Social and Emotional Learning

June 9, 2022

Can arts education help kids heal from the trauma of the pandemic?

The arts can be a safe haven for California schoolchildren to face big emotions, experts say, to channel fears and frustrations into acts of creativity.

Karen D'Souza

February 2, 2022

Children acted out more during distance learning, parents say, deepening learning loss

Children, who are creatures of habit, can be negatively influenced by any educational disruption, such as remote learning, experts say.

Karen D'Souza

December 16, 2021

How one California school district is using its Covid relief money to help students

Lodi Unified, in many ways a microcosm for the state as a whole, received more than $131 million in state and federal Covid relief funds, roughly a third of its overall budget pre-pandemic.

Carolyn Jones

November 16, 2021

A Bay Area school district's plan to reduce violence through nonviolent means

West Contra Costa Unified is prioritizing teaching students the social and emotional skills they need to avoid violence.

Ali Tadayon

September 1, 2021

Teachers face the challenges of returning to the classroom

Teachers talk about how they are building relationships, addressing technology burnout and teaching social-emotional learning as campuses reopen.

Ali Tadayon

August 17, 2021

Inside one Bay Area school district's first day of school

Teachers from West Contra Costa Unified will be reaching out to families one-on-one to address anxieties and ask about hopes for the next year.

Ali Tadayon

August 13, 2021

How schools help students who’ve lost loved ones to Covid

At least 30% of California students surveyed by the ACLU said they'd lost a loved one during the pandemic. Some had lost multiple relatives.

Carolyn Jones

August 13, 2021

As new school year begins, a focus on social and emotional health

West Contra Costa Unified and other districts are emphasizing social and emotional learning and check-ins as students return to campus.

Ali Tadayon

August 5, 2021

Back to school: Healing students' grief and anxiety

Host Zaidee Stavely talks with reporter Carolyn Jones and a school counselor about how schools are preparing to focus on mental health and wellbeing.

Zaidee Stavely

August 4, 2021

Reading, writing and bike riding: How schools spent summer helping students recover from pandemic

Schools are prioritizing play and relationship-building this summer in preparation for fall, when schools reopen for in-person instruction.

Sydney Johnson

May 26, 2021

Why summer school in California will prioritize fun and reconnecting students 

California school districts are offering robust summer school programs with an emphasis on fun to help reconnect students to their schools.

Diana Lambert

April 28, 2021

Let's commit to a positive school climate to reconnect and heal as pandemic recedes

Educators and policymakers alike must listen to students to understand what they need to heal and recover from the traumas of the past year.

Meghann Seril

April 15, 2021

Why mental health is the key to dealing with learning loss

Upon returning to campus, students will not be able to catch up academically until they feel good emotionally, experts say.

Carolyn Jones

April 12, 2021

Social-emotional learning can help prevent school shootings

Gun control alone isn't enough. Social and emotional programs are needed to help address the root causes of violence.

Agnes Varghese

March 16, 2021

'No one is sure what to expect': Schools, colleges add more counseling services to address student mental health

Schools and colleges are preparing for a rush of student mental health needs as campuses reopen for in-person instruction.

Carolyn Jones