Social and Emotional Learning Explained
- Theresa Cramer
- Oct 21
- 3 min read
What do you think of when you hear the words “social and emotional learning”? If you, like me, are middle-aged and went to elementary school in the 1980s, you probably have never heard those words until recently, so you might draw a blank. The Child Mind Institute defines it: “Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a term for the way children acquire social and emotional skills. It includes things like managing difficult emotions, making responsible decisions, handling stress, setting goals, and building healthy relationships.”
What does that look like in the classroom? If you watched the October 20, 2025, Stafford Board of Education (BOE) meeting, you likely walked away with a better understanding of what teaching SEL skills looks like. Teachers and students from Stafford Elementary School gave the BOE a demonstration of the kinds of skills they learn every day.
Second graders from Mrs. DePellegrini’s class worked together to develop a classroom charter that governs how they want the classroom to look, sound, and feel. The students then turned that charter into a chant that several of them demonstrated at the meeting. The charter compels students to be helpful and respectful, show kindness, use teamwork, have grit, not quit, and have fun.
Mrs. Jones’ second-grade class uses a Mood Meter to explain and understand how they are feeling. Each mood is defined by a color, and students can use clips to indicate how they are feeling on the mood meter. At the meeting, students demonstrated what each color represents – think blue for feeling a bit like Eeyore or red for overly excited.
Fifth graders from Ms. Miller’s class demonstrated their morning circle and greeting routine. It also includes the Mood Meter, compliments, sharing, and setting a goal for the day.
School counselor Mrs. Phillips described some of the strategies she and the teachers implement at SES, such as a Meta Moment. This encourages students to take a moment to assess their mood and consider how they might respond differently in a moment if they were feeling their best. And then there was “T.H.I.N.K Before You Speak”:
T - Is it true?
H - Is it helpful?
I - Is it inspiring?
N - Is it necessary?
K - Is it kind?
Essentially, if the answer to any or all of those questions is no, consider keeping it to yourself – a strategy adults on social media might want to consider employing.
Social and emotional learning is about more than teaching students basic life skills and how to identify and cope with their emotions. All of these daily routines and learning opportunities are part of a larger program designed to address chronic absenteeism. SES Principal Mary Claire St. James said her favorite part of the day is welcoming students to school and, at the end of the day, letting them know she looks forward to seeing them again the next day. These small things, plus many others, help students feel more connected to their school community and invested in showing up.
St. James says the strategy to address chronic absenteeism is working, as the rates of absenteeism are down. She explained that the percentage of chronically absent students can often seem high at the beginning of the year because there are fewer overall days spent in the classroom, but as the year marches on, things even out. In general, she says the combination of early interventions, supports, and welcome routines is working to ensure students make it to the classroom.
