Teaching SEL Skills

This guide was created by the CPS Office of Social Emotional Learning to present several specific ways that teachers can incorporate SEL into their daily lessons and activities. You will find affirmation of the many things you already do to strengthen students’ social and emotional skills, as well as new ideas about how to emphasize and reinforce the application of skills during everyday situations and interactions.

Calm Classroom is a simple and accessible way to integrate mindfulness into the classroom or home culture. Mindfulness is the ability to pay attention to our present moment experience. The daily practice of mindful breathing, stretching, focusing and relaxation exercises cultivates a greater sense of self-awareness, mental focus and emotional resilience within educational spaces.

EVERFI provides free digital lessons to teach learners how to cultivate healthy relationships, avoid harmful social situations, and build compassionate communities. Everfi all courses one-pager

• Free webinars focused on remote learning tips and best practices for teachers and administrators. everfi.com/k-12/upcoming-events/

• For teachers to assign courses to students -get.everfi.com/cps/teacher/

Second Step is research-based, teacher-informed, and classroom-tested curriculum to promote the social-emotional development, safety, and well-being of children from Early Learning through Grade 8. In addition, Second Step has developed resources to help teachers, students and families to navigate school closure and other COVID-19 challenges that are included below.

• COVID-19 Response for Classrooms and Families

• Remote Instructions Guidance for Early Learning-5th grade

• Detailed Guidance for Kindergarten-8th grade

  • Please note: we understand that staff may not have access to their Second Step kit. Many of the recommendations in this PDF don’t require the physical Second Step kit, like art projects, Brain Builder activities, and sing-alongs.

• Adult SEL

PATHS recommends reviewing the following Feelings Lessons with students:

• PK/K: Lessons 11 (Scared or Afraid), 35 (Worried)

• Grade 1: Lessons 17 (Scared or Afraid, Safe), 20 (Calm/Relaxed, Worried)

• Grade 2: Lessons 13 (Scared or Afraid, Safe), 16 (Calm/Relaxed, Worried)

• Grade 3: Lesson 12 (Calm/Relaxed, Tense)

• Grade 4: Lesson 9 (Calm/Relaxed, Tense)

• Grade 5/6: Lessons 4 (Ways to Calm Down), 5 (Calm/Relaxed, Tense), and 6 (Ways to Cope With Stress).

Resources:

• PATHS Extension and Home Activities

• PATHS Facebook Community

• PATHS Blog

• PATHS Pinterest

• PATHS Feeling Journal

Sanford Harmony is a Pre-K-6 grade social emotional learning (SEL) program that promotes positive peer relations among students through lessons and activities that encourage communication, collaboration, mutual respect, and healthy relationships.

• Getting Started with Sanford Harmony

• Quick Connection Cards

• Sanford Inspire: No-cost, on demand professional learning resources for educators.

Curated lessons from the OSEL Advisory Framework focused on social-emotional learning, college/career preparation, community building, high school support, development of positive academic mindsets and behaviors, and goal setting. SEL pedagogy for delivery and backward design lesson development model (i.e. project-based, inquiry-based, interactive, student voice, cooperative groups, etc.)

Committee for Children and Sesame Street have partnered to create a collection of resources for young children facing significant challenges. These materials, aimed at building children’s resilience, may be useful for educators and families.

These resources in social and emotional development encourage children to develop positive peer and adult interactions and to manage self-expression and inner feelings. Activities include favorite PBIS characters such as Daniel Tiger, Super Why, and Caillou to teach lessons on confronting our fears, working together as a team, and welcoming a new member to a family.