Course

Module 1: Introduction to Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL)

Duration: 3 hours

Objective: Understand the principles of SEL and explore its importance in education in emergencies, especially to help teachers support the emotional and academic needs of displaced children.

Module 1.1: Understanding SEL

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module, participants will:

• Define SEL
• Be familiar with the five core SEL competencies and how they support learning.
• Identify strategies to integrate SEL competencies into teaching lessons for displaced children.

Welcome

What is social-emotional learning (ice breaker)

Getting started

Before we define social and emotional learning (SEL), it can be good to think first about your social and emotional development and the relationships and environments that have and continue to support your growth.

‘’Think of an adult who positively impacted you when you were young. It could be a family member, a teacher, or any adult who supported you in some way when you were a child or young adult’’. (CASEL)

Activity

Write about this person.

a) What do you remember about the person

b) how did you feel when you were with them

Watch this video on creating supportive classrooms: https://veed.io/view/2a5f7695-1cd9-4572-9325-58a39ba80ac4

Bearing in mind our experience in times past with supportive adults, it makes us aware that they did help in shaping who we are and how we want to support others.

Think about the spaces you share with young people now. As a teacher, you might think of the classroom, the assembly or the playground. 

Activity

1)      How do you want your students to feel when they are with you?

2)      What do you see and hear in this space if they feel this way? What must be true about their relationships and the environment for them to feel this way?

3)      What skills might your students need support with to strengthen their relationships and contribute to that environment?

Watch this video to hear what other teachers think about these questions.

Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikehX9o1JbI

Socio-emotional learning (SEL) is an evidence-based framework that equips children with the skills to understand and manage emotions, build positive relationships, and make responsible decisions (CASEL, 2020). (SEL) is a lifelong process of developing skills that help us succeed in school and life. Skills include communicating effectively, building relationships, working through challenges, and making decisions that benefit us and others. The term is also often used to describe how we help students learn and practice these skills in supportive environments (CASEL, 2020). "SEL is based in the field of positive child and youth development, which argues that the needs of youth must be addressed by creating environments that promote positive outcomes, such as achievement in school, mutually supportive relationships with adults and peers, problem-solving ability, and civic engagement" (Greenberg et al.,2003). "SEL refers to the processes and actions that foster self-awareness, emotional literacy, resilience, and self-confidence. These are essential for well-being and learning at school" (INEE). SEL is very critical in creating safe and inclusive learning environments, helping refugee students feel emotionally secure and ready to learn.

Given the complexity of SEL, let's break it down further. We will utilize the CASEL framework for this training, which outlines five core skill areas, or "competencies."

SEL is complex, so let's break it down to see what it means. For this training, we will be using the CASEL's framework, which includes five core skill areas, or "competencies":

Let us now look at the five competencies comprised in socioemotional learning

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize one's emotions and understand how they impact our thoughts and actions, how we think about ourselves and who we are. It includes understanding our culture, thoughts and feelings, and what we believe we can do. It's also about understanding how these things influence our behaviours and beliefs. Self-awareness helps children to understand how emotions can affect their behaviour.

• Example: Help students identify how they feel when struggling with a math problem (e.g., frustrated, anxious) and learn to ask for help instead of giving up.

• Activity Idea: Use an "Emotion Wheel" to help students name their emotions before lessons.

Self-management is effectively managing emotions, thoughts, and behaviours to achieve set goals. Self-management involves goal setting, stress management, and impulse control.  This includes learning how to cope with anxiety and stress, persevering through challenges, and developing a sense of personal agency (a willingness and ability to take action to make a difference). 

• Example: Teaching students how to calm down using breathing techniques/exercises when frustrated with a maths task or before reattempting a difficult question.

• Strategy: Use a growth mindset approach— “It’s okay to make mistakes while learning.”

Social Awareness is the ability to empathise with others from diverse backgrounds and to understand the perspectives of others. Social Awareness includes understanding others, taking on different perspectives, and empathising with people. It also includes understanding how what is happening around us can influence our actions and how we create and feel a sense of belonging.

• Example: Create group math projects where students can work together and learn to appreciate that their classmates may have different ways of solving the same math problem due to their unique experiences.

• Activity Idea: Share stories about famous mathematicians from diverse backgrounds to foster empathy and interest.

Relationship skills include building positive relationships, communicating effectively, getting along with others, and forming lasting friendships and connections. They also include communicating clearly, solving problems, managing conflicts and disagreements, and standing up for ourselves and others.

• Example: Encourage “peer tutoring,” where students help each other solve maths problems.

• Developing healthy relationships through communication, cooperation, and conflict resolution.

• Strategy: Use games and cooperative learning tasks to develop teamwork, listen to one another, and respectfully share ideas.

Responsible Decision-Making is act of making positive and informed choices. Responsible Decision making includes thinking about the consequences of our actions, being curious and open-minded to new perspectives and information, and identifying solutions that benefit us and the community.

·         Making ethical, constructive choices about personal and social behaviour.

• Example: Students stay focused during math activities rather than distract their peers, understanding how their behaviour impacts group learning.

• Encourage students to reflect on their learning decisions (e.g., “What strategy can I use to solve this problem?”).

• Strategy: Integrate problem-solving activities that allow students to practice logical and fair decision-making.

Social and emotional skills vary across ages and stages. While the five competencies are essential to development at all ages, the tasks we can perform change as we mature. For example, a preschooler might practice social awareness by identifying a character's emotions in a book. At the same time, a high school junior may understand how a friend's different experiences make them feel and think differently about a situation.

CASEL's framework for schoolwide SEL also highlights four key settings that shape social and emotional development:

In your classroom, you can teach social and emotional skills directly and create opportunities for students to practice and apply SEL skills while teaching subjects like maths and English.

Beyond the classroom, a student's SEL development can be nurtured throughout their school experience: for example, the way they are greeted in the hallways, the clubs they join, or their interactions with other students and staff in the playground. Adults in the schools can intentionally promote SEL by listening to students' opinions.

Family members are the children's first teachers. They bring deep knowledge about their children's growth, experiences, culture, and learning needs. Teachers and schools must listen to and work with families to better understand student needs and shape how schools can effectively support their students' social and emotional development.

Also, when schools connect with the host community during and outside school, students have additional and aligned opportunities for SEL. Community programs can offer space for young people to practice social and emotional skills in settings such as, sports, arts, and community service.

Week 1 Reflective self-assessment

SEL competencies

Question 1

In the inner circle: Why is each competency important? How does it benefit children to have each competency?

In the outer circle: How can each competency be built or strengthened? What interventions would be appropriate?

Question 2

Which SEL competency focuses on recognizing and managing one’s emotions?
a) Self-Awareness
b) Social Awareness
c) Responsible Decision-Making

Reflection 

• How confident do you feel about integrating SEL into your lessons?
• Identify one SEL competency you would like to focus on in your teaching next week.

• • • 
      A.I. generated image ‘Self-Management' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Gratitude jar' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Happy place' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Large classroom size' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Mindfulness' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Morning meeting check-ins' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Peer to Peer interaction' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'relationship skills' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Resilience tree' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Responsible decision making' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Role playing' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'SEL in the classroom' using Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'SEL through stories' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Self-awareness’ using Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Social awareness' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Socio-emotional learning' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated image 'Welcome picture' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated video 'Creating Supportive Classroom environment' using VEED by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated video 'Healing hearts: The role of teachers in displacement camps' using Invideo by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • A.I. generated video 'How one teacher changed my life' using VEED by Stephanie Akinwoya
    • American Psychological Association (2024): Trauma https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma#:~:text=Trauma%20is%20an%20emotional%20response,from%20Recovering%20emotionally%20from%20disaster
    • Betancourt, T. S., Meyers-Ohki, S., Charrow, A., & Hansen, N. (2015). Mental health and psychosocial problems in children affected by armed conflict: Theoretical framework and research recommendations. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
    • CASEL (2023). What is SEL? Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Available at: https://casel.org.
    • CASEL. (2020). What is SEL? Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Retrieved from https://casel.org.
    • Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): https://casel.org
    • Comprehensive resources on SEL frameworks.
    • Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development.
    •  Enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning. (2003) American Psychologist, 58, 466– 474.
    • flickr.com/photos/eu_echo/11853566153 children listening to their teacher
    • flickr.com/photos/unicefethiopia/46390846655 Berak IDP site UNICEF Ethiopia
    • Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’Brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., et
    • Haiti’s Hidden crisis: Displaced children and their struggle, UNICEF.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zujn2cTpLX0&t=70s
    • Lozano-Peña, G., Sáez-Delgado, F., Sáez-Delgado, F., López-Angulo, Y., & Mella-Norambuena, J. (2021). Teachers’ Social–Emotional Competence: History, Concept, Models, Instruments, and Recommendations for Educational Quality. Sustainability, 13(21), 12142.
    • Masten, A. S. (2014). Ordinary magic: Resilience in development. Guilford Press.
    • Masten, A. S., & Narayan, A. J. (2012). Child development in the context of disaster, war, and terrorism: Pathways of risk and resilience. Annual Review of Psychology, 63(1), 227-257.
    • Mendenhall, M., Gomez, S., & Varni, E. (2017). Teaching amidst conflict and displacement: Persistent challenges and promising practices for refugee, internally displaced, and national teachers. International Journal of Educational Development, 53, 113-121.
    • Perleoni, M. (2019). A Trauma-informed School-based Mental Health Counseling Intervention to Promote the Social-emotional and Academic Functionality of Children Living in Poverty. https://core.ac.uk/download/236315371.pdf
    • Practical strategies for educators in emergency settings.
    • SEL Competencies: Healing classrooms 2024 international rescue committee (IRC)
    • Social Emotional Learning Week is here – let's celebrate - Civic Nebraska. https://civicnebraska.org/20240304-sel-week-celebrate/
    • Socio-emotional learning. What is SEL, and why does SEL matter? Committee for Children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikehX9o1JbI
    • Stories and strategies to bring SEL to life.
    • Supporting Trauma Recovery - Schools for Refugees.https://sifr.foundationhouse.org.au/refugee-experiences/supporting-trauma-recovery/
    • Teaching with Heart: Mary C. Sroufe and Peter M. DeWitt
    • The Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) psychosocial support needs and interventions
    • Trauma-recovery framework: Healing Classroom 2024 International Rescue Committee (IRC)
    • UNHCR (2019). Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2019. Available at: https://www.unhcr.org.
    • UNHCR. (2017). Educating refugee children: Challenges and solutions.
    • UNICEF Guidance on SEL in Emergencies: https://www.unicef.org

     

    • UNICEF. (2019). The State of the World's Children 2019: Children, food and nutrition – Growing well in a changing world.
  
  
  

By the end of this module, participants will:

• Understand how trauma and displacement affect children’s learning and behaviour.
• Define Trauma.
• Understanding how trauma can manifest in behaviour and learning challenges, recognizing the signs of emotional distress in children.

• Module Objective: Learn how trauma and displacement affect children's emotional and social development.

Children in refugee/displacement camps are likely to be experiencing:

• Interrupted education due to displacement and migration.
• Psychological trauma from exposure to conflict, loss, or violence (Masten & Narayan, 2012).
• Behavioural challenges, such as anxiety, withdrawal, and emotional outbursts, affect concentration and problem-solving skills and, in turn, negatively affect their learning (Betancourt et al., 2015).

In crisis/displacement contexts, SEL is essential because it:

• Promotes resilience: Helps children cope with stress and build emotional strength (Masten, 2014).
• Builds a sense of belonging: SEL activities foster classroom communities where students feel connected to peers and teachers, reducing feelings of isolation (UNHCR, 2017).
• Improves academic performance: Students with strong SEL skills tend to perform better academically, especially in subjects like math, which require patience and persistence (Durlak et al., 2011).
• Addresses behavioural challenges: SEL reduces students' behaviours that interfere with learning by teaching students emotional regulation.

Many children in IDP camps are the cause of displacement, and even in IDP camps, they undergo traumatic experiences that can affect their learning.

Trauma is an emotional response to a distressing event that can cause long-term adverse effects on a person's mental or emotional health.

How Trauma Affects Learning:

• Cognitive Impact: Children who have experienced trauma due to conflict have difficulty focusing, may have memory problems, and may also avoid challenging tasks.
• Emotional Impact: They may suffer from low self-esteem, fear of failure, and emotional dysregulation.
• Social Impact: They may have trust issues and difficulty bonding with peers and teachers (UNICEF, 2019). Such children struggle with cooperation, peer relationships, and group activities (Mendenhall et al., 2017).
• Physiological Impact: Children may experience pains that do not seem to have a physical cause, such as insomnia, stomach pain, and headaches. (IRC,2024)

Trauma recovery implies the ability to be able to live in the present without being overwhelmed by the negative thoughts, feelings and consequences associated with past traumatic events. (Foundation House, 2022).

It’s important to note that not all displaced children will be traumatized by their experiences of conflict, displacement or resettlement and that no two people will experience traumatic events in the same way. In applying trauma-informed approaches, we must remember to see each child as an individual and not put children into boxes tagged to specific expectations or limitations (IRC,2024).

Resilience

Children and youth have diverse experiences, coping skills, and disaster responses. Some may only require attention to basic physical and psychosocial needs, while others may be highly distressed and traumatized.

A person’s psychosocial well-being depends on the resources available and their capacity to respond to challenges. We call this resilience. Resilience happens when the protective factors that support well-being are stronger than risk factors that cause harm.

What are some factors that increase resilience? Encourage participants to draw from their experience as parents, community members, teachers, and EiE practitioners.

Example Answers: Supportive relationships, safe and open learning environments, and routines.

Trauma-Recovery Framework

The school can be a great place to provide a safe space for students who have endured trauma due to conflict and displacement. Education that supports the psychosocial well-being of displaced children can help them to learn more effectively and, in turn, participate in educational opportunities (INEE)

Teacher’s Role: Teachers must create emotionally supportive classrooms where students feel safe, included, and motivated to learn. Teachers must respond to students' challenging behaviours with empathy and understanding and help students develop coping strategies.

Psychosocial well-being is influenced by psychological strengths and positive social experiences.

·         Psychological strengths include practices, beliefs, and rituals that give life meaning. These activities make us feel safe and secure and improve our mental health.

Positive social experiences, such as relationships with supportive family and community members, create a sense of belonging. Families and communities play an essential role in supporting psychosocial well-being.

Psychosocial support (PSS) is the process and actions that promote the holistic well-being of a person in their social world and can facilitate resilience within individuals, families and communities.

Several needs must be met for children to ensure their psychosocial well-being through psychosocial support interventions. These include:

1. Sense of belonging
2. Intellectual stimulation
3. Physical stimulation
4. Personal attachments
5. To feel valued

Activity 2

PSS Needs and Interventions

Brainstorm some examples of PSS from your own:

• What is a positive example of each need? (Examples where children’s needs are being met)
• What is a negative example of each need? (Examples where children’s needs are not being met)
• What is a possible (school- or classroom-based) intervention to improve children’s well-being related to each need? (INEE) 

(INEE)

Week 2 Reflective self-assessment

Self-reflection questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you worked with a student affected by trauma.
2. What behavioural challenges did you observe that your student exhibits (e.g., avoidance, anger, withdrawal)?, how has these behavioural challenges impacted students' learning
3. How does recognizing students’ emotions influence your teaching approach?

• 
  

  • A.I. generated image ‘Self-Management' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Gratitude jar' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Happy place' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Large classroom size' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Mindfulness' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Morning meeting check-ins' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Peer to Peer interaction' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'relationship skills' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Resilience tree' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Responsible decision making' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Role playing' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'SEL in the classroom' using Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'SEL through stories' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Self-awareness’ using Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Social awareness' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Socio-emotional learning' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Welcome picture' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated video 'Creating Supportive Classroom environment' using VEED by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated video 'Healing hearts: The role of teachers in displacement camps' using Invideo by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated video 'How one teacher changed my life' using VEED by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • American Psychological Association (2024): Trauma https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma#:~:text=Trauma%20is%20an%20emotional%20response,from%20Recovering%20emotionally%20from%20disaster
  • Betancourt, T. S., Meyers-Ohki, S., Charrow, A., & Hansen, N. (2015). Mental health and psychosocial problems in children affected by armed conflict: Theoretical framework and research recommendations. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
  • CASEL (2023). What is SEL? Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Available at: https://casel.org.
  • CASEL. (2020). What is SEL? Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Retrieved from https://casel.org.
  • Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): https://casel.org
  • Comprehensive resources on SEL frameworks.
  • Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development.
  •  Enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning. (2003) American Psychologist, 58, 466– 474.
  • flickr.com/photos/eu_echo/11853566153 children listening to their teacher
  • flickr.com/photos/unicefethiopia/46390846655 Berak IDP site UNICEF Ethiopia
  • Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’Brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., et
  • Haiti’s Hidden crisis: Displaced children and their struggle, UNICEF.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zujn2cTpLX0&t=70s
  • Lozano-Peña, G., Sáez-Delgado, F., Sáez-Delgado, F., López-Angulo, Y., & Mella-Norambuena, J. (2021). Teachers’ Social–Emotional Competence: History, Concept, Models, Instruments, and Recommendations for Educational Quality. Sustainability, 13(21), 12142.
  • Masten, A. S. (2014). Ordinary magic: Resilience in development. Guilford Press.
  • Masten, A. S., & Narayan, A. J. (2012). Child development in the context of disaster, war, and terrorism: Pathways of risk and resilience. Annual Review of Psychology, 63(1), 227-257.
  • Mendenhall, M., Gomez, S., & Varni, E. (2017). Teaching amidst conflict and displacement: Persistent challenges and promising practices for refugee, internally displaced, and national teachers. International Journal of Educational Development, 53, 113-121.
  • Perleoni, M. (2019). A Trauma-informed School-based Mental Health Counseling Intervention to Promote the Social-emotional and Academic Functionality of Children Living in Poverty. https://core.ac.uk/download/236315371.pdf
  • Practical strategies for educators in emergency settings.
  • SEL Competencies: Healing classrooms 2024 international rescue committee (IRC)
  • Social Emotional Learning Week is here – let's celebrate - Civic Nebraska. https://civicnebraska.org/20240304-sel-week-celebrate/
  • Socio-emotional learning. What is SEL, and why does SEL matter? Committee for Children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikehX9o1JbI
  • Stories and strategies to bring SEL to life.
  • Supporting Trauma Recovery - Schools for Refugees.https://sifr.foundationhouse.org.au/refugee-experiences/supporting-trauma-recovery/
  • Teaching with Heart: Mary C. Sroufe and Peter M. DeWitt
  • The Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) psychosocial support needs and interventions
  • Trauma-recovery framework: Healing Classroom 2024 International Rescue Committee (IRC)
  • UNHCR (2019). Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2019. Available at: https://www.unhcr.org.
  • UNHCR. (2017). Educating refugee children: Challenges and solutions.
  • UNICEF Guidance on SEL in Emergencies: https://www.unicef.org

   

  • UNICEF. (2019). The State of the World's Children 2019: Children, food and nutrition – Growing well in a changing world.
  
  

Module Objectives

1. Understand the principles and importance of socioemotional learning (SEL).
2. Identify practical strategies to integrate SEL into everyday teaching.
3. Address challenges of implementing SEL in displacement camp settings.
4. Explore creative methods to implement SEL with limited resources.
5. Tailor SEL strategies to meet the needs of large class sizes and students with diverse traumatic experiences.

What is SEL? SEL is a series of competencies/strategies through which students or adults alike can acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to help them understand and manage emotions, Set and achieve positive goals, show empathy for others, establish and maintain healthy relationships, as well as make responsible decisions.

• Many students in displacement camps are dealing with emotional and psychological challenges.
• Employing SEL strategies helps foster resilience, improves emotional well-being, and creates a supportive learning environment.
• SEL builds community and trust, helping students feel safe and valued.

Below, you will find some practical ways of applying SEL in everyday teaching practice.

Morning Meetings or Check-Ins

• Begin each day with a brief, structured activity to help students express feelings and set a positive tone. For example, you could use an emotion wheel or simple drawings to have students share their feelings using visual cues.

SEL Through Stories

• Use storytelling to introduce SEL concepts such as empathy, perseverance, and self-regulation. Example Activity: Read or tell a story where characters face challenges and discuss how they overcome them. Prompt students with questions like, "How do you think the character felt?" or "What would you have done?"

Peer-to-Peer Interaction

• Foster collaboration and empathy through structured group work. Example Activity: Pair students to work collaboratively on simple tasks and let them know how important it is to listen and help each other.

Role-Playing

• Use role-playing to teach conflict resolution and problem-solving. Example Activity: Act out scenarios like sharing limited supplies or resolving disagreements. Discuss the outcomes and alternative approaches.

Displacement camps have limited resources, and teachers may face several challenges when teaching children in these camps. The next section itemises some of these challenges and strategies for mitigating them.

https://ai.invideo.io/watch/S6CSy0hrFQu

Challenge 1: Trauma and Emotional Barriers

• Strategy: Create a safe space.

• Designate a quiet corner with calming visuals where students can take breaks.

• Use simple breathing exercises or mindfulness activities to reduce stress.

Example Activity: Teach the "3-2-1 Calm Down" method (take three deep breaths, focus on two objects, and name one feeling).

Challenge 2: Large Class Sizes

• Strategy: Use group dynamics effectively.

• Break the class into smaller groups for peer discussions.

• Assign SEL roles such as "encourager" or "listener" within groups. Example Activity: In a group discussion about a story, assign one student to summarise, another to ask a question, and others to share feelings or solutions.

Challenge 3: Limited Resources

• Strategy: Maximise creativity with what resources are available.

• Create SEL tools from local materials.

Example Activity: Use sticks, stones, or drawn cards to represent feelings or decisions in a game.

Art and Craft

• Use drawing, painting, or crafting to help students express emotions.

Songs and Rhymes

• Teach SEL concepts through simple songs in the local dialect or simple rhymes.

Example Activity: Create a song about kindness or sharing using a familiar tune.

Games and Movement

• Adapt traditional games to include SEL elements.

Example Activity: During a game of tag(Catcher-Catcher), introduce a "safe zone" where students practice calming strategies before re-entering.

Understanding Trauma Levels

• Recognise that students may react differently based on their experiences.

• Some may withdraw; others may act out.

Strategy: Use inclusive language and avoid singling out students. For example, instead of saying, "Some of us might feel worried today," say, "You look upset."

Differentiated Support

• Use tiered approaches:

• Whole Class: Community-building activities like group affirmations.

• Small Groups: Focused peer discussions for those needing extra support.

• Individual: Quiet, one-on-one time for students who require deeper intervention.

Building Resilience

• Highlight stories of overcoming challenges.
• Recognise every achievement and milestone, no matter how small. One way to reinforce student strengths is to clap for students who participate actively in class.

Example Activity: Create a "Resilience Tree" where each leaf represents something a student has overcome or achieved.

Understanding the underlying cause for disruptive behaviour in class.

• Disruptive behaviours often result from underlying unmet emotional needs or response traumas the student is experiencing. Strategy: Respond with empathy, not punishment. Use phrases like, "I see you're upset. How can I help?"

Have Clear and Consistent Routines

• Establish predictable classroom routines to create a sense of security.

Example: Begin each day with the same calming ritual, like a group affirmation or breathing exercise.

Make use of De-escalation Techniques.

• Use non-verbal cues and calm tones to reduce tension. Example Activity: Teach students a "signal" (like holding up a peace sign) that indicates a need for a moment to regroup.

Employ Positive Reinforcement

• Deliberately and consciously Celebrating positive behaviour rather than only addressing negative behaviour in class helps build a child's confidence to express themself.

Example Activity: Create a "Kindness Jar," where students add tokens for acts of kindness or self-control. Celebrate milestones together.

Provide students with Choices

• Empower students by offering simple choices, which can help them feel more in control.

Example: "Would you like to sit quietly or draw for a few minutes to calm down?"

Use Movement Breaks

• Incorporate physical activities to release pent-up energy and emotions.

Example Activity: A quick "shake-it-out" break where students stand up, stretch, and shake their hands and feet for a minute.

Access to Safe Spaces

• Allow students to access a designated "calm corner" when feeling overwhelmed.

Example: Stock the space with simple, low-cost items like a stress ball or paper for drawing.

Week 3 Reflective self-assessment

Create a lesson plan for a 40 mins lesson that incorporates SEL into teaching a Literacy/Numeracy lesson.

Planning a Math Lesson with SEL Integration (40 minutes).

Instructions:

a.   Select a simple math concept (e.g., addition, subtraction).

b    Design a 20-minute lesson plan that incorporates at least two SEL competencies.

c.   Share your lesson plan with a partner/teacher adviser and discuss how the SEL strategies in your lesson plan will enhance learning.

Example:

• Competency: Self-Awareness – Start the lesson by asking students how they feel about math.

• Competency: Relationship Skills – Organise students into small groups to solve problems collaboratively.

Further reflection questions:

• How does integrating SEL into your math lesson affect student engagement?

• What challenges might you encounter when implementing SEL in your lesson?

Conclusion: Socioemotional learning should not be seen as an additional cumbersome task but as an integral part of building a nurturing, inclusive classroom environment. Even in displacement camp settings, small, consistent efforts can build emotional resilience and foster a sense of community among students

• • 
    A.I. generated image ‘Self-Management' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Gratitude jar' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Happy place' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Large classroom size' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Mindfulness' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Morning meeting check-ins' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Peer to Peer interaction' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'relationship skills' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Resilience tree' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Responsible decision making' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Role playing' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'SEL in the classroom' using Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'SEL through stories' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Self-awareness’ using Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Social awareness' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Socio-emotional learning' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated image 'Welcome picture' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated video 'Creating Supportive Classroom environment' using VEED by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated video 'Healing hearts: The role of teachers in displacement camps' using Invideo by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • A.I. generated video 'How one teacher changed my life' using VEED by Stephanie Akinwoya
  • American Psychological Association (2024): Trauma https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma#:~:text=Trauma%20is%20an%20emotional%20response,from%20Recovering%20emotionally%20from%20disaster
  • Betancourt, T. S., Meyers-Ohki, S., Charrow, A., & Hansen, N. (2015). Mental health and psychosocial problems in children affected by armed conflict: Theoretical framework and research recommendations. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
  • CASEL (2023). What is SEL? Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Available at: https://casel.org.
  • CASEL. (2020). What is SEL? Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Retrieved from https://casel.org.
  • Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): https://casel.org
  • Comprehensive resources on SEL frameworks.
  • Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development.
  •  Enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning. (2003) American Psychologist, 58, 466– 474.
  • flickr.com/photos/eu_echo/11853566153 children listening to their teacher
  • flickr.com/photos/unicefethiopia/46390846655 Berak IDP site UNICEF Ethiopia
  • Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’Brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., et
  • Haiti’s Hidden crisis: Displaced children and their struggle, UNICEF.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zujn2cTpLX0&t=70s
  • Lozano-Peña, G., Sáez-Delgado, F., Sáez-Delgado, F., López-Angulo, Y., & Mella-Norambuena, J. (2021). Teachers’ Social–Emotional Competence: History, Concept, Models, Instruments, and Recommendations for Educational Quality. Sustainability, 13(21), 12142.
  • Masten, A. S. (2014). Ordinary magic: Resilience in development. Guilford Press.
  • Masten, A. S., & Narayan, A. J. (2012). Child development in the context of disaster, war, and terrorism: Pathways of risk and resilience. Annual Review of Psychology, 63(1), 227-257.
  • Mendenhall, M., Gomez, S., & Varni, E. (2017). Teaching amidst conflict and displacement: Persistent challenges and promising practices for refugee, internally displaced, and national teachers. International Journal of Educational Development, 53, 113-121.
  • Perleoni, M. (2019). A Trauma-informed School-based Mental Health Counseling Intervention to Promote the Social-emotional and Academic Functionality of Children Living in Poverty. https://core.ac.uk/download/236315371.pdf
  • Practical strategies for educators in emergency settings.
  • SEL Competencies: Healing classrooms 2024 international rescue committee (IRC)
  • Social Emotional Learning Week is here – let's celebrate - Civic Nebraska. https://civicnebraska.org/20240304-sel-week-celebrate/
  • Socio-emotional learning. What is SEL, and why does SEL matter? Committee for Children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikehX9o1JbI
  • Stories and strategies to bring SEL to life.
  • Supporting Trauma Recovery - Schools for Refugees.https://sifr.foundationhouse.org.au/refugee-experiences/supporting-trauma-recovery/
  • Teaching with Heart: Mary C. Sroufe and Peter M. DeWitt
  • The Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) psychosocial support needs and interventions
  • Trauma-recovery framework: Healing Classroom 2024 International Rescue Committee (IRC)
  • UNHCR (2019). Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2019. Available at: https://www.unhcr.org.
  • UNHCR. (2017). Educating refugee children: Challenges and solutions.
  • UNICEF Guidance on SEL in Emergencies: https://www.unicef.org

   

  • UNICEF. (2019). The State of the World's Children 2019: Children, food and nutrition – Growing well in a changing world.

• Module Objective: In this module, teachers will learn to manage their emotional and mental health when working with vulnerable children.

 Introduction to Self-Care and Emotional Well-Being

• Why Self-Care Matters:

• Teaching in refugee camps comes with unique challenges, such as high stress, limited resources, and emotional fatigue.

• Prioritizing self-care ensures you stay physically and mentally healthy, enabling you to better support your students.

• Reference: Figley, C.R. (1995). Compassion Fatigue: Coping with Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder in Those Who Treat the Traumatized.

• The Impact of Emotional Well-Being on Teaching:

• A calm and healthy teacher creates a stable environment for learners.

• Emotional resilience helps in addressing challenges more effectively.

• To ensure Physical Well-Being, teachers should:

• Ensure they have regular meals, are hydrated, and have adequate sleep.

• Teachers should Engage in simple physical activities such as stretching or short walks.

• Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, when feeling stressed.

• Emotional and Mental Well-Being:

• Take regular breaks to reflect and recharge.

• Maintain a journal to express thoughts and emotions.

• Practice mindfulness: Focus on the present moment to reduce stress.

• Activity: 5-minute guided mindfulness exercise (breathing and grounding).

• Set Boundaries:

• Learn to say no when overwhelmed. Prioritize tasks and delegate when possible.

• Why Supportive Communities Are Essential:
• A strong support network reduces feelings of isolation.
• Sharing experiences and strategies fosters collaboration and resilience.
• Reference: Dufour, R., Dufour, R., & Eaker, R. (2008). Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work.
• How to Build a Community:
• Organize weekly teacher meetings to discuss challenges and share successes.
• Create a buddy system where teachers can check in with each other.
• Celebrate small wins together to foster positivity.

1. Mindfulness Breaks

• Duration: 5 minutes

• Description: Teachers practice deep breathing, stretching, and visualization exercises.

• Materials: Quiet space, optional calming music.

1. Creating a Gratitude Jar

• Duration: 30 minutes

• Description: Teachers write down positive experiences or things they are thankful for and place them in a shared jar to read during team meetings.

• Materials: Paper slips, a jar, and pens.

1. 3. Role-Playing Stressful Scenarios

• Duration: 1 hour

• Description: Teachers role-play everyday stressful situations and brainstorm solutions together.

Materials: Scenario cards (e.g., overcrowded classrooms, student trauma, lack of resources)

4.5 Assignments

1. Personal Reflection:
• Write a one-page reflection on what self-care means to you and identify three self-care strategies you can start implementing this week.
2. Community Building Plan:
• Develop a simple plan for a teacher support group, outlining activities, meeting times, and ways to encourage participation.

• Taking care of oneself is not an act in terms of practising. Self-care is not selfish; it is imperative to take care of yourself, as it is the first step toward being an effective teacher who can effectively provide the support your students need. Building a supportive community amplifies resilience and reduces stress.
• Begin small, be consistent, and reach out when you need help. Together, we can build strength in the face of challenges.

Final Project: SEL Implementation Plan

Objective: Develop a comprehensive plan to integrate SEL into your teaching practice over a term.

Instructions:

• Use the concepts and strategies from each module to design a long-term SEL implementation plan for your classroom.
• Include weekly activities, how you will assess progress, and how you will adapt strategies to fit the needs of your students.

Submission:

• Present your SEL plan to your peers for feedback and suggestions.

Course statement of participation certificate

The certificate is awarded if you have viewed and/or participated in each of the course Activity Forums.

Week 1 Activity Forum 1

Week 1 Activity Forum 2

Week 1 Activity Forum 3

Week 1 Activity Forum 4

Week 1 Activity Forum 5

Week 1 Activity Forum 6

Week 1 Activity Forum 7

Week 2 Activity Forum 1

Week 3 Activity Forum 1

Week 3 Activity Forum 2

The course statement of participation is emailed to you at the address you used to enrol on the course.

• A.I. generated image ‘Self-Management' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Gratitude jar' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Happy place' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Large classroom size' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Mindfulness' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Morning meeting check-ins' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Peer to Peer interaction' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'relationship skills' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Resilience tree' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Responsible decision making' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Role playing' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'SEL in the classroom' using Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'SEL through stories' using DALL.E 3 by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Self-awareness’ using Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Social awareness' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Socio-emotional learning' using Fotor and Leonardo.AI by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated image 'Welcome picture' using Fotor by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated video 'Creating Supportive Classroom environment' using VEED by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated video 'Healing hearts: The role of teachers in displacement camps' using Invideo by Stephanie Akinwoya
• A.I. generated video 'How one teacher changed my life' using VEED by Stephanie Akinwoya
• American Psychological Association (2024): Trauma https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma#:~:text=Trauma%20is%20an%20emotional%20response,from%20Recovering%20emotionally%20from%20disaster
• Betancourt, T. S., Meyers-Ohki, S., Charrow, A., & Hansen, N. (2015). Mental health and psychosocial problems in children affected by armed conflict: Theoretical framework and research recommendations. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
• CASEL (2023). What is SEL? Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Available at: https://casel.org.
• CASEL. (2020). What is SEL? Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Retrieved from https://casel.org.
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): https://casel.org
• Comprehensive resources on SEL frameworks.
• Dufour, R., Dufour, R., & Eaker, R. (2008). Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work.    

• Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development.
•  Enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning. (2003) American Psychologist, 58, 466– 474.
• Figley, C.R. (1995). Compassion Fatigue: Coping with Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder in Those Who Treat the Traumatised
• flickr.com/photos/eu_echo/11853566153 children listening to their teacher
• flickr.com/photos/unicefethiopia/46390846655 Berak IDP site UNICEF Ethiopia
• Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’Brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., et
• Haiti’s Hidden crisis: Displaced children and their struggle, UNICEF.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zujn2cTpLX0&t=70s
• How to Empower Kids With The Emotional Skills They Need To Be Amazing Students - Kiddie Matters. https://www.kiddiematters.com/social-emotional-development-checklists-for-kids-and-teens/
• Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life.
• Lozano-Peña, G., Sáez-Delgado, F., Sáez-Delgado, F., López-Angulo, Y., & Mella-Norambuena, J. (2021). Teachers’ Social–Emotional Competence: History, Concept, Models, Instruments, and Recommendations for Educational Quality. Sustainability, 13(21), 12142.
• Masten, A. S. (2014). Ordinary magic: Resilience in development. Guilford Press.
• Masten, A. S., & Narayan, A. J. (2012). Child development in the context of disaster, war, and terrorism: Pathways of risk and resilience. Annual Review of Psychology, 63(1), 227-257.
• Mendenhall, M., Gomez, S., & Varni, E. (2017). Teaching amidst conflict and displacement: Persistent challenges and promising practices for refugee, internally displaced, and national teachers. International Journal of Educational Development, 53, 113-121.
• Perleoni, M. (2019). A Trauma-informed School-based Mental Health Counseling Intervention to Promote the Social-emotional and Academic Functionality of Children Living in Poverty. https://core.ac.uk/download/236315371.pdf
• Practical strategies for educators in emergency settings.
• SEL Competencies: Healing classrooms 2024 international rescue committee (IRC)
• Social Emotional Learning Week is here – let's celebrate - Civic Nebraska. https://civicnebraska.org/20240304-sel-week-celebrate/
• Socio-emotional learning. What is SEL, and why does SEL matter? Committee for Children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikehX9o1JbI
• Stories and strategies to bring SEL to life.
• Supporting Trauma Recovery - Schools for Refugees.https://sifr.foundationhouse.org.au/refugee-experiences/supporting-trauma-recovery/
• Teaching with Heart: Mary C. Sroufe and Peter M. DeWitt
• The Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) psychosocial support needs and interventions
• Trauma-recovery framework: Healing Classroom 2024 International Rescue Committee (IRC)
• UNHCR (2019). Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2019. Available at: https://www.unhcr.org.
• UNHCR. (2017). Educating refugee children: Challenges and solutions.
• UNICEF Guidance on SEL in Emergencies: https://www.unicef.org

• UNICEF. (2019). The State of the World's Children 2019: Children, food and nutrition – Growing well in a changing world.

How can I support children's social-emotional development directly?

(Excerpts from 'How to empower kids with the emotional skills they need to be amazing students')

• Explore different social-emotional learning frameworks. Consider the wide range of SEL skills your kids might benefit from learning in addition to CASEL's five core competencies. The Explore SEL website by the Ecological Approaches to Social Emotional Learning (EASEL) Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education is a helpful place to start.
• Complete needs assessments. Determine the social-emotional skills the kids you serve already have and the social-emotional skills they need to develop further. Get the social-emotional development checklists to guide your assessment. This way, you'll address your kids' needs instead of teaching them skills randomly.
• Plan and prepare social-emotional skills training group lessons. Direct skills training is one of the best ways to teach kids social and emotional skills. This can be done effectively through small group counselling sessions. Using small groups will save you time and allow you to meet more kids' social and emotional needs. There's one caveat—organizing counselling groups can take time to set up. The upside is that once you put the work in upfront to plan groups, you can use them year after year or multiple times a year.
• Model talking about your feelings. When appropriate, talk to kids about your feelings and how they've changed over the day. Use specific words to describe how you're feeling. When you label and describe your feelings, it lets kids know that it's okay to talk about feelings. You can take it one step further and talk about how you're feeling and share how you're coping or going to cope with your emotions. For example:
• I'm feeling nervous about talking in front of a group. I'm going to do some deep breathing to relax.
• Validate children's emotions. It's important to let children know that their feelings are okay and that there are no good or bad feelings. Actively listen to children when they talk about their feelings. Help them learn the vocabulary to label their emotions as they experience them. Here are some examples of helpful validating statements :

I'm sorry you had to go through that

It makes sense that you feel/think…

What you are thinking/feeling is normal

I would feel that way, too, if I were in your situation

I appreciate that you feel comfortable enough to share this with me

I can understand why you feel that way

That must have been really hard for you

After hearing these summaries a few times, kids can more easily label and describe their feelings independently. Once children better understand their emotions, they're more likely to use their coping skills to handle stressful situations.

Encourage kids with meaningful feedback and avoid empty praises. When we use empty praises (i.e., Good job! You're so smart!) to express to children that we are proud of them, they don't get an opportunity to form their own opinions about their choices and accomplishments. Instead, they look to others to define acceptable and unacceptable achievements. It turns out that encouraging children with meaningful feedback is far more powerful than smothering them with empty praises. You can encourage children by making observations about and acknowledging their efforts. For example, "You worked really hard preparing for your test" or "Your effort and hard work paid off." Check out these 25 encouraging phrases you can say to kids to promote a growth mindset