How Social-Emotional Learning is Essential to Transforming Education in Early Childhood and Lower School

When I signed up for a program called Breathe for Change in the fall of 2020, I had no idea I was stepping into a journey that would fundamentally reshape the way I teach, lead, and understand children. At the time, it was simply a 200-hour professional development course blending social-emotional learning (SEL), mindfulness, and yoga, a personal jackpot of topics I loved. What I didn’t expect was the ripple effect it would have on how I approach students, families, myself, systemic change, mindset, and wellbeing.

Five years later, that initial training has grown into a master’s degree in Social Emotional Learning, Mindfulness, and Yoga, and a clear vision for what SEL can look like at Roycemore through intentional, collaborative, and community-centered work. As Breathe for Change aims to uplift educators through wellness and SEL practices, Roycemore has long shared a parallel mission: to nurture the whole child. Together, these commitments created fertile ground for meaningful growth.

Across my 24 years in public, parochial, and independent schools, one belief has remained steady: students cannot deeply engage in academic learning if they do not understand their internal world. This truth sits at the heart of the SEL movement, aligns with CASEL’s core competencies, and is woven into Roycemore’s Portrait of a Griffin, which emphasizes empathy, resilience, collaboration, and curiosity. In Early Childhood and Lower School, these foundations guide everything we do.

At Roycemore, relationships are not an add-on, they are the foundation. 

In our intentionally small and connected community, students grow through conversations, modeling, and shared experiences that are just as important as any lesson plan. SEL provides the language, structure, and consistency that make those moments purposeful and developmentally meaningful.

One of our earliest SEL priorities was establishing clear, predictable routines and shared language across the divisions. These routines don’t remove the bumps from childhood; they give students the tools to navigate them.

A strong example is our weekly Lower School Community Meeting, which always begins with a mindful moment or three collective breaths. One of my favorite memories from our early implementation was when we did the mindful moment - “Build a Flower”. In this practice we visualized making a flower with our hands, and then moved our hands to imagine opening and closing a flower as we breathed (inhale, open, up to the sun, exhale, close, back down to the earth). The following week, our first graders entered the meeting, sat down, and immediately began building their flowers, showing us that a routine was taking root. It has been nearly five years since that time and still each Monday morning, students and teachers pause together, settle their breath, calm their bodies, arrive with intention, and begin the day with a mindful moment together. Choice is always available, paired with respect for the group’s shared purpose.

This practice naturally extends into classroom morning meetings. Some classes begin with breathing or stretching; others begin with reflection or gratitude. Teachers choose what the group needs most in that moment: focus, connection, calm, or collaboration. Specials teachers do this as well, weaving mindful awareness into moments throughout the day.

Classroom structures further support this work. Calm Corners, present in every room, offer students space to reset using clear guidelines and consistent tools. Teachers use restorative practices to help students reflect on conflicts: how they felt before, during, and after. Breathing strategies, grounding tools, and emotional check-ins become part of students’ daily toolbox, skills they practice, personalize, and use independently.

When expectations and language remain consistent across spaces, students feel safe. And when students feel safe, they thrive.

Another important layer of our framework is the Zones of Regulation, which helps students identify their emotional state and the strategies that support it. Students learn to recognize the Blue Zone (low, sad, or tired), Green Zone (calm and ready), Yellow Zone (worried or frustrated), and Red Zone (angry or overwhelmed). Just as importantly, they learn that all zones are normal and all feelings are welcome. What matters is recognizing them and knowing how to move through them.

With this shared language, students say things like, “I think I’m in the Yellow Zone” or “I’m feeling Blue this morning,” giving teachers an immediate window into their emotional world. Each zone has tools to support regulation, from stretching and movement, to grounding strategies, to co-regulation with an adult. The Zones have become more than a curriculum, they have become part of our culture, supporting empathy, communication, and self-awareness across the divisions. 

Our broader emotional literacy work includes naming feelings, practicing self-calming strategies, and using predictable steps to navigate conflict. Students regularly use phrases like “I need a mindful breath” or “I’m feeling frustrated,” showing the power of giving children the right words at the right time. Teachers notice the difference: less impulsivity, more reflection, and a stronger sense of agency. This shared language carries into partner work, group projects, and transitions.

Relationships flourish across grade levels. Younger students learn from older ones, mixed-age friendships form naturally, and teachers genuinely know students, their interests, strengths, and challenges. Our classrooms model curiosity, respectful dialogue, and appreciation of differences. Students learn that differing perspectives are not obstacles but essential parts of a vibrant, diverse community.

One final component was the development and intentionality with the shared language our students and faculty use during restorative conversations, which models nonviolent communication. This process is taught, modeled, and supported by teachers, and over time, students begin to take ownership of it when they are ready. Previously called the Peace Process and now known as Restore the Peace, it guides students to state what happened, name their feelings, share the impact, make a plan for next steps, and move toward resolution often with a hug, high five, wave, or smile, if they feel ready. Through this consistent and predictable process, students learn to advocate for their needs and engage in meaningful, respectful repair.

SEL supports educators as well. Our faculty engage in professional learning focused on mindfulness, trauma-informed practices, restorative approaches, and educator wellness. Weekly yoga sessions and SEL-centered professional development anchor our commitment. When educators feel grounded and supported, they create spaces where students feel the same.

The growth we’ve seen is only the beginning. Our vision includes expanding family partnerships, deepening student voice, and continually refining our SEL framework as our community evolves. What remains constant is our belief that SEL is not something we “do”, it is something we live. At Roycemore, we are growing hearts and minds every day. Because of that, our students are not only learning, they are flourishing.