Teachers and leaders will actively participate in online learning to further develop their understanding of the importance of integrating social emotional learning and mindfulness into the classroom.

Teachers and leaders will examine SEL as an approach and not a program and be provided with specific steps for getting started with SEL in the classroom. The framing of SEL and the importance of an SEL-informed classroom will be addressed. Specifical intrapersonal practices around implementation and integration to include mindfulness strategies and then interpersonal or classroom related strategies for students will be examined. Teachers and leaders will examine questions for the field as well as engage in a pre and post assessment before creating a plan for implementation of SEL practice in their classroom or school. Teachers will engage in reflection and growth and learn more about the tenets of social and emotional learning along with being provided the language and evidence based advice to identify and nurture SEL in themselves, students and school. Students will create alliances and opportunities for children and adults in their school community to thrive and reduce compassion fatigue.

This course is appropriate for K-12th teachers and K-12th grade school leaders. Students in the course will be asked to work on a planning template toward action.

Required Text:

• The Social-Emotional Learning Playbook: A Guide to Student and Teacher Well-Being by Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher, and Dominique Smith

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to: 

• Students will be able to identify the importance of SEL integration, through evidence based research.
• Students will learn about steps for getting started with the SEL informed classroom or school.
• Students will learn more about implementation and integration of SEL to include intrapersonal and interpersonal approaches as well as self-assessment.