Communication: When schools send regular, coherent messages about SEL that are consistent in tone and content, while also ensuring they listen and respond to the inputs, ideas and needs of stakeholders (including staff, students, families, community partners, etc.). This is most likely to happen when schools take the time to learn more about the stakeholders they serve and use strategies to create personal connections.
Build foundational support by establishing an SEL team, fostering SEL awareness, and developing a shared vision.
Collaboratively develop a shared vision for schoolwide SEL that is communicated to the entire school community, informs planning and implementation, and is revisited regularly.
Review your current level of implementation, identify needs and resources, set goals, and develop concrete action steps for SEL implementation.
Align schoolwide systems, policies, programs, and practices to promote SEL for students.
Continuously Improve Schoolwide SEL Implementation
Use the PDSA cycle to drive high-quality schoolwide SEL implementation.
Explicit SEL instruction refers to consistent opportunities for students to cultivate, practice, and reflect on social and emotional competencies in ways that are developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive.
While your team works to align school discipline policies to SEL, it’s important to ensure that all classrooms consistently reinforce a student-centered approach to discipline.
Assess needs and resources to develop an SEL implementation plan with clear goals, action steps, and assigned ownership.
Develop a coordinated approach for supporting students’ social and emotional learning across the school, classrooms, homes, and communities.