Beyond Academic Success: Creating Social-Emotional Learning Balance in Elementary Students

Now, more than ever, education on the social and emotional aspects of learning is critical. As children learn to traverse a world that is ever-flattening concurrently they are drowning with information. Unfortunately, this same information can be misleading, tinged with anger, and creating an ever-unrealistic standard youth may never be able to live up to. As educators, social-emotional learning has always been a natural element of the school day. We must now recognize it as a critical subject area that has to be integrated and reinforced in every aspect of our teaching. The distinguishing quality of social and emotional skills will determine success or failure in those who will have to enter a world ever more connected systemically and globally

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents Preface Introduction Chapter 1: Why Address Anger First In SEL? Chapter 2: It’s Not My Fault…Encouraging Responsibility in Our Children Chapter 3: A Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes…Helping Students to Develop Compassion and Empathy Chapter 4: The Emotional Spectrum Chapter 5: What Is With All This Mindfulness? Chapter 6: Conclusion About the Author

About the Author :
Dr. Novick, has been working for over twenty-five years with elementary-aged children, their parents, and professionals around the country on developing social and emotional skills. Additionally, Dr. Novick, has worked in elementary education, private practice, community mental health, and special education as well as been a licensed foster parent during the span of his career.

Review :
Dr. Novick's book is an absolute gem. All school districts have struggled with the same issues that he addresses in this book for a long time. It's easy for us to get lost in abstract ideas about what we want SEL in our schools to look like—and then when it comes down to actually making changes in our schools the work can feel overwhelming. Dr. Novick gives us a way forward. He does a fantastic job of identifying strategies we can use, but most importantly, he provides us with skillful and practical ways to implement those strategies both school wide and by student. Dr. Novick's book is a must-read for school leaders and teachers who hope to quickly and easily begin to tackle SEL in school. I'm a huge fan of Dr. Novick's work. His book is full of practical strategies and insights that help teachers understand how to implement the most effective SEL practices in the classroom every day. As an experienced high school teacher, I find his approach to be particularly helpful. He provides a clear framework for understanding how students learn emotional intelligence and what teachers can do to support them in this journey. He even includes several actionable steps for putting those ideas into practice in any subject at any grade level. Dr. Novick's suggestions have given me confidence that my students are getting the most out of their time in school, without having to spend an enormous amount of time figuring out how to implement techniques efficiently. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their teaching practices and better support students." For the past several years the buzz around “SEL" has been growing louder. In “Beyond Academic Success: Creating Social-Emotional Learning Balance in Elementary Students”, Dr. Brett J. Novick breaks through the noise and brings the research and empirical findings to the forefront. Through relatable metaphors and case studies, Novick makes SEL accessible and provides practical applications that will resonate with educators, administrators, and parents. Novick’s core values of mindfulness and authenticity shine through in this latest contribution. This book goes beyond making a significant contribution to the field of education. Dr. Novick presents an authentic spotlight on factors that affect the educational experience for students, their families, educators, and administrators. Dr. Novick leverages professional experience and formal education with compassion for students and advocacy for the tenets of social-emotional learning. Reflective case studies are presented to invoke introspection and critical thinking. A common-sense guide with theory complemented by meaningful practical application.