Social and emotional learning (SEL) builds the skills, knowledge and attitudes that students and adults need to be successful. SEL is a high priority in Dallas ISD, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made it more clear the value SEL skills bring to the district’s individuals, classrooms, and families.
While SEL does not replace needed mental health services, SEL can promote mental wellness in many ways. By fostering responsive relationships, emotionally safe environments, and social and emotional skills development, SEL cultivates important “protective factors” to buffer against mental health risks.
SEL is for individuals of all ages and when schools prioritize the adult SEL skills needed to manage the shared responsibility of student mental health, it can help promote higher academic achievement and decreased behavioral challenges.
Dallas ISD’s Social and Emotional Learning Department offers a variety of resources for educators and caregivers to help students and adults thrive. Check out the SEL resources below. For additional support, contact SEL manager, Aileen Mokuria (amokuria@dallasisd.org).
Resources for Educators
Resources for Parents and Caregivers
- Dallas ISD’s SEL for Parents and Caregivers webpage
- Sign-up for the SEL in Action: At Home Newsletter
- English: bit.ly/32MStLm
- Spanish: bit.ly/352dhRP
Social Media Resources
- Twitter: @dallasisdsel
- Facebook: @TheRealSELDallas
- Instagram: @sel_dallas
- YouTube: SEL In Action Playlist
Students at Rosemont Primary School explain what it means to be a part of a “Friend Patrol”. Please note, this video was recorded before Dallas ISD’s masks requirements were put in place for the school year.
More on SEL Dallas
In the summer of 2017, Dallas ISD and Big Thought were awarded a four-year social and emotional learning (SEL) implementation grant from the Wallace Foundation. Together with key partners Dallas Afterschool and City Of Dallas Parks & Recreation, SEL practices are being implemented both in-school and out-of-school, with the long-term goal of sharing our resources and learning citywide. This collective is known as SEL Dallas.
