“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”

—James Baldwin in “Fifth Avenue, Uptown” published in Esquire, July 1960

When staff model SEL in how they interact with students throughout the school day, they offer positive examples of how to navigate stress and frustration, build and maintain healthy relationships, take on different perspectives, and reflect on how their decisions impact others. In addition, classroom teachers who model SEL effectively can positively influence the learning climate in their classroom. For example, teachers who model self-awareness and social awareness when responding to student questions help to minimize anxiety and contribute to an equitable classroom where all students feel comfortable making their voices heard.

For more examples of how adults can model social-emotional competencies for students while simultaneously influencing the learning climate, review the Tool: Modeling SEL for Students.

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Modeling SEL for Students

This tool provides an activity and examples to engage staff in reflection about how they will intentionally model SEL in their interactions with students as part of schoolwide implementation.

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