How to foster social and emotional learning while we're social distancing

By Kate Walker

In this era of staying at home, distance learning and a new type of latchkey kids whose parents are essential workers, we can center young people’s social-emotional well-being. Schools are closed, routines disrupted and special events canceled. Issues of equity and access are worsened as families struggle with internet and technology divides, food and housing insecurities and the pressures of isolation.

Our Ways of Being model is a tool for teaching about social and emotional learning (SEL). It’s the foundation for the freely available Social and Emotional Learning in Practice: A Toolkit of Practical Strategies and Resources, which has activities you can adapt for no-tech or virtual youth programming. I've just created a set of videos that walk you through each section of the toolkit.

Ways of Relating

Now more than ever we need to connect with and have empathy for others. Meeting virtually requires specific social, communication and active listening skills. Adults can model and create norms for how to interact, handle conflict and work together from a distance or under one roof. See toolkit items like power of empathy, complaint/feeling/request, conflict traffic light and the SEL feedback template.

Ways of Feeling

We are all feeling a roller coaster of emotions these days: fear, anger, stress, gratitude, disappointment, grief. It’s important to know how to gauge, express and cope with emotions. As youth workers, teachers and caregivers, we can help young people name and express their feelings through routine check-ins. Toolkit items like reflection bank, emoji reflection, emotion wheel and emotion word bank can help.

Ways of Doing

This new normal requires flexible time management, creative problem solving and realistic goal setting. Try the toolkit’s Goal Sandwich activity to help young people plan their days, stay focused and make responsible decisions. But when making a schedule, think beyond academics and online resources to incorporate healthy living, helping others, creative projects and time unplugged.

Ways I Am

Our identities are at the heart of our ways of being. Try the mapping cultural values toolkit activity to explore how your cultural values and personal preferences show up in a crisis. Do you have more of an internal or external sense of control? Do you tend to express or restrain emotions? Are you more likely to see change as disruptive or an opportunity for progress? Be aware of your own orientations and those of the youth and families you serve.

We can be socially connected while physically distanced. We can honor all the emotions that come with this crisis. We can adapt to change, balance physical, emotional and social health and adjust expectations for ourselves and others. We need to do these things in ways that are culturally responsive and trauma-informed and with a steadfast commitment to equity. How are you helping young people be aware of and navigate their ways of relating, feeling and doing?

-- Kate Walker, Extension professor and specialist in youth work practice

You are welcome to comment on this blog post. We encourage civil discourse, including spirited disagreement. We will delete comments that contain profanity, pornography or hate speech--any remarks that attack or demean people because of their sex, race, ethnic group, etc.--as well as spam.