Social-emotional learning, which you may know as SEL, A decades-old philosophy that teaches emotional well-being along with academic skills, promotes educational success that goes well beyond paper grades. Parents, teachers, and children have different ways of incorporating these ideas, but if you’re looking for ways to help your child absorb social-emotional teachings, accessible illustrated novels are worth a try. There may be
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Wide Glossary of SEL terms, principles and various definitions I can’t explain what it means to teach social-emotional skills, but a simple way to think about SEL is to focus on the five important things: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. is to extract it to a suitable area. In the classroom, we see these core competencies integrated into direct instruction and everyday behaviors for both students and teachers, such as group work, conflict resolution, and emotional check-ins. A novel that explores these concepts through an engaging narrative can be a fun way to help a young reader recognize and model her SEL skills.
And this all seems pretty great, right? While learning the academic foundations that are sure to help them on their educational journey, children are also undergoing a compassionate crash course on how to take care of themselves as students, members of the community, and people. Its core lessons are not age specific either. Provide essential skills for adults and parentsas well.
Unfortunately, SEL is not free from parental and political scrutiny. Many of them incorporate broad attacks on inclusive educational practices, critical race theory, and other so-called liberal learning agendas into their curricula.political turmoil Mental health concerns for young people When development so isolated, distance learning eraand it is clear that our nation’s educators cannot be expected to advocate for social and emotional health alone.
There are many educational tools, books, and workshops online, but an easy place to start is SEL-related options for children’s media consumptionMashable compiled a short list of graphic novels as a starting point for SEL and explored a great many related themes such as empathy, emotional regulation and relationship building.
8 years old and over
Credit: Penguin Random House
growing pains is a graphic novel about Katie, a girl at summer camp who worries about her best friend developing obsessive-compulsive disorder. Katie learns healthy ways to let go of worries about her friend Casey, homeschooling, and generally feeling like an outsider. Her stories are kind and informative about the mental health, friendships and growth of young people.
SEL Themes: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Relationship Skills
8 years old and over
Credit: Abrams Books
A graphic novel suitable for beginners El Deafo, a young bunny Cece navigates the process of attending school as a deaf person through a brave and powerful superhero alter-ego. The story touches on how children deal with complex emotions, embrace individual differences, and find social cues. Cece and her classmates also have many collaborations and collaborations.
SEL-theme: self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills
3. true friend Shannon Hale and Ruen Pham
8 years old and over
Credit: Macmillan Publishers
true friend is a memoir-style story inspired by Hale’s childhood and all the turmoil a young girl feels when she senses that their friendship may be changing. After joining the popular crowd, she finds herself growing apart from her best friend, Adrian. I’m telling you.
SEL Themes: Self-Management, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision Making
10 years old and above
Credit: Macmillan Publishers
Wang’s novel depicts a new relationship between two best friends, Christine and her new neighborhood Moon, who form a close bond as misunderstood preteens. The two navigate social conflicts, emotional upheavals, and life-changing health scares as they compete in the school talent show.
SEL Themes: Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills
10 years old and above
Credit: Macmillan Publishers
of be prepared, Tween Vera, a girl from a Russian family who has moved to the suburbs of America, is going to a summer camp in Russia. Born into a single-parent, low-income family and surrounded by much wealthier families, Vera is trying to adapt and come to terms with her disappointments, alienation, and cultural differences.
SEL Theme: Self-Awareness, Relationship Skills
12+
Credit: Avenue A Books / The Center for Responsible Schools
of Duff Parker and the Fall of the Dystopiad, middle school student Duff seeks a graphic novel and his school’s sci-fi club as a source of stability and community as he deals with a situation in which someone is seriously injured after falling into a neighborhood gang. The novel was published by Center for Responsive Schools, an educational non-profit organization and publisher focused on SEL resources.
Bonus: This graphic novel was drawn by Mashable’s resident artist, Ian Moore.
SEL Themes: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Responsible Decision-Making
12+
Credit: Avenue A Books / The Center for Responsible Schools
This graphic novel for middle school students uses the story of science master Dawn, who suffers from a chronic anxiety disorder, and her best friend, James, to help young people deal with anxiety in uncomfortable and stressful social situations. It shows how much you can manage. When James is accused of a gross practical joke, Dawn must overcome her own fears and stand up for her friends and passions. It was also issued by the Center for Responsible Schools.
SEL Themes: Self-Management, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision Making
13+
Credit: Penguin Random House
of farm story, the first in a three-book collection following a community in a fictionalized version of the author’s home in Ontario, Canada, Remia tells the story of a 10-year-old orphan named Lester who finds solace in an unexpected local relationship.Remaining Essex County shares the intimate story of one community overcoming grief, friendship, love and loneliness.
SEL Themes: Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills
13+
Credit: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Inspired by the author and the cartoonist’s own experiences as a young queer immigrant, the graphic novel follows a young man on a journey to find a place to belong, exploring gender inequality, family life, and interpersonal conflicts. I’m here. This book is a collection of Yao Xiao’s poetic monthly web comic series. baop.
SEL Themes: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness
13+
Credit: Avenue A Books / The Center for Responsible Schools
Alexis vs Summer Vacation is the coming-of-age story of a 14-year-old struggling to understand who he is and who he wants to be. Alexis is about to enroll in high school and trying to make new friends, but is dealing with what that means to her now that she’s found out she’s in love with a girl. must figure out how to stand up for themselves and their communities while also handling their own identities.
SEL Themes: Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills
