SEL Aligned With Your School Community: Select an Evidence-Based SEL Program
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
– CASEL
INTRO
Your SEL team will need to consider several factors prior to the adoption of an evidence-based program for SEL. This activity will assist your team to clarify the needs and priorities and choosing a program best suited for your school.
OBJECTIVES
- Determine which evidence-based program best suits your school’s SEL program
As a team, discuss the following questions to clarify your school’s needs and priorities.
Schoolwide social and emotional learning (SEL) is a systemic approach to infusing social and emotional learning into every part of students’ educational experience — across all classrooms, during all parts of the school day and out-of-school time, and in partnership with families and communities.
Your SEL team will need to consider several factors prior to the adoption of an evidence-based program for SEL. The program you select should be aligned to the needs of your students and their families, meet the needs of your teachers who will be using the program, and align with both district and school priorities.
- What would a program need to include so that it is able to meet the needs of your student population and their families? Consider cultural relevance and responsiveness, language needs, etc.
- What kind of program makes sense based on the needs of your teachers? Consider the time needed to prepare for and teach the program, type of materials needed, time needed for training, etc.
- What district goals should you keep in mind while selecting an SEL program?
- Does the district have specific goals around increasing academic performance?
- Decreasing challenging behavior?
- Increasing positive social behavior?
- Other relevant goals?
- What school priorities will our evidence-based program for SEL need to align with?
- PBIS?
- State SEL Standards?
- Other programs and initiatives?
Keeping in mind your answers to the questions above, use the CASEL Program Guides to identify two to four evidence-based programs that you are interested in learning more about.
- Use the Rating Table (Handout in Resources section above: Selecting an Evidence-Based SEL Program) to identify program candidates (consider grade ranges covered, approaches used to promote SEL, and settings that reinforce SEL).
- Then, use program descriptions to continue to narrow your search.
What is CASEL?
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is the country’s leading PreK-12 SEL practice, policy and research organization. For 25 years, CASEL has been a trusted source for knowledge about high-quality, evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) and has made the case for SEL as an integral part of education. Through research, practice, and policy, CASEL collaborates with thought leaders to equip educators and policymakers with the knowledge and resources to advance social and emotional learning in equitable learning environments so all students can thrive. Watch the below short video about CASEL to learn more.
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