SEL in 5: Building Universal Systems to Support Well-being
Reimagining how we approach mental well-being supports for students and staff.
This month, we focus on different ways to support the mental well-being of students and staff. Thank you, as always, for reading.
3 SEL Leadership Thoughts
Relationships are at the core of any effective SEL program. Strong relationships also provide the basis for stable mental health. An environment that is built on a foundation of strong relationships and infused with SEL can help students (and adults) thrive. [Tweet This]
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The science of learning and development clearly demonstrates that all learning is integrated. No part of the human brain develops in isolation. So it would be a false choice to think we can focus solely on academic recovery without also addressing the (now critical) social and emotional needs of children—children who have been living through the effects of a global pandemic for over two years. [Tweet This]
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Our current reality calls for schools to take a team approach to mental health. We cannot continue to concentrate expertise by hiring one or two mental health professionals and failing to provide them with enough resources. Instead, expertise needs to be distributed while connecting families with resources from across their child’s community. [Tweet This]
2 Quotes from SEL Leaders
“In the past, there’s been a heavy reliance on experts and referrals to clinicians. We know that there’s both a limit to the effectiveness of that and a shortage of therapists across the country. In this moment, there’s no way that we can lean on just expert help for these kinds of supports that we know are so intensely needed right now. Instead, we need to build these universal systems that are going to support well-being for everyone.” – Bridget Rodriguez [Tweet This]
“When the brain is hit with unremitting, unbuffered stress, chemical imbalances will eventually develop in the brain that start to alter the way it functions. In other words, we start to move from wellness toward illness; to things like a more persistent low mood that doesn’t lift, or anxiety that doesn’t go away; to a feeling of hopelessness and despair or, worse, helplessness.” – Dr. Pamela Cantor [Tweet This]
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1 Question for You
What are the various systems and policies that impact collective well-being in your district or community?
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If you enjoyed that, please consider sharing SEL in 5 with others.
Until next month,
Nick Woolf
Author of SEL in 5
Founder of Inside SEL
p.s. here’s what else I’m reading: