Spotlight on Social-Emotional Learning

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is sometimes considered an add-on or something extra to introduce to instruction, but it’s really the heart and soul of every classroom! We often hear from Superkids teachers how much their students love the characters and their stories—whether the plot is a triumph or a challenge. This affection for the characters creates amazing opportunities to nurture students’ SEL skills. This issue will explore how to integrate SEL teaching and practice with your Superkids instruction and includes resources to expand upon the SEL foundation you’ve already established.

5 Ways to Incorporate SEL into Daily Learning

SEL is often discussed in terms of what it can do for students, but as a teacher, SEL is already part of what you and your students do each day! Here are five tips from SEL experts Pam Allyn and Dr. Ernest Morrell that offer ways to bring the positive power of SEL to the center of the classroom.

1. Create an environment of belonging.
SEL starts with understanding oneself and expands to an awareness of others in the community, and eventually, to a child’s role in the larger world. All of this begins with belonging. Encouraging students to value themselves is the first step in cultivating their sense of belonging.

2. Build a community that includes every voice.
To ensure every voice is heard in the classroom community, it’s important to create a culture of deep listening. In addition to building community, listening practices help students cultivate a valuable life skill.

3. Make spaces for storytelling.
In the classroom space, students often receive stories—but it’s equally important that they are given opportunities to share them. By sharing their own stories, students not only practice narrative, but also continue to build connection with and empathy toward one another—qualities essential to a thriving classroom community.

4. Set the stage for world changers through goal setting.
As students develop their sense of self and community, they can begin to consider the larger world and their roles within it. Once students build a sense of belonging, community, and voice through storytelling, they can explore their hopes.

5. Center delight and celebration.
An important part of SEL is celebrating—all year long! Make delight and celebration an intentional and frequent part of your classroom community. Don’t shy away from recognizing the small steps students make throughout the month, week, or even within a single day!

Want to learn more tips for making SEL part of your daily classroom practice and discover activities and resources to help you do so? Visit Zaner-Bloser’s SEL Hub!

SEL and Superkids

The Superkids’ stories lend themselves to conversations that contribute to the development of social-emotional skills. Highlighting the healthy interactions the characters have with one another—and how they work together to solve problems or resolve disagreements—can support your students’ growing relationship skills and self-management skills. Discussions about how the Superkids overcome disappointment, face difficulties, show empathy with one another, and take responsibility for their actions can nurture social awareness, self-awareness, and responsible decision-making in your classroom.

The Lasting Lessons, provided in your Teacher’s Guides, offer questions, activities, and conversation starters about the Superkids stories and help students relate the lessons the characters are learning to their own lives. The Superkids Social-Emotional Learning Crosswalk takes this instruction a step further, helping teachers reinforce and expand SEL instruction while teaching the program. You will find supplementary content for every Lasting Lesson in K–2. The crosswalk provides the title and description of the student text, the Lasting Lesson with its Teacher’s Guide page number, the related CASEL competencies, a writing/drawing prompt for student reflection on SEL themes, and an extension activity to build on the SEL skills.

Dive Even Deeper With Mindscapes

If you want to incorporate more opportunities to build SEL skills into your daily classroom experience, look no further than Mindscapes: Becoming Our Best Selves! Mindscapes is a strengths-based SEL curriculum from Zaner-Bloser that infuses “serious joy” into learning through 10–15 minutes of instruction per day. The program is a perfect complement to Superkids and encourages self-awareness, empowerment, and empathy for others—leading to positive academic outcomes.

Free Resources to Support SEL in Your Classroom

In the past, we’ve shared Superkids freebies connected to social-emotional learning. Find two of these resources below in case you missed them, along with a brand-new freebie to use!

Superkids Schools Conference 2025

Don’t miss your chance to lock in special early-bird pricing! Register by April 30, 2025 to receive the best rate.

Join us for the 2025 Superkids Schools Conference, a virtual, live learning event for K–2 teachers and leaders. This one-day conference provides an opportunity for Superkids educators to share effective teaching practices that enhance the classroom experience and learn together. Collectively, Superkids teachers will expand their knowledge as they dive into topics tailored to impact instruction and student success while using The Superkids Reading Program.