Social Emotional Learning

Social emotional learning, which teaches students how to navigate conflicts, communicate, and manage emotions, is an integral life skill. Integrating social emotional learning into schools helps engage students and improves learning, studies show. This section contains resources and information about strategies to teach social emotional learning in schools. 

Girl standing away from other classmates outside school
shadow on asphalt surface of child and adult joining hands
Female teacher helping frustrated boy with classwork

Stories from the Field

Service-Learning Opportunities and Mental Health Support Help Chicago Students Take Leadership Roles

An increase in social-emotional support for students as well as opportunities for them to exercise leadership skills is paying off in increased attendance and the percentage of students on track to graduate at John Hancock College Preparatory High School on Chicago’s southwest side. Leadership and service opportunities—whether it’s promoting wellness...

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Inspiring Students to Do Their Best

"I’m just a hometown gal, born and bred in Arnold, Missouri.” The effervescent superintendent of schools for the Fox C-6 district, Dr. Dianne Brown, who has served in this district for her entire career in education, cannot hide her love of her hometown. She continues, “Arnold is really a special...

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LFA Updates

Six Lessons from the Elements of Success

In 2018, LFA worked with the American Federation of Teachers' Share My Lesson resource to show educators how to apply the Elements of Success in their classrooms

The Learning First Alliance, which collectively represents 10 million educators, parents and school board members through our 12 member associations, unveiled its groundbreaking “Elements of Success: 10 Million Speak on Schools that Work” in January 2018. The report was designed as a compendium of best practices for schools and educators...

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Steven Spielberg Speaks on Teaching Tolerance and Compassion

On the 25th Anniversary of Schindler's List, legendary director discusses the importance of storytelling and ways teachers can use the film and other resources to guide students away from Anti-Semitism and other forms of hate

It's been 25 years since Steven Spielberg released the groundbreaking film “Schindler’s List,” bringing new life to one remarkable story of the Holocaust. With Anti-Semitism incidents on the rise, the American Federation of Teachers and Facing History and Ourselves recently called on teachers to use the film to help instill...

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Member Resources

Student-to-School-Counselor Ratio

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) has compiled student-to-school-counselor ratio data from the 2014-15 school year, the most recent available. The number of school counselors serving the nation’s K-12 students has increased slightly but the student-to-school-counselor ratio remains well above the ratio recommended by ASCA.

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Helping Children Cope with Traumatic Events

This collection of resources from Share My Lesson (powered by the American Federation of Teachers) can help educators and parents help students cope with fear and trauma.

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