Shaping the Future of Social-Emotional Learning: Approaches and Resources

In October 2024, more than 150 educators and health advocates gathered at the America’s Healthiest Schools Leaders Summit for a panel discussion on social-emotional learning (SEL)  featuring KC Estenson, CEO of GoNoodle; Dr. Chavon Curry, principal at Patrick Henry Downtown Academy; and Bethany Younkers, director of Whole Child Health at Healthier Generation. 

Here are some key takeaways from the discussion: 

1. Adopting a whole-school approach

Implementation is most successful when social-emotional learning is integrated throughout the school campus, not just in the counselor’s office. Patrick Henry Downtown Academy in St. Louis has seen positive results from embedding SEL into daily classroom routines, encouraging students to build self-awareness and resilience across all aspects of school life.

• Wins: When SEL is integrated across the school day and throughout campus, students receive consistent messages about emotional health that can lead to positive, school-wide behavioral shifts. Schools that implement a whole-school approach report significant improvements in student behavior and emotional awareness.
• Challenges: Gaining whole-school buy-in requires aligning policies and practices and ensuring that all staff are trained and invested in SEL. Administrative restrictions can limit the scope of formal SEL instruction, making it challenging to fully integrate SEL throughout the school.
• Resources: As you begin your SEL journey, consider using Healthier Generation’s 5-Week Guides for Creating a Caring Community. SuperNoodle, a service of GoNoodle, is also an engaging tool designed to help students build essential SEL skills. Download this comprehensive resource guide to integrate meaningful practices into your classroom and create a supportive learning environment.

2. Creating safe, calming spaces for students

Classroom-based calming spaces are a key practice that supports SEL. These spaces, which should be developmentally appropriate and accessible across learning environments, help students self-regulate, particularly during high-stress moments, supporting them to re-enter the classroom ready to engage.

• Wins: Educators note the effectiveness of calming spaces for helping students manage their emotions independently. Access to calming spaces helps students return to learning with better focus and emotional stability.
• Challenges: Establishing and maintaining calming spaces requires resources, planning, and ongoing support. Schools often struggle to ensure these spaces are accessible to all students across different grade levels, especially when time and classroom space are limited.
• Resources: Healthier Generation’s Classroom-Based Calming Spaces toolkit and microlearning can help you implement this best practice. Educators can also explore GoNoodle's Flow Channel for additional calming and mindfulness activities, fostering a positive and focused classroom environment for their students.

3. Embracing supportive disciplinary practices

"Implementing SEL often requires rethinking disciplinary practices. A more supportive approach focuses on reflection and restoration, where exclusionary discipline is used only as a last resort. Such practices encourage positive behavior changes and emotional growth, contributing to a more inclusive school culture."

• Wins: Educators report that restorative practices encourage accountability and personal growth, fostering a more positive school climate. This approach minimizes lost classroom time and puts greater emphasis on teaching emotional regulation.
• Challenges: Adopting supportive disciplinary practices often requires training and a cultural shift within the school. A lack of resources makes it difficult to implement reflection and restoration to address complex behaviors.
• Resources: Healthier Generation’s Guide to Supportive Discipline Conversations can help your classroom or school community move towards practices that support reflection and restoration. 

4. Meeting diverse needs in SEL

Schools must balance diverse SEL needs — such as tailored approaches for students who have experienced trauma or who need additional classroom support — within the constraints of school resources, time, and policy guidelines. 

• Wins: Schools that adapt SEL to meet diverse student needs report positive outcomes in student engagement and emotional stability.
• Challenges: Balancing the wide range of emotional needs among students is complex and requires ongoing training and support. Schools often do not have enough time and resources to meet these needs adequately.
• Resources: Healthier Generation’s Self-Regulation at School: Me Moments and More toolkit can help educators adopt regulating instructional and relationship building practices. Explore practical strategies and insights to foster a more inclusive classroom environment with GoNoodle's blog, Empowering Inclusion in Your Classroom, that offers tools to embrace diverse learning needs and create a space where every student thrives.

Continue learning

• Visit the Healthier Generation Action Center for more resources, guides, and tools, and explore GoNoodle for fun, interactive activities to support social-emotional learning.
• Stay tuned for additional posts that will explore the benefits of physical activity in SEL, overcoming common challenges, and more.
• Apply to be named one of America's Healthiest Schools and be recognized for your efforts to strengthen social-emotional health and learning. 

Thank you to the America’s Healthiest Schools Leaders Summit attendees who shared their insights and experiences. Healthier Generation and GoNoodle are inspired by educators and leaders creating mindful, connected, and joyful learning communities. Together, we’re paving the way toward a future where SEL is an integral part of every classroom.