Welcome back! As you start to get your class settled after break and a few snow days, have you checked-in on your students? Now is a great time to check-in with your students’ social- emotional health and learning (SEL). 

By doing an SEL check-in with your students it will provide both you and your students with an opportunity to self-reflect on their feelings and emotions.  And of course, I have tech tools that can help you add this SEL check-in to your day seamlessly. 

How can you create digital SEL check-ins?

In a previous blog post “What’s Mine is Yours and What’s Yours is Mine” you were introduced to the concept of Virtual Make & Takes and how you can be part of a collaborative learning community. It is always a great feeling when you can walk away from a professional learning opportunity feeling good about the content and experience, but it is even better when it is able to be implemented and applied right away! January’s Virtual Make & Take will take you deeper into the world of SEL and how digital check-ins can be used to support student social-emotional learning.

Using SEL check-ins to work on CASEL competencies

The CASEL SEL framework has five core areas of competence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. “Our framework takes a systemic approach that emphasizes the importance of establishing equitable learning environments and coordinating practices across four key settings: classrooms, schools, homes, and communities.” “Casel’s SEL Framework.” CASEL, 11 Aug. 2021, https://casel.org/casel-sel-framework-11-2020/.

As highlighted in the 2021 EdTech Cheer, weekly or daily SEL check-ins elevate student voice, as well as, provide students with an opportunity to gain awareness of their emotions.  Providing an opportunity for building self-awareness can help students become comfortable with identifying their feelings and advocating for themselves when they need help or support.

If you are already using SEL Check-ins, or are unsure of the best way to use them for your grade level, check out Edutopia’s recent article “Building a Better Check-In: Carefully crafted check-ins can bring middle and high school classes closer together and improve student well-being.” by Lauren Porosoff, October 20, 2021. This short article shares seven simple ways you can improve your check-ins, including topics like varying the tone, making it culturally responsive, and building emotion-noticing into academic routines. After reading this article you could use these tips, plus the digital resources learned in January’s Virtual Make & Take to really take your check-ins to the next level.

Looking to see some specific examples?  Check out this growing slide deck of SEL check-ins!

Get started today!

Register today for the “Virtual Make & Take” (asynchronous) professional learning opportunity. After registration, you will be provided with the link to the Google Group so that you can get started learning and then making and taking!  

What other ways can I support my students emotional health?

Katie Dorband from Caledonia Community Schools said it best when she said, “Looking at MTSS, at the core, I really think its about supporting the individual needs of ALL students. I don’t think we can do that apart from supporting their emotional wellness.” Katie and other local experts recently created a short video series to help educators support emotional wellness in students. Check out these videos to learn additional ways you can support your students emotional health.

#MakeItTakeIt #EdTech #WellnessMatters #KentISDpd #WeLeadLearning

This blog post was written by Sarah Wood, Education Technology Consultant at Kent ISD, and edited by Amanda Walma, Professional Learning Coordinator and Sara Sefcik, PD Hub Intern at Kent ISD.