PBS collaborates to create social emotional learning resources

PBS’s Think TV and the Montgomery County Educational Service Center focused on how learning is happening in southwest Ohio.

PBS’s Think TV and the Montgomery County Educational Service Center released new videos meant to help educators and parents have conversations with students about social and emotional learning.

The idea is to help students develop mindsets, skills, attitudes and feelings they need to succeed. Anything from explaining why hitting is bad to how to identify emotions to practicing empathy to regulating stress is considered social emotional learning.

The videos focus on 10 key indicators of schoolwide social emotional learning, identified by the Chicago-based Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning and shows how southwest Ohio schools are implementing them in the classroom.

Teachers, administrators and parents have said kids are displaying worrying mental health signs and some students do not appear to be behaviorally on track.

Research also shows learning social and emotional skills can help students learn academic subjects as well, especially if those skills are shown and practiced throughout the school day.

Guy Fogle, spokesman for the Montgomery County Educational Service Center, said he hopes families may feel less alone after watching the videos.

“Families should keep in mind they are not alone,” Fogle said. “Many are seeing gaps in academic achievement and readiness.”

He suggested the videos could be a starting point for families to talk about emotions and relating to other people.

Shannon Cox, superintendent of the Montgomery County Educational Service Center, said the videos will be a valuable resource for the area and used for educators’ professional development.

“There is overwhelming demand for social and emotional learning in schools because students, families, and educators see the clear connections to academic achievement, mental wellness, and future readiness,” said Justina Schlund, Senior Director of Content and Field Learning at CASEL.

Schlund said translating that demand into resources shows what teaching social and emotional learning looks like in real life.

“These videos help leaders understand ten indicators of quality social and emotional learning that can be applied to their communities,” Schlund said.

The videos are housed in collections on PBS LearningMedia and available on both YouTube and the PBS Video App. They are also available through Think TV ‘s education and public channels.

To learn more, visit https://thinktv.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/social-emotional-learning/

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