Last week I decorated one of my part-time classrooms and chatted with those students’ parents during an open house prior to the first ringing of the 2022-23 school bell.

Educators, parents, and students are busy doing their last-minute shopping for back to school.

However, there is one thing that can’t be found in any stores or online.  It can only be achieved by all of us, who are passionate about our students, working together.

(Below) is a blog from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) regarding social-emotional learning (SEL) and how we all can work together to make all students’ lives easier and better with SEL.

Backpack? Check. Number two pencils? Check. Caring teachers and social and emotional skills? Check!

As communities return to school, social and emotional learning (SEL) is just as essential as school supplies. District leaders cite it as a top priority. Parents are calling for more focus on SEL in schools. Students are asking for time to build friendships and connect with teachers.

But with midterm elections looming this fall, politics has also shined the limelight on SEL. As young people return to classrooms, we need to put children—not politics—at the center of our conversations. Let’s give the microphone to families, students, and educators who understand the real impact of SEL on their lives. CASEL and the Allstate Foundation partnered with families across the country on the reasons they believe in an education that prioritizes SEL. Why?

The reality: 88 percent of parents want their students to learn social and emotional skills like respect, cooperation, perseverance, and empathy.

The distraction: A narrative that prioritizes politics over students—drowning out our voices and putting at risk our children’s education and future.

We can’t do it without you. As champions of SEL, consider:

How can families, educators, community partners, and policy leaders rise to the moment to protect every child’s social, emotional, and academic learning? 

Read on for key actions you can take this back-to-school season in your community, including helpful resources.

Listen to and learn from caregivers

Families and caregivers are critical partners in our children’s education. How can we bridge the communications between educators and families on SEL? Whether you are engaging in a family conference, participating in a year-end reflection, or connecting with new families and students, ongoing conversations between families and educators on SEL are key. Listen to caregiver stories or host a caregiver discussion.

Contact decision-makers

Sharing your SEL story is needed now, more than ever, to protect and advance SEL. Lawmakers and decision-makers need to hear from you and your community on what your experience has been like and why it is important that your community has access to SEL. Access easy actions and messaging to get started and share why SEL is important to you.

Lead a conversation

If you believe in the power of SEL, then you are a key messenger and leader of SEL in your community. Despite a growing spotlight on SEL, some are still asking: What is it and why is it important? Start a conversation with someone who may be unfamiliar with SEL by focusing on a few key points: SEL builds lifelong skills, improves academic achievement, prepares children for the future, and has overwhelming support from parents.

Share on social media

SEL leaders—everyday people, parents, and caregivers—have enormous influence among networks on social media, much more so than organizations. If you believe in SEL, tell your friends about it. Share sample posts and social media graphics to #LeadwithSEL.

Engage local media

Your local paper or media outlet can shine a positive spotlight on SEL and inform more people in your community about the difference it can make. Do you have a story to share about the impact of SEL on your family, students, or community? Write a persuasive op-ed or a short letter to the editor by using these templates.

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Planet Improv promises that during school year 2022-23 and beyond we will also continue to do our part to increase SEL education with every student and educational organization in which we collaborate.

The impact that applied improv education in the classroom has on learning can be directly linked to the current thinking on Social Emotional Learning (SEL). As educators, we know that when students feel connected and emotionally involved in their learning experiences, they reach higher levels of learning and understanding. Learning becomes an active and engaging experience, rather than a passive one.

A mission and objective that we can all agree upon.