Teacher Challenge #1-SEL (Social Emotional Learning)

 Essential Question: "How did I incorporate SEL into the unit I am teaching?"

What is SEL?

"the process of developing fundamental social and emotional competencies or skills in children and creating a caring and supportive school climate."

To delve further this might look like the following, 

-self-awareness

-the ability to regulate emotions

-self-motivation

-empathy

-social skills

Potential Strategies?

1. A teacher can develop a challenge in which at least once a week (generally a Monday and/or a Friday), the teacher should ask students to draw a happy, indifferent face or a sad face at the type of their page based on how they are feeling. The teacher should follow-up with students who are perceived as concerning, first. 

2. Teachers can also incorporate into all/most assessments (formative) a series of different emotional faces that students can circle based on how they feel about the material/mood or something that allows students to voice their feelings.

3. If the class is online or the use of paper in class is limited, the students should be inquired on by the teacher with a phone call to the parents stating that this is a "friendly correspondence and routine follow-up with various students through the semester to check-in ask how the student is coping at home with the learning materials, if there is anything the student may have mentioned that might be beneficial for the teacher in regards to direction.

4. A postcard. Students are given a selection of postcards they may choose from, write a greetings and imaginary "So this is what I have done this week," as a sort of joke/fun mental break from reality once in awhile. The main idea would be that students choose who they would like to give one to and if they even like, the teacher can create a secret placement of the postcard for the classmates who either want to remain anonymous or are shy. This could be organized with an in class post box that the teacher can check everyday.