Reading Rockets–NEA Guide
Social-Emotional Learning During COVID-19
The coronavirus and other recent events have put an enormous strain on families nationwide. How can educators and parents support children who may be struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, fear, food insecurity, or homelessness as a result of the current crises? And how can schools address trauma related to the pandemic itself, as well as events related to racial injustice and immigration enforcement?
This project was developed in partnership with the National Education Association and Colorín Colorado.
Addressing the impacts of COVID-19 on students, families, and educators
What kind of impacts has the COVID-19 crisis had on students, their families, and their educators? How can schools and families prepare to address those impacts in the 2020-2021 school year? This collection digs into that question, as well as some ideas for addressing trauma and students’ basic needs that may be unmet during the pandemic.
Resource Collections
- CASEL Cares: COVID-19 Resources (Collaboration for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning)
- SEL and Mental Health Resources for COVID-19 (Social Emotional Learning Alliance for the U.S.)
- State-specific resources (SEL4US)
- COVID-19 Social and Emotional Learning Resources (Michigan Department of Education)
- Resources for Supporting Children’s Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic (ChildTrends)
Articles and Blog Posts
- More Than a Check-In: Maslow Before Bloom Throughout the Day (Edutopia)
- 10 SEL activities for students (eSchool News)
- Creating a District-Wide K–5 SEL Program (Edutopia)
- Teaching Social-Emotional Skills Amid COVID-19 (Education Week)
- Covid-19’s Impact on Students’ Academic and Mental Well-Being (Edutopia)
- 9 Big Questions Education Leaders Should Ask to Address Covid-19 (Edutopia)
- Educators Say Good Morning to Students—Via Video (Edutopia)
- Social-Emotional Learning Should Be Priority During COVID-19 Crisis (National Education Association)
- Practicing Self-Care: Tips for Educators (Colorín Colorado)
- Leveraging Social and Emotional Learning in the Time of COVID-19 (Learning Policy Institute):
Addressing Trauma
- A semester of trauma, sickness and death at a New York school (Hechinger Report)
- The ‘Katrina-to-Covid Class’: How the coronavirus era affects New Orleans students more acutely (Hechinger Report)
- COVID-19 Resources: Childhood Trauma (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
- A Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching Through Coronavirus (Teaching Tolerance)
- How to Keep Children’s Stress from Turning into Trauma (The New York Times)
- Ideas to power next school year in NYC: How to confront trauma and foster healing (Chalkbeat)
- Supporting Immigrant Families: Addressing Trauma and Anxiety (Colorín Colorado)
Addressing Students’ Basic Needs
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Insecurity (Feeding America)
- How COVID-19 Spread in a DC Apartment Building (The Washington Post)
- 10 Things to Know About Homeless Students Amid the COVID-19 Crisis (Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness)
- COVID-19 and Homelessness: Strategies for Schools, Early Childhood Programs, and Higher Education Institutions (SchoolHouse Connection)
- Resources for Families During COVID-19 (Children’s Defense Fund)
- Communities of Color at Higher Risk for Health and Economic Challenges Due to COVID-19 (Kaiser Family Foundation)
- Supporting Immigrant Families During COVID-19: Food Security, Medical Care, and More (Colorín Colorado)
Resources for Families
- COVID-19 virtual learning and education: Social and emotional learning (American Psychological Association)
- Coronavirus and Helping Kids: FAQs on Handwashing, Anxiety, and More (Understood)
- How to Talk to Your Kids About the Coronavirus (HealthLine)
- Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource (National Association of School Psychologists)
- What To Say To Kids When The News Is Scary (NPR)
- COVID-19 Resources: Mental Health, Staying Safe, and More (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Public Media Resources
- How to Talk to Your Kids About the Coronavirus | Also in Spanish (PBS Parents)
- Resources from Families During COVID-19 | Also in Spanish (Fred Rogers Company)
- Sesame Street in Communities: Health Emergencies | Also in Spanish (Sesame Street)
- Caring for Each Other: Activities, Videos, and More for Kid (Sesame Street)
- Sesame Street and CNN Town Hall: The ABCs of COVID-19
SEL strategies for distance learning
What are some strategies that educators can use to support students’ social-emotional learning remotely? These resources and tips offer a wide range of ideas for different ages.
Resource Collections
- COVID-19: Evidence-Based Practices (DOEd Regional Education Laboratories)
- SEL and Distance Learning (CASEL)
- SEL: Educator Toolkit (Common Sense Media)
- 5 Tips for Supporting Students Socially and Emotionally During Distance Learning (Understood)
- Free SEL Resources for Schools (THE Journal)
- Virtual Calming Room: Videos, Music, Visual Relaxation and More (Osseo Area Schools, MN)
- How to Develop Culturally Responsive Teaching for Distance Learning (KQED)
Edutopia
- Using Morning Messages to Start the Day in Distance Learning
- Educators Say Good Morning to Students—Via Video
- 7 Ways to Maintain Relationships During Your School Closure
- 4 Strategies to Help Students Feel Calm During Distance Learning
- 3 Ways to Reduce Stress and Build Connections During Distance Learning
- Emphasizing the Importance of Play During Distance Learning
- Helping Students Process Their Feelings During Remote Learning
- SEL Strategies from Edutopia
SEL resources on equity and racism
What does social-emotional learning look like when it’s culturally responsive? And how can it help foster equity in school settings? Learn more from these resources.
- SEL as a Lever for Equity (CASEL)
- Making SEL Culturally Relevant (Edutopia)
- Exploring Diversity through SEL (Teaching Tolerance)
- Talking About Racism: Being Sensitive to Students’ Trauma (Colorín Colorado)
- Parent Resources: Talking About Race and Racism (Colorín Colorado)
