There is an implicit disconnect in expecting educators who are not engaged in developing their own social-emotional learning (SEL) skills to be able to develop those skills in their students. This problem launched our exploration into what has now become The Daily SEL Leader. As we set
Hello there! If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you are one of the hardworking educators we have relied upon to help us navigate education and learning during the COVID-19 Era. If so, I’d like to offer a heartfelt “thank you” to you and your teams. In addition to
The COVID-19 pandemic has been the greatest upheaval in the history of modern educational systems, but with massive systemic disruptions comes the opportunity to innovate and dream of better schools for all students. When the pandemic is finally under control and students return to school, we don’t have to
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a great deal of reflection in schools throughout the nation. As you are probably well aware, significant mental health, social, emotional, and behavioral needs existed before the pandemic, and social and emotional learning (SEL) has been part of education for decades. Although it isn’t a new topic, we
“This has been an emotional rollercoaster.” I have heard this and many statements like it in the work that I do to support educators in implementing Social Emotional Learning for adults and students. I have been in “zoom rooms” with educators across the country and I often start
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is essential for ALL learners -- both kids and adults -- and we must be willing to learn from kids, peers, and the world to build SEL into our practice as educators. SEL for ALL Learners The research on emotions and their impact on
The coronavirus has us feeling uncertain, on-edge, and experiencing unprecedented restrictions. Across the nation, as I write this piece, various states are shutting down schools, restaurants, and bars statewide. Some are initiating curfews. All are insisting on social distancing, with absolutely no handshaking. We are
We have hit the pause button on our normal lives. This is especially difficult for schools because time marches on. Our school events run along a timeline set long ago. Most proms are held in the Spring. Spring is when baseball starts, and we begin
This is a new and strange time for many of us (although my dad reminds me he lived through the Polio epidemic). Most of us outside of the medical profession don’t have experience with a virus like COVID-19. School closures, tele-education, panic at the grocery
I remember how I felt my first year of teaching: isolated, weary, surprisingly unprepared for the challenges of classroom teaching. I was only mildly comforted to discover that nearly all new teachers have both positive and challenging experiences. Teachers who stay in the profession (for