Summary: This Smart Brief from Arts Ed NJ and the SECD Lab at Rutgers shows how the visual and performing arts (VPA) can help students build social-emotional competencies. Teaching in the arts can help to address trauma and inequity and provide students with an outlet for expression and a way to address societal issues. The …
The Synergy of Arts Education and Social-Emotional Learning Read More »
Summary: Research has shown that one of the ways students can process their concerns and emotions over the COVID-19 Pandemic is through the arts. This article suggests a lesson plan called “Turn Off the News” which is based on a song of the same name by Lukas Nelson, son of the legendary singer, Willie Nelson. …
Help Students Process COVID-19 Emotions With This Lesson Plan Read More »
Summary: This article stresses the importance of SEL as well as making other long-terms changes to help with the re-entry to schools after the pandemic. The article cites several reliable sources including CASEL when looking at this question of how to re-open schools and what the focus should be. Source: Naz Modan, EducationDIVE, May 21, 2020 Description: “As …
What Could Reacclimation Mean for Schools Beyond COVID-19? Read More »
Summary: This article makes the case that all students could be the subject of traumatic events and the SEL programs should take this into consideration. The authors suggest three key areas to consider when building SEL programs to address the needs of all students, including those experiencing trauma. Source: Erica Pawlo, Ava Lorenzo, Brian Eichert, and Maurice J. …
Summary: This article is written by a principal of an acclaimed Trauma-Informed school. He describes what trauma-informed education is and what it isn’t. He offers six misconceptions about trauma-informed education and the reality behind each of these misconceptions. Source: Mathew Portell, Edutopia, December 16, 2019 Description: “ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) have made their way into …
Summary: This article tells the story of how a rural school in Oregon employed the growth mindset to help students grow by linking SEL and Academics. The school has a population where the majority of students are living in poverty and many are challenged with childhood trauma. The staff realized that they had to address …
Rigor and Joy: SEL and Academics Go Hand-in-Hand Read More »
Summary: This article reports on a research study of 198 2- and 3-year-old Canadian students, who were primarily white and middle-class, that finds preschool children who both bully and are themselves bullied are most likely to show signs of childhood depression, which can appear as early as age 3 and increases the risk of depression …
Study Ties Pre-K Bullying to Childhood Depression Read More »
Summary: This article provides strategies to help upper elementary and middle school kids who have experienced trauma understand and control their emotions. Source: Laurie DeSautels, Edutopia, December 3, 2018 Description: “When people feel stressed because of toxic levels of adversity—such as experiencing or witnessing physical or emotional abuse, or substance abuse—they find it very challenging to …
Summary:This article underscores the need to provide supports for educators who are highly stressed and emotionally exhausted from providing academic, emotional and behavioral support to stressed and traumatized students. The article also supports greater funding for more guidance counselors who could ake on some of the burden of dealing with these students. Source:Amelia Harper, Education …
Summary: This article is an interview with a school counselor who talks about the importance of school climate and trauma-informed education in meeting the educational and mental health needs of students. The counselor is in a unique position to play a key role in the culture shift to a trauma-informed school climate. Source: Matthew Portell, Education Week, …
School Counselors: Unsung Heroes of School Climate Read More »
