering support and help when needed

Standing up for the rights of others

Check out this video from PBS Learning Media for more information.

Social & Emotional Learning

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

SEL advances educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that feature trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing evaluation. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities.

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Our SEL framework, known to many as the "CASEL wheel," helps cultivate skills and environments that advance students' learning and development.

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How does the development of the Relational Agreement support students in making responsible decisions?

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Responsible Decision Making Video Introduction

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SEL and Beyond: Responsible Decision Making

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Welcome to the sixth blog post of our six-part blog/workshop series on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) for grades K-12. One of the most trusted sources for knowledge about high-quality, evidence-based social and emotional learning is The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning ( ). This post will focus on CASEL's SEL competency: Responsible Decision-Making and will include real-life examples and engaging strategies to be used in the classroom and online.

We've offered numerous SEL strategies throughout our blogs to provide you with a menu of options. We suggest picking one strategy at a time and know that you'll have several options to choose from during the course of the school year. We know you do not need one more thing on your plate. The good news is:

"SEL is not one more thing on your plate; it is the plate"-Dr. Amy Cranston

RESPONSIBLE DECISION-MAKING: 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.

Responsible decision-making is particularly important as we analyze the consequences of our individual and institutional actions on others' health and safety, make decisions that promote collective well-being, and engage in collective action to form a more just and equitable society.

* CASEL, 2020
As humans, our brains aren't fully developed until around age 25. Those of us over 25 rely on the prefrontal cortex (the "rational" part of the brain) to make sound, responsible decisions. However, research shows children, teens, and young adults use the amygdala-the "emotional" or "reactionary" part of the brain-to make decisions. Because the connection between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala is still a work in progress for young people, our students often base their judgements on their emotions, rather than considering long-term consequences ( The Connecting Link ; Stanford Children's Health ).

There is good news here: we can help students strengthen the connection between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala by supporting a student to examine the possible outcomes based on their chosen course of action. Oftentimes, children (or even grown adults) act on emotion and bypass evaluating the benefits and consequences of their actions. Leading students through the decision-making process with intention helps build capacity in their ability to make choices that best serve them and others. In doing so, we also support the student to (pause, evaluate consequences, and make a constructive decision that considers all parties involved) rather than .

"A moment of patience in a moment of anger saves you a hundred moments of regret."-Miguel Ruiz

Here are several ways you can support students to learn and demonstrate responsible decision-making:

Use Decision-Making Frameworks

If your students would benefit from something more structured, there are several frameworks that exist to aid in responsible decision-making. One framework is the SODAS decision-making model. SODAS stands for situation, options, disadvantages, advantages, solution. You can learn more about it here .

Another is ICED, which is an acronym that spells out the steps in the decision-making process: Identifying the problem, Creating alternatives, Evaluating the alternatives, and Deciding on the best solution.

To get acquainted with using SODAS or ICED, you can offer a fictional scenario with positive or negative outco mes. Have the students discuss the scenario in groups as they work through alternatives and ultimately decide on the best decision. Each group can then share its scenario and how it used either process to reach its final decisions.

For younger students, a simple "T Chart" (fancy term for a pros/cons list) is a way to graphically organize thoughts. Oftentimes, T Charts are used to outline pros and cons, list facts versus opinions, or explain strengths and weaknesses.

Connect Choices Now with Future Goals

Support students to see the connection between choices and actions they are taking now with their future goals. Ask students to make a list of their favorite classes, hobbies, and other preferred activities. Have students consider career opportunities of interest that align with their lists. Give students time to research the education, training, and other commitments involved with their career choices. Discuss how the choices they make today will impact their future goals (both positively and negatively) ( The Connecting Link ).

Reflect and Use Empathy

We don't always make the right decisions. In fact, oftentimes we learn the biggest lessons when we don't make the best decision. Make sure you give your students freedom to make mistakes and create an open and safe space to reflect on those mistakes. Decision-making grows stronger when students have the opportunity to navigate challenging situations on their own. For high school students, this can be used to walk students through the reflection process from various viewpoints.
What's the last big mistake that you made? What did you learn from it? How was this important to you? How did your decision impact the future?
Another useful practice is using empathy skills (from the social awareness competency) to take the opposing viewpoint in the decision-making process so the student has a greater understanding of the various perspectives and potential outcomes. Similarly, you can ask students "What advice would you give a friend?"-a great way to tap into their "inner wisdom" on a topic.

Incorporate Ethics and Morals into Decision-Making

There are several factors that impact our decision-making-some of which can be useful, some of which can get in the way. Bias, the natural human tendency to favor one thing over another, can get in the way of making good decisions. Supporting students to increase their self-awareness to examine their own beliefs and biases will bolster their ability to make ethical and socially responsible decisions.

Introducing ethical dilemmas in the classroom can open up opportunities not only for debate and critical thinking, but also for personal growth, empathy for other viewpoints, and self-reflection, because students learn to navigate their own moral decision-making (). Use academic content to challenge your students to think critically about their own morals and ethics. For example, examining and discussing the roles of historical figures and characters from novels, as well as people involved with current events can provide valuable teaching moments .

Here are two additional resources on the benefits of teaching ethical decision-making:
The Benefits of Teaching Ethical Dilemmas SEL for Students: Ethical Decision-Making and Social Responsibility
Now let's look at some fun and simple strategies to get your students started with decision-making.

Strategy: Would You Rather...?

This is an easy, fun, low-stakes activity that gets your students' neurons firing around decision-making. You can incorporate kinesthetic learning by having students walk to the side of the room that represents their decision. Then, have the students share why they made that choice and why. It's also engaging when you let students change their decisions, switch sides, and provide their rationale.

As students become better acquainted with this strategy, you can make the questions more challenging and incorporate time for the students to do any additional research, write out pros and cons, or talk with other students, their family, or community members to help them come to a decision.
Do you prefer dogs or cats? Why? Would you rather have the ability to fly or be invisible? Would you rather get $100 a week or $5,000 a month? Why? Would you rather be the president of the United States or a Supreme Court Justice? Why?
Strategy: Decision Tree

A decision tree is a flowchart-like graphic that enables students to see visual representations of possible outcomes for their decisions. This strategy helps to take what can be an abstract process and make it more concrete for the student as they think through, write out, and then visually see the decision-making process unfold. Have the student bring a real-life example they are thinking about or that has been challenging recently-for example, absenteeism. If the student hasn't been going to school (or showing up on video) you can use a decision tree to illustrate options and likely outcomes for attending or not attending class. So the biggest box at the top would be "Class," and the two branches below would be "not going to class" and "going to class." Under each corresponding box you can fill out the likely consequences of going to class and not going to class. You're welcome to add as many branches to the tree as you'd like.
30 Responsible Decision-Making Books for Children 7 Activities for Decision-Making in Middle School Decision-Making Activities for Teens Trisha's Pinterest: Responsible Decision-Making Activities
As we've mentioned all along, there is no hierarchy in SEL; the competencies are all closely linked and interrelated when looking at responsible decision-making. For example, to do the right thing by standing up to friends who are mistreating others, students need to be in touch with their own values (self-awareness) and be able to regulate conflicting emotions (self-management); they also need to be able to empathize with those affected (social awareness) and resist peer pressure to join in (relationship skills) ( Greater Good in Education ).

Responsible decision-making is a lifelong skill that can create incredible outcomes in our lives. And, decision-making is something we all end up having plenty of practice with (whether we like it or not) so, we say, let's get good at it.

Additional Resources
Understanding the Teen Brain PBS Inside the Teenage Brain Decision-Making Activities for Teens
See also:

The first five chapters of this series:

SEL & Beyond: A Dynamic Introduction to Social and Emotional Learning and Its Core Competencies SEL experts Trisha DiFazio and Allison Roeser present a free, 6-part SEL workshop!

Infobase's SEL Packages for All Levels: Instant Trial Access Access content supporting the five competencies of social and emotional learning

About the Authors
Trisha DiFazio is an author, education consultant, and former adjunct professor in the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California (USC). She is passionate about empowering teachers and students around Social and Emotional Learning, Cultural Responsiveness, and Mindfulness. Allison Roeser, Master of Health Science (MHS) and Professional Certified Coach (PCC), has almost two decades of experience working with leaders in education, child welfare, and social change. As an avid learner of mindfulness practices, Allison has seen firsthand the value of integrating self-awareness into professional and personal development.

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SEL & Beyond: Responsible Decision-Making

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Welcome to the sixth blog post of our six-part blog/workshop series on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) for grades K-12. One of the most trusted sources for knowledge about high-quality, evidence-based social and emotional learning is The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning ( ).

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A Guide to making Responsible Decisions

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Every child should be able to make constructive choices. Keep reading to find out how children can increase their responsible decision-making skills.

Responsible decision-making is the fifth core competency taught in SEL.

We can define responsible decision making as the ability to make choices that affect you positively in your physical, intellectual, social, and emotional bodies. Responsible decisions are based on social morals, ethics, and safety. They also involve awareness of the impact of your choice on yourself, your goals, relationships, and others around you.

More concisely, responsible decision-making means making responsible choices that benefit you and your community. Responsible decisions are socially and ethically appropriate and take into account the effects on others.

Why It's Important to Make Responsible Decisions

Our youth make critical decisions every day. Each decision students make has consequences that can affect their entire lives.

Responsible decision making isn't just about avoiding negative consequences. SEL's responsible decision-making model teaches students self-awareness and how to consider family and friends, their community, and their world.

It teaches them how to recognize and validate their emotions, as well as how to manage them appropriately. Responsible decision making involves critical thinking and self-discipline. It also means knowing how to extrapolate the effects of that decision on others. This process helps students learn relationship skills, empathy, and how to communicate effectively.

This portfolio of decision-making skills that our students learn and practice when they are young will carry over into adulthood. It lays the foundation to affect their jobs, their relationships, and their lives as a whole.

That's a lot of life skills, and teaching all of them may feel overwhelming. If you're wondering how to teach decision-making, we have the tools you need right here.

Teaching Students to Make Responsible Decisions

Teaching social-emotional learning in classrooms has many positive effects. With more than two decades of research documenting the impact of the SEL curriculum on students' lives and the global community, we see these programs positively affecting students long-term.

The Benefits of Responsible Decision Making: What the Research Shows

Students who participated in SEL programs saw an increase of 11 percentile points in their academic performance. Up to 24% of those students improved their social behaviors, resulting in lower stress levels, and 22% fewer students had conduct problems.

The Positive Action program, in addition to SEL, can result in a: 62% reduction in violence, a 51% reduction in bullying, and 46 - 73% reduction in the use of illicit substances. The program also saw a decrease in absenteeism, disciplinary referrals, and suspensions.

Scores in reading and math also improved, showing that positive decision-making has an impact both in and outside the classroom.

All of these benefits last beyond the school years and help reduce poverty and improve economic mobility.

The Responsible Decision-Making Model

At the center of teaching students how to make better choices is the responsible decision-making model. It shows five steps to making responsible decisions by providing this problem-solving, decision-making checklist:

1. Identify the problem.

2. Analyze the situation.

3. Brainstorm solutions and solve the problem.

4. Consider ethical responsibility.

5. Evaluate and reflect.

These guidelines can help walk your students through the sometimes complicated process of making responsible decisions. Through the use of workbooks, discussions about decisions in popular media, role-playing, and decision-making exercises, your students will become open-minded and confident in their choices.

We've created the "Problem-Solving, Decision-Making Checklist" that your students can use as a guideline for any decision they must make. We also provide sample lessons for all grades from pre-K through high school so you can see how our program works and how it can contribute to your students' learning.

Next Steps

If you believe that social-emotional learning will benefit your students, talk to your fellow teachers and your school's leadership about adopting Positive Action as part of your SEL program.

We created Positive Action to be modular so that schools can implement the program in phases. We recommend that you start with the lower grades and work up.

This feeder effect will ensure that students get the lasting impact of the SEL curriculum from a young age and carry it with them. It will also build support among students, parents, and teachers.

Feel free to reach out via chat, email, or call us at (800) 345-2974 to learn more about our programs.

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Responsible Decision Making: An Introductory Guide

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Every child should be able to make constructive choices. Keep reading to find out how children can increase their responsible decision-making skills. Responsible decision-making is the fifth core competency taught in SEL. We can define responsible decision making as the ability to make choices that affect you positively in your physical, intellectual, social, and emotional bodies.

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Tools you can use to make better decisions.

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Tools you can use to make better decisions.

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Decision-Making Techniques: How to Make Better Decisions

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Learn how to use more than 40 different decision making techniques to make better decisions, faster.

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How does the Goal of the Week support Self-Management?

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How does the Make it Right Box help students to resolve conflicts constructively?

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How does the development of the Relational Agreement help students to have a greater awareness of their needs in the classroom?

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Responsible Decision-Making | Social-Emotional Learning | PBS LearningMedia

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Learn ways to teach children to make responsible decisions by developing the ability to think through all parts of a problem, analyzing a situation, understanding its ethical implications, and evaluating the consequences.

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Jane Fontaine

2nd Grade Teacher

Rosemont Park ES

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Counselor Chuck Hays
Rosemont Park ES

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Self-Awareness in Creating a Relational Agreement

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How Does the Relational Agreement Connect With SEL Competencies?

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How Does the Relational Agreement Connect With SEL Competencies?

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Michael Garcia, LPC

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How Does the Relational Agreement Connect With SEL Competencies?

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Counselor Jennifer Miller of Greenbriar ES shares a story about using Relational Agreements to build Self-Awareness.

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Restorative Practices are skills to improve relationships that would help a student Social Emotional Growth by providing tools to strengthen their classroom community thereby resulting in adults working collaboratively in the future. Students would learn how to engage appropriately and held accountable for their part in accomplishing tasks. I have attached a few links that provide guidelines and empower students to resolve issues and become active participants in reaching goals.