Parenting Strategies For SEL At Home

Many schools – especially now – are receiving large-scale SEL curricula, yet families have little instruction on how to implement and encourage these skills at home. When families and schools communicate and exchange SEL information, children can transition easier and quicker.

How schools and families can collaborate to build resilient, mindful and kind children.

1. Get to know the families – Sending home packets and recommendations is not enough. Through the use of open houses, surveys, teacher – parent meetings and emails, teachers can find out more about the home environment. Who lives in the home? Are there siblings? What is the primary language?
2. Collaborate on specific skills building – Work with the parents and child to identify which areas are of concern and how to address these concerns. Goals can be written down at the start of the year and then reviewed at each conference. Be sure school and home are working together and communicating.
3. Designate a liaison – If possible, designate a school-family partnership coordinator who monitors progress. 
4. Provide a resource center – Supply SEL materials and invite parents to help themselves to these resources, during school hours or by asking their child to bring the items home.
5. Create SEL opportunities – Organize picnics, lunches, trips, celebrations or class presentations and spend a portion of the time discussing a specific skill. Hand out materials on ways parents can continue this skill building at home. 

Learning and Family Resources

Creating safe, caring relationships so all students – regardless of culture, language and needs – can achieve at the highest level.

Effective partnerships between home and school helps all children – regardless of culture, language and needs – share in the commitment to academic success.