Tool 3.1: Developing Awareness of Instructional Practices that Promote SEL

Purpose

This tool is designed to help teachers think about routine instructional strategies that can help create relationship-centered classrooms that nurture and support social and emotional learning. The tool is intended for reflection only and not for evaluation purposes.

How to use this tool

This tool can be used to reflect on whether or not the routine practices teachers use support social and emotional learning. It can be helpful in identifying personal strengths and planning how to build on those strengths.

This tool is divided into three sections:

·  Section 1: Developing Awareness of Current Practices that Promote SEL

·  Section 2: Instructional Practices that Promote SEL

·  Section 3: Instructional Practices to Enhance SEL

Section 1: Developing Awareness of Current Practices that Promote SEL. The first section presents open-ended questions that can be used by individual teachers to develop awareness of SEL instructional practices they routinely use. It could also be used to spark discussion in a group setting such as a faculty meeting, committee meeting, or SEL team meeting.

Another way to use the first section is in a group setting. Charts could be made with one question on each chart, and these charts could be posted on the wall. Teachers could then work in small groups to brainstorm practices they use. The groups can then rotate among all the charts. Questions and checklists can be used from one area of the discussion topic, e.g., “What might that look like in my grade or subject?”

Section 2: Instructional Strategies that Promote SEL. After reflecting on their own instructional practices, teachers can use the second section to consider new strategies. Ideally use of this section will be preceded by an opportunity for reflection and discussion of the first section.

Section 3: Instructional Practices to Enhance SEL. The third section encourages teachers to think about which of the new practices they want to develop.

Developing Awareness of Current Practices that Promote SEL

Many aspects of teachers’ routine practices can promote SEL. After answering the questions below, rate the accompanying indicators in the pages that follow to add to the list of routine practices teachers can use to promote SEL and identify areas that provide an opportunity to grow.

§  Self-Awareness: What do you do to nurture each student’s awareness of his/her thinking, feelings, and understanding as he/she is learning, such as being aware of the feelings and viewpoints of others?

§  Self-Management: What do you do to nurture students’ ability to manage emotions, control impulses, deal with stress, and achieve goals?

§  Social Awareness: What do you do to cultivate students’ ability to appreciate diversity, take various perspectives, feel empathy for others, and demonstrate respect?

§  Relationship Skills: What do you do to foster students’ ability to communicate effectively, engage socially, build relationships, work cooperatively, and resolve conflicts creatively?

§  Responsible Decision-Making: What do you do to nurture students’ ethical behavior and decision-making?

Instructional Practices that Promote SEL

This section provides examples of specific teaching methods that may be part of current instructional practice. As you read the list, place a check in the column that indicates how often you use the method. In order to expand instructional practice, it would be appropriate to identify the area and the methods you would like to begin using more frequently and develop an action plan for implementation.

Teacher practices that nurture self-awareness of students’ thinking, feelings, and understanding / Frequency of Use
Rarely / Sometimes / Often
Provide opportunities for students to reflect individually and collectively on their learning and describe what was meaningful and what questions emerged.
Invite students to recognize and articulate their strengths, needs, and values as well as areas for growth.
Model optimism and hope while developing a classroom climate that supports a “can do” attitude.
Model asking for help and provide students with concrete examples.
Set attainable goals with students that are reachable so they can develop self-efficacy and trust that they can be successful reaching goals.
Provide a variety of learning opportunities for students to identify and express emotions constructively.
Offer positive and specific feedback that is timely, constructive, and provides students with guidance needed to improve performance and contribute to a caring and respectful classroom.
Model thinking skills and help students develop their own.
Teacher practices to nurture students’ ability to manage emotions, control impulses, deal with stress, and achieve goals / Frequency of Use
Rarely / Sometimes / Often
Collaborate with students to set norms for how students will work together and manage their own behaviors.
Establish smooth functioning of all routines by clearly identifying the students’ roles.
Hold class meetings to establish relationships and to solve problems related to behavior and academics.
Teach students how to use effective self-talk and stress-reduction approaches to manage their emotions and impulses and focus on the completion of learning tasks.
Offer choice in how students complete tasks and can comfortably suggest modifications or additions to the materials being used.
Engage students in setting goals and developing organizational skills to complete tasks.
Involve students in establishing criteria for evaluating their work and provide guidelines for students to assess their own work and make improvements.
Structure record-keeping so students can keep track of their progress and monitor their assignments.
Before beginning a lesson practice mindfulness strategies in order to calm emotions and focus attention.
Set attainable goals with students that are reachable so they can develop self-efficacy and a belief that they can be successful reaching goals.
Teach strategies for calming down and attending as needed.
Teacher practices that cultivate students’ ability to appreciate diversity, take various perspectives, feel empathy, and demonstrate respect / Frequency of Use
Rarely / Sometimes / Often
Know the unique background and needs of students and plan lessons so students learn and express their learning in a variety of ways.
Provide students with opportunities to explore a variety of perspectives on an issue, event, conflict, or decision.
Provide opportunities for students to recognize and label their emotions and the emotions of others.
Structure lessons in literature and social science that enable students to identify decisions and the effect on others.
Design lessons that are engaging, culturally relevant, conducive to critical thinking, and connected to life beyond school.
Emphasize cultural competencies in the classroom.
Display a wide range of student work that reflects the diverse learning styles and levels of all students.
Ask students what is happening in their lives beyond school.
Design learning experiences that foster empathy, such as class meetings, powerful reading and media, service-learning opportunities, etc.
Teacher practices that foster students’ ability to communicate effectively, engage socially, build relationships, work cooperatively, and resolve conflicts creatively / Frequency of Use
Rarely / Sometimes / Often
Greet students by name when they enter the class and during lessons. Encourage students to address each other by name.
Listen actively, take turns, and speak respectfully in all classroom interactions.
Use body language and nonverbal cues that communicate caring, concern, and openness.
Communicate clear expectations for learning, participation, and high- quality work, including how each student will be supported to be successful.
Organize cooperative student groups with norms of engagement to maximize learning and teamwork.
Model and reinforce respectful communication in all interactions with adults and students.
Use an approach to resolving conflicts in the classroom consistently and encourage students to use it in their daily interactions.
Encourage students to ask questions and seek help during learning tasks.
Provide opportunities for students to offer help to classmates who may need additional support on a learning task.
Teacher practices that nurture ethical behavior and decision-making / Frequency of Use
Rarely / Sometimes / Often
Model thinking skills and help students develop their own.
Model a high level of honesty, integrity, and confidentiality.
Make a concerted effort to ensure opportunities are available for all students to be successful.
Teach students to think of the consequences of their decisions for others and the environment.
Help students learn to suspend judgment and gather information before reacting to another person.
Encourage students to consider a variety of viewpoints and cultural differences when making decisions.
Provide opportunities for class discussion about ethics at an appropriate developmental level.

Instructional Practices to Enhance

Develop action steps for practices you would like to refine or begin using. Identify the area, practice, action steps, and reflection on progress.

AREA / PRACTICE / ACTION STEPS / REFLECTION

School Guide – Chapter 3 Tools – CDI Version – November 2014 Page 3

FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY