The SEL Solution: Integrate Social-Emotional Learning into Your Curriculum and Build a Caring Climate for All

by Jonathan C. Erwin

Overview

Inspiring and practical guide to create a safe and positive learning environment and help students master critical social and emotional skills.

The SEL Solution provides everything teachers need to create a safe and positive learning environment. With dozens of fun and easy-to-do lessons and activities, educators have a clear path to integrate SEL lessons into social studies and language arts curriculum as well as throughout the school day.
 
Additional sections for SEL directors and school leaders offer a blueprint for building a school-wide community that:

• helps students and staff master critical social and emotional skills, like self-awareness, the ability to focus, self-control, self-regulation, the ability to empathize, active listening, and cooperation
• engages everyone—kids and adults—in effective, compassionate behavior management strategies
• increases student success

 
For use by teachers, counselors, coaches, principals, and other educators, the strategies in The SEL Solution provide a plan for engaging the whole school community in identifying, celebrating, and sustaining its positive values.Digital content includescustomizable forms from the book and a PDF presentation for professional development.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631984372
Publisher:	Free Spirit Publishing
Publication date:	07/12/2019
Series:	Free Spirit Professional®
Edition description:	Second Edition, Book with Digital Content
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	5 - 17 Years

About the Author

Jonathan C. Erwin, M.A., has been a secondary English teacher, professional development specialist, college professor, and director of training and curriculum for a federally funded character education program.

His previous books include The Classroom of Choice (ASCD, 2004) and Inspiring the Best in Students (ASCD, 2010). Jon is currently an independent educational consultant, a senior faculty member of the William Glasser Institute, and a trained HealthRhythms Facilitator.

Jon’s work focuses on providing research-based approaches to teaching, managing, counseling, and training that appeal to intrinsic motivation and help children, adolescents, and adults develop physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially.

A musician and martial arts enthusiast, Jon has earned a second degree black belt in karate and a first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He lives in western New York.

Table of Contents

List of Reproducible Forms viii

Introduction 1

Why School Climate Matters in an Era of Standards and Assessments 2

Components of a Positive School Climate 3

Benefits of a Positive School Climate 4

About The SEL Solution 6

An Overview of This Book 9

1 Getting Started 11

The Whole-School Climate Initiative 11

The Smaller-Scale Climate Solution 15

Final Thoughts About Getting Started 16

Part 1 Setting the Foundation: Safety and Relationships 21

2 The Community Meeting 22

The Community Meeting in Your Setting 22

The Community Meeting Basic Structure 23

Three Kinds of Community Meetings 27

Frequently Asked Questions About Community Meetings 31

3 The School Touchstone: Discovering the Core Values of Your Community 34

Examples of Touchstones 34

Creating the School Touchstone 36

Frequently Asked Questions About the School Touchstone 39

4 Bringing the Touchstone Values to Life 42

The Touchstone Pledge 42

The Touchstone Wall of Fame 43

Community Meetings: Touchstone Values 43

Social Contract 46

Behavior Matrix 51

Model the Values 51

5 Integrating the Touchstone into the Academic Curriculum 53

Building Integrated Learning Units Based on Touchstone Values 53

Making Touchstone Connections in English Language Arts and Social Studies 58

ELA and Social Studies Unit Examples 61

Suggested Literature for Touchstone Units 61

6 Inspiring Student Leadership 69

What to Look for in Student Leaders 69

Inviting Leaders and Creating Your Student Leadership Team 70

Student Leadership Training Meeting 72

Touchstone Table Facilitators 75

Ongoing Student Leadership Opportunities 76

Resources 81

Part 2 Essential Tools: Teaching Social-Emotional Skills 83

7 Introducing Social-Emotional Learning to Your Students 84

Teaching SEL 84

The Elements of an Effective SEL Program 85

The Behavioral Car Metaphor 86

Connecting SEL to Curriculum 91

Final Thoughts About Introducing SEL 92

8 The Five Basic Human Needs: The Fuel for the Car 94

Introducing the Five Basic Human Needs 95

Helping Students Apply the Five Basic Human Needs to Their Lives 97

Integrating the Concepts into the ELA and Social Studies Curriculum 102

9 Understanding Emotions in Ourselves and Others: The Lights on the Dashboard 109

Human Emotions: The Lights on the Dashboard 109

Teaching Students How to Identify Emotions in Themselves 110

Teaching Students How to Identify Emotions in Others 114

Communicating Emotions on Electronic Media 116

Emotional Intelligence, Social Responsibility, and School Climate 118

Integrating the Understanding of Emotions into the Curriculum 119

Final Thoughts on Emotions 122

10 Self-Regulation: The Four Wheels of the Car 125

The Four Wheels of the Behavioral Car 125

Teaching the Concept of Total Behavior 126

Self-Regulation: Maintaining the Behavioral Car 130

Integrating Total Behavior Concepts into ELA and Social Studies 136

Part 3 Optimal Conditions: Creating a Needs-Satisfying environment 141

11 Addressing the Needs for Emotional Safety and Connectedness 142

The Internal Profile and the Hierarchy of Basic Needs 142

Providing Structure and Safety 144

Building Connections 145

Final Thoughts About Emotional Safety and Connectedness 149

12 Addressing the Needs for Power, Freedom, and Fun 152

Empowering All 153

Empowering Adults 155

Empowering Students 155

Liberating 159

Encouraging Play 162

Final Thoughts on Empowering, Liberating, and Encouraging Play 165

13 A Social-Emotional Approach to Behavior Management 166

The Process for Positive Change (PPC) 167

Restorative Discipline (RD): The Optimal Option 177

The Solving Circle 179

Final Thoughts 180

References and Resources 182

Index 185

About the Author 191