BLOGS > OCTOBER 15, 2020
BY ROBERTA STARCK
Whether you are teaching virtually, on-site or using a hybrid model, building a layer of social and emotional learning (SEL) into your classroom this year is crucial. SEL stitches threads of self-awareness and mindfulness into the daily interactions with your students and their caregivers. And those connections hold the most promise for a successful school year. Consider SEL as a primary goal for you and your students.
One of the words that has been buzzing around the field of education in recent months is isolation. Students are feeling disconnected and alone in quarantine. While this is impacting all students, special needs students can be the most affected by remote learning. It can be too loud, too stimulating and too hard to filter for these students. I heard that the state of Michigan issued funds for student mental health and provided learning resources for disadvantaged, special education, and ELL students. Recently, NBC television journalist Richard Engel connected with his viewers to explain the anxiety of his special needs son. He tells how therapies vanished with the pandemic.
How do we provide a remedy for isolation that has surfaced for so many? How do we create human touch and face-to-face learning while ensuring we stay safe during this time? Incorporating SEL can help!
Here are some tools and resources to incorporate SEL:
A focus on social and emotional learning is not only important for the students. Educators are going through a range of emotions every day as they battle technology, uncertainty of the school year, and feelings of isolation. This article from Edutopia provides some guidance from one educator to another.
You can find more ideas for SEL resources including book lists, classroom libraries and more on Titlewave®.
Roberta Starck
MEd Curriculum & Instruction & MLIS
I’ve been with Follett School Solutions for 13 years and create lists for school libraries all around the globe. My career spans twenty-four years as a teacher and librarian in elementary and middle school. Our Follett team meets weekly and virtually with trade and curriculum publishers so we can keep abreast of all the new print and digital resources coming out!
Best-Selling SEL Professional Development from Norton Books in Education
May 19, 2026
Cutting-edge research continues to confirm that teaching students social and emotional skills provides enduring behavioral and learning benefits for academic and lifelong success. These hands-on professional development titles from Norton provide school leaders and classroom teachers in Grades K-12 with SEL tools and strategies grounded...
Read more
The Adult Title Fulfillment Gap in Public Libraries – and What It Means for Collection Development
May 18, 2026
For decades, a major player in the public library space was one of the most relied-upon sources for adult print titles.When that leading library book vendor exited the public library distribution market, it created a gap that collections professionals are...
Read more
Long hold queues for new releases? Here's how libraries are solving it.
May 11, 2026
It’s one of the most visible measures of patron satisfaction in a public library: the holds list. When a highly anticipated adult title is released and dozens – sometimes hundreds – of patrons are waiting for a handful of copies,...
Read more
What's a street date program for public libraries, and why does it matter?
May 4, 2026
If you manage adult collections at a public library, you already know the pressure that builds before a highly anticipated book comes out. Holds lists grow long. Patrons ask at the desk. And when release day finally arrives, the copies...
Read more
Follett Content is Back as an Approved Vendor for NYC School Libraries
March 23, 2026
New York City (NYC) school libraries operate at scale and benefit from partners who do the same. Follett Content is once again an approved vendor (#ECO004000), offering support that simplifies ordering while maintaining consistency, including:Local, on-site support with experience assisting school...
Read more
Why Home Libraries Matter: How Books at Home Improve Student Reading Achievement
March 4, 2026
Reading growth doesn’t only happen during the school day. One of the most effective, research-backed ways to support literacy is ensuring students have consistent access to books at home. When students can read outside the classroom – during evenings, weekends, and...
Read more