SEL Blog

Articles about Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), Mindfulness in the Classroom, and Trauma-Informed Teaching

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SEL and Racial Equity

SEL teaches children the lessons they need to understand and practice racial equity. Social emotional learning starts with bringing an end to racism and injustice. But how do we have these tough conversations with young people? 

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Funding Sources for SEL

You’re a school administrator, you’re already stretched thin. You may want to implement social-emotional learning, but you don’t have the money! Here are some creative ways you can fund your SEL program.

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We Joined Generation Schools Network

We are happy to announce that Empowering Education is merging with Generation Schools Network, a fellow education non-profit that has 15 years of experience supporting schools across the country.

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Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Articles

Mindfulness in the Classroom Articles

Trauma-Informed Teaching Articles

Tips for the Trauma Informed Educator: Stress & Trauma as Resilience Factors

Tips for the Trauma Informed Educator: Stress & Trauma as Resilience Factors

Being a trauma-informed educator does not mean that we need to protect our students from all possible stressors and difficult experiences, rather, it means we have a deeper understanding of our students’ emotional states and we work to empower them to respond effectively to challenges and stressors….If we as parents and educators remove all stress from a child’s life we are robbing them of their richest opportunities for growth.  

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5 Ways to Support Children (& Ourselves) in the Wake of Tragedy

5 Ways to Support Children (& Ourselves) in the Wake of Tragedy

When students feel unsafe they don’t learn. So, how can we support students in the face of such global tension? Is there anything that we can do as educators and parents to create a sense of safety?

Absolutely. The same principles for effective treatment and prevention of trauma hold true here. Here are five practices to support your students (and yourself) following a tragic event.

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Trauma Informed Teaching Part 4 of 4: The Mindfulness Solution

Trauma Informed Teaching Part 4 of 4: The Mindfulness Solution

The simple practice of turning your attention to the present moment – your breath, the sounds you hear, the sensations you feel – can actually physically change the structure of your brain and counteract the effects of stress and trauma in less than 8 weeks. Studies are now revealing that mindfulness-based therapy is more effective than anti-depressants and cognitive behavioral therapy combined in treating PTSD. Even better, the results are permanent as long as participants continue to practice mindfulness in their daily lives

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The Fight-or-Flight Response

The Fight-or-Flight Response

Teachers and parents are often by perplexed explosive outbursts, emotional volatility, and temper tantrums that seem out of proportion to the actual event. It is important to remember, however, that children (and adults) who have experienced traumatic events are not necessarily responding to events in the present moment.

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