5 Simple Ways to Weave Social and Emotional Learning Into Your Busy School Day

Photo Credit: Drazen Zigic on FreePik

Key Points

• Teachers don’t need to add more time to their day. They can weave SEL practices into existing routines like transitions, morning meetings, and closing activities in just 30-60 seconds.
• Simple techniques like reset breathing, emotional weather reports, and sensory grounding help students regulate their emotions so they can actually access their learning.
• When students can manage their emotions, they show up more consistently, have fewer behavioral issues, and demonstrate improved academic performance.

Every educator I know feels it—the weight of knowing their students are struggling emotionally while feeling completely overwhelmed about how to help.

The data confirms what we’re seeing today: Over 80 percent of public schools report that the pandemic negatively impacted student behavior and socio-emotional development. Even though the pandemic was years ago, we’re still feeling its effects in classrooms every. single. day.

Teachers are burning out at alarming rates, and school leaders say time is their biggest barrier to implementing the SEL practices they know their students desperately need.

When I stepped back into the classroom recently, I saw it firsthand …

Students having big reactions to small triggers. Teachers exhausted by midmorning. Kids couldn’t focus because they were too dysregulated to learn, while educators were drowning in curriculum demands and firefighting behavior after behavior.

Educators knew how important emotional regulation skills were, but they couldn’t figure out how to squeeze SEL into days already packed with math, reading, science, and everything else they’re expected to cover.

Here’s the thing though … You don’t need to add more to your day.

You just need to weave these moments into what you’re already doing:

• A quick breathing exercise before a test
• Movement breaks during natural transitions
• A two-minute gratitude practice at day’s end

Dr. Marc Brackett’s work at Yale shows that simple, time-efficient SEL strategies deliver real academic gains and fewer classroom disruptions—without elaborate programs or hours of training.

But … where do you even start when everything feels overwhelming?

Here are five techniques that require zero prep and fit seamlessly into what you’re already doing:

1. The Pause Breath

Every classroom has natural transition points—between subjects, before tests, and after recess. These moments are perfect for 30- to 60-second breathing exercises that help everyone reset and create the optimal brain state for learning.

The “Pause Breath” is my go-to technique! Have everyone place one hand on their chest, close their eyes if they’re comfortable, and take three slow, deep breaths together. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system and improves focus almost immediately.

Implementation Tip: Create a simple cue (chime, hand signal, or even just saying “reset time”) to signal breathing. Start with one transition per day and build from there. Consistency matters more than practice duration–even 30 seconds can shift classroom energy if it’s used consistently.

2. Emotional Weather Report

During morning meetings, transitions, or when students struggle to express feelings, use the “Weather Reporter” technique. Instead of asking “How are you feeling?” and getting blank stares back, have students describe their inner world through weather metaphors.

When a student says, “I’m feeling stormy because my dog is sick” or “I’m sunny today because my grandma is visiting,” you immediately understand where they are and what support they need. This builds emotional vocabulary while creating genuine connection opportunities from routine moments.

Implementation Tip: Post weather symbols so students can point to their “inner weather” if they’re not ready to share verbally. Make the connection to science units, showing how emotions, like weather, are temporary and always changing.

3. Stop and Listen

When attention feels scattered—after lunch, during afternoon slumps, or before important lessons—use “Stop and Listen.” Have everyone freeze and listen for three sounds far away, two sounds nearby, then one sound inside their body (like their heartbeat or their breath). This grounds scattered minds and activates the prefrontal cortex for learning.

Implementation Tip: Use this right before you need focused attention—before beginning a challenging lesson, while lining up for an assembly when kids seem wiggly, or when transitioning from high-energy activities to quieter work. You can adapt this for different senses, such as “I Spy” for visual focus. It works for every age and requires no materials.

4. The THINK Method

When conflicts come up between students, during project planning, or anytime the class needs to choose between options, use the THINK method: Take time to pause, Hear all ideas, Investigate options, Notice feelings, and make a Kind choice.

This fits naturally into decision-making moments already happening throughout your day. It turns everyday classroom challenges into opportunities for making thoughtful choices!

Implementation Tip: Post the THINK acronym visibly so students can reference it independently. For younger students, simplify language but keep the same steps. Make it even more powerful by having students physically move through each step or take a breath between each letter.

5. Gratitude Circles

End each day with a two- to three-minute gratitude practice. Try “Rose, Thorn, Bud”—students share one good thing (rose), one challenge (thorn), and something they’re looking forward to (bud).

Or simply go around and have each student share one thing they’re grateful for. A regular gratitude practice can actually improve memory consolidation and academic performance.

Implementation Tip: Keep it brief and optional. Some days, students might silently think of one appreciated moment. Whereas other days, they might want to share.

I’ve Seen It With My Own Eyes …

When students can regulate their emotions, they can access the prefrontal cortex for learning and retaining information. They show up more consistently, have fewer behavioral issues, and their grades actually improve.

That’s exactly what these simple SEL practices give them: the skills to manage their emotions so they can actually learn.

When you start small and stay consistent, something beautiful happens. Those brief moments of collective breathing become anchors of calm that students carry with them. The gratitude practice starts showing up in how they talk to each other. It ripples out in ways you never expected.

Your students need these skills now more than ever, and honestly? So do you. These simple practices create pockets of peace and connection that make the hard days manageable and the good days even better.

So start with just one technique that speaks to you. Practice it consistently for two weeks and watch how it transforms your entire classroom culture. It’s amazing how these small moments create such big shifts.

When teachers have simple tools that fit into existing routines, everyone wins. One breath, one moment, one day at a time.

Research Links:

• More than 80 Percent of U.S. Public Schools Report Pandemic Has Negatively Impacted Student Behavior and Socio-Emotional Development, National Center for Education Statistics
• Teacher Burnout: Causes, Statistics, and Solutions [Definitive Guide], Education Walkthrough
• What’s Really Holding Schools Back From Implementing SEL?, Education Week
• Transforming Students’ Lives with Social and Emotional Learning, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
• Education: How Practicing Gratitude Can Improve Academic Performance, South Pasadenan

The views in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of CASEL.

Giselle Shardlow, M.Ed., is the founder of Kids Yoga Stories, creator of the popular Breathing Exercise Cards for Kids and home to the School Yoga Program, which for over thirteen years has supported educators, therapists, school counselors, yoga teachers, and parents worldwide with tools to bring calm and focus to children’s lives.. Giselle draws from her experience as an international teacher in Guatemala, Australia, Canada, and the United States, as well as her journey as a certified yoga instructor and mother to a daughter with additional needs. She is passionate about empowering children with practical tools to self-regulate, manage big emotions, and thrive in today’s world. You can follow her work at kidsyogastories.com and on social media @kidsyogastories.

Related Posts

• 5 Meaningful, Standards-Based SEL Activities for the Classroom
• What Are You Bringing to Your Classroom This Year?
• Teaching SEL One Story at a Time: How I Use Picture Books to Build Character

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