SEL in Action

Tools to Help Students Learn and Grow

By Jorge Valenzuela

ISBN: 9781564849120

April 2021

Length: 6 pages

Interview with author on BAM Radio

This guide gives educators a five-step framework to implement social-emotional learning (SEL) with their students to help them achieve success in school and life.

Not all educators teach in districts where training in SEL and related topics such as restorative justice, trauma-informed teaching and culturally responsive teaching is readily available. In this six-page guide, author and educator Jorge Valenzuela introduces educators to the Equity and SEL Integration Framework that will help them understand core SEL competencies and design lessons that activate SEL in their curriculum.

The guide features:

• Online videos that explain each element of the Equity and SEL Integration Framework.
• Clear explanation of SEL and the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning’s (CASEL) five core competencies.
• Resources for understanding and addressing implicit bias.
• Links to templates for empathy maps and emotions planners.
• Information on edtech tools that can be used to integrate SEL.
• Additional resources for understanding SEL and developing an SEL integration plan.

(ISTE Jump Start Guide, 8.5" x 11", three laminated panels, six pages)

To dive deeper into the framework, check out the author’s book Raising Equity Through SEL, a joint publication between ISTE and Solution Tree.

Audience: K-12 educators

About the Author

Jorge Valenzuela (@JorgeDoesPBL) is an education coach, author and advocate. He has years of experience as a classroom and online teacher, a curriculum specialist and a consultant. His work focuses on improving teacher preparation in project-based learning, computational thinking and computer science integration, STEM education, and equity and SEL integration. Jorge is an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University and the lead coach at Lifelong Learning Defined. He is the author or co-author of multiple books and jump start guides, including Rev Up Robotics, Environmental Science for Grades 6–8 and Ready, Set, Robotics! His latest book, Raising Equity Through SEL, is a joint publication between ISTE and Solution Tree.