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Social-emotional learning, or SEL for short, is all about how youth and adults learn to understand and handle their feelings, set good goals, care about others, make friends, and make good choices. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) says that SEL is an important part of learning and development.  CLASP SEL will kick off in January 2024, headed by our SEL4CT Campaign Coordinator, Ashton Gauthier. The cohort will consist of in-person or virtual workshops, practices, conversations, and advocacy actions every other month with the same group of 15 program managers.  If you are interested, please sign up here to receive additional information.

RESOURCES

A collection of SEL resources designed to empower educators, schools, and organizations in fostering the holistic development of individuals. This collection offers a diverse range of resources each tailored to various educational settings, age groups, and learning environments.

  • 12 Prompts for Social Emotional Summer Learning – Wings for Kids, click here.
  • How School Culture Must Change, Post-Pandemic | Edutopia, click here.
  • What We Learned from Focusing on Adult SEL – CASEL, click here.
  • Teaching Students How to Have Meaningful Conversations in Middle and High School | Edutopia, click here.
  • How Do We Ensure That Students of Color Feel Respected? (berkeley.edu), click here.
  • Why social emotional learning is critical for teaching climate justice | KQED, click here.
  • Cultivating Healthy Connections with Students — the Learning Counsel, click here.
  • Bringing SEL Into Everyday Instruction | Edutopia, click here.
  • Building Relationships With Students the First Week of School | Edutopia, click here.
  • How Schools Can Support Neurodiverse Students – Child Mind Institute, click here.
  • How Schools Can Support Neurodiverse Students – Child Mind Institute, click here.
  • 13 Evidence-Based Ways to Teach Social Skills in 2023 (positiveaction.net), click here.
  • Kids Aren’t the Only Ones Who Benefit From Social-Emotional Learning | EdSurge News, click here.
  • Early Lessons from Schools and Out-of-School Time Programs Implementing Social and Emotional Learning: This comprehensive study based on findings from six communities offers lessons for schools and OST programs on implementing high-quality SEL instruction, click here.
  • Skills for Success: Developing Social and Emotional Competencies in Out-of-School-Time Programs: Find guidance for OST providers and intermediaries looking to incorporate SEL into their programming, click here.

Adult Titles

  • The Dark by Lemony Snicket – The author of A Series of Unfortunate Events tells the story of Laszlo, a boy afraid of the dark, and how he overcomes his fear.
  • The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken – We all make mistakes. Corinna Luyken uses them to show readers that life’s unexpected accidents can be a source of inspiration and delight.
  • A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead – This debut book follows Amos McGee, who goes to the zoo every day. When Amos is too sick to go, his animal friends decide to come to him instead.
  • The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig – Being the new kid in school is tough. Brian feels unnoticed and unappreciated until he makes a new friend named Justin.
  • Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña – This award-winning book explores our differences through stunning illustrations and colorful prose.
  • My Very Own Space by Pippa Goodhart – A charming read with vibrant illustrations, My Very Own Space teaches us that it’s okay to want some personal room.
  • Argyle Fox by Marie Letourneau – Argyle Fox wants to play outside, but the wind keeps ruining his fun. The setback forces him to think creatively en route to newfound playtime.
  • Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson – Emmanuel grew up in Ghana with a deformed leg. It didn’t stop him from playing soccer, riding bikes, or other acts of perseverance.
  • Nadia: The Girl Who Couldn’t Sit Still by Karlin Gray – Follow the true story of Olympic gymnast Nadia Comaneci and her quest to earn an Olympic gold medal and a place in the record books.
  • Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson – Ordinary Mary’s one good deed causes a chain reaction of positivity worldwide, showing us the importance of daily kindness.
  • Because Amelia Smiled by David Ezra Stein – Amelia’s smile is a small act of kindness that eventually finds its way back to her and then some.
  • Pass It On by Sophy Henn – Discover the joy that comes from sharing as our protagonists pass on delight and happiness to the people around them.
  • The Invisible String by Patrice Karst – This best-selling book explores the invisible strings that connect us to the most important people in our lives.
  • The Whole Brainchild, Daniel J. Siegel
  • Troublemakers: Lessons in Freedom from Young Children at School, Carla Shalaby

Children Titles

  • The Role of Parent and Caregiver Partnership in Building the Social and Emotional Health of Parents with Shani Dowell – EducateU ep#21 – EducateU Podcast, click here.

  • The Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, click here.

  • Roger Weissberg, Chief Knowledge Officer of the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning, shares his case for why SEL should be a prominent component in schools and predicts what the future looks like for SEL, click here.
  • Social emotional learning advocate Robert Balfanz illustrates why SEL is a “natural continuation” of academic education, click here.
  • Developmental biologist and author John Medina discusses his research on empathy and its application in education. Discover just how important empathy is and how it can be fostered, click here.
  • Knowing parents story Prioritizing Students’ Social-Emotional Needs with Dr. Brenda Diaz • EducateU Podcast (spotify.com)
    Knowing parents’ story
    respect comfortability, here to serve you and your youth, we have the same things for your child,
    care to know the kid’s life and journey, click here.
  • The Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Podcast: In this five-episode series, school and OST-based practitioners share how they collaborate to help children develop SEL skills, click here.

Professional Development

Discover insights, strategies, and perspectives on SEL in our professional development collection. These resources offer a rich tapestry of knowledge and inspiration for educators, parents, counselors, and anyone passionate about fostering individuals of all ages’ social and emotional well-being. 

No Cost Workshops & Webinars

  • Fifth Annual SEL Resource Virtual Showcase
    OCT 22, 2024
    8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
    Click here to learn more.

At COst Workshops & Webinars

  • SEL Exchange, Chicago, IL 
    NOV 12-14, 2024
    Fees: $1,075
    Click here to learn more.

ACTIVITIES

Playing SEL games is a fun and effective way to help understand, express, and manage emotions while promoting emotional intelligence and communication skills. These games make learning about feelings enjoyable and provide opportunities for youth to practice emotional awareness, empathy, and communication skills in a safe and supportive environment.

The CT After School Network is proud to be a part of the SEL4US initiative, working to connect local SEL stakeholders to learn and share best practices, build community and statewide awareness for SEL and its impact, advocate for equity-focused state and local policies and funding to support SEL and support high-quality, equity-focused SEL practice and professional learning.