Building Blocks for Social-Emotional Learning: Creating Safe, Secure, and Successful Elementary Schools (Your Action Plan for Meaningful School Improvement)

Backed by research on cognitive, social, and emotional development, this book provides educators and administrators with a framework for how to best support students and staff in developing critical self regulation skills. Explanations of the "building blocks" are presented clearly in vignettes, diagrams, and detailed text to help the reader understand how they are interconnected. As an educator, I can see this being a powerful reference for both school-wide professional development, as well as personal reflection on best practices. These days social emotional learning is an essential part of the curriculum as both students and teachers are dealing more stress and uncertainty than ever before in schools. I highly recommend!

Incredibly insightful, well researched and practical guide. I found the flowcharts, examples and sample timelines especially useful. Lots of practical classroom strategies and approaches--from student goal setting (using "I can" statements around identifying and managing feelings) to simple school-wide approaches like the high five buddy system.