{"id":79069,"date":"2023-11-28T10:16:44","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T16:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/casel.org\/?post_type=blogposts&#038;p=79069"},"modified":"2024-07-30T16:39:48","modified_gmt":"2024-07-30T21:39:48","slug":"three-important-shifts-in-our-guidance-on-adult-social-and-emotional-learning-sel","status":"publish","type":"blogposts","link":"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/three-important-shifts-in-our-guidance-on-adult-social-and-emotional-learning-sel\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Shifts in our Guidance on Adult Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) + 6 Take-and-Use Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"key-points\">Key Points<\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We know from research that teachers who stay often do so because their work is meaningful, their relationships with colleagues are strong and collaborative, and their workplace offers a positive culture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li> Over more than a decade partnering with school districts, we\u2019ve discovered that schools are more effective at teaching and reinforcing SEL when they also attend to adult SEL.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explore three areas we&#8217;ve updated in our guidance to reflect these findings, as well as tools to take and use right away. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest challenges facing schools and districts is educator turnover. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/education\/2023\/10\/17\/teacher-shortage-2023-us-schools-struggle-hiring\/71208579007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Teacher shortages<\/a> are plaguing many areas across the U.S., along with a rising difficulty in attracting new teachers and other staff. So we wondered: What role could adult SEL play in helping to create the kind of workplaces where teachers thrive and create the supportive learning environments where students can thrive as well?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We know from research that teachers who stay often do so because their work is meaningful, their relationships with colleagues are strong and collaborative, and their workplace offers a positive culture (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/industries\/education\/our-insights\/k-12-teachers-are-quitting-what-would-make-them-stay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bryant et al., 2023<\/a>). This finding aligns with what we at CASEL have learned about adult SEL. Over more than a decade partnering with school districts, we\u2019ve discovered that schools are more effective at teaching and reinforcing SEL when they also attend to adult SEL. It\u2019s not enough to talk about social and emotional skills; young people also learn from our actions and reactions. In addition to <strong>modeling<\/strong> SEL, school communities that prioritize adult SEL foster a supportive staff environment where adults <strong>connect and collaborate<\/strong> with colleagues, young people, and community members, and have time and space to <strong>learn<\/strong> about SEL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium is-resized is-style-default wp-duotone-unset-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"776\" height=\"647\" src=\"https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/zz8X5GlR-1.png?auto=compress&amp;fit=scale&amp;fm=png&amp;h=534&amp;w=640\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-79070\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.198501872659176;width:318px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/zz8X5GlR-1.png 640w, https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/zz8X5GlR-1.png 1900w, https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/zz8X5GlR-1.png 300w, https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/zz8X5GlR-1.png 768w, https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/zz8X5GlR-1.png 1536w, https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/zz8X5GlR-1.png 2048w, https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/zz8X5GlR-1.png 776w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 776px) 100vw, 776px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>With the importance of adult SEL in mind, our team at CASEL has updated the adult SEL section of our <a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Guide to Schoolwide SEL<\/a> to reflect current research and new insights from our collaborators in the field. Here are three important shifts in our guidance and why they matter:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-we-prioritized-community-care-not-just-self-care\"><strong>1. We prioritized community care, not just self-care.<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>Educators strive to bring their best selves to the classroom every day while at the same time working long hours, juggling each student\u2019s needs, and pushing toward ambitious goals. In this context, self-care is important, but the onus for wellness cannot be entirely on the individual. Adults (and students) are best able to contribute when they feel valued and welcomed as part of the community. Therefore, we have expanded our <a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/focus-area-2\/model\/model-sel-as-a-staff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">guidance for SEL teams<\/a> to build professional and social connections that make spaces for joy, belonging, and collaborative problem-solving. In addition, we have highlighted <a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/focus-area-2\/model\/practices-for-leaders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">practices for school leaders<\/a>, who are critical as co-creators of environments where students, staff, and families feel cared for and appreciated.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"accordions\" id=\"accordion-1\">\n        <ul class=\"accordion-list\">\n      <li class=\"accordion-wrap accordion-wrap-faqs\">\n      <label for=\"-1\">\n        Related Tools:\n      <\/label>\n      <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"-1\" class=\"js-accordion-trigger\">\n      <div class=\"accordion-outer\">\n        <ul>\n          <li>\n            <ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/06\/Circle-Discussion-for-Staff.docx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Circle Discussions for Staff<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/resource\/5-minute-chats-with-staff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5-Minute Chats With Staff<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n          <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n  <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-we-added-connection-as-a-prerequisite-for-collaboration\"><strong>2. We added <em>connection <\/em>as a prerequisite for collaboration.<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>Collaboration has always been an important part of our framework for adult SEL. Meeting the needs of all learners is complex, and educators benefit from the collective knowledge and experience of the entire staff. But collaboration doesn\u2019t happen in a vacuum. To build relational trust, adults need intentional opportunities to get to know others and feel known, share appreciations, and reflect together on experiences and challenges. In the section, <a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/focus-area-2\/collaborate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Connect and Collaborate<\/a>, we suggest grounding staff collaboration in shared agreements and continuously strengthening connection and communication with the <a href=\"https:\/\/signaturepractices.casel.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SEL 3 Signature Practices<\/a>. In addition, we\u2019ve added guidance around building connections and collaborating with <a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/focus-area-2\/collaborate\/connect-collaborate-with-students\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">students<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/focus-area-2\/collaborate\/connect-collaborate-with-families\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">families<\/a>\u2014another important component of adult SEL.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"accordions\" id=\"accordion-2\">\n        <ul class=\"accordion-list\">\n      <li class=\"accordion-wrap accordion-wrap-faqs\">\n      <label for=\"-2\">\n        Related Tools\n      <\/label>\n      <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"-2\" class=\"js-accordion-trigger\">\n      <div class=\"accordion-outer\">\n        <ul>\n          <li>\n            <ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/resource\/strategies-for-gathering-student-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strategies for Gathering Student Feedback<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/resource\/5-minute-chats-with-parents-and-caregivers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5-Minute Chats With Families<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n          <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n  <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-we-lifted-up-educators-as-leaders-and-learners\"><strong>3. We lifted up educators as leaders and learners.<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>What we want for students, we must be willing to provide for staff. Adults, like students, need spaces to learn and explore, try and evaluate new strategies, and take intellectual risks. In other words, we need to make space for adult learning. To support this, we include additional guidance for adults to reflect on their <a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/focus-area-2\/learn\/reflect-on-personal-sel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">personal social and emotional skills<\/a> and examine their levels of <a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/focus-area-2\/learn\/examine-cultural-competence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cultural competence<\/a>. However, a strong approach to adult learning must also take into account the depth of knowledge educational professionals already bring to their work. When thinking through how to support adult SEL, it\u2019s easy to focus on the gaps or what others need to learn. Instead of working from a deficit mentality, we provide tools and strategies for <a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/focus-area-2\/learn\/build-on-strengths-and-experience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">building on strengths and experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"accordions\" id=\"accordion-3\">\n        <ul class=\"accordion-list\">\n      <li class=\"accordion-wrap accordion-wrap-faqs\">\n      <label for=\"-3\">\n        Related Tools\n      <\/label>\n      <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"-3\" class=\"js-accordion-trigger\">\n      <div class=\"accordion-outer\">\n        <ul>\n          <li>\n            <ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/resource\/spark-questions-for-leaders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spark Questions<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/resource\/schoolwide-sel-program-and-initiative-inventory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interview Staff About Their Experience With SEL<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n          <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n  <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Are you ready to go deeper with SEL <strong>in your school, district, or organization? <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.regfox.com\/winter-2024-4-part-live-virtual-workshop-series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Register<\/a> for our Winter 2024 <em>Leading Schoolwide SEL<\/em> workshop series to help you plan, sustain, and continuously improve systemic SEL implementation throughout your school community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about the <strong>research informing this blog<\/strong>, visit the CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL, <a href=\"https:\/\/schoolguide.casel.org\/focus-area-2\/overview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Focus Area 2: Adult SEL<\/a>.\u00a0<br><br><strong><em>Heather Schwartz<\/em><\/strong><em> (M.Ed.) is a passionate educator, literacy specialist, and SEL expert. At CASEL, she works to translate the latest research on SEL into actionable tools, resources, and professional learning for school-level educators.<\/em><br><br><strong><em>Claire Schu<\/em><\/strong><em> is CASEL\u2019s senior manager of implementation support and works to develop and continuously improve CASEL guidance and professional learning experiences. She has supported SEL implementation as a school district leader and a classroom teacher.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related posts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/we-teach-who-we-are-not-just-what-we-know-what-top-researchers-had-to-say-about-adult-sel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cWe teach who we are, not just what we know.\u201d What Top Researchers Had to Say About Adult SEL<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/not-only-do-students-need-strong-teacher-student-relationships-teachers-need-them-too\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Not Only Do Students Need Strong Teacher-Student Relationships\u2026 Teachers Need Them, Too!<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/im-an-adult-sel-leader-at-casel-but-my-aha-moment-came-as-a-parent\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">I\u2019m a CASEL Leader. But my Adult SEL \u201cAha\u201d Moment Came as a Parent.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"write-for-us\"><strong>Write for Us<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you interested in writing for CASEL\u2019s blog,&nbsp;<em>Constellations<\/em>?&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1zSZFveKA8xsmlCADpfDP8t-y9emN0qswHQh1MnfmqBI\/edit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more<\/a>&nbsp;about what we\u2019re looking for and how to pitch your idea!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Points Back to top One of the biggest challenges facing schools and districts is educator turnover. Teacher shortages are plaguing many areas across the U.S., along with a rising difficulty in attracting new teachers and other staff. So we wondered: What role could adult SEL play in helping to create the kind of workplaces [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26603,"featured_media":79071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","theme":[203],"class_list":["post-79069","blogposts","type-blogposts","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","theme-water-cooler"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blogposts\/79069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blogposts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blogposts"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26603"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79069"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"theme","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/theme?post=79069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}