Tools and Strategies for SEL, Student Engagement and Attendance in Blended and Virtual Environments
Updated: Feb 15, 2023
WhyTry Organization Team members Bruce Bushnell (former school counselor) and Jason Johnson (school psychologist) demonstrate the SEL tools and methods of the WhyTry Program, the Resilience for Youth Program, and the Parent Guide to Resilience.
The WhyTry Organization has been leading the way with its innovative approach to teaching SEL and resilience for over 20 years. The WhyTry Program along with Resilience for Youth is used in over 25,000 schools, correctional institutions, and mental health organizations across the US, Canada, and the UK.
Why Focus on SEL Now?
Massive disruptions to schools brought about by COVID-19 are creating a big need for social-emotional support for students and educators. A recent Edweek survey of administrators and teachers found that“Stress management tied with coping, with anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses” was the top priority of focus with students going into the fall. Educators are girding for a spike of problems in those areas. One student services director cited in that survey said, “The mental health issues have increased. We’re just not able to know by how much. When students come to school, you really have your finger on the pulse of what they’re going through.”
SEL for Adults
Another priority will be the support for teachers' well-being. Attending to the social-emotional needs of educators will be important, particularly since they experience the stress and anxiety of being responsible for the well-being of other people’s children in unprecedented times.
Article courtesy of WhyTry.org
