Blog Posts Archive - CASEL https://casel.org/blog/ Social and Emotional Learning Exchange Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:16:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 248267464 New Data: Academic Performance and Social & Emotional Learning https://casel.org/blog/new-data-academic-performance-and-social-emotional-learning/ https://casel.org/blog/new-data-academic-performance-and-social-emotional-learning/#respond Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:51:01 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=82194 Key Points Back to top Imagine a sixth grader in science class dissecting a frog for the first time. The teacher has paired them with someone they haven’t worked with before. They’re learning science, yes, but what else? While working with their lab partner, they’re practicing relationship skills as they communicate about taking turns, the […]

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]]> 0 82194 National SEL Week 2026: Students Speak Up! https://casel.org/blog/national-sel-week-2026-students-speak-up/ https://casel.org/blog/national-sel-week-2026-students-speak-up/#respond Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:47:11 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=82131 National SEL Week is a “SEL”ebration of social and emotional learning in every community in the United States—and this year, we were thrilled to welcome students from Fairfax County’s (Va.) Justice High School into the conversation. They joined us on Capitol Hill to talk to legislative staff about the importance of social and emotional learning […]

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]]> 0 82131 Looking Back on National SEL Week 2026: Skills for Community, Skills for Career https://casel.org/blog/looking-back-on-national-sel-week-2026-skills-for-community-skills-for-career/ https://casel.org/blog/looking-back-on-national-sel-week-2026-skills-for-community-skills-for-career/#respond Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:45:50 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=82115 National SEL week is a “SEL”ebration of social and emotional learning in every community in the United States—and this year was no different! From the kickoff on International SEL Day (Monday, March 2) through events all week long, CASEL worked to spread the word about social and emotional learning, showcasing this year’s theme, Skills for […]

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]]> 0 82115 National SEL Week 2026 Capitol Hill Briefing: SEL & Future Readiness https://casel.org/blog/national-sel-week-2026-capitol-hill-briefing-sel-future-readiness/ https://casel.org/blog/national-sel-week-2026-capitol-hill-briefing-sel-future-readiness/#respond Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:41:43 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=82132 Key Points Back to top National SEL Week 2026 began with a trip to the Hill, where CASEL staff visited the offices of 25 senators and representatives to discuss the importance of social and emotional learning. During that visit, we were joined on the Hill by a panel of experts for a congressional briefing that […]

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]]> 0 82132 Highlights and Insights From the 2026 Exchange https://casel.org/blog/highlights-and-insights-from-the-2026-exchange/ https://casel.org/blog/highlights-and-insights-from-the-2026-exchange/#comments Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:11:28 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=82108 Key Points Back to top At this year’s Exchange, we got a glimpse of the future as we explored the theme “Blueprints for Tomorrow: Designing the Next Era of Learning.”  And what a future we envisioned! Experts from all over the world came to share their insights about social and emotional learning and its connection […]

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]]> 1 82108 State of the SEL Field 2026: Human Skills for a Changing World https://casel.org/blog/state-of-the-sel-field-2026-human-skills-for-a-changing-world/ https://casel.org/blog/state-of-the-sel-field-2026-human-skills-for-a-changing-world/#respond Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:05:43 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=82090 It’s impossible to know what tomorrow will bring, but there are foundational skills everyone needs to grow, thrive, and deal with whatever life brings. We call them human skills, and you rely on them every day as do our students! In the 2026 State of the Field webinar, Dr. Aaliyah A. Samuel and Dr. Timothy […]

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]]> 0 82090 2025 Year in Review: Taking a Stand for Social and Emotional Learning https://casel.org/blog/2025-year-in-review-taking-a-stand-for-social-and-emotional-learning/ Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:35:40 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81990 Social and emotional learning (SEL) is here to stay! That was our guiding principle during 2025, from our State of the Field webinar in January (Skills That Last, Impact That Endures), to our efforts to deepen knowledge about SEL through our innovative research, to our collaborations with leaders, policymakers, educators, students, and families. Our work […]

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]]> 81990 4 Ways to Make Your Case for Adult Social and Emotional Learning https://casel.org/blog/4-ways-to-make-your-case-for-adult-social-and-emotional-learning/ https://casel.org/blog/4-ways-to-make-your-case-for-adult-social-and-emotional-learning/#respond Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81944 Key Points Back to top Picture this: Your teachers and afterschool staff are struggling to manage challenging behaviors, student anxiety is at an all-time high, and academic performance is suffering. You know incorporating social and emotional learning (SEL) practices into your daily routine could make a difference, but when you bring up professional development, the […]

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]]> 0 81944 Top 3 Reasons to Log On to the Virtual Exchange https://casel.org/blog/top-3-reasons-to-log-on-to-the-virtual-exchange/ https://casel.org/blog/top-3-reasons-to-log-on-to-the-virtual-exchange/#respond Tue, 02 Dec 2025 16:05:30 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81950 We can hardly wait for the Virtual Exchange, February 18 & 19, where we’ll explore the theme: Blueprints for Tomorrow: Designing the Next Era of Learning. Register now! Speaking of the future, here’s our prediction of the top 3 reasons you’ll want to join us:  1. The Future is NOW! Back to top Our world is changing fast, but our desire to […]

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]]> 0 81950 Emotional Intelligence, Education, and the Courage to Keep Going https://casel.org/blog/emotional-intelligence-education-and-the-courage-to-keep-going/ https://casel.org/blog/emotional-intelligence-education-and-the-courage-to-keep-going/#respond Thu, 20 Nov 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81938 Key Points Back to top We’re excited to share these comments from an educator who was inspired by her experience of CASEL’s webinar Wired for Connection: Reimagining Engagement in a Digital World. This free online event served as a “kickoff” and sneak peek to our upcoming virtual Exchange, coming February 18-19, 2026. Thank you to […]

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]]> 0 81938 Letting Students Lead the Way: Elementary Students Use SEL Data to Drive Change https://casel.org/blog/letting-students-lead-the-way-elementary-students-use-sel-data-to-drive-change/ https://casel.org/blog/letting-students-lead-the-way-elementary-students-use-sel-data-to-drive-change/#comments Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81926 Key Points Back to top At Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary (SCG) in Santa Cruz, California, social and emotional learning (SEL) isn’t something done to students; it’s something done with them. Last year, our 4th- and 5th-grade student leaders took charge of analyzing our school’s SEL data, setting goals, and implementing change. The process not only […]

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]]> 1 81926 Exchange Keynote—Wired for Connection: The Impact of the Teacher-Student Relationship on Student Well-Being https://casel.org/blog/exchange-keynote-wired-for-connection-the-impact-of-the-teacher-student-relationship-on-student-well-being/ Fri, 14 Nov 2025 20:14:57 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81931 Key Points Back to top This year, the Exchange is going virtual! To ensure the many opportunities to learn and connect afforded by the Exchange are available to all, we’ve shifted to an online format, which will be presented February 18-19, 2026. We recently offered this free webinar featuring our planned Exchange keynote speaker, Dr. […]

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]]> 81931 From Burnout to Breakthrough:  Cultivating Mindfulness and Self-Awareness in a High-Need School https://casel.org/blog/from-burnout-to-breakthrough-cultivating-mindfulness-and-self-awareness-in-a-high-need-school/ https://casel.org/blog/from-burnout-to-breakthrough-cultivating-mindfulness-and-self-awareness-in-a-high-need-school/#comments Wed, 12 Nov 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81923 Key Points Back to top At Northaven Elementary, a Title I school in Memphis, we serve a resilient community. Many students face food insecurity, unstable housing, and trauma. Our dedicated educators carry the weight of academic expectations and emotional support. For a while, it felt like we were all running on empty. But something shifted. […]

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]]> 1 81923 Math + Social and Emotional Learning = Student Success https://casel.org/blog/math-social-and-emotional-learning-student-success/ https://casel.org/blog/math-social-and-emotional-learning-student-success/#respond Wed, 05 Nov 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81743 Key Points Back to top Imagine you walk into an eighth-grade math classroom.  You see the teacher at the front, leading an algebra lesson. A handful of students actively participate. Their hands are frequently in the air, asking questions, offering solutions, and engaging with other students’ comments. Others follow along, paying attention but passive. A […]

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]]> 0 81743 SEL Can Help Learners Chart Their Ways Through an Uncertain Decade https://casel.org/blog/exchange-sneak-peek-sel-can-help-learners-chart-their-ways-through-an-uncertain-decade/ https://casel.org/blog/exchange-sneak-peek-sel-can-help-learners-chart-their-ways-through-an-uncertain-decade/#respond Wed, 29 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81468 As the education landscape undergoes profound transformation, social and emotional learning (SEL) stands at a pivotal crossroads. Educators need to evolve in response to the sweeping forces shaping the next decade of K-12 education while also providing a critical foundation for young people as they navigate an especially uncertain future. People in the U.S. are […]

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]]> 0 81468 The SEL Paradox in Middle School: What Every Educator Needs to Know https://casel.org/blog/exchange-sneak-peek-the-sel-paradox-in-middle-school-what-every-educator-needs-to-know/ https://casel.org/blog/exchange-sneak-peek-the-sel-paradox-in-middle-school-what-every-educator-needs-to-know/#respond Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81612 Think back to who you were in middle school. Does that memory make you glow with feelings of accomplishment or cringe with discomfort? For many of us, the answer is the latter. And yet, the middle school years are filled with positive opportunities for change, growth, discovery, and development. Those of us focused on social […]

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]]> 0 81612 Emotion Regulation: The Missing Key to Future Readiness—From Classrooms to Careers https://casel.org/blog/emotion-regulation-the-missing-key-to-future-readiness-from-classrooms-to-careers/ https://casel.org/blog/emotion-regulation-the-missing-key-to-future-readiness-from-classrooms-to-careers/#respond Fri, 17 Oct 2025 18:01:46 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81727 Key Points Back to top “At the heart of social and emotional learning and development is emotional regulation, also known as self-management in the CASEL framework. It’s the foundational skill topping educators list of urgent classroom concerns.” Dr. Aaliyah A. Samuel, CASEL President and CEO, highlights this skill in her introduction to Emotion Regulation: The […]

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]]> 0 81727 5 Simple Ways to Weave Social and Emotional Learning Into Your Busy School Day https://casel.org/blog/5-simple-ways-to-weave-social-and-emotional-learning-into-your-busy-school-day/ https://casel.org/blog/5-simple-ways-to-weave-social-and-emotional-learning-into-your-busy-school-day/#respond Wed, 15 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81640 Photo Credit: Drazen Zigic on FreePik Key Points Back to top Every educator I know feels it—the weight of knowing their students are struggling emotionally while feeling completely overwhelmed about how to help. The data confirms what we’re seeing today: Over 80 percent of public schools report that the pandemic negatively impacted student behavior and […]

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]]> 0 81640 Supporting Teachers’ and Children’s Social-Emotional Competencies Using the ‘Lenses for Children and Families Tool’ https://casel.org/blog/supporting-teachers-and-childrens-social-emotional-competencies-using-the-lenses-for-children-and-families-tool/ https://casel.org/blog/supporting-teachers-and-childrens-social-emotional-competencies-using-the-lenses-for-children-and-families-tool/#respond Wed, 08 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81629 Key Points Back to top This blog post was coauthored by Ann Partee, Ann Lhospital, Sarah Hammond, Amanda Williford, and Jason Downer of the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, part of University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development. Gabriela sits down with her class for their daily circle time. The […]

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]]> 0 81629 Co-Authoring School Policy for AI: How to Use SEL to Navigate Digital Citizenship https://casel.org/blog/co-authoring-school-policy-for-ai-how-to-use-sel-to-navigate-digital-citizenship/ https://casel.org/blog/co-authoring-school-policy-for-ai-how-to-use-sel-to-navigate-digital-citizenship/#respond Wed, 01 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81606 “I spent two hours rewriting my essay because the AI-checker software kept flagging it as AI-written, even though it’s my 100 percent original work. Can I still submit or should I keep rephrasing?” That’s what my student asked, concerned about being falsely accused of using generative AI. Her experience mirrored the overwhelming challenges our K-12 […]

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]]> 0 81606 From Wiggly to Wise: How Morning Meetings Build Self-Aware Kids https://casel.org/blog/from-wiggly-to-wise-how-morning-meetings-build-self-aware-kids/ https://casel.org/blog/from-wiggly-to-wise-how-morning-meetings-build-self-aware-kids/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:55:01 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81479 Key Points Back to top The beginning of my third year of teaching Kindergarten brought me a challenge I’ll never forget—a student who had 47 tantrums in one day. These outbursts, triggered by impatience or not being called on, could last from 2 to 30 minutes. I tried strategies like breathing exercises, calm activities, and […]

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]]> 1 81479 5 Powerful New Studies on Teacher Competence, Preparation, and Adult SEL From the SEL Journal https://casel.org/blog/5-powerful-new-studies-on-teacher-competence-preparation-and-adult-sel-from-the-sel-journal/ https://casel.org/blog/5-powerful-new-studies-on-teacher-competence-preparation-and-adult-sel-from-the-sel-journal/#respond Mon, 15 Sep 2025 21:19:36 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81506 Key Points Back to top Article 1: Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of state legislation related to SEL, gender and sexuality, race and racism, and firearms at school Back to top Key Takeaways: Braun, S. S., & Hooper, A. L. (2025). Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of state legislation related to SEL, gender and sexuality, race and racism, and […]

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]]> 0 81506 Social and Emotional Learning in Kenya: Viewing Classrooms Through the Educators’ Lens https://casel.org/blog/social-and-emotional-learning-in-kenya-viewing-classrooms-through-the-educators-lens/ https://casel.org/blog/social-and-emotional-learning-in-kenya-viewing-classrooms-through-the-educators-lens/#respond Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:29:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81482 Key Points Back to top In July 2025, more than 100 junior high school teachers from across Kenya came together for a transformative professional development centered on social and emotional learning (SEL) through a uniquely Kenyan perspective. For those of us who have attended, it was more than another workshop. It was a call to […]

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]]> 0 81482 Rebuilding Our Community Through SEL: The Little Moments That Matter https://casel.org/blog/rebuilding-our-community-through-sel-the-little-moments-that-matter/ https://casel.org/blog/rebuilding-our-community-through-sel-the-little-moments-that-matter/#respond Wed, 03 Sep 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81456 Key Points Back to top My small Northern California community has faced unimaginable challenges—from the Camp Fire and Carr Fire to COVID-19 and the recent Park Fire. As both an English teacher and activities director, I’ve seen how these events have deeply impacted our students and staff—academically, emotionally, and culturally. The need for connection, support, […]

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]]> 0 81456 Shaping the Future of SEL for Children With Special Educational Needs and Disabilities https://casel.org/blog/shaping-the-future-of-sel-for-children-with-special-educational-needs-and-disabilities/ https://casel.org/blog/shaping-the-future-of-sel-for-children-with-special-educational-needs-and-disabilities/#respond Wed, 27 Aug 2025 21:48:17 +0000 https://casel.org/?post_type=blogposts&p=81432 Key Points Back to top Education is rooted in the idea that all children must have the tools to thrive. This is no different for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). For these students, SEL can be transformative. Across the globe, educators, therapists, and programme developers are breaking barriers, ensuring that children who […]

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