Back to School Social and Emotional Learning Prep Starts Now

It’s Never Too Early to Plan!

By Dr. Alysha Glover | SELove Consultants

As summer winds down, it’s tempting to hold off on thinking about the next school year.

However, if we want to create emotionally safe and inclusive classrooms from day one, now is the perfect time to start planning your Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) approach.

Research tells us that when students feel seen, heard, and supported, they’re more likely to engage, succeed academically, and develop the resilience needed to thrive.

So instead of waiting for the first week chaos to settle, let’s plant seeds for connection and emotional wellness right now.

Why Plan Early for SEL?

Beginning the school year with clear SEL practices:

• Builds strong teacher-student relationships

• Reduces behavior challenges

• Fosters a classroom culture of empathy and belonging

• Sets the tone for the entire year

And the best part? You don’t need a massive overhaul—just a few intentional actions now can lead to big impact later.

3 Quick SEL Wins to Prep for Back-to-School

1. Refresh Your Daily Rituals

Start with simple routines that build emotional awareness and trust.

Quick Win: Prepare a daily emotion check-in system—whether it’s a feelings chart, a mood meter, or a morning circle question like “What color matches your mood today?”

These check-ins set a consistent space for students to pause, reflect, and connect.

2. Stock Your Calm-Down Corner

Don’t wait until behavior challenges arise—set up a regulation space from day one.

Quick Win: Create a small corner with calming tools like fidget items, visual breathing prompts, coloring pages, or emotion cards. Add clear instructions for when and how it can be used.

It sends the message: “All feelings are welcome—and here’s how we manage them.”

3. Embed SEL into Academics

SEL isn’t “one more thing”—it enhances learning.

Quick Win: Select a few read-alouds, writing prompts, or discussion starters that spark conversation around identity, empathy, or growth mindset. Build these into your first-week plans.

For example: “What does it mean to be a good classmate?” or “When have you shown courage?”

Start Small, Stay Consistent

You don’t need a perfect plan—you just need a heart-centered one. Small SEL routines started early build a culture of emotional safety that lasts all year long.

If you're ready to dive deeper, SELove Consultants offers back-to-school SEL toolkits, and customized resources to help your school year start strong.

Let’s make this year the most connected one yet.