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Resources
Below, you’ll find resources to help design and implement a professional learning program for schools.
See how districts have strategized and planned to implement professional learning
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Readiness Considerations for Schoolwide SEL This reflection tool outlines readiness considerations that could benefit a school community embarking on the process of building a schoolwide SEL effort, and can be useful to district leaders preparing to guide a cohort of schools with SEL implementation. Many of these readiness factors can be reinforced over time and/or built while the school community works towards systemic SEL. SOURCE: CASEL |
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SEL Action Guide – District Professional Learning Offerings This example from a school division in southeastern Virginia shows how they planned and provided professional learning for all district staff to strengthen understanding and investment, and later build skills, collaborate, and apply SEL in their context. The original version of this document included links for their staff to sign up for in-person learning or experience an online module. |
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Districts in Action – Strengthen Adult SEL Competencies and Capacity This brief spotlights three different approaches to adult SEL from SEL leaders in school districts in Olympia, Buffalo, and Des Moines. Visit https://casel.org/series/sel-fellows-briefs/ for more briefs from SEL Fellows. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Playbook to Leverage the Power of Communities of Practice Developed with state policy teams, this resource is designed to support anyone who is working to build a community of practice across multiple schools or districts. Describes 6 steps for building a high quality CoP with tools and examples for each step. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Supporting Implementation of Evidence-Based Programs in El Paso and Oakland In this webinar you will hear from El Paso Independent School District and Oakland Unified School District on their process to support meaningful implementation of SEL programs in their communities. Hear about their lessons learned, what worked well, and the strategies they employed to improve the adult and student experiences of programs. SOURCE: CASEL |
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District SEL Best Practices: Cultivating Shared Leadership for Schoolwide SEL A district SEL leader from Austin, TX describes their leadership structure and approach to supporting SEL implementation through district SEL specialists who provide coaching and training for cohorts of school-based SEL leaders who in turn work with an SEL steering committee that is representative of the broader school community. This model has been shown to significantly improve implementation. SOURCE: Austin Independent School District |
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SEL Implementation and Sustainability Process: Anchorage’s Secondary & Elementary Support Class 1 page summary of Anchorage's 3 hour course for school teams which included content on adult SEL, using the CASEL School Guide, and team planning time. SOURCE: Anchorage Public Schools |
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Districtwide Professional Learning Audit This is an example of a third-party audit of a district's SEL professional learning offerings and practices, shared by Sacramento City. This level of analysis may be a helpful model for districts in which SEL work is distributed across many departments. SOURCE: Sacramento City Unified School District |
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Find ready-to-use tools
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Team Retreats: Centering SEL as You Plan, Facilitate, and Debrief Use this tool as you plan a half-day to multi-day retreat for your team, to integrate SEL into the way you design the agenda, share opportunities for leadership among team members, facilitate activities, and set up discussions for the team to make meaning of what they have learned and accomplished. SOURCE: CASEL |
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An Introduction to SEL online course CASEL's free, one-hour, virtual learning experience includes reflection prompts, videos, and application activities to introduce SEL to staff members, caregivers, community partners, or anyone interested in SEL. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Plan SEL Foundational Learning for your School District This tool can help SEL leaders prepare a broad plan to provide learning experiences for all stakeholders in the school district community, and access resources to support foundational learning about SEL. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Playbook to Leverage the Power of Communities of Practice Developed with state policy teams, this resource is designed to support anyone who is working to build a community of practice across multiple schools or districts. Describes 6 steps for building a high quality CoP with tools and examples for each step. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Guiding Questions for Educators: Promoting Equity Using SEL in your School When social and emotional learning (SEL) is implemented with a culturally responsive lens, educators can use SEL to cultivate equitable learning opportunities, responsive relationships, and inclusive practices. This resources features reflection questions for school-level educators to explore the CASEL core competencies through an equity lens. See also: Guiding Questions for Educators: Promote Equity Using SEL in your District SOURCE: CASEL |
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SEL 101: What are the core competencies and key settings? (video) How can you bring social and emotional learning to your community? CASEL's framework for social and emotional learning (SEL) takes a systemic approach, identifying five core competence areas and four key settings. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Group Reflection Protocol for SEL: Discussing the Core Competencies and Where They Are Promoted This reflection protocol can help you facilitate a discussion on the updated SEL framework in small or large groups. The prompts allow you to think about what CASEL’s updated SEL framework means for implementation efforts in your school, district, or other setting. SOURCE: CASEL |
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This list contains links to videos that can be used to introduce SEL, strengthen commitment, and discuss key topics with stakeholder groups. Videos are arranged by category and length. SOURCE: CASEL |
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These eleven vignette-style case studies share how educators may embed SEL into instruction and other interactions with students. The included reflection guide makes this a ready-to-use tool for individual, small, or large group professional learning. SOURCE: Transforming Education |
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A series of video modules for use in PLCs, staff meetings, professional learning, or individual reflection. Contains suggested activities and practices to support educators in their well-being, emotional state, and stress while supporting students. SOURCE: Transforming Education |
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Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain discussion guide This discussion facilitator's guide, ideal for use with a small book study group, provides opening activities, discussion questions, and bridge activities for each chapter of Zaretta Hammond's book Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. Through reflection, collaboration, and continuous improvement strategies, this guide provides an opportunity for staff to interrogate their own instructional practice to find ways to be responsive to students' culture and identities. |
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Michigan’s Free Online SEL Training The Michigan Department of Education in partnership with Michigan Virtual offers 5 self-paced courses (available to all but credit awarded only to MDE certificate holders) including an introduction to SEL, culturally responsive classrooms, embedding SEL schoolwide, creating professional culture based on SEL, and trauma-informed support. SOURCE: Michigan DOE |
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SEL 3 Signature Practices introductory video – Classroom version Video describing the SEL 3 Signature Practices (welcoming inclusion activity, engaging practices, and optimistic closure) and how to use them in a classroom setting. SOURCE: CASEL |
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What is Social and Emotional Learning? (video) From CASEL and school district leadership, this video conceptualizes social and emotional learning and describes what it looks, feels and sounds like in educational spaces. SOURCE: CASEL |
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SEL 3 Signature Practices Playbook The SEL 3 Signature Practices Playbook has been updated and is now online! It includes a growing library of sample practices, supporting research, examples from the field, and templates to help you incorporate the practices skillfully into your context. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Responsible Decision Making (video) CASEL and the Montgomery County Educational Service Center collaborated on this video to describe the competency of responsible decision making. Children can make responsible decisions by developing the ability to analyze a situation, understand its ethical implications, and evaluate the consequences. Parents and educators can help students learn to think through all parts of a problem and encourage them to make decisions on their own. SOURCE: CASEL and the Montgomery County ESC |
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CASEL and the Montgomery County Educational Service Center collaborated on this video to describe the competency of relationship skills. Communication, cooperation and the ability to successfully resolve conflicts are key to successful relationships. Educators can help students develop these skills by working together in groups and discussing roles. Parents can support their children by spending time with them and encouraging communication. SOURCE: CASEL and the Montgomery County ESC |
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CASEL and the Montgomery County Educational Service Center collaborated on this video to describe the competency of social awareness. Children can develop social awareness and learn empathy by putting themselves in another's shoes. Tips for parents include helping children to recognize emotions, appreciate diversity and show respect for others. SOURCE: CASEL and the Montgomery County ESC |
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CASEL and the Montgomery County Educational Service Center collaborated on this video to describe the competency of self management. Students can learn to manage their feelings and turn them into positive actions. Adults can help by creating a calm and regulated environment, showing how to manage impulses, and discussing ways to resolve conflicts. SOURCE: CASEL and the Montgomery County ESC |
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CASEL and the Montgomery County Educational Service Center collaborated on this video to describe the competency of self-awareness. Parents can help children develop self awareness by being honest about their own emotions. Educators can help by teaching the vocabulary of emotions, modeling behavior, and supporting students as they grow in self-awareness. SOURCE: CASEL and the Montgomery County ESC |
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Marcus Garvey Elementary: Exemplary Supportive School Chicago Public Schools recognizes schools for systemic SEL implementation through a Supportive Schools Certification process. Marcus Garvey Elementary is one of the schools that has earned the highest certification level, and this video illustrates the ways SEL has been integrated into systems and practices. SOURCE: Chicago Public Schools |
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Planning Engaging, SEL-Infused Professional Learning CASEL has shared this planning template with breakout session presenters at CASEL-coordinated events to ensure that presentations are objective driven, evidence-based, action-oriented, and use techniques that activate social and emotional skills. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Cross-District Visit Observation Tool (Sacramento) This observation tool was used at CASEL's 2019 Cross District Learning Event in Sacramento. It highlights the intersections of SEL and equity goals in Sacramento City Unified School District. SOURCE: Sacramento City Unified School District |
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Cross-District Visit Observation Tool (Chicago) This observation tool was used at CASEL's 2018 Cross District Learning Event in Chicago. It highlights the 4 domains of Chicago's School Climate Standards. SOURCE: Chicago Public Schools |
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Recommended Readings for Staff Recommended Readings for staff development. Topics include Introducing the Importance of SEL, SEL and Equity, SEL and Academic Integration, Restorative Practices, Adult SEL, and Partnering with Families for SEL. |
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The Tennessee DOE's training modules include powerpoint presentations, facilitator guides, and handouts on student-centered discipline, teacher language, cooperative learning, classroom discussions, and balanced instruction. SOURCE: Tennessee DOE |
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Washington’s SEL Online Education Modules Washington's 5 online modules for educators (intro, embedding SEL schoolwide, adult professional culture, culturally responsive classroom integration, and selecting evidence-based programs). Free registration required. SOURCE: Washington DOE |
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What does SEL look like in elementary, middle, and high school? This curated list of articles and videos illustrate what SEL looks like in elementary, middle, and high school settings. Explore these links to deepen your knowledge and find grade-differentiated resources for professional learning and planning. SOURCE: CASEL |
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SEL 3 Signature Practices introductory video – Adult SEL Video describing the SEL 3 signature practices (welcoming inclusion activity, engaging practices, and optimistic closure) and how to use them in settings with adults, such as a meeting or professional learning. SOURCE: CASEL |
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SEL Learning Walk Protocol – Anchorage Anchorage's protocol for preparing and facilitating learning walks, well suited for districts that are organizing cross-campus visits to exemplary classrooms. SOURCE: Anchorage Public Schools |
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Professional Development Concise Feedback Form Sample closing activity to debrief professional learning and gather feedback, following the "3-2-1" format. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Planning Professional Learning for Evidence-Based Programs This tool from CASEL's Guide to Schoolwide SEL helps a team answer important questions, assign tasks, and set a timeline to provide initial training and ongoing support for any evidence-based SEL program. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Two Part Debriefing Strategy for Reflection and Application Guidance for SEL presenters to have participants process their reaction to a learning experience and apply it to their work. SOURCE: CASEL |
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AIR’s Social and Emotional Learning Coaching Toolkit A toolkit for instructional coaches, administrators, and district leaders to support teachers in integrating SEL into daily practices, through planning, observation and feedback. SOURCE: AIR |
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SEL Learning Walk Observation Tool – Anchorage Anchorage's handout for observers to take notes after visiting a classroom during a Learning Walk. SOURCE: Anchorage Public Schools |
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Find presentation templates that you can adapt and use
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Team Retreats: Centering SEL as You Plan, Facilitate, and Debrief Use this tool as you plan a half-day to multi-day retreat for your team, to integrate SEL into the way you design the agenda, share opportunities for leadership among team members, facilitate activities, and set up discussions for the team to make meaning of what they have learned and accomplished. SOURCE: CASEL |
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A series of video modules for use in PLCs, staff meetings, professional learning, or individual reflection. Contains suggested activities and practices to support educators in their well-being, emotional state, and stress while supporting students. SOURCE: Transforming Education |
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How to Facilitate Professional Learning That Results in Action Using SEL Principles (Session 1) Professional learning session for facilitators of PD, to learn how to integrate SEL concepts into learning experiences in objective-driven ways. Part 1 of 2 sessions. SOURCE: Washoe County School District |
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This presentation, originally for the instructional coaching team in El Paso, primarily focuses on creating community among coaches, listening skills, and ways to respond during a coaching session. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Sample Schoolwide SEL 101 Presentation This presentation can be adapted and used to introduce SEL to staff, families, and community partners. It gives an overview of what is SEL, why it’s important, and the process for schoolwide SEL. Talking points and activity instructions are provided in the notes section. Also available in Spanish. SOURCE: CASEL |
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See artifacts shared by districts and schools
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DRC Documents |
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SEL Action Guide – District Professional Learning Offerings This example from a school division in southeastern Virginia shows how they planned and provided professional learning for all district staff to strengthen understanding and investment, and later build skills, collaborate, and apply SEL in their context. The original version of this document included links for their staff to sign up for in-person learning or experience an online module. |
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Districts in Action – Strengthen Adult SEL Competencies and Capacity This brief spotlights three different approaches to adult SEL from SEL leaders in school districts in Olympia, Buffalo, and Des Moines. Visit https://casel.org/series/sel-fellows-briefs/ for more briefs from SEL Fellows. SOURCE: CASEL |
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Campus Visits and Learning Walk Protocols (Austin) Guidelines for SEL coaches when they conduct supportive visits and a protocol for Learning Walks, shared with visitors and campuses so they know what to expect and what support is available to them. SOURCE: Austin Independent School District |
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SEL Professional Learning Conference – Nashville Program packet from Nashville's annual SEL conference, including conference agenda, workshop descriptions, presenter bios, and sponsor information. SOURCE: Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools |
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Standards and Assessment Working Group Exit Ticket Sample questions about ways schools are measuring SEL progress and areas of priority. Could be used as an exit ticket or anticipation guide for a larger event. SOURCE: Sacramento City Unified School District |
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Find resources to help you learn more on this topic
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DRC Documents |
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Preparing Teachers to Support Social and Emotional Learning This case study of a university-school partnership offers information on how preservice and in-service teacher training can support SEL implementation and integration with teaching practices. Includes a helpful infographic on classroom practices that promote SEL, and implications for teacher training, schools, and policymakers. SOURCE: Learning Policy Institute |
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CASEL staff presented this webinar in collaboration with NAESP to share recommendations for how principals can coordinate and build upon SEL practices and programs to create an environment that infuses SEL into every part of students’ educational experience and promotes equitable outcomes. SOURCE: National Association of Elementary School Principals |
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12 Strategies for SEL Facilitation A short article with clear strategies for facilitating effective SEL professional learning, followed by a guide to lead an engaging activity around the article with a group of facilitators. SOURCE: CASEL |
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