Social-Emotional Learning

in the K-5 Setting

Maggie Ribick
Michigan State University
CEP841 - Summer 2023

Adapted for inservice at Torrey Hill

Intermediate School
 Today’s Agenda
1 Problem Statement

2 What is Social Emotional Learning?

3 Research & Literature Review

4 Review of Torrey Hill Building Data

5 Implementing SEL: Getting Started

6 Additional Resources & Conclusion

 Problem Statement
Students deal with complex feelings of
loneliness, stress, anger, sadness, anxiety,
and more. However, it is not an innate ability
to know how to process these feelings and
respond in healthy and appropriate ways.

Our students have been growing up through

unprecedented times. Now more than ever,
students need support when it comes to
managing emotions, communicating
thoughts, building relationships, and making
responsible decisions.
 SEL Myth vs. Facts
Myths Facts
SEL has been around for decades and empowers
SEL is motivated by political agendas and is put
students to self-regulate, build healthy
in place to indoctrinate and control students.
relationships, and communicate effectively.

SEL encourages students to understand

SEL is the gateway to Critical Race Theory.
emotions and multiple perspectives.

SEL can be intertwined with curricula and has

SEL takes away from academics.
been proven to improve academic scores.

SEL lessons organically occur in a school setting as

SEL is a parent’s responsibility and does not students navigate building friendships, managing
belong in school. workload, and expressing thoughts. In addition, not all
students have supportive homelives.

Frey et al., 2019

CASEL, 2022a
Defining Social-Emotional Learning

“SEL is the process through which all young

people and adults acquire and apply the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop
healthy identities, manage emotions and
achieve personal and collective goals, feel and
show empathy for others, establish and
maintain supportive relationships, and make
responsible and caring decisions.”

- Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning

(CASEL, 2022a)

Click here to read more at CASEL.org

CASEL (2022a)
 Fundamentals of SEL
SEL aims to teach five core competencies:

1 Self-Awareness

2 Self-Management

3 Social Awareness

4 Relationship Skills

5 Responsible Decision-Making

CASEL (2022b)
 SEL in Research
A 2023 research review and meta analysis conducted by Cipriano et. al
shares the following positive effects of SEL:

Decreased… Increased…

● Student emotional distress ● Knowledge of social skills

● Disruptive classroom behaviors ● Academic achievements
● Misconduct and disciplinary ● Self-esteem, connection to teachers,
actions and sense of belonging
● Rates of graduation and employment

Cipriano et. al (2023)

 SEL Statistics

Students who engaged with SEL has been proven to be an

SEL throughout their
education scored 11
percentile points higher
in terms of academic success
than students without SEL.
effective component when it comes
to reducing bullying in schools.
Teaching skills like self-awareness,
self-management, and empathy
significantly reduced bullying.

(Durlak et al., 2011) (Espelage et al., 2015)

Torrey Hill’s Behavioral Data Trend

2020 - 2021 2021 - 2022 2022 - 2023

43 144 173
Major Behavior Major Behavior Major Behavior
Incidents across Incidents across Incidents across
16 students 52 students 61 students

Ribick (2023)
Torrey Hill’s Behavioral Data Trend

As a building, our three biggest behavioral concerns are physical contact,

aggression, and defiance. If we can teach our students how to regulate feelings
of anger, frustration, and aggravation, we can reduce these behaviors. Students
need to learn how to express these emotions appropriately and cope with them.
Ribick (2023)
Getting Started: Building Level
● Assemble an SEL team to design an implementation plan that fits the unique
needs of your school
○ In the case of Torrey Hill, we use Michigan Model for Health’s SEL
curriculum & our PBIS team’s lesson plan guidelines
● Encourage family and community involvement
○ Climate surveys for students, staff, and families provide baseline data
● Focus on positive reinforcement and logical consequences rather than
punishment
● Ensure all staff members (teaching, custodial, office, administration,
transportation, etc.) build positive relationships with students and model SEL
practices
● Provide staff members with access to Professional Development opportunities
surrounding Social-Emotional Learning

Click here to view CASEL’s Implementation Guide

Larrivee (2009)
CASEL (2022a)
Getting Started: Classroom Level
● Build a classroom culture that is a safe space for all, encourages multiple
perspectives, and is centered around whole-child learning
● Use daily morning meetings as an opportunity to express feelings, share
accomplishments, address conflicts or concerns, set goals, and learn about
each other
● Provide students with choices to promote autonomy
● Explicitly teach and model social skills like active listening, problem solving,
empathizing, and collaborating with others
● Provide opportunities for students to express their feelings, share their
ideas, use creativity, and set goals for themselves
● Weave SEL lessons into core academics through partner work, discussions,
and reflections
Larrivee (2009)
CASEL (2022a)
Resources: Websites for the Classroom

GoNoodle.com offers brain breaks
that incorporate movement and
mental stimulation. An SEL
collection teaches emotional
regulation, self-awareness,
self-esteem, and mindfulness.
MyleMarks is a YouTube
channel centered around SEL
content. Perfect for snack
time, they teach young
learners to understand
feelings and social skills.
Epic offers hundreds of free
read alouds. Click the picture to
see a collection of SEL books to
open up discussions on
emotions, friendships,
empathy, and growth mindset!
Resources: Books
● Reviews topics of emotional regulation,
cognitive regulation, public spirit, social
skills, and identity and agency
● Provides educators with strategies to build
social and emotional skills in students
● Offers reflection questions to help
educators connect to their own practices

“The truth is that educators are engaging in SEL, whether they

intend to be or not. The way we teach, how we teach, and what
we choose not to teach and not to do communicate our values
loud and clear.” (Frey, Fisher, Smith, 2019, pg. 155)
Resources: Books
● Walks through implementable strategies for
relationship building and teaching the 5
social competencies
● Reviews SEL in connection to the way our
brains function
● Emphasizes that the key to SEL is the people
- not a one-size-fits-all program

“Recognizing the importance of SEL and understanding how

the brain develops and learns can provide the background
knowledge necessary to realize that every student’s success
relies on all of us modeling, teaching, encouraging, and
providing opportunities to build healthier systems of support
in all our schools” (Sprenger, 2020, pg. 193).
Resources: Books
● Focuses on Schoolwide SEL practices,
strategies for leadership, and positive
school culture
● Reviews SEL’s 5 skills through the lens of six
components:
○ Vision/Mission
○ Values
○ Practices
○ People
○ Narrative
○ Place
“This book shows how educators can leverage school culture to
implement social-emotional learning, develop student
character, and cultivate the Formative Five success skills in the
classroom.” (Hoerr, 2020, pg. 18)
 Resources: National Groups

Committee for Children pushes CASEL is a one-stop shop for SEL4US is an organization focused on
for SEL in schools by funding all things SEL. They provide advocating for SEL. They offer ways
SecondStep.org, which is a hub informational videos, trainings, to help take action and stay up to
for prek-12 SEL lessons. and research behind SEL. date on current SEL events.
 Conclusion
This is only just the beginning. As
educators, we have a responsibility to teach
the whole child - not just the academics. By
putting in effort to social and emotional
learning, we are creating students who
have improved decision making,
communication skills, understanding of
their personal needs, empathy for others,
and self-esteem. The evidence is clear, the
sooner we incorporate SEL in schools, the
better off our students will be.
 References
CASEL. (2022a). Fundamentals of SEL. Casel. https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/

CASEL. (2022b). SEL 101: What are the core competencies and key settings? Www.youtube.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouXhi_CfBVg

Cipriano, C., Strambler, M. J., Naples, L., Ha, C., Kirk, M. A., Wood, M. E., … Durlak, J. (2023, February 2). Stage 2 Report: The State of the

Evidence for Social and Emotional Learning: A Contemporary Meta-Analysis of Universal School-Based SEL Interventions.

https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/mk35u

Committee for Children. (2012). Second Step. Secondstep.org. https://www.secondstep.org/

Committee for Children. (2017). Social-Emotional Learning Programs. Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/

Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional

learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.

Epic! Creations Inc. (2023). Social Emotional Learning Book Collection on Epic. Epic - Books for Kids.

https://www.getepic.com/collection/32841192/social-emotional-learning?utm_source=t2t&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=collection

&share=35545655081
 References
Espelage, D. L., Rose, C. A., & Polanin, J. R. (2015). Social-Emotional Learning Program to Reduce Bullying, Fighting, and Victimization Among

Middle School Students With Disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 36(5), 299–311. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932514564564

Frey, N., Fisher, D., & Smith, D. (2019). All learning is social and emotional : helping students develop essential skills for the classroom and

beyond. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.

Hoerr, T. R. (2020). Taking social-emotional learning schoolwide : the formative five success skills for students and staff. Ascd.

Larrivee, B. (2009). Authentic classroom management : creating a learning community and building reflective practice. Pearson.

MyleMarks. (2019). Mylemarks - YouTube. Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/@Mylemarks

Ribick, M. (2023). Ribick CEP841 Application Activity 2. Slides.google.com.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1sumdRp5oLxZSKfBUKO-7-t_4ToaB0PsxHthwmXbVcHg/edit#slide=id.g254c6feac8b_0_213

SEL4US. (2022). Social Emotional Learning Alliance for the United States | SEL4US. Social Emotional Learning Alliance for the United States.

https://sel4us.org/

Sprenger, M. (2020). Social-Emotional Learning and the Brain: Strategies to Help Your Students Thrive. Ascd. North Beauregard Street,

Alexandria, Va 1-. Tel: 800-933-; Tel: 703-578-; Fax: 703-575-; Web Site: Http://Www.Ascd.org.