More than 8 in 10 public schools say they’re seeing stunted behavioral and socioemotional development in their students, according to May 2024 data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ School Pulse Panel and reported on in an Education Week article. They also say student misbehaviors are having a negative impact on learning, as well as teacher and staff morale.
Being able to manage emotions, behavior, and attention are skills that humans acquire and develop over time, and the early elementary period is the prime time for learning and practicing these skills, says Stephanie Jones, a professor in early childhood development at Harvard University and the director of the Ecological Approaches to Social Emotional Learning, or EASEL, Laboratory.
Several studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting effect on the ability of children of all ages to regulate their emotions, with reports of increased emotional dysregulation and behavioral problems.
The increase in young people’s mental health challenges could be a contributing factor to controlling emotions, too, says Ally Skoog-Hoffman, the senior director of research and learning for the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, or CASEL. Research indicates that mental health challenges “can impede self-regulation by overwhelming students’ emotional responses or making it harder for them to stay focused and organized,” she says.
Increased screen time could be another possible reason for stunted social and behavioral development. Research has shown that screen time shortens attention spans and leads to difficulty focusing.
Here are practical strategies schools implement to teach elementary students how to manage their emotions and behavior, according to experts:
1) Use of visual supports and tools: Using visual aids, such as emotion charts and self-regulation checklists, can help students better understand their feelings and the steps they can take to regulate them. Sand timers allow students to visualize how much time is left. Visual prompt cards can depict coping strategies, such as taking deep breaths or sitting quietly.
2) Educator modeling: School staff can model self-regulation techniques, such as taking deep breaths and reflecting on mistakes.
3) Explicit SEL instruction: Schools can offer explicit social-emotional instruction to explain concepts like impulse control, emotional regulation, and goal-setting. Lessons should help students practice the skills they’re learning about through structured activities, stories, role-playing, or group discussions.
It’s worth noting that critics push back against explicit SEL instruction, claiming it’s a form of liberal indoctrination or that schools should focus more on academics. And some teachers say they barely have time for academics, much less teaching SEL.
4) Peer modeling and group work: Students can learn self-regulation strategies by interacting with and observing their peers. At Powderhorn Elementary School, which serves K-5 in Littleton, Colo., students have buddy days, when older students are matched with younger students to do activities together, says principal Tom Szczesny. Sometimes, there are also lunch groups in which students can interact with peers they don’t usually interact with so they can practice the SEL skills they’re learning.
5) School culture: School values that model and reinforce self-regulation skills for students will have a positive impact not just on the kids but also the staff, Szczesny says.
6) Being proactive: Cultivate SEL skills early on in kids. This is “the necessary first step to helping students succeed,” Szczesny says.
Education Week
