Educator SEL Resources to Empower Students with Life-Long Confidence
Written by Rodney G. Crouse, M. Ed., 5th Grade Teacher at Reedy Fork Elementary in North Carolina
Tuesday, March 16, 2021 - 1:05pm
CONTENT: Blog
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that while we’ve made great strides in improving equity in schools, gaps remain. It also demonstrates the fact that student’s social and emotional well-being is inextricably linked to success in school. Research shows that self-esteem is critical for education, no matter the discipline. Simply put, confident kids are happy, healthy, and successful.
The realities of the pandemic – like social isolation, a new learning environment, lack of extracurricular activities – exacerbated stressors for kids and added new challenges. More than ever, students are struggling with self-esteem and relationship issues, anxiety, and general stress. The pandemic clearly shows the need to pay extra attention to the mental, social, and emotional well-being of students. The increased focus on social emotional learning (SEL) in education is something that is good and will only continue to be good moving forward. Part of ensuring the increased and continued care for SEL is connecting educators and students with high-quality educational content.