Journal of Social & Emotional Learning

From altered routines to online instruction, educators have had to navigate profound and unexpected challenges this year. As we continue to adjust while trying to remain present and optimistic, it may prove difficult to know exactly how to show up for students. What can we do to ensure that they are fulfilled, supported, and—most importantly—able to learn? Our answer to this question is straightforward: practice empathy. While empathy can’t stop Zoom from freezing or adapt our lessons to meet this year’s demands, it will remind us that we’re all in this together and that we are all facing similar struggles with personal implications.

The year 2020 has forced a spotlight on equity, first with the pandemic and then with cries for social justice. Equity is not the same as equality, which means treating everyone the same and providing the same oppor­tunities and resources. Equity goes beyond that, providing individualized support and addressing the barriers students face based on race, gender, and other factors. Understanding these key differences will allow us to move forward and turn our vision for school communities into reality.

This journal finds us at the beginning of a school year that will be unlike any that have preceded it. Educators will be asked to deal with the constraints and effects of the current health crisis while also addressing the systemic racism that creates inequity in our school communities. These issues underscore how critical social and emotional learning is, yet the constraints of maintaining social distance or learning virtually will make creating connections with and between students harder than ever before.

In this issue of the journal, we have selected pieces that we hope will spark ideas of how we can work together to create a better school experience for every student, every day. By identifying opportunities in the future school structure that will allow students and teachers to continue to grow, we can find ways to construct an optimal learning environment for everyone in our learning community.

In this issue, we’ve curated articles aimed at ameliorating the challenges you may be facing right now while also encouraging you to find small moments for grounding and growth. Regardless of the changes you’re navigating, remember that what you are feeling is valid, these circumstances are temporary, and that in the wake of great change and disruption new opportunities can arise.

The educator stories in our May issue, collected from around the world, show the importance of social-emotional learning, building and maintaining positive relationships, setting clear expectations, and reinforcing our sense of community in our school environments. Social-emotional learning is the foundation for great teaching and engaged learning, helping to create a community of learners who can carry their sense of significance and belonging with them wherever they go.

COVID-19 has affected all of our lives, and for educators in particular it has been challenging to find ways to maintain a positive classroom community through distance learning and sustain student engagement, all while helping students to recognize and appropriately manage the emotions they may be experiencing.

We know educators everywhere are experiencing their own array of emotions and challenges surrounding the sudden changes presented by immediate school closures. We also know these challenges are being met with hope, ingenuity, and compassion. In this special edition issue, you will hear from a variety of educators about the ways they are coping, adjusting, and finding ways to continue creating hope and joy for their students.

In this issue, we explore and define social-emotional literacy, discover the importance of picture books, and learn how graphic novels are more than a novelty. These insights are tools you can use on your SEL journey and may even provide you with the gift of time. Our favorite books and characters are as varied as ourselves, but their impact is universal and cannot be denied.