Teachers Benefit from Social Emotional Learning, Too!
You probably know how students can benefit from social emotional learning. But did you know that practicing and implementing SEL actually has major benefits for teachers, too?
Makes total sense, too. If you’re teaching social emotional learning topics you’re immersing yourself in content that empowers students. That rich information can also enrich your life too.
Let’s dive deeper into the SEL benefits for educators. As you implement social emotional learning in your classroom you can implement these ideas for yourself and reap the benefits too.
SEL Improves Teacher Self-Care
Let’s start with self-care. The phrase, “take care of yourself so you can take care of others” is so true. You’re more effective teaching students when you’re feeling grounded with things in your life.
And yet, life happens. We get busy and put off taking care of ourselves. When we face deadlines or a busy schedule it’s easier to plow through that instead of slowing down to take care of ourselves.
Sometimes self-care feels like it’s just another thing to add to the “to-do” list. Not with social emotional learning! Understanding SEL concepts can help care for yourself in ways beyond a spa day.
How so?
When you teach SEL lessons you might cover topics like managing stress, healthy ways to handle emotions, or making smart choices. These are all forms of self-care! It’s time to practice what we preach! It’s not so much about going to the spa or going for a run. Social emotional learning self-care is more about doing things for yourself in the moment – being mindful of what your mind, body, and spirit need and catering to it.
As you prepare your SEL lessons don’t forget to apply this information to your life to improve your self-care. Here are some tips to do just that
Apply it!
- Self-awareness: Understand your triggers paired with emotions, identify your needs and limits, practice self-compassion, know your strengths and weaknesses
- Self-management: Practice calming techniques like deep breathing when stressed, set healthy boundaries, use “I statements” when expressing emotions, be open to growth and learning from experiences, break big tasks into smaller steps, pause and look for something that brings joy around you
- Social Awareness: Understand how your actions and words affect others, observe other’s actions and reactions to you, be open minded towards others
- Relationship Skills: Practice active listening, be empathetic, communicate cooperatively
- Responsible Decision Making: Make decisions that are best for you, weigh pros and cons, give yourself time to make an informed decision
When you use these SEL practices in your own life and in the classroom you improve your self-care. These concepts improve your mindset, relationships, and communication so you feel nurtured and supported. But go ahead and treat yourself to that spa day, too!
Let’s take a look at a MAJOR reason to welcome SEL into your life:
Social Emotional Learning Prevents Teacher Burnout
Burnout is an outcome far many teachers experience. Some of the main reasons for teacher burnout include stress, poor self-care, challenging classroom behaviors and lack of support.
Social emotional learning can help remedy many of these issues to prevent teacher burnout.
As noted above SEL is a great stress reducer and great way to increase self-care. When teachers practice self-awareness, they are more aware of their emotions, stress levels, and even specific triggers. Add in self-management, and now you’re able to manage those big emotions and stressors.
Social emotional learning also handles issues teachers face in the classroom. Research has shown SEL in the classroom improves student behavior and distress. It also creates positive classroom interactions and academic performance. When teachers have these things happening in their classroom the learning environment is much more enjoyable. This in-turn lessens burnout.
Now, let’s talk about support. When used school wide, SEL creates a nurturing teaching culture shared amongst colleagues. Teachers also get positive support from outside the classroom, like from parents, when students have a positive experience within. SEL can transform the whole school community.
What are some things teachers can do to prevent burnout with social-emotional learning?
Apply it!
- Practice stress-management using SEL techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, etc. Check out this article on helpful stress reducing tips using mindfulness.
- Make self-care a priority. Remember – sometimes self care can be as simple as a quick breathing exercise or a quiet break to refocus.
- Promote a positive learning environment with class using SEL concepts.
- Create a support system with colleagues. Encourage your school to adapt SEL practices as a whole community.
- Participate in professional development that focuses on SEL. The more you learn about SEL, the more it becomes a part of your daily life, which leads to heightened social and emotional skills.
SEL Builds Teacher-Student Relationships
Interpersonal communication and creating connections with others is at the heart of social emotional learning. Teaching these skills to students naturally helps them improve their social skills with others. It also helps teachers build relationships with students.
Communication and relationships is a two-way street. As students grow in how to talk with others teachers can forge relationships with their class right along with them.
What do teachers gain from healthy relationships with students? It starts with rapport, which creates trust and respect with one another. When a teacher has that with their students the class more than likely displays things like respect, favorable behaviors, willingness to listen and seek out help from the teacher.
In turn, teachers gain a better understanding of their students and know how to best work with them. This goes a long way in supporting students or preventing problems because it allows educators to gain insight into how to effectively meet student’s needs.
In addition, practicing SEL strategies such as mindfulness increases a teacher’s patience and awareness when dealing with distracting behaviors.
So, how can you use SEL to build relationships with your class?
Apply it!
- Do regular rapport building activities like ice breakers or get-to-know you conversation starters
- Schedule regular check-ins with students
- Incorporate team building exercises with class and be an active participant with them
- Have regular non-academic turn and talk sessions – join in the conversation.
- Hold occasional lunch bunches where students can enjoy lunch with you!
Social Emotional Learning Equips Teachers to Manage Classrooms
I have always loved this quote. “When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it’s our job to share our calm, not join their chaos.” Social emotional learning helps us to just that!
SEL has a positive impact on students in many areas. Things like self-efficacy, attitudes, ability to learn and social interactions become more positive for learners. These things also contribute to behaviors and the overall flow in a classroom too. When kids are having a positive experience with themselves and others, the classroom becomes manageable, too. Research has shown that conduct improves, distress decreases and attendance increases when social-emotional learning is part of the curriculum.
Teachers benefit from this because they can focus more attention on teaching and supporting students with learning rather than dealing with behavioral problems. Stress levels are lower because teachers aren’t pulled in a million directions. Teachers feel that they are having a positive impact on their students, which is a rewarding experience, rather than feeling like nothing they do works.
To make your classroom run like a well oiled machine, try these strategies:
Apply it!
- Follow a predictable and consistent routine
- Make expectations simple and clear
- Schedule brain breaks and times to decompress
- Give praise generously
- Allow students to use their strengths in the classroom
- Implement natural consequences
Let social emotional learning transform your teaching experience!
Social emotional learning has many perks for students and teachers alike. Educators are just as important as students when it comes to student success. When teachers gain all the things SEL has to offer their stress levels are down, they are more energized to teach and have positive classroom experiences. From there students can have a great school experience, too!
You have nothing to lose and only benefits to gain when you incorporate SEL into your life and work!
Want more? Listen to me chat with The Teacher Career Coach on her podcast about how SEL impacts teacher happiness! Click here to listen.
Not sure where to get started on bringing SEL into the classroom? You can check out my full year curriculums, where all of the work is done for you!
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