Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs that develop soft skills such as self-management, relationship skills, responsible decision making, and self-awareness are an important key to establishing the type of healthy school environment that promotes safety. Effective SEL programs provide a foundation for academic success by promoting positive student behavior and reducing emotional distress. Inclusive school environments and emotionally grounded students make for safer schools.

Where can schools start? The CASEL Guide to SEL is a useful primer. It establishes criteria for SEL curricula and reviews existing programs.

However, many of the programs it reviews are standalone programs. Although some, such as Facing History and Ourselves, touch on valuable history, social studies, and language arts standards, other programs may be valuable as extensions of the curriculum but are not likely to be incorporated into the curriculum areas holistically. That’s a problem. If an SEL program isn’t integrated seamlessly into instruction, it will likely be cast away to a semester-long health class.

Social and emotional skills are like any skills, in that students need daily practice to stay sharp. To make room in the crowded school day for this daily practice, SEL needs to be woven into the culture and curriculum of a school. Vendors are taking note: In April, Newsela—a platform that tailors news articles for classroom instruction—announced an SEL collection.

Read the full article about social-emotional learning by Diana Anthony at EdSurge.