What is Social Emotional Learning?

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which individuals learn and manage emotions, set goals, show empathy, establish positive relation and make responsible decisions.  Extensive research links the development of social, emotional, behavioral, and character skills to academic achievement, positive behavior, rewarding relationships, and good citizenship.

At Home Resouces:

• Sanford Programs has created the Harmony at Home toolkit to support social and emotional wellbeing for students and families during this difficult time. This toolkit offers a variety of lessons and activities, as well as guidance for parents and guardians to set Harmony Goals and use Meet Up and Buddy Up materials.
• Five Star Life:  During the COVID-19 school shutdown, Five Star Life is releasing our Social and Emotional Learning video curriculum to students, parents, and educators to access online for FREE. During this time of uncertainty, students and parents need hope and support. Our video lessons will help students overcome fear and anxiety, as well as help them adjust to a new routine of completing school work at home. Please feel free to forward this information if your school or district is interested in utilizing or pushing our SEL curriculum to students, parents, and teachers.

   Here are some of the topics that will be included to help you adapt and adjust:

  • Dealing with change
  • Coping with stress and anxiety
  • Strategies for time management
  • Goal-setting
  • Regulating emotions and conflict resolution
  • Navigating friendships and social life

School Initiatives and Resources:

• Sanford Harmony Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): https://www.sanfordharmony.org/
• Social Thinking: Free stuff https://www.socialthinking.com/free-stuff?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl-em-2020-october-19&utm_content=nl-oct-2020-free-stuff-main-text&utm_term=- 
• Positive Behavior Interventions and Support: https://flpbis.cbcs.usf.edu/, https://www.pbis.org/
• Character Education: https://www2.ed.gov/teachers/how/character/edpicks.jhtml?src=ln, https://www.edutopia.org/topic/character-education
• Restorative Justice: restorativejustice.org, https://www.edutopia.org/blog/restorative-justice-resources-matt-davis
• Conscious Discipline: https://consciousdiscipline.com/
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): https://casel.org/
• Commitment for Children: https://www.cfchildren.org/
• Edutopia: https://www.edutopia.org/social-emotional-learning

 SEL Video:

• SEL: What and Why? https://youtu.be/ikehX9o1JbI
• Dialogue circle: https://youtu.be/qTr4v0eYigM

Free Mindful Activities to do at home or in the classroom!

Cosmic Kids Yoga:

• Be the Pond: A short mindfulness video for kids. In this episode of Cosmic Kids Zen Den I explain in a kid-friendly way that we are separate from our feelings. They come and go - and we can observe them - without getting swept up by them.
• Peace Out-Bye Bye Boat: Jaime reads a calming guided relaxation to help us deal with anxiety. We discover the Bye Bye Boat - and it takes all of our worries, fears and anger away from us.
• Peace Out-Balloon: Peace Out is a series of guided relaxations and visualizations for kids, written and voiced by Jaime from Cosmic Kids.

GO NOODLE:

• Rainbow Breath: Learn how to raise your energy and face your day with this exercise. Have fun with it! 
• Bring it Down: This exercise teaches how to gain control of your stressful energy when it becomes to hard to handle.
• Melting: Practice melting away that icky frozen feeling you get when you're scared, frustrated, or angry.