SEL Amidst the COVID 19 Quarantine

Drastic times call for drastic measures.

As schools in the United States, and worldwide, close in favor of online schooling to slow the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic, could and should educators be focusing on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in addition to the challenge of finding new and effective ways to deliver regular content? According to opinions reported by Ariana Prothero in an article for EdWeek, the answer is yes, and I whole-heartedly agree. She writes that the change in routine for millions of students combined with fears of becoming ill or having loved ones become ill puts a lot of stress on them. Add to that feeling disconnected from peers and supportive adults, students may need more emotional support than ever. 

I have witnessed this first hand. I teach 7th grade students and have two children ages 13 and 10. While my children love the fact that they can sleep in on a daily basis, I know they miss their friends. They wonder whether they will be able to finish the year, go on field trips, say goodbye to their teachers, etc.. While all of the work that I have assigned my students can be completed electronically, I decided to hold a virtual office hour. I left a google meet session open and announced to students that I would be available during that time if they had any questions or concerns about class and assignments. All of the students that reported to me at that time admitted that they just wanted to say hi, to me and to each other. I chatted with them about what they have been up to, how they feel about online learning, about COVID 19, what they do for fun, etc.. Very little of the conversation was about school. To me, this is evidence that they are craving human connection. 

What is SEL?

According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), SEL is defined as helping students deal with their emotions, develop and manage appropriate relationships with peers and adults, and make good decisions. A recent trend seems to be emerging in educational policy throughout the United States and beyond that addresses SEL in schools. Over the last twenty years, some states in the U.S. have moved toward incorporating SEL into their standards frameworks, but in the years since the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), nearly all states have begun to actively seek ways to advance students’ SEL as well as their academic development. Policy leaders are becoming more aware of the fact that learning is about more than just academics and that it is important to address students’ social and emotional well-being too. Many states focus on goals and competencies, rather than standards and/or are incorporating SEL into existing policies and standards. That being said, the COVID 19 quarantine and subsequent school closure has left educators and parents scrambling to offer alternative learning opportunities, but it is important not to lose sight of the SEL component as well. 

So how can we incorporate SEL at this time?

Ariana Prothero reports some of the ways that students can incorporate SEL into online learning during this unprecedented time. Here are some of the suggestions she writes about.

Ask students to keep a journal. It may become an interesting primary source years later.

Prompt students to write about how they would help friends and family who are sick or are worried about becoming sick. This shifts their own anxiety into compassion for others.

Ask students to write about what they are doing to support the quarantine efforts. For example, they could list things like hand washing, house cleaning, adhering to social distancing guidelines, etc. to help them feel like they have some control.

Encourage students to write letters. This will help them reflect and stay connected. 

Hold a “morning meeting” or, as I did, a virtual office hour. This gives students the opportunity to maintain a feeling of community with their peers and teachers. 

Ask students to evaluate how their leaders in the community, state, and nation are handling the quarantine situation. 

Maintain school traditions like “Spirit Week”, to keep a sense of the school community. 

Even though education has in many ways been stripped down to the bare bones so that families can focus on building and maintaining basic skills, it is important that educators can make an effort to continue SEL at the same time. Helping kids feel supported as they navigate the uncertainty that comes with the COVID 19 quarantine offers an opportunity for teachers to engage in SEL.  

References

Bridgeland, J., Wilhoit, G., Canavero, S., Comer, J., Darling-Hammond, L., Farrington C. A., Noguera, P. A., Shelton, J., Shriver, T., & Wiener, R. (2018). National commission on social, emotional, and academic development: A policy agenda in support of how learning happens. The Aspen Institute National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development. http://nationathope.org/research-practice-and-policy-agendas/policy/  

Dusenbury, L.; & Weissberg, R.P. (2018). Emerging insights from states’ efforts to strengthen social and emotional learning. Collaborative For Academic, Social, And Emotional Learning. https://casel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/CSI-Insights.pdf

Dusenbury, L. (2018). States are stepping up to support social and emotional learning. Education Week. https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning_social_emotional/2018/08/states_are_stepping_up_to_support_social_and_emotional_learning.html

CASEL (2019). CSI Advisory Committee. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. https://casel.org/what-is-sel/

Prothero, A. (2020). How to teach social-emotional learning when students aren't in school. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/03/30/how-to-teach-social-emotional-learning-when-students.html