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Equity and SEL Part II: Districts Share Strategies and Best Practices

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The benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) are well-researched, with evidence demonstrating that an education that promotes SEL yields positive

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According to the Center on Reinventing Public Education, about twenty-five percent of U.S. school districts have started the year fully remote. If not wholly virtual, many schools are doing some form of hybrid or staggered in-school learning. However, with this shift to online instruction, social and emotional learning (SEL) practices have been disrupted. Some children and teens are really struggling in this remote environment and need increased SEL support. Surprisingly, some kids are thriving and are easily adapting to this new normal. Whether a child is grappling or flourishing during this time, one thing is certain - the face of education and social and emotional learning is changing.

Below, we investigate the positive and negative effects of virtual instruction in children and teens. We also reveal what experts report could be the outcomes of this new world and how to improve SEL moving forward.

Adverse Effects of Virtual Learning

In Texas, several school districts announced that report cards from the first weeks of school show more students than last year failing at least one class. "Students are turning in assignments late if at all, skipping days to weeks of virtual school, and falling behind on reading. Some students without support at home are struggling to keep track of their daily workload," reports the Texas Tribune. This is one example of the educational fallout of the pandemic, but what about SEL? Students are being asked to learn in a climate of increased stress and anxiety, often through a plexiglass barrier or a Zoom call. How do we approach SEL during this time? Before tackling this issue, we need to address how this current environment affects kids' psychological health. The Harris Poll did a study on the state of teen mental health during COVID-19, revealing:

Sixty-one percent said they had experienced an increase in feelings of loneliness.

Forty-three percent said they had experienced depression.

Fifty-five percent said they had experienced anxiety.

On top of these psychological impacts, many students deal with the trauma of sick or dying family members, economic hardship, and disruption to the life they once had. These mental health consequences are alarming, but what do the experts say about the long-term social and emotional repercussions?

What Experts Predict

Child psychiatrist Dr. Jeremiah Dickerson tells WCAX news that research is still ongoing to determine the consequences of remote learning on children's health and development. He states, "The outcomes ultimately depend on several variables for each student, such as home environment and social or learning disabilities." He does say there are some reasons for parents to be concerned about social development during this time. "Without socialization, some kids may become anxious and irritable. Socializing is what helps us think about our own identity - to see where we fit in and see where we do not fit in. It is important for positive development and growth," states Dickerson.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asserts that the pandemic has impacted young children's social, emotional, and mental well-being and that trauma faced at this developmental stage may have long-term consequences. "For example, home is not a safe, comfortable, and predictable place for some kids. And not having the escape of going to school can be concerning because those kids are also not presenting to teachers and other grownups in their lives to say, 'Hey, what's going on?' 'Is there anything I can do to help you?' In that case, we do worry about the long-term impacts of those environments of those particular kids," states Dickerson.

The constant fluctuation of in-school and virtual learning is also causing social and emotional issues among school-age kids. A Keiser brief, including data from the National Survey of Children's Health and the National School-Based Health Care Census, states that students attending and not attending in-person school may face behavioral challenges including:

High rates of clinginess, distraction, irritability, and fear among children, particularly younger children.

Nearly a third of parents claimed their child experienced harm to their emotional or mental health.

It is obvious that virtual learning is leaving its mark on kids. These negative results need to be reported, studied, and corrected moving forward. However, there is a flip side to remote instruction and its effects on children and teens. Some students are thriving in this new environment. These positive outcomes also need a spotlight and should be factored into children's new social and emotional needs.

Positive Impacts of Remote Learning

Though remote instruction has brought many challenges, some students seem to be thriving under the new circumstances. An article in (reporting from the George Lucas Educational Foundation) shares thoughts from educators around the country on this critical issue. Montenique Woodard, a teacher in Washington, D.C. states, "I think not having those everyday distractions in school has allowed for some kids to focus on the work." Teachers are increasingly reporting that a handful of their students, shy kids, hyperactive kids, highly creative kids, are suddenly doing better with remote instruction than they were doing in the physical classroom. "It's been awesome to see some of my kids finally find their niche in education," said Holli Ross, a first-year high school teacher in California.

Re-Thinking the School Day

Some students are finding the benefits of self-pacing during virtual learning, according to the Edutopia report. In most schools, students face back-to-back classes with little reprieve. However, during the pandemic, school schedules have become more fluid. This pace allows students more choice over when and how they do their school work. "I think a few of mine [students] are doing really well getting a taste of more independence," said Lauren Huddleston, a middle school teacher in Tennessee. "They are taking ownership a bit more because they are no longer under the micromanagement of the school day."

Research has found that over-booked schedules filled with sports and other activities can be a significant challenge for a child to balance and even cause unhealthy anxiety and stress levels. Teachers are seeing a difference in some students' performance with enrichment activities being canceled or scaled back due to the pandemic. "For my students, there are some that are thriving. I think it is partly because so many things like sports and social activities are no longer happening, and they have more time than they ever had to work on schoolwork," says Kasey Short, a middle school teacher in North Carolina.

Kids Are Breathing a Sigh of Relief

Though in-person connections and relationships are essential for some students, school socialization may be filled with anxiety for others. "Students who have been victims of physical or verbal bullying while at school are likely to be relieved to be home in a safe space," said Elena Spathis, a high school Spanish teacher in New Jersey. For other students, socialization at school may be too distracting or intimidating. According to the Pew Research Center, a third of teens have reported feeling pressure to 'look good' or 'fit in socially' at school, influencing their participation and focus in class. "The online environment may allow for voices to be heard without the added bit of social anxiety," states Blake Harvard, a psychology teacher in Alabama.

The Future of SEL

Whether a child is struggling or flourishing during this time, one thing is sure - the face of social and emotional learning is changing. Educators from coast to coast are doing all they can to meet these challenges head-on. Lindsey Jensen, a high school teacher in Illinois, believes that supporting her students emotionally is integral to teaching and learning. "This [her SEL support] doesn't change as a result of COVID-19," Jensen says in a National Education Association (NEA) news article. "My role and responsibility as an educator are the same. I want to create a safe space for students to talk through their fears and apprehensions. We just happen to be doing so virtually." Christina Cipriano, director of research at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, is among those pushing for more SEL during the pandemic. In another NEA article, Cipriano stated, "It is next to impossible to expect teaching and learning to occur in a crisis without attending to our emotions."

So how can parents and teachers deal with the myriad of challenges during remote and staggered in-person learning? In our next article, we investigate the best strategies and resources from educational experts and institutions for social and emotional learning during COVID-19.

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Virtual Learning & SEL: Impacts on Children and Teens

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According to the Center on Reinventing Public Education, about twenty-five percent of U.S. school districts have started the year fully remote. If not wholly virtual, many schools are doing some form of hybrid or staggered in-school learning. However, with this shift to online instruction, social and emotional learning (SEL) practices have been disrupted.

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Create Continuity

One core feature of distance learning is to mimic the structure of the typical school day. Researchers found that school-based classroom factors, like grouping and the learning environment, are important for developing growth mindset, self-efficacy, social awareness, and self-management. To support students' social, emotional, and mental health during distance learning, it is important that educators transfer familiar routines and relationships from the classroom to the virtual setting.

Continuity is a key aspect of SEL, especially for students who may face significant disruptions in their out-of-school environment. One facet of continuity is maintaining core relationships from the classroom into the virtual setting.
This may be challenging for even the closest students because engagement and communication may look different during distance or blended learning opportunities. Educators can establish new but familiar ways for students to connect with their closest peers and teachers, such as a pen-pal program or unstructured "virtual recess."

Peer relationships are important for social and emotional development, but social distancing practices and distance learning may lead to confusion about how students operationalize their peer relationships. Educators can achieve social continuity online by considering grouping students in the same breakout groups while using virtual conference rooms or setting up time for students to interact apart from academic learning. This will provide opportunities for students to build trust, synchrony, support, and attunement through peer relationships and interactions similar to what they would experience in school.

Consider creating continuity through the characteristics and features of the learning environment. The structural features of in-school settings provide students developmentally rich interactions that can support learning, boost resilience, and safeguard them from the impact of stress and trauma. Teachers can mirror typical in-school contexts by re-creating structures like circle time, check-ins, common greetings, and opportunities to share.

Establish continuity by working with colleagues to create a single model for online practices and cultural norms that are shared across a school or for a student in different learning groups. For example, across a whole class and small group lessons, teachers can use a single reflective tool called " rose, thorn, bud," which provides a common structure for peer and adult conversations about a success, a challenge, and an opportunity.

Model Metacognition

Every educator and student will likely respond to the new stresses of social distancing and distance learning in very different ways.

A study on inter- and intrapersonal skill development shows that how you engage with your own thoughts may matter more than how you engage with others. While students are learning in novel ways, from their home computers and physically distant from peers, they can evaluate and reflect on their own thinking during time when they would typically be transitioning to a new class or eating lunch. Modeling why and how to use metacognition-awareness and understanding of one's own thought process-is an important component of digital instruction.

Think closely about opportunities for student self-reflection. When students learn something new, feel challenged, or are asked to engage in higher-order thinking like evaluating content or synthesizing ideas, teachers can model intrapersonal development. For example, after guiding students through new content, ask them to record their answers to two reflective questions: "What did I feel successful with during this new learning and why?" and "What was challenging during this new learning and why?" These questions are easily modified for older or younger students. Educators can use students' responses as fodder for scaffolding during future lessons in which they struggle or one-on-one conversations with students during a teacher-students conference.

Build Support for the Entire Family

Moving learning online is challenging, especially in the context of a potential economic crisis for our families and changes in funding for our districts. Principals and superintendents can consider how to create systems that provide opportunities for teachers to engage families in schoolwide approaches to SEL.

As schools implement more virtual learning, there may be increased opportunities to engage families in discussing and defining the role of SEL in their homes. Social distancing has been a catalyst to connect with families over the phone, through email, or during synchronous class meetings.

Applying a schoolwide approach to social and emotional learning in restart planning for fall is imperative. Principals should start by surveying students and teachers about their perceptions and experiences related to COVID-19. Principals will benefit from calling parents, having conversations with students, or sending out a traditional online survey to understand their school community's experiences with the school closures and economic changes. Another strategy might include a virtual parent advocacy or PTA meeting, providing an opportunity to empower families and listen to their ideas. Similar to the class meeting portals used by many schools, principals can work with parent organizations to cohost a virtual meeting centered on the social, emotional, and mental health of their families. Principals can build conversation through open-ended questions about students' learning needs outside of school (e.g., extra materials, more time on tasks, less workload) and their home environment (e.g., food, shelter, childcare).

For children to reach their fullest potential in academic achievement and success outside of school, they require deliberate discussions about their SEL with both teachers and parents. Most important, it is critical to keep educators at the center of this work. Achieving a robust SEL curriculum online requires clarity and cohesion between learning science, research, and classroom practices.

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3 Ways to Support Students' Emotional Well-Being During the Pandemic

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One core feature of distance learning is to mimic the structure of the typical school day. Researchers found that school-based classroom factors, like grouping and the learning environment, are important for developing growth mindset, self-efficacy, social awareness, and self-management.

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What is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?

If you have ever spent a great deal of time in the college classroom, then you are surely aware of the long-standing jokes concerning "group projects." The trick has always been that the more academically inclined student bears the entire weight of the project while the other students exert little effort but manage to reap the benefits of the harder working student. Perhaps, however, this problem and others like it may find an answer in the "new" classroom environment which relies on SEL methods. In teaching English online, I have found that the SEL method encourages character education and positive skill sets. SEL is an abbreviation for Social and Emotional Learning and according to Collaborative for Academic, Social,and Emotional Learning (CASEL), "is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions." ¹ SEL is a powerful learning tool that can prepare students for the workforce and culturally diverse environments. For those teaching English online, SEL skill sets are the most important concepts you can communicate to your students. Your online students encounter the same problems, anxieties, and emotional barriers as those students sitting in a physical classroom. Social Emotional Learning and character education can shape the future of education by creating a new classroom environment that values diversity, management of emotions and empowering students with positive skills that they can return to their workforce and community. Let us turn our attention now to social emotional learning skills you should convey to your students when teaching English online.

Social Emotional Learning and why it Matters in the Online Classroom

According to Kim Gulbrandson, Ph.D., social emotional learning facilitates positive skill sets and encourages, "understanding one's own attitudes and how they contribute to behavior so that one can make responsible decisions." ² In teaching English online, tutors may find that students who embrace social emotional learning also value productivity, empathy and positive learning environments that allow for creativity and risk-taking. Online students appear, at first glance, the most disadvantaged in the classroom because they do not have physical access to their instructor or classmates. However, online students have an advantage in that they are more willing to take risks because of the distance and space which they are free to operate in. For those teaching English online, you have the opportunity to shape your student's attitude and behavior through positive feedback, correction, and social interaction. SEL matters because it can prepare students for life after high school by helping them develop socially, emotionally and intellectually. This type of learning also provides students with cross-cultural skills such as self-esteem, self-efficiency, and sociability. ³ These characteristics are vital skills that students need to succeed in college, the workforce and as an active and productive member of the community.

According to CASEL, social emotional learning must incorporate the SAFE traits: sequenced (which focuses on coordinated activities that encourage skill development), active (interactive learning aimed at mastering new skills and behaviors), focused (which emphasizes the development of interpersonal skills) and explicit (which teaches specific skills related to feelings, managing behavior, and problem solving). ⁴ Moreover, the difference between regular teaching methods and social emotional learning is that rather than focusing on the mere repetition, memorization, and explanation of information and skill sets, SEL focuses on the actual implementation of skill sets and managing emotions. One learning method is passive; the other is active. Social emotional learning is important for those teaching English online because it encourages risk-taking and building self-esteem and respect in the classroom which is vital for student success. According to Amy Eva Ph.D., "if teens feel competent, autonomous, and valued in their community-if they have a sense of high status and respect, in other words-they're likely to be more motivated and engaged." ⁵ In teaching English online, I have found that social emotional learning offers the greatest opportunity for my students to learn respect and how to value the opinions of others. In several of my classes, rather than have my students answer random questions, I ask students questions about what they want to be when they grow up, what classes they enjoy most and what they talk about with their family and friends. This allows me to positively influence my students by shaping their perceptions of behavior, respecting their peers and elders, and managing emotions.

The skills learned are varied and numerous but include skills for everyday success such as cooperation, communication, responsible decision making, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, personal responsibility, relationship skills, empathy, problem solving and assertiveness. In teaching English online, you will find that these skills sets will help your students gain confidence, control their emotions, make responsible decisions and successfully collaborate with other students for positive outcomes (kudos to group projects). Social emotional learning can also help your students manage their emotions by practicing empathy, overcoming anxiety, managing their time and creating a safe learning space by discouraging bullying and encouraging risk-taking. According to one source the impact of social emotional learning includes "...academic improvement, greater results for students with early-identified problems, better social interactions, improved social behavior, ability to care for themselves, and less aggressive and/or disruptive behavior." ⁶ Moreover, social emotional learning matters for those teaching English online because it increases student engagement and performance while developing valuable skill sets that your students will need for the workforce and community relations.

Social Emotional Learning and the New Classroom Environment

Social emotional learning is an invaluable learning tool for tutors teaching English online because it offers a support system that connects students to their teachers and each other. Social emotional learning is all about behavior management and communication. When I am teaching English online, I try to have my students interact with their parents and classmates. In one activity, I had a list of questions that the student had to ask their mother and father and classmates (questions about careers, friends, interests, and leisure). Examples include: What does your mom like to do? What job does your father work? How many friends do you have? What do you talk about with your classmates? This brought the students closer to their parents and their classmates through shared interests and activities. Social emotional learning can serve as an emotional support system as well that gets the student, parents, and community actively involved in learning. According to one source, "...SEL programming fosters students' social-emotional development through establishing safe, caring learning environments involving peer and family initiatives, improved classroom management and teaching practices, and whole-school community-building activities." ⁷ When you are teaching English online, it is important that you employ activities that establish a support system that encourages risk-taking and a safe learning place for mistakes to be made without fear of rejection. Eva suggests utilizing activities and games that recognize a student's strengths and talents such as challenging students to focus on and perform a different character strength every week until it becomes a habit. Accordingly, "...if a student wants to capitalize on kindness as a strength, he might perform a random act of kindness for a peer, write a thank-you note to a teacher, or volunteer to care for abandoned animals at a local shelter over the weekend." ⁸ However, this may be more of a challenge for those teaching English online. For online tutors, it may be easier to have students interact with shy students and make them feel welcome in class or having all the students applaud a fellow student who gets an answer correct. The important thing to remember is that your online classroom should serve as a support system where students can release anxiety, learn to manage their emotions and learn to interact and collaborate with their classmates for positive learning outcomes.

Social emotional learning cannot be memorized; it must be acted out in the classroom whether through action or spoken word. I have found that the only successful way to implement social emotional learning when teaching English online is through activities and games that create support systems. Focusing on character strengths can increase self-esteem and reduce depression especially in teens who suffer the most from performance anxiety and fear of failure. Accordingly, "it's easy for us to focus on our weaknesses and personal challenges, but when we spend time making the most of our positive qualities, we can build greater self-esteem and confidence." ⁹ When I am teaching English online with older students, I try to include activities that encourage students to work toward social change, self-improvement and thinking about career possibilities and their future self. I ask questions such as: What would you do if you saw a classmate cheating on an exam? What would you do if someone were being bullied at your school? What job do you want to work? What should you do if you are angry with someone? These questions can reinforce behavior management and help students understand their strengths, skills, and what they can do to help those around them. When I first started teaching English online, I had a student who was very rude to his classmates. I began to ask him questions about how he would respond if he were being bullied or if his friend was. These questions set him to thinking, and since then his behavior has greatly improved as well as his performance in class.

Moreover, social emotional learning is key to creating a support system where all students are free to learn, explore their strengths and take risks. According to secondstep.org, "children who are socially and emotionally competent have more friends and more connections with positive peers, and are less likely to be rejected, isolated, or bullied." ¹⁰ For those teaching English online, social emotional learning is the best tool you have available to help your students develop their strengths to help serve them in the workforce and their future community. A classroom environment that values diversity, risk-taking and a positive support system will be successful in developing the social emotional learning process.

How can I Apply Social Emotional Learning in the Online Classroom?

For those teaching English online, the task of applying social emotional learning in the classroom may seem impossible. Social emotional learning, however, can be taught in the classroom explicitly through modeled behavior (by the tutor) and activities. Activities can include individual writing, making assignments that the parents and children can work on together and reinforcing ideas through games, questions, and problem-solving. Classroom discussions are your best outlet for applying social emotional learning if you are teaching English online.

Sample discussion questions can include:

Moral questions: What would you do if you saw someone stealing?

Social questions: What can we do to help people in poverty?

Intellectual questions: What job do you want to have someday?

Lifestyle questions: What can you do to be healthy?

Other activities can involve action. When you are teaching English online, encourage your students to engage in positive behaviors and perform random acts of kindness or make responsible lifestyle choices. It is important to remember as you are teaching English online that social emotional learning must be actively taught (or explicit) and not just memorized. According to one source, "...if students are taught what gratitude is, but there is no instruction on skills for expressing gratitude, it is not explicit." ¹¹ Try giving your students scenario problems to solve when you are teaching English online (such as questions about stealing, cheating, or bullying and how to respond to these negative behaviors). Remember, when you are teaching English online, that the best way to implement social emotional learning skills is to model those skills in yourself.

You may wonder how you can assess social emotional learning in your online classroom. You can measure skill development in relation to social emotional learning with the DESSA system or Devereux Students Strengths Assessment. According to Kickboard, "the DESSA System provides a comprehensive, cloud-based system for assessing, informing and improving these social and emotional skills of children both in-school and out-of-school." ¹² It is not necessary to have such a program when you are teaching English online; however, it may provide tutors with the information necessary to track the development of social emotional learning in the online classroom. Katy McWhirter has also provided a valuable list of ways to implement SEL in the classroom such as innovative intervention programs, positive encouragement ( TPR is good for this), emphasis on working together and getting the whole school involved in SEL learning. ¹³ I would add that warm-ups are great outlets for conveying
SEL skills for those who are teaching English online. I like to ask my younger students questions about friendship and how they spend their time with their family. This can reinforce notions about behavior and how to spend one's time wisely. For my older students, I like to ask warm-ups that relate to their social life and their interactions with older people. When you are teaching English online, you must continually remind yourself that SEL offers countless positive outcomes in the classroom. According to Concordia University's College of Education, "...SEL students showed lasting decreases in negative outcomes such as conduct problems, emotional distress, and drug use, compared to control groups." ¹⁴ You must ask yourself what you can do to actively teach SEL skills and behaviors while you are teaching English online.

1 CASEL (n.d.). What is SEL? Retrieved from https://casel.org/what-is-sel/
2 Gulbrandson, Kim. "Character Education and SEL: What You Should Know." Committee for Children. July 31, 2018. Accessed March 07, 2019 https://www.cfchildren.org/blog/2018/07/character-education-and-sel-what-you-should-know/.
3 CASEL (n.d.). What is SEL? Retrieved from https://casel.org/what-is-sel/
4 Gulbrandson, Kim. "Character Education and SEL: What You Should Know."
5 Eva, A. (2019, April 05). Making SEL More Relevant to Teens. Retrieved from
https://www.edutopia.org/article/making-sel-more-relevant-teens
6 McWhirter, K., Rhodes, J. B., & McNall, P. (2018, November 28). Why Social-Emotional Learning Matters | Resources and Expert Advice. Retrieved from https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/social-emotional-learning/
7 Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The Impact of Enhancing Students' Social and Emotional Learning:A Meta-Analysis of School Based Universal Interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 407. Retrieved from
http://www.episcenter.psu.edu/sites/default/files/news/Durlak%20et%20al.%20(2011)%20meta%20analysis%20SEL.pdf
8 Eva, A. Making SEL More Relevant to Teens.
9 Eva, A. Making SEL More Relevant to Teens.
10 Second Step. Teach Children the Skills They Need to Thrive. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.secondstep.org/social-emotional-learning
11 Gulbrandson, Kim. "Character Education and SEL: What You Should Know."
12 DESSA System Assessment Tool. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.kickboardforschools.com/solutions/sel-social-emotional-learning/assessment-tool
13 McWhirter, K., Rhodes, J. B., & McNall, P. Why Social-Emotional Learning Matters | Resources and Expert Advice.
14 Why We Really Need SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) Now. (2018, October 23). Retrieved from https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/leaders-link/social-emotional-learning-defined/

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Social Emotional Learning in the Online Classroom

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According to Casel, SEL aka Social and Emotional Learning "is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions."

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Classroom social and emotional learning (SEL) practices can help students learn to problem-solve, manage their emotions, and build relationships. Integrating SEL practices into school culture helps to ensure that students gain these critical life skills.

The importance of implementing SEL across the school day is crystal-clear: 56 percent of students reported increased levels of stress during the pandemic over schoolwork, grades, time management, and lack of sleep, while nearly one in three young people reported feeling unhappy or depressed more often.

With many schools across the country facing near-term uncertainty due to the rise of the Delta variant, it's important to think of SEL practices not just in the traditional classroom, but in digital spaces as well. Whether students are back to learning in person in the classroom, in a remote setting, or in a hybrid environment, SEL can exist across a continuum of best practices.

SEL Practices Vary Across a Spectrum

Through my previous experience as a classroom educator and current work as an educational researcher, I've found that SEL is practiced across a wide spectrum. On one end are schools that take a transactional, compliance-focused approach to social and emotional learning.

You may find yourself at a school like this, where teachers receive lesson templates and designated class periods for instructing students on self-regulation, self-awareness, and relationship building. If you work at a school on the other end of the spectrum, you'll likely find schoolwide support resources, an integrated systems approach to SEL, and a culture in place that helps students practice these skills well after lessons are over.

Other teachers we interviewed work at schools that fall somewhere in the middle of the SEL spectrum. These schools might have a coach or another professional who works with individual teachers to bring SEL strategies into their classrooms. While helpful, this approach has limits, since not all teachers have experience integrating SEL into their practices. As a result, students might experience wildly different degrees of SEL throughout their day.

Using Adaptable SEL Activities in Your Classes

Regardless of where you find yourself or your school on the SEL spectrum, here are some helpful practices that you can adopt to integrate SEL into any classroom or school culture.

1. Gratitude practices: Host moments of gratitude in the morning and afternoon to help students begin and end their day by reflecting on what they appreciate in their lives. This can be as simple as a one-word check-in, or it could be a longer prompt: "Share one thing that you are feeling grateful for today." Regular gratitude practices like these are linked to positive emotions and improved health.

2. Movement breaks: Create opportunities for regular movement breaks to get students reenergized for learning. Movement isn't only a proven way to boost student productivity -it's also a chance for students to develop social skills and strengthen their creativity as they interact with their peers. For younger students, you might use popular videos like those from GoNoodle to lead the action. For older students, you might provide team-building activities or other options that allow for break choice.

3. Individual check-ins: Offer opportunities to communicate one-on-one so that students can share their feelings in a private space, whether that's online or in person in your room. When you see that a student is unusually silent during a group discussion, disengaged, exhibiting concerning search activity, or struggling in some other way, a nonjudgmental check-in through chat can make all the difference. Holding virtual office hours through conferencing software can also establish critical connections for remote students.

4. Moments of accomplishment: Build in time for occasional bragging moments that give students the opportunity to share an accomplishment with the class. Students can also use these moments to boost a peer. You can support these activities using Pear Deck's free Add-on for Google Slides. Teacher prompts and text slides provide students with an opportunity to publicly share their response. For example, "Share a recent accomplishment that you are proud of" or "Give a shout-out to a classmate for something great that they did!"

Sharing can also be anonymous, which enables students to feel more comfortable articulating things they might not otherwise. By allowing students the chance to talk about themselves and others in a positive light, you'll give them a chance to focus on their strengths and build self-confidence.

5. Engage in reflection: Help students reflect on conflict resolution. This might involve using Pear Deck to show a scenario of a conflict, followed by a text slide activity that encourages students to answer open-ended questions like "How might Person A's actions have made Person B feel?" and "Why might they feel that way?"

By engaging students in reflection, you'll help them develop empathy and build stronger relationships with their peers. For younger students, you might read a passage aloud to them and then invite them to draw on a slide how they imagine the character feels. If you're looking for an analog version, providing students with a few sheets of paper and a marker is a great nondigital version of this activity.

Weaving SEL Into School and District Culture

Right now, we have the opportunity to support our students and staff by integrating SEL into all aspects of the school experience. When you integrate SEL into the fabric of your school community, you'll find that students aren't the only ones who benefit. In my discussions with educators, they shared that they found themselves not only improving the culture in their classrooms, but also strengthening their own well-being practices. As one teacher put it while reflecting on the power of an integrated SEL culture, "It has influenced our students, but influenced us too."

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5 Adaptable SEL Strategies for In-Person or Distance Learning

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Classroom social and emotional learning (SEL) practices can help students learn to problem-solve, manage their emotions, and build relationships. Integrating SEL practices into school culture helps to ensure that students gain these critical life skills.

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A systemic approach ensures that SEL is woven into all students' educational experiences. More than a single lesson or activity, SEL is integrated across key settings where students live and learn: classrooms, schools, homes, and communities. It also aligns school district and state policies, resources, and actions to support SEL. Federal policies play a role in creating ripe conditions for supportive environments and rich learning experiences.

As demand for social and emotional learning (SEL) continues to grow, so does SEL implementation. However, all approaches to SEL are not equal. Systemic SEL is an approach to create equitable learning conditions that actively involve all Pre-K to Grade 12 students in learning and practicing social, emotional, and academic competencies. Learn more about systemic SEL .

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A systemic approach ensures that SEL is woven into all students' educational experiences. More than a single lesson or activity, SEL is integrated across key settings where students live and learn: classrooms, schools, homes, and communities. It also aligns school district and state policies, resources, and actions to support SEL.

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This brief is part of a commissioned series that draws on Navigating Social and Emotional Learning from the Inside Out, a resource that examines 25 widely-used SEL programs, providing comprehensive information and cross-program analyses about the various in-school and out-of-school-time programs currently available in the United States.

As schools and out-of-school-time (OST) programs embrace the expanding field of social and emotional learning (SEL), a number of barriers have arisen to implementing programming at scale, including time and funding. These challenges are likely exacerbated in low-income contexts and raise the need for more flexible and affordable supports.

This brief suggests one possible approach to lowering the barriers: identifying and using low-cost, targeted strategies called "evidence-based prevention kernels." These strategies, which address a specific behavior, could be taught quickly and be more feasible to implement than comprehensive programs. For example, a teacher could use a deep-breathing exercise (known as the "turtle technique") to help students calm down or hand signals to indicate a change in direction for the class.

Drawing on a content analysis of 25 top SEL programs by researcher Stephanie Jones and her team at Harvard's EASEL Lab, the brief shows how kernels could be applied across different settings-in classrooms, for example, but also on the playground and at home-to maximize their impact. It also breaks down the possible components of kernels to help practitioners understand the optimal conditions for their use.

When employed consistently and regularly, kernels could have the potential to increase both social adjustment and academic achievement, the researchers say. They also postulate that kernels could be more readily applied, easy to administer, and ultimately could come at a lower cost for schools and OST programs than comprehensive SEL curricula.

The brief highlights the research team's pilot process for developing possible kernels and samples of kernels relevant to SEL programming. The team suggests directions for developing future guides and additional study to help increase implementation of targeted SEL strategies across different contexts and grade levels.

This brief by Harvard researchers suggests that low-cost, targeted strategies, or "kernels," could be taught quickly and have the potential to build students' SEL skills in a cohesive and complementary way across settings

This brief by Harvard researchers suggests that low-cost, targeted strategies, or "kernels," can be taught quickly and have the potential to build students' SEL skills in a cohesive and complementary way across settings

Instead of tethering SEL instruction to a comprehensive, sometimes rigid curriculum, "kernels" could allow educators to focus on specific behaviors based on individual, cultural and contextual needs.

Instead of tethering SEL instruction to a comprehensive, sometimes rigid curriculum, "kernels" allow educators to focus on specific behaviors based on individual, cultural and contextual needs.

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this brief explores the need to develop and test social and emotional learning strategies that target specific behaviors and can be taught quickly.

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Kernels of Practice for SEL: Low-Cost, Low-Burden Strategies

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This brief is part of a commissioned series that draws on Navigating Social and Emotional Learning from the Inside Out, a resource that examines 25 widely-used SEL programs, providing comprehensive information and cross-program analyses about the various in-school and out-of-school-time programs currently available in the United States.

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The inspirED Vision

It all began with student voice. As part of the Emotion Revolution, a collaboration between the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Facebook, and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, tens of thousands of high school students were asked how they felt in school and how they hoped to feel.

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A quick, fun classroom activity fosters open dialogue while releasing pent-up energy.

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60 second Mindfulness

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A short contemplative exercise can help students calm themselves and get ready to learn.

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Casel is the national leader in SEL work!

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What should you do if you are a school counselor, administrator, principal, or teacher interested in bringing mindfulness programming to your whole school? What are best practices and sound strategy to design and implement mindfulness effectively throughout your school?

Across the country, mindfulness education is becoming more popular. This practice teaches students to pay attention to the present moment with compassion and non-judgmental awareness. Through meditation, eating, listening, and many other forms, students learn to maintain a moment-by-moment awareness of their thoughts, feelings, and bodies. Over the past decade, teachers across the U.S. have started teaching mindfulness in their classrooms. But as the movement spreads, more school leaders are bringing mindfulness outside of the classroom to develop school-wide mindfulness strategies.

Below are ten tips about designing, developing, and successfully implementing such a program, gathered through my four years of working in the mindfulness and education movement: first with Inward Bound Mindfulness Education, then as a classroom teacher, and now as an independent consultant. The following lessons were informed by numerous conversations, school visits, and my own experience teaching and designing mindfulness programming.

A quick warning: There is no "one model" out there. Schools are experimenting with how to bring mindfulness into their culture. However, there are some clear lessons being learned and best practices developing as schools begin to implement these programs.

Pre-Launch

1. Be Patient and Have a Plan

It will take a few years to develop a school-wide mindfulness program. Do not force it or rush it -- this can alienate faculty members and lead to quick endings. Have a roadmap that includes delivering programming to parents, students, and faculty, but be flexible and responsive once implementation begins.

2. Make a Real Commitment

Finding time in your school day may be your biggest challenge. But if your school makes its commitment to mindfulness a priority, time will be made. When done well, mindfulness training can help your students learn more and "save time" through increased attention and emotional regulation.

3. Be Clear About Your Goals

Are you trying to reduce stress? Are you trying to change school culture? Are you trying to address bullying or achieve social emotional learning goals? Being clear about your goals will help focus the program and measure results.

Faculty

4. Start With the Faculty

Nearly everyone I talk to agrees that it's best to start with the faculty. These are the people who set school culture. Give your faculty a chance to familiarize themselves with mindfulness and opt into the initial trainings, as opposed to forcing it upon them as another "thing to do." If you truly want mindfulness to be effective, it's helpful when school faculty and administration respect, understand, and practice it.

5. Find Your Champions and Saboteurs

Find the mindfulness champions on campus. Start by thinking through who could be part of this group. You will likely want influential or respected faculty members. Identify the key players that could help mindfulness take root at the school. On the flip side, who are those most likely to sabotage or ignore it? Spend extra time trying to bring the potential cynics on board, and give them a chance to air their concerns.

6. Have Faculty Practice Together

The faculty members that I've spoken to enjoy practicing mindfulness together. This includes both silent practice and relational activities -- moments of deep sharing that connect faculty to one another. An initial devoted cohort can serve as the political backbone for bringing mindfulness to the larger school community.

7. Monitor Results

Assign a devoted group of faculty and/or administrators to track the program while it develops. Too often, a school program gets started with a lot of enthusiasm and then fades when no one keeps energy and attention on it. One way to combat this is by taking away responsibilities from teachers or administrators who are part of a mindfulness monitoring team so that they won't have an even heavier workload.

Parents

8. Communicate Well With Parents

Before you start teaching your students mindfulness, make sure that you communicate effectively with their parents. This includes communicating the brain science, school research, program goals, and why your school is choosing to implement mindfulness. Parents around the country still have questions about the religious nature of mindfulness practice. Others have no idea what it is. It is better to have this conversation before starting to teach students.

Student Programming

9. Practice What You Preach

If you are a faculty member that is teaching mindfulness, the most essential step is to develop your own practice. MindUp, Mindful Schools, and the Mindfulness in Schools Project all offer well regarded teacher trainings.

10. Look for Avenues Outside the Classroom

Mindfulness is a powerful tool in the classroom, but it can be even more powerful outside the classroom. Think creatively about effective outlets where this practice could influence school culture: coaches and sports teams, freshman and senior trips, peer advisory groups, service groups, and extracurricular clubs and teams. Often, students start buying into the practice after they have one powerful experience using it outside of school.

Keep in Mind. . .

Do not beat yourself up if it doesn't go perfectly. There are going to be learning opportunities along the way. If you truly believe that your school is ready for it and you are committed to it, mindfulness has the power to transform the lives of students, faculty, and the culture of your school.

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Implementing a Schoolwide Mindfulness Program

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What should you do if you are a school counselor, administrator, principal, or teacher interested in bringing mindfulness programming to your whole school? What are best practices and sound strategy to design and implement mindfulness effectively throughout your school? Across the country, mindfulness education is becoming more popular.

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Free Student Leadership Program Elementary School...Become a Superhero Educator!

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Free Student Leadership Program Elementary School...Become a Superhero Educator!

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Global Game Changers Children's Education Initiative, Inc.

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Become a Superhero Educator with Global Game Changers

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Free Student Leadership Program Grades 6 to 12

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Free Student Leadership Program Grades 6 to 12

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14 Free Online Personality Tests

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What's the best job for you?

Use The Muse to find a job at a company with a culture you love. Select the career path that aligns with you:

How many years of experience do you have?

What company benefits are most important to you?

Calculating your job matches...

I'm sensitive, but strong-minded!
I'm destined to marry rich!

Alright, that last one's my horoscope, but the others are results of personality quizzes. There's something wonderful about personality tests-the idea that you can put yourself into a category (or categories), just like that, is so relieving and satisfying.

And while we can understand that these quizzes will not be completely accurate, a lot of them do provide us with some insight into who we are, how we act, what our potential is, and where our ambition might take us. The more you know and understand about yourself, the more likely you are to find a career path you'll love.

So if you're looking for some great personality quizzes-or even just something fun to do over lunch, keep scrolling.

Based on Carl Gustav Jung's study of psychological traits (for example, introversion and extroversion) and the famous Myers-Briggs test, 16 Personalities covers the "big five" personality traits of individuals: mind, energy, nature, tactics, and identity. As one of the most popular personality quizzes online-taken more than 500 million times-it'll cover everything from your basic qualities to your romantic relationships to your workplace habits, strengths, and weaknesses.

The "Who Am I?" Visual DNA test is one of the most fun personality quizzes you'll come across. Formatted less like a Q&A setup and more like a "pick a photo that you think is pretty" system, it'll show how your character defines your outlook on and approach to life.

The HEXACO PI-R measures six major dimensions of personality: Honesty and humility, Emotionality, e Xtraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and O penness to experiences. You'll rate how much you agree or disagree with 100 different statements and as a result, gain some insight into how you relate to other people and react to different kinds of scenarios.

An IQ test is typically something you have to pay for and have professionally administered to get a truly accurate score (and even then it only measures one specific type of intelligence). But there are some great, free resources out there like 123test. Their free IQ tests are just shortened versions of the real deal and they even have a "culture fair" test which is great if English isn't your first language.

If you think you're smart enough to join the prestigious and oldest high-IQ society, Mensa International, take this free exam and try to score in the 98 percentile. Then, you might consider taking their official test and if you ace that, it's off to have some intellectual conversations!

Emotional intelligence is just as important as IQ-in and out of the office. EQ is the ability to process and manage your own emotions, as well as understand and influence the emotions of others. IHHP asks short, straightforward questions about how you act around others and how you handle certain situations. It'll not only tell you where your emotional intelligence (EQ) currently is, but also suggest ways to improve weak areas.

This test is inspired by Daniel Goleman, psychologist and science journalist who wrote for The New York Times, as well as author of Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, a book discussing the many reasons why EQ shapes who we are. Instead of being direct, this quiz presents stories and asks you to answer how you'd normally respond in those circumstances.

Skills You Need covers four major components of interpersonal skills: listening, verbal communication, EQ, and teamwork. Your answers will determine if you're above, at, or below average, and give you some direction on how to better interact with others.

This awesome, in-depth assessment takes you through various career situations, gauging both your skill level and interest. Then, it provides you with several options for your ultimate career. (OK, it might not know you perfectly, but you may enjoy knowing which jobs you could totally pull off.)

Do you know what your "dream job" even is? Let BuzzFeed decide for you-based on what outfit you put together. (Obviously, you shouldn't take this one too seriously.)

If you've dreamed about going to Hogwarts your whole life (childhood and adulthood, I won't judge), now's your chance to know which house you truly belong in-and maybe learn a bit more about your personality along the way.

Just by choosing your favorite and least favorite colors (yup, that's it), this test will tell you about your leadership, your management skills, your imagination, and more. But keep in mind, you're just picking colors from a limited (and kind of ugly) selection here-so this one's more for fun than it is an accurate assessment of who you are as an individual.

You've likely seen a "which character are you?" quiz for everything from Jane Austen novels to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to Mean Girls -but what if you could take all those quizzes at once? This quiz draws on a crowd-sourced database of the personality traits of more than 2,000 characters across film, television, and literature, so you can see which fictional character you're most like. Or, after you take the test, you can filter your results by individual properties and scroll through your top characters for all your favorites.

Aesthetic can be hard to define, but this BuzzFeed quiz-that's been taken more than one million times-makes it easy. While your external aesthetic revolves more around your fashion and design preferences, your inner aesthetic is more about your personality. Find out if your personality aligns with an aesthetic like cottagecore, dark academia, or something else.

If you were wondering, I'm ENFJ, I have high emotional intelligence, and I'd be in Hufflepuff (go badgers!). What'd you learn?
Regina Borsellino contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

Previously an editor for The Muse, Alyse is proud to prove that yes, English majors can change the world. She's written almost 500 articles for The Muse on anything from productivity tips to cover letters to bad bosses to cool career changers, many of which have been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, Inc., CNBC's Make It, USA Today College, Lifehacker, Mashable, and more. She calls many places home, including Illinois where she grew up and the small town of Hamilton where she attended Colgate University, but she was born to be a New Yorker. In addition to being an avid writer and reader, Alyse loves to dance, both professionally and while waiting for the subway.

More from Alyse Kalish

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14 Free Online Personality Tests to Figure Yourself Out

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These free personality tests (no log-in or email address needed) will teach you more about yourself, help you improve your EQ, or just pass the time.

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The benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) are well-researched, with evidence demonstrating that an education that promotes SEL yields positive results for students, adults, and school communities.

SEL has a powerful combination of evidence and support. The findings below come from multiple fields and sources and include analyses of hundreds of studies that show SEL leads to beneficial outcomes related to: social and emotional skills; attitudes about self, school, and civic engagement; social behaviors; conduct problems; emotional distress; and academic performance.

In addition, the surveys published below by CASEL and partners show teachers, principals, parents, and students agree: SEL is essential.

Download this customizable presentation to make a compelling case for SEL.

The Benefits of SEL
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SEL leads to improved academic outcomes and behaviors

When students have supportive relationships and opportunities to develop and practice social, emotional, and cognitive skills across many different contexts, academic learning accelerates. Hundreds of studies offer consistent evidence that SEL bolsters academic performance.

Results from a landmark meta-analysis that looked across 213 studies involving more than 270,000 students found that:

SEL interventions that address the five core competencies increased students' academic performance by 11 percentile points, compared to students who did not participate.

Students participating in SEL programs showed improved classroom behavior, an increased ability to manage stress and depression, and better attitudes about themselves, others, and school.

Additional meta-analyses echoed these findings. Consistency across independent research teams offers strong support that well-implemented SEL programs are beneficial.

What might this mean for the practical benefits of SEL? About 27% more students would improve their academic performance at the end of the program and 24% more would have improved social behaviors and lower levels of distress.

Read the 2011 meta-analysis. (Durlak et al., 2011)

Read a summary of the four major meta-analyses on SEL.

More recently, a 2021 systematic review found that universal SEL interventions enhance young people's social and emotional skills and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in the short term. In comparison, other approaches have produced inconsistent results (mindfulness interventions) or limited evidence of impact (positive youth development interventions).

Read the 2021 report from the Early Intervention Foundation.

SEL benefits are long-term and global

Subsequent analyses spoke to the long-term effects of SEL implementation as well as SEL's effectiveness in diverse cultural contexts.

Long-term effects:

Measured a positive correlation between strong social emotional assets (measured at the end of intervention) and higher levels of well-being up to 18 years later. (Taylor et al., 2017)

Effectiveness across cultural contexts:

An SEL approach was consistently effective with all demographic groups both inside and outside the United States. This supports the idea that social and emotional assets promoted in SEL can support the positive development of students from diverse family backgrounds and geographic contexts. (Taylor et al., 2017)

SEL interventions show the largest effect size when the intervention is designed with a specific context or culture in mind. This supports the idea that SEL is not a 'one-size-fits-all' intervention. (Wiglesworth et al., 2016)

Read the 2017 meta-analysis of 82 research studies involving 100,000 students worldwide.

SEL is a wise financial investment

When it comes to school programming, education leaders are often weighing the benefits of investing in new efforts. Cost-benefit research demonstrates the value of SEL programs. The report found an average return on investment for six evidence-based programs of 11 to 1, meaning for every dollar invested there is an $11 return.

Read the 2015 review from Columbia University.

Social and emotional skills help improve lifetime outcomes

In addition to the long-term outcomes articulated above, there are statistically significant associations between social and emotional skills in kindergarten and key outcomes for young adults years later. Specifically, early social and emotional skills development helped to reduce societal costs required for public assistance, public housing, police involvement, and detention.

Read the 2015 national study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

The Support for SEL
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What young people are saying...

High school students and recent high school graduates see the benefits of attending schools that emphasize SEL. But most current and recent high school students believe their schools could have done better.

Download the 2018 report from CASEL and Civic.

A qualitative study of young people who describe their experiences with the integration of social, emotional, and cognitive development in exemplary learning settings shows that supportive learning environments are nurturing young people's sense of themselves as valued, multi-dimensional community members.

View the 2020 report from America's Promise Alliance.

What school principals are saying...

School principals agree SEL is essential, with nearly all principals surveyed sharing that developing students' social and emotional skills is a critical aspect of students' in-school experience. They also want more guidance, more training for teachers, and greater access to research-based strategies for developing SEL in students.

Read the 2017 report from CASEL and Civic on the survey's findings (and the 2019 update).

What educators are saying...

Not only do 56% of educators believe resources to support SEL in the classroom will be most critical post-pandemic, but 82% agree that a well-crafted, fully integrated SEL approach makes an impact on outcomes.

Read the 2021 Educator Confidence Report.

Eighty percent of educators from across 15 countries believe positive emotions are critical for academic success, and emotional well-being is crucial for developing foundational literacies and communication skills.

Read the 2019 brief from The Economist Intelligence Unit on the survey's findings.

What teachers are saying...

Virtually all teachers report that it's critical to develop key SEL skills in the classroom. According to educators, key SEL skills include:

Self-awareness (with 99% of educators rating it as either somewhat or very important)

Relationship skills (98% of educators)

Self-management (97% of educators)

Responsible decision-making (97% of educators)

Social awareness (96% of educators)

View the 2021 report from McGraw Hill on the survey's findings.

Ninety-three percent of teachers want a greater focus on SEL in schools. They agree that social and emotional skills are teachable and are calling for schools to prioritize the integration of SEL practices and strategies.

Download the 2013 report from CASEL and Civic on the survey's findings.

About 90% of elementary and secondary teachers agreed that promoting SEL would improve students' academic achievement. It also found that teachers who reported higher levels of well-being reported engaging in SEL practices to a greater extent than those with lower reported well-being.

View the 2020 report from Rand Corporation on survey findings from the American Teacher Panel.

What policymakers are saying...

When we consider what it means for students to be prepared for college, career, and community life, social and emotional competencies are critically important for the long-term success of all students in today's economy. A bipartisan report addressed SEL as a core component of children's education, recommending several steps to scale up high-quality, evidence-based SEL programs.

Read the 2015 report from American Enterprise Institute and Brookings Institution.

What the broader public is saying...

Eighty-two percent said that it is highly important for schools to help students develop interpersonal skills, such as being cooperative, respectful of others, and persistent at solving problems.

Read the 2017 PDK poll results.

What parents are saying...

As of 2021, 62% of parents feel teaching SEL is very important, compared to 55% three years ago. Parents also believe that SEL is not emphasized as much as it should be (81%), that it has become even more important since the beginning of the pandemic (82%), and that it is helpful for children learning online (80%).

View the 2021 report from McGraw Hill on the survey's findings.

What employers are saying...

Six of the identified top ten skills for the future involve social and emotional competence, including complex problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity.

View the World Economic Forum report.

Thirty-one percent of employers worldwide struggle to find qualified employees. A major reason for the qualified labor shortage is that fewer students are graduating high school with the social and emotional skills required for today's workplace. In another survey, 92% of surveyed executives say skills such as problem-solving and communicating clearly are equal to or more important than technical skills, yet 89% said they have a very or somewhat difficult time finding employees with those skills.

View the report from Association for Career and Technical Education, National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium, and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

View the Wall Street Journal article on this data.

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The benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) are well-researched, with evidence demonstrating that an education that promotes SEL yields positive results for students, adults, and school communities. SEL has a powerful combination of evidence and support.

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Integrating Minfulness and SEL Programs

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Integrating Mindfulness and SEL Programs

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What are the similarities and differences between mindfulness and social and emotional learning (SEL)? How do the two approaches converge or collide? How might integrating mindfulness amplify the effects of existing SEL programs? To address these questions, we first can consider the commonalities an…

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Could Self-Control/Regulation Be the Answer?

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Could Self-Control/Regulation Be the Answer?

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What is the right SEL program for you? Edutopia

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What Is the Right SEL Program for Your School?

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A new guide from CASEL can help you pick the right SEL program for your school.

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Why Aren't We Teaching Mindfulness in Schools.

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Why Aren't We Teaching You Mindfulness | AnneMarie Rossi | TEDxYouth@MileHigh

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A Guide to Implementing SEL in Schools

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Organize

Developing a strong foundation for SEL helps ensure that efforts are sustained long term. This requires engaging the entire school community and developing a coordinated plan for implementation.

Implement

Schoolwide SEL means that both adults and students are actively cultivating their own social and emotional competencies. Here you'll find guidance for supporting SEL for all.

Improve

Continuous Improvement is essential for quality implementation that's aligned to your school's needs. Here, teams use data to reflect and take action.

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Social and Emotional Learning Activities | CASEL - Casel Schoolguide

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The CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL leads school-based teams through five social emotional learning activities for schoolwide implementation. Schools that engage with this guide can learn: Why is social and emotional learning important? How can I adopt a social emotional learning curriculum? What should an SEL program look like?

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Calm!

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Skip to main content

Join 250,000+ teachers bringing mindfulness to the next generation

Join the movement

"If every 8 year old is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation."

- Dalai Lama

Discover what's possible if every school day began with a few moments of mindfulness. Together let's equip students with tools for resilience, self-care, and stress management.

Join the movement

Age-specific resources to help you bring mindfulness into the classroom

A self-care guide to support you during the school day and beyond

A free sampling of meditations, music, Sleep Stories, breathing exercises and more

Get Started

Get Started

Just as we put on our oxygen mask first, we can best support the health and happiness of others by taking care of ourselves first.

Meditate regulary to reduce stress, prevent burnout and improve your relationships with students, parents and colleagues.

Listen to Calm Music and Sleep Stories at the end of a busy day to help you wind down and fall asleep with ease.

Start today

Lauren Daly Clark

@msdalyLST

When given a choice today, this kiddo wanted to hear more from @KingJames himself on "managing emotions". Thank you @calm for opening this door for us. This was truly a special moment today ❤️✨

Miss Epstein

@MissEEpstein

I often use @calm during writing sessions at school. There are lots of relaxing instrumentals that help my children to focus (they also know that if I can't hear my music, they're too loud). They love it. Today I'm using it as relaxing background noise whilst reading. 😌

Feeling stressed or anxious? I encourage you to take time to breathe and meditate. @calm is a wonderful resource that I've used by myself and with students for years. Free for educators. #meditate

Join the movement

Thank you, teachers!

You make a difference in the world.

Get started

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Join 250,000+ teachers bringing mindfulness to the next generation.

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Mindful Schools

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Distractions are constant. Luckily, paying attention is a natural capacity that all of us have. Discover three strategies to refocus attention with mindfulness anchors.

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California's first-ever surgeon general, speaks about prescribing mindfulness as part of her clinical practice in a recent interview.

Join us for a guided practice and exploration of the interconnectedness between self-care and community care. Inspired by Resmaa Menakem's work in My Grandmother's Hands. .

Access the new Mindful Schools -12 Curriculum and Teaching Kit. Learn trauma-sensitive strategies to nurture social-emotional well-being in your classroom. Start :

Dive into the research, practice, and experience of self-compassion. Enhance your well-being, revitalize your deep motivation for helping others.
Next Session Begins: April 14

Cultivate positive, inclusive learning environments. Mindful Schools programs are easy to implement and enhance existing SEL and mental health initiatives. Learn how we can support your school.

Get started with the science of mindfulness and learn simple yet powerful strategies to bring mindfulness into daily life to heal from stress, connect with inner strengths, and develop resilience and inspiration.
Next Session: >>

Access the NEW K-12 Mindful Schools Curriculum and complete Teaching Kit. Integrate culturally-sustaining and trauma-sensitive practices to nurture student engagement, well-being, and social-emotional development.
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Build an inclusive, joyful, and equitable school-wide culture that supports all community members to develop the skills and agency to realize their unique potential.
Explore More Programs >>

We partner with schools and districts from across the U.S. to develop their capacity to create systems and cultures that support the well-being of their educators, students, and families. Learn more about partnering with Mindful Schools or connect with our online community of mindful educators.

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Mindful Schools | Mindfulness for Your Students, Teachers, and School Community

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We build the capacity of educators to create equitable and joyful learning environments that center collective well-being. Learn More 3 Ways to Refocus Attention Distractions are constant. Luckily, paying attention is a natural capacity that all of us have. Discover three strategies to refocus attention with mindfulness anchors.

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15 signs you have emotional intelligence - World Economic Forum

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15 signs you have emotional intelligence - World Economic Forum

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Dr Travis Bradberry looks at the qualities shared by people with emotional intelligence, based on data from more than a million people.

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Implicit Bias Tests: Project Implicit from Harvard University

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Preliminary Information

On the next page you'll be asked to select an Implicit Association Test (IAT) from a list of possible topics . We will also ask you (optionally) to report your attitudes or beliefs about these topics and provide some information about yourself.

We ask these questions because the IAT can be more valuable if you also describe your own self-understanding of the attitude or stereotype that the IAT measures. We would also like to compare differences between people and groups.

On the IAT, you may find it easier to pair certain attributes with one group of people compared to another. Your IAT results may depart from your personal beliefs.

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Important disclaimer: In reporting to you results of any IAT test that you take, we will mention possible interpretations that have a basis in research done (at the University of Washington, University of Virginia, Harvard University, and Yale University) with these tests. However, these Universities, as well as the individual researchers who have contributed to this site, make no claim for the validity of these suggested interpretations. If you are unprepared to encounter interpretations that you might find objectionable, please do not proceed further. You may prefer to examine general information about the IAT before deciding whether or not to proceed.

If you have questions about the study, please contact Project Implicit at questions@projectimplicit.net. To obtain more information about the study, ask questions about the research procedures, express concerns about your participation, or report illness, injury or other problems, please contact:

Tonya R. Moon, Ph.D.
Chair, Institutional Review Board for the Social and Behavioral Sciences
One Morton Dr Suite 500
University of Virginia, P.O. Box 800392
Charlottesville, VA 22908-0392
Email: irbsbshelp@virginia.edu
Website: https://research.virginia.edu/irb-sbs
Website for Research Participants: https://research.virginia.edu/research-participants

I am aware of the possibility of encountering interpretations of my IAT test performance with which I may not agree. Knowing this, I wish to proceed I am aware of the possibility of encountering interpretations of my IAT test performance with which I may not agree. Knowing this, I wish to proceed using a touchscreen OR using a keyboard.

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On the next page you'll be asked to select an Implicit Association Test (IAT) from a list of possible topics . We will also ask you (optionally) to report your attitudes or beliefs about these topics and provide some information about yourself.

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In a culture where being social and outgoing are prized above all else, it can be difficult, even shameful, to be an introvert. But, as Susan Cain argues in this passionate talk, introverts bring extraordinary talents and abilities to the world, and should be encouraged and celebrated.

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How Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are - TED Talk

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How Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are - TED Talk

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Your body language may shape who you are

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(NOTE: Some of the findings presented in this talk have been referenced in an ongoing debate among social scientists about robustness and reproducibility. Read “Corrections & Updates” below for more details as well as Amy Cuddy’s response.) Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy argues that “power posing” -- standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident -- can boost feelings of confidence, and might have an impact on our chances for success.

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The year 1777 was not a particularly good time for America's newly formed revolutionary army. Under General George Washington's command, some 11,000 soldiers made their way to Valley Forge. Following the latest defeat in a string of battles that left Philadelphia in the hands of British forces, these tired, demoralized, and poorly equipped early American heroes knew they now faced another devastating winter.

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