Nurturing Students' Character Everyday Teaching Activities for Social-Emotional Learning

Nurturing Students? Character is an easy-to-use guide to incorporating social-emotional and character development (SECD) into your teaching practice. The links are clear?elementary and middle school students have better odds of academic success if you nurture their social and emotional skills. Drawing on broad field experience and the latest research, this book offers intuitive techniques for infusing your everyday teaching and classroom management with SECD opportunities. With topics ranging from self-regulation and problem solving to peer communication and empathy, these concrete strategies, practical worksheets, and self-reflective activities will help you foster a positive classroom culture.

1. Introduction 2. A Skills-Oriented Approach to Social, Emotional, and Character Development 3. Building a Class Climate That Supports SECD 4. Self- and Social Awareness 5. Empathy and Perspective Taking 6. Self-Regulation 7. Communication and Relationship Skills 8. Social Problem Solving 9. Cross-Content SECD Elements 10. The Road to Success on the Journey Ahead: Using Feedback and Outreach to Cultivate Support and Build Expertise

Jeffrey S. Kress, PhD, is Dr. Bernard Heller Professor of Jewish Education at the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education, Jewish Theological Seminary, USA.

Maurice J. Elias, PhD, is Professor of Psychology, Director of the Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab, and Co-Director of the Academy for Social-Emotional Learning in Schools at Rutgers University, USA. He also is a founding member of SEL4US, a national alliance of state social-emotional learning advocacy and implementation support organizations.