Earlier this spring, Congress passed the Federal Education Budget to fund schools for the remainder of this fiscal year (through September 30, 2018). Surprisingly, many federal education programs received funding increases. This is good news for social and emotional learning (SEL), since more money has opened up to support SEL initiatives. As you plan for [...]
We’ve all had that moment: A student is being particularly challenging or stress from the job is reaching a boiling point. For many, the natural reaction is to get angry and want to scream and shout. Education can be an extremely stressful and challenging field to work in. This, coupled with low pay, harsh scrutiny, [...]
Schools have the monumental task of educating youth, and they can’t go at it alone. Out-of-school partners, such as afterschool programs, are an important resource for schools. Yet, school and afterschool programs often lack cohesion and tend to be treated as separate entities. This results in missed opportunities to connect and reinforce lessons learned during [...]
Effective professional development doesn’t start and end on training day. There is a lot of planning and preparation that takes place beforehand. And afterwards, staff need coaching and ongoing support. Follow these steps to ensure your social and emotional (SEL) training is engaging, inspiring, and effective at preparing your staff for sustainable success. Want to [...]
As an educator, one of the strongest impressions you can make on students is how you make them feel. It’s not about popularity — when students feel their teachers care about them and want what’s best for them, they are more likely to engage, work hard and cooperate. The opposite is also true: When students [...]
A recent survey conducted by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) revealed that school leaders understand the importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) and why it’s fundamental to students’ success. Yet, it also revealed that many educators need more guidance on how to implement a successful SEL program. Below, we’ve outlined [...]
For better or worse, tests — and the anxiety that comes along with them — are a normal part of our education system. Exams give students the opportunity to demonstrate concept mastery, knowledge, memorization skills, and more. Among their less obvious benefits, tests also provide important opportunities for students to practice healthy ways to manage [...]
Our friends at Kickboard recently posted, “How to Integrate & Measure Social Emotional Learning Programs.” Nova Biro, SEL Consultant at Kickboard, writes about the critical impact social emotional learning has for our youth and how these skills are increasingly being implemented in schools across the country. However, Nova poses the question, “How do schools know [...]
