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Teachers often have to face and address many different challenges in the classroom, including world wide issues such as a global pandemic. COVID provided many new obstacles such as isolation, online learning, and and increase in anxiety and other mental health issues. Embracing Social and Emotional Learning in K-12 Schools and Higher Education during the COVID-19 pandemic focuses on the importance of incorporating an online SEL community through virtual discussions, forums, daily check-ins, group activities and more. I chose to use an image that represented connecting to a wide community virtually in order to promote the SEL needed in virtual classrooms.

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This is a more abstract interpretation of our reading about trauma and how it is often rooted in institutionalized racism and poverty. Similarly to how we focus on snipping the leaves of a sick plant rather than investigating the roots for infection, Alvarez points out that we spend most of our efforts addressing the symptoms of trauma, rather than healing the roots firmly planted in racism. One way teachers can help understand and heal the roots of these traumatic issues (and by association the problems they cause) is by being "culturally competent as they design interventions for students given the link between racism, trauma, and PTSD." (Alvarez, 2020, p. 592) Cultivating an emotionally intelligent and inclusive classroom can help provide the safe space students need to express their racial identities and work through their trauma in a constructive way.

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Incorporating Social Emotional Learning into the classroom is one of the most important jobs that a teacher has. It is imperative to lead students on their journey through SEL so that they grow as citizens, as part of a community, and as part of a conducive learning environment. All students, especially ELLs who are navigating new social-emotional practices, need an environment that helps them build a firm social-emotional foundation. This will enable students to be able to care for themselves both personally and academically, improving overall mental health and achievement. Dialogue Circles are a SEL tool used at Glenview Elementary school in order to help students learn to be respectful, vulnerable, and collaborative with their peers. I chose to create an image of children standing in a circle to represent this community and collaboration that we should be striving for in our classrooms.

Herrera and Martinez-Alba mention 5 SEL Core Competencies:

1. Self Awareness

2. Self Management

3. Social Awareness

4. Relationship Skills

5. Responsible Decision Making

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I included this image because talking about the importance of SEL in creating an effective classroom reminded me that in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the social-emotional aspect comes before the academic aspect. In the classroom it is the teacher's job to provide a space where students have these base needs met (shelter, safety, belonging) so that students can pursue higher needs (esteem and self actualization).