How did you cope with different emotions as a kid – positive or negative? There’s probably a range of answers here: screams, cries, naps, jumps of joy. Or, if you’re like me, you blasted Avril Lavigne and wrote in a glitter gel pen journal no one was allowed to read.
There are endless outlets to express ourselves, and the key is to find the best ones. Maybe you went through an angsty phase of "it’s not a phase, mom" in middle school. Students today have so many outlets for their emotions that it may feel a little overwhelming. As a teacher, you’re seeing this every single day. So what’s the best way to help students sidestep some of these ineffective tools and use the best coping skills? That’s what I’m here to tell you about today: social emotional learning.
Social Emotional Learning (or SEL) is a key aspect of development for kids and young adults. SEL helps students develop their own identity, become emotionally healthy, and build supportive relationships, among other key benefits. The core competencies of SEL include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. There are four key settings in which students grow their SEL skills: classrooms, schools, with family or caregivers, and in their communities.
When students can effectively build relationships and make decisions, the classroom community will become one of collaboration, problem solving, and growth. These social and emotional skills will put students on the path to form positive relationships with teachers, fellow students, future coworkers, friends, family members, and more.
It might feel like an overwhelming task, right? Does this mean that the emotional health and stability of your students rest entirely in your hands? No, that’s not what we’re saying. But we are saying that you can have a positive influence on their SEL skills. So let’s dive into key activities that can help integrate social emotional learning into your classroom.
Decades ago, school was a lot about memorizing facts, names, dates, and then dumping all that information out of your head at the end of the year. The facts still matter, but education is so much more than memorization. Teachers have a unique opportunity to positively affect a student’s self-image, understanding of the world, and emotional health.
SEL helps students build stronger connections, now and in the future. It also improves academic performance and helps students manage their emotions. Through SEL, students do more than memorize the dates of the Revolutionary War or all the elements on the Periodic Table; they learn how to communicate, reflect, and collaborate in ways that carry beyond school.
Don’t feel like your students have to become social and emotional experts in one fell swoop. Start small, with consistent practices that fit into your current routines. A brief feelings check-in, an exit ticket on a challenge they faced that day, or five minutes of reflective journaling are small pieces that can fit into the day and build students’ social emotional skills. While doing these activities, give students the opportunity to lead. Let them ask questions, share their thoughts, and think freely.
When SEL is part of the daily classroom experience, not a separate task, it creates a stronger impact. Reflection, storytelling, and peer feedback are used regularly in the classroom, so it’s just a matter of using the right questions at the right time to promote this growth.
For older students: Try out a ‘digital mood board’ or a journal (such as a Google Form) and then review the anonymous answers for trends as a class. Encourage reflective writing: “Why do you think you feel this way today?”
For older students: Shift to strengths and growth reflection–ask them not only what they do well, but where they want to grow. They can set a micro-goal for the day or week.
3. Name That Feeling (With Art)For older students: Offer more abstract art prompts (such as visualizing peer pressure as a landscape or a structure). Combine with a short analytical reflection: “What symbols did you choose and why?”
For older students: Invite students to create a digital coping toolkit (images, audio clips, music, quotes) that they can revisit on their device or print out.
5. Stress TossFor older students: Turn it into a “Release & Reflect.” They write their stressor, toss it in the garbage or rip it up, then spend 30 seconds mindfully breathing or journaling about that feeling.
6. Calm Corner SetupFor older students: Enhance with noise-cancelling headphones, mindfulness app options, or guided reflection prompts they can scan via QR code.
7. Perspective Poems
Invite students to write from another person’s point of view. This could be a historical figure, a peer, or a fictional character. Through a new perspective, students will explore empathy through writing.
8. This or That Discussions
Use lighthearted questions (dogs or cats, city or country) to model respectful disagreement and listening. Students practice perspective-taking in a low-pressure setting.
9. Quote Walk
Post quotes about kindness, fairness, or empathy around the room. Have students find their favorite quote from around the room and reflect silently or discuss with a partner.
10. Circle Reflection
Students can sit in a circle and share an appreciation, apology, or new insight. This encourages community and helps students practice vulnerability and listening. Encourage students to point out positive qualities that they notice in one another as well. When students can point out these strengths, they will develop strong relationships.
11. Team Balloon Challenge
Group activities are great opportunities for students to build their social skills and refine their relationship skills. Put students into small groups that have to try to keep a balloon in the air using specific rules. Try things like only using their left hand, standing on one leg, eyes closed, no talking, etc. After each round, they should debrief on what worked, what didn’t, and how communication played a role.
For older students: Scale up the challenge—add layers like design constraints or roles (“engineer,” “communicator”) and ask them to collaboratively create a debrief presentation frame.
12. Peer Introductions
Learning to connect with others is key to social-emotional learning. Pair students together to ask a few deeper get-to-know-you questions. Help them think beyond things like their favorite color. These deeper connections build trust and encourage active listening.
13. Classroom Agreements
Collaborate on a shared list of values and expectations. Return to it throughout the year as a reminder of how the class agreed to treat one another. When students can take part in building the classroom culture, they will be more committed to making it a positive learning environment!
For older students: Use a digital “Agreement Charter.” They draft it in groups, revise based on class feedback, and sign it as a collective. Revisit quarterly to reflect and adjust.
For older students: Turn it into a structured reflection: “What did I contribute/disrupt? What would I do differently next time? How did I regulate my emotions during conflict?”
16. Future Me Letters
Take time for students to write a letter to their future self about a tough decision they made and what they learned. This type of letter writing will encourage reflection and goal setting.
For older students: Include deeper tasks like “listen to someone who disagrees with me” or “offer help without being asked.” Debrief in a reflective journal or short presentation.
18. Social Emotional Storytelling
Help students build short stories around challenges they’ve faced, decisions they’ve made, or emotions they’ve felt. Share in small groups to build connections among students.
19. Positive Graffiti Wall
Create a simple bulletin board where students leave anonymous compliments for classmates. It quietly builds community over time! Incorporate positive affirmations that the classroom can refer to often.
20. Mission.io Debrief Circles
After completing a Mission.io challenge, gather students to discuss their teamwork, emotional responses, and learning takeaways. This is a powerful way to tie SEL directly to academic tasks.
For older students: Facilitate a structured protocol: “What? So what? Now what?” after each debrief. Ask them to set one personal and one team improvement goal based on that session.
Aside from planned ahead and prepared activities, there are plenty of simple ways to incorporate SEL into the classroom on a daily basis. Use consistent routines like check-ins and exit tickets. This is a great way for students to continue practicing their self-awareness. Along with their emotional awareness, show students your own recognition of their growth. Give feedback beyond academic results: “You handled that conflict very maturely today” or “Thank you for being kind of James when you saw he was alone at lunch today” or “You brought a lot of positivity to our activity today, and I saw how that helped everyone else have a good time too.”
Small SEL moments happen every day—group work, conflicts, unexpected resolution. All students need is a chance to recognize it and reflect. With online gamification tools like Mission.io, SEL can seamlessly blend into the classroom as students work and collaborate together.
Every subject is important for students, but social and emotional learning shapes who they become, how they see the world, and how they approach challenges. Seek out small moments in the classroom for SEL, and it will lead to lasting growth.
When social-emotional activities are part of the learning process, everything improves: students face their challenges with greater confidence, they collaborate with more kindness, and they learn with more enthusiasm.