Social emotional learning (SEL) is frequently taught in schools, but how can educators embrace it in their own lives? In this helpful guidebook, Wendy Turner demonstrates the importance of SEL being embraced, understood, and modeled by all members of the learning community. First, she offers tools to increase your self-awareness, including mindset, identity and culture, strengths, and core values. Second, she shows what self-management is and why it matters in helping everyone manage complex emotions in myriad ways. Then she explains what empathy is, and is not, and how it pertains to social issues, identity, and culture. Next, she discusses relationships-how we can foster successful relationships with everyday tools to ignite and support positive connections. Finally, she shows how to synthesize our skills, improving decision-making and modeling this for our students. Throughout each chapter, she provides creative, easy-to-implement ideas, stories, and reflection questions so you can make the ideas your own, enabling you to authentically grow and thrive on your personal and professional path.

Wendy Turner is an experienced elementary educator in Wilmington, DE and has tremendous passion for and expertise in social emotional learning (SEL). Wendy was named the 2017 Delaware Teacher of the Year after six years in the classroom and has received numerous awards and recognition for her work after changing careers to become a teacher at age 40. These include the Presidential Award for Excellence Teaching Science, an NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship, and the NEA Educator Excellence Award as well as being named an Outstanding STEM Educator and a Compassion Champion in her home state of Delaware. Wendy is a thought leader on SEL, regularly contributing to blogs, articles, and podcasts on SEL. She is an experienced facilitator of professional development both locally and nationally.