With school districts throughout New York State and across the country closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents, teachers, and students are all struggling to keep pace with evolving changes to everyday life. Many educators are adamant that, now more than ever, social-emotional learning (SEL) is vital for students dealing with the emotional impact of social distancing. “It is next-to-impossible to expect teaching and learning to occur in a crisis without attending to our emotions,” says Christina Cipriano, Director of Research at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. In a report by neaToday Cipriano maintains that "the worst thing we can do for our teachers, students, and families is de-prioritize SEL during the pandemic.”

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) defined SEL as “how children and adults learn to understand and manage emotions, set goals, show empathy for others, [and] establish positive relationships.” SEL instruction is based on five core competencies that students develop while at school: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

To meet the academic and emotional challenges during this time of social distancing, BRI is adding a variety of new professional development courses for teachers, administrators, and staff help manage and maintain the emotional well-being of their students in online environments. We plan to release the catalog in early summer 2020.

Brockport Research Institute provides grant-writing, evaluation, and professional learning services. For questions or more information, please call the office (585) 431- 3416 or contact us: info@BrockportResearchInstitute.com.