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Although educators and staff members are welcoming social and emotional learning (SEL) in their education spaces, it is unclear how parents feel about this topic. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute has published a report explaining differing ways that parents of K–12 children view SEL and its implementation in schools. One recommendation from the Fordham Institute is for educators to use plain language and refer to SEL with more commonsense terms, such as “life skills.”

Bullying and cyberbullying threaten students’ physical and emotional safety. A recent webinar from the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse offers information on bullying awareness and prevention, including the different types of bullying; their impact on school violence; and the relationship between bullying, suicide, and the wellbeing of school-age youth. The webinar also includes resources, tactics, and strategies to create safer learning environments.

Checking in with students can provide a way to engage with them and understand how they are feeling. “Building a Better Check-In,” an article from Edutopia, lists strategies for check-ins that foster a greater sense of community and wellness among students.

The U.S. Department of Education has released a new publication that provides information and resources to enhance children and students’ mental health and social and emotional well-being. The resource highlights seven key challenges to providing school- or program-based mental health support in early childhood, K–12, and higher education settings, and it presents corresponding recommendations. There are also real-world examples of how advocates can implement the recommendations.

In response to the challenges that youth have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has developed a suite of tools to help them manage feelings of stress, anxiety, and sadness. The tools include a series of graphic-novel style PDFs and videos targeting specific thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that cause stress in the lives of children and youth. The tools are available in English and Spanish.

A new blog post from American Youth Policy Forum examines the role of addressing adolescents’ social and emotional needs and helping them build agency in closing the COVID-19 learning gap. The blog post explains how fostering a sense of belonging and well-being among students and allowing them to make decisions about their educational path can enable them to take ownership of their education. The blog post also provides examples of how schools have implemented these practices.

Wide Open School, an organization that helps families and educators find trusted resources to enrich and support distance learning, has curated resources and activities to support winter wellness. These include a 21-day challenge for healthy habits, cards of encouragement, and reflection exercises.

Young people have shared that the pandemic has disrupted their networks and deepened their sense of isolation. It has also increased feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. This video series from the U.S. government’s Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs captures this youth feedback and identifies specific steps supportive adults can take to help youth cope.

The Wallace Foundation has a new report on the benefits of partnerships between schools and OST programs focused on building social and emotional skills. The report covers the early work of six communities that have gone about incorporating social and emotional learning (SEL) programs and practices in school and OST. Early lessons include the following: defining what SEL skills students and adults need to develop, planning supports to develop SEL skills, developing a common language for SEL, setting aside staff time for clear and frequent communication, and documenting and formalizing SEL routines and practices.

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. This practice remains important as our world remains a stressful place. This webinar from Y4Y shares strategies for promoting positivity and awareness among staff and students.