Why This Election Makes SEL More Important Than Ever
The presidential election is over, and it’s clear that after a long and often heated campaign, the nation is divided. As students process the results of the election, educators are left to both provide civic instruction and address their students’ reactions to the news — an inherently complex task. While we at Flocabulary and educators in the classroom spend most of our time focused on teaching academic content and skills, the days post-election are a great time to shine a light on social and emotional learning (SEL) to help students process complex feelings and interact with each other in a respectful and supportive way.
In the aftermath of an election where emotions are running high and differences are amplified, modeling and instructing students on important social skills like listening and demonstrating empathy are ways to support a positive classroom culture. Use these Flocabulary resources or other selections from our Social & Emotional Learning section to start a conversation with students about building a supportive classroom environment.
Don’t miss the printable activities for these units to give students the chance to demonstrate their SEL skills.
Each activity allows students to step outside their own viewpoints and consider a situation through another person’s lens. If you’re looking for structured ways to approach a discussion on the election in your classroom, you can adapt either of these activities to focus on the topics that are necessary for your class to explore and discuss.
Looking for more perspectives on how to approach the days post-election in your classroom? We’ve rounded up several articles and resources for educators: