Safe Schools

Social, Emotional and Behavioral Learning/Health

Published: 3/15/2023 10:51 AM

What is Social and 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. (CASEL: What is SEL?)

Why is promoting SEL and mental health critical for schools?

SEL Impact and Supporting Research

What Skills Do Socially and Emotionally Competent People Have?

Overview of SEL Components – Short Video Series:

Self-Awareness
Self-Management
Responsible Decision Making
Relationship Skills
Social Awareness

How do we get started?

Assess Your School and Community Data Needs
Example Data Sources

Build Staff and Organizational Social Emotional Skills and Supports

Guidance for schools

CASEL Focus Area 2: Strengthen Adult SEL
SEL 3 Signature Practices for Adults Video
3 Signature SEL Practices Playbook - The playbook builds on the principles of Culturally Responsive Teaching, Restorative Justice, PBIS and trauma informed practices.

Collaborative practices for teams and organizations

Compassion Resilience Toolkit a flexibly implemented set of evidence-informed resources to build awareness of compassion fatigue and strategies to increase compassion resilience in adults from a system and individual perspective.
ART of SEL Reflections with an Equity Lens: Card Deck

Actions for Individuals

Greater Good in Education: School Staff Wellbeing - Practices for cultivating the social and emotional well-being of school staff members.
Medstar Health: Teacher Wellbeing Workbook
COR Classrooms - The University of Virginia's Center for the Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning developed this suite of online learning modules focused on building positive relationships with students. The COR model addresses the essential pieces of a relationship and how they work together. Understanding this model empowers teachers to pay close attention to the different factors influencing their relationships, which in turn will help them form stronger and more positive connections with students.

Resources for Promoting Equity

Including Voice in Education: Addressing Equity through Student and Family Voice in the Classroom - Guide from Institute of Education Sciences and REL Pacific

The National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) at University of Maryland’s select resources on cultural responsiveness and equity for schools, mental health providers, communities, families, and students.

Greater Good in Education provides:

Key Readings from Black Educator-Leaders and Other Leaders of Color
Resources to Support the Mental Health and Well-Being of Black Educators
Practices for Students and Teachers

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) educator guide for addressing race and trauma in the classroom offers recommendations for creating and supporting safe and brave environments, modeling honesty and authenticity, honoring the impacts of history and systemic racism, and encouraging and empowering students as leaders.

Social, Emotional, and Academic Development Through an Equity Lens provides a framework and action items to address adult beliefs and mindsets as well as school and district policies to build relationships and create equitable learning environments that support positive social and emotional growth.

Committee for Children

Collaborate with Students
Speak Out, Listen Up! Tools for Using Student Perspectives and Local Data for School Improvement

Youth Engagement Toolkit

CASEL Tool Supporting Student Members of the SEL Team

Other Free Activity Banks and Evidence-based/informed Curricula

Kernels of Practice for SEL; Low Cost, Low Burden Strategies

Nurturing Gratitude from the Inside Out - 30 activities for grades K-8

Sanford Harmony - A program for Pre-K-6 grade students designed to foster inter-gender communication and understanding, connection, and community both in and outside the classroom and develop boys and girls into compassionate and caring adults.

InspireED - free resources, designed by teens, educators, and SEL experts, empower students to work together to create more positive school climates and foster greater wellbeing in their schools and communities.

Making SEL More Relevant to Teens - offers social and emotional learning activities that are designed to address high school students’ need for status and respect.

Greater Good in Education - free online resource that distills strategies and practices for the social, emotional, and ethical development of students and the adults who work with them, synthesizing the top insights and best practices from science, programs, and practitioners.

The CASEL Guide to School wide SEL Essentials - a printable compilation of key activities and tools that leads school-based teams through a process for systemic SEL implementation. This printable summary offers a compact set of essential tools for use during professional learning or as a quick reference for coaches and SEL team leaders.

Global Game Changers - provides free curriculum and resources that use service learning and talent development as tools to nurture children's social, emotional, leadership, and academic growth in-school, after school and at home.

Program and Intervention Clearinghouse Sites

Navigate the Complex Field of Social and Emotional Learning - By Harvard University

CASEL Program Guides

What Works Clearinghouse

Youth.com Program Directory

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Model Programs Guide

School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation System (SHAPE) Resource Center

The Wallace Foundation Knowledge Center: Social and Emotional Learning

Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety

School Mental Health, Trauma-Informed Practices, and Crisis Recovery

Interconnected Systems Framework – builds system capacity and improves student outcomes by integrating school mental health into a single MTSS for academics, behavior and wellbeing (see also kyMTSS.org)

(MHTCC) provides free National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Modules developed in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health, as well as tools, trainings, best practices, and technical assistance for states, districts, and schools.

The National Center for School Mental Health

The School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation (SHAPE) system houses the National School Mental Health Profile and the School Mental Health Quality Assessment (SMH-QA). These measures are designed for team completion at the school or district level to document the school mental health system components, assess the comprehensiveness of a SMH system, prioritize quality improvement efforts and track improvement over time. SHAPE Quality Guides cover topics of: Teaming, Needs Assessment and Resource Mapping, Screening, MH Promotion Services and Supports (Tier 1), Early Intervention & Treatment (Tiers 2 & 3), Funding and Sustainability and Impact

School Crisis Recovery and Renewal Project supports students, educators, school staff, and school-based clinicians to effectively implement trauma-informed crisis recovery and renewal strategies.

Coalition to Support Grieving Students offers information, training materials, consultation, and technical assistance. Consultation is provided at no charge to schools.

Find Help Now KY - find addiction treatment openings in your area.

Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Family Services Division of Behavioral Health