Supporting Social-Emotional Learning with Library Bulletin Boards

 As librarians, we cover so many different standards. Information literacy? Check. English Language Arts? Check. Reading? Check. STEM? Check. Computer science? Check. Over the last year or two, I've added social-emotional learning to the list of skills and competencies I teach through library instruction. 

Some strategies are super obvious - like direct instruction as part of my teaching, but other methods like book displays and bulletin boards are more subtle. One primary focus of my library program is supporting students' mental health, which is directly tied to the SEL strand of emotional regulation. 

Emotional regulation refers to the ability to manage and express emotions in a healthy and appropriate way. Emotional regulation is essential for secondary students, who are navigating the challenges and complexities of adolescence. During this time, my junior high kids feel a huge range of intense emotions, from excitement and joy to frustration and anger and everything in between. Without proper emotional regulation skills, these intense emotions can lead to impulsive behavior, conflicts with others, and lack of focus (which, as we know, all get in the way of teaching).

Our building recently experienced a significant tragedy, so helping students move through emotions has been especially important lately. One effort I've made was to create a "take what you need" affirmations bulletin board (it's available here if you don't want to re-recreate your own).

The board features 16 different emotions, including hopelessness, jealousy, anxiety, fear, stress, anger, guilt, etc. Each feeling includes an envelope that contains an affirmation. Students reach into the envelope and grab an affirmation to help them move through the feeling. 

Tips for creating your own affirmation bulletin board:

• Affirmations are super prevalent online - so it's easy to find ones that fit different emotions.
• Include directions on how to use affirmations - it's probably something that most students are unfamiliar with.
• Business-size envelopes stapled to the board, make a convenient container to stash each set of affirmations.