The reality that we all face as teachers and leaders, and that no one seems to be talking about, is how the demands on our schools and curricula are so vast that we are now asked to do much, much more than inspire skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic. My how times have changed. As schools are thrust into the intriguing demands of social-emotional learning (SEL), we have to wonder how we ever got here without it. We also have to ponder what the end-game of schooling will be someday if we must figure out how to navigate the pressures of covering so many content standards in so little time along with teaching our children how to manage their emotions, build strong relationships, improve their…
