Kids Aren’t the Only Ones Who Benefit From Social-Emotional Learning

How would you react if you learned that one of your students felt that you don’t treat them like a full person, with a life and responsibilities beyond the classroom? This is a real scenario we encountered during a focus group last school year with a group of high school students in Florida who were asked to provide feedback on their teachers. My colleagues at the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) were there to gather data on how teachers can help students thrive by focusing on the learning conditions they have the power to create within their classrooms. One student candidly shared that he felt like his teachers weren’t invested in him as a human being, because the amount of homework that he was assigned didn't take into account his commitments outside the classroom and other barriers to studying. Read More