Our first day together will include activities to connect with each other to build our own learning community, most of which you can use directly with youth. We will focus on the “emotional” dimension of social-emotional learning: the internal experience of the self that is both affected by and influences our relationships with others. In the CASEL framework, this includes the competencies of self-awareness and self-management. We will engage in various activities that can be used to foster these skills, discuss the neuroscience of emotional regulation, explore frames for self-reflection, and practice ways of weaving self-regulation strategies into classroom culture.

On our second day, we will focus on the “social” aspect of SEL: the relationships that we have with others. We will explore the connection between authenticity and belonging and the neuroscience of relational connection. We will play with activities and approaches that can help to build relationships, foster empathy, and create a classroom culture of belonging. We will discuss the double-edged sword of the group project and explore ways we can use experiential activities to build collaboration skills.

The third day will focus on the one-on-one dimension of SEL and the implementation of these practices in your own classroom. We will explore strategies for encouraging self-reflection in students by learning and practicing emotional coaching and motivational interviewing strategies. The afternoon will allow space to integrate the information from the previous 2.5 days and create a clear and actionable implementation plan that you can use when you return to school in the fall.