How to Use SEL as a School Counselor
As a school counselor, you play a huge role in nurturing schoolwide social-emotional learning (SEL). In fact, you serve as the first line of defense in identifying and addressing students’ social and emotional needs within the school setting.
With that, it is likely you are in charge of most of the responsibilities when it comes to SEL. And odds are you may be feeling a little overwhelmed by this very important task.
You may be thinking:
- How can I encourage schoolwide SEL?
- How do I fit SEL into my schedule?
- How can I collaborate with other educators in my building?
Rest assured, you already have all the tools, experience, and skills you need to create an SEL community within your school. It’s easier and less time-consuming than you may think. Creating a collaborative approach to SEL will save you time and frustration in the long run.
In this article, we’ll discuss the many benefits of teaching SEL schoolwide. Plus, we’ll share practical SEL teaching strategies you can implement immediately.
Why SEL Matters
Studies have shown the many benefits of SEL for both educators and students. SEL supports students with responsible decision-making, establishing and maintaining relationships, developing healthy identities, and feeling and showing empathy.
Social-emotional learning also supports educators. When students are socially and emotionally aware, they’re more equipped to self-regulate, stay motivated, and feel connected to educators and peers.
This translates to:
- Higher academic achievement
- More motivation to learn
- Less disruptive behavior
- Reduced emotional stress
- And more!
How to Encourage Schoolwide SEL as a School Counselor
As a school counselor, you are aware of how important it is to establish schoolwide SEL, but also realize that this can be an overwhelming task for you to take on alone.
According to CASEL, “Schoolwide SEL engages the entire school community in creating caring, motivating, and equitable learning environments.” Unless you can multiply yourself, this can feel like an impossible task for one person.
So where do we go from here? As school counselors, we can model SEL instruction for other educators. General education teachers are more qualified than you think. Their experience as teachers has equipped them with all the skills they need to be a great SEL instructor. They may need a little push and encouragement from a professional like yourself, but having a collaborative approach to SEL will ultimately benefit everyone.
How Do I Fit SEL Into My Schedule?
If you are in charge of teaching SEL schoolwide, it is likely that you have SEL instructional times with each classroom about once a month.
Let’s compare building SEL skills to training for a marathon. If you only train once a month for a marathon, it will take years to build the endurance required to prepare you for the run. Similar to building SEL skills, we are trying to shift student’s perspectives and mindsets that they have relied on for years.
If we want students to begin practicing these skills on their own, we need to incorporate it into every part of their day in order to have a chance at building their SEL skills.
Taking a schoolwide approach will move us closer to our SEL goals!
Now let’s talk about some easy ways you can start incorporating SEL into general education instruction:
Incorporating SEL Topics
Start by providing general education teachers with topics that they can easily implement and model in their classroom. The 5 core SEL topics, or CASEL competencies, include:
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Social awareness
- Relationship skills
- Responsible decision-making
Incorporate Mindfulness Activities in the Classroom
School can be anxiety-inducing. Teaching SEL skills like mindfulness and self-regulation can help students calm down during moments of stress.
Are students feeling stressed before a test or presentation? Breathing exercises like Belly Breathing for Self-Care are a great way to help them calm down.
Promoting student mindfulness exercises will help learners feel less stressed, more focused, and ultimately more engaged in their lessons.
How Can I Collaborate With Other Teachers?
Try building an SEL committee in your school building! Ask around to see if there are any teachers who would be interested in learning how to approach SEL from you.
The first couple of times, they can watch you teach an SEL lesson. This is your opportunity to model what SEL instruction looks like. If schedules are an issue, try recording an SEL lesson for them to watch.
Explain the importance of SEL and what’s in it for them. More SEL instruction is going to lead to less disruptive behaviors and more meaningful connection between students and educators.
Little by little, teachers can begin to feel more confident in incorporating SEL into their day with your help!
Where Can I Find Materials for SEL Lessons?
Everyday Speech offers several free materials to incorporate SEL into general ed instruction.
Visit our YouTube channel for free videos and sign up for our Material Mix Monday Newsletter for free activities in your inbox every week.
