Effective SEL Teaching Practices and Strategies in Elementary Schools
215
their frustration—it is a real feeling!—and gently coach them on using calm-down strategies to refocus. As a part of your narration, be sure to include labeling when you see students try an idea that does not work. This is a wonderful time to honor the idea and the attempt made, and to walk the students through identifying why the idea did not work and how they can build on the mistake to improve their idea. Virtual Learning Tip
10. SEL Classroom Learning Centers and Menus Daniel groaned loudly when he saw the assigned work. Although Maria knew he was capable of completing it, something about the assignment itself seemed daunting. Why didn’t Daniel have this reaction to the independent work this morning? Maria wondered. Oh! The team had decided to try using a menu for students to choose how they wanted to practice their skills. Daniel, and really all the students, had responded so much better to having choice.
Setting up an SEL center within your classroom and teaching students about what they can do when they are finished with their work is a great way to embed SEL. Often teachers have set routines and procedures for students after they finish their assigned learning tasks within a particular subject area. In these situations, students don’t need to ask the teacher what to do next as they already know what is expected. While some teachers allow students to read a book or complete additional work, another option is to have students use the SEL center or learning menus. The SEL center can contain a menu of learning options that connect with SEL essential standards. These can include SEL-focused books to read, SEL partner games,
©2022 by Solution Tree Press. All rights reserved.
For virtual learning, you can use teacher modeling throughout lessons. It may be beneficial to use a visual cue, like touching your finger to your face, to differentiate between thinking aloud and the lesson itself. You can also easily adapt guided student problem solving to the virtual format, utilizing discussions in either the large group or small breakout rooms. Student modeling is a bit more difficult but can take the form of students recording themselves (with the help of their families) acting out solving problems such as solving connection difficulties, navigating the digital classroom interface, or finding needed school supplies. This is an opportunity to engage families in creating socialemotional learning skits so that students can practice these SEL skills with the support of their families. Involving the family has the added benefit of providing the student’s outside-of-school support system with language to support the student in these skills. Be mindful of families’ limitations in time and technology accessibility and make recording video skits a choice activity.
