SEL Cast: Insights for Teachers from Teachers

Building a Culture of Thinking: A School Leadership Lens for the Digital Age - Western Academy of Beijing Stephen Taylor

What does it mean to build a human-centered school in the age of a tech-driven world? In this episode, Stephen Taylor, Director of Innovation in Learning & Teaching at Western Academy of Beijing, explores a simple but powerful idea: people before program. Through practices like box breathing and daily student-mentor connections, he shows how schools can create cultures where students feel safe, seen, and supported. Stephen challenges the notion that SEL is an “add-on,” arguing it should live within systems like advisory and counseling—woven into the everyday experience of school. The result? A community where belonging isn’t optional, it’s felt. Looking ahead, he also rethinks learning in an AI-driven world. Instead of focusing on tools that may soon be obsolete, schools should prioritize what endures: critical thinking, curiosity, and human judgment. From AI-supported career exploration to future-focused job fairs, this episode highlights how schools can prepare students without losing what makes us human. Download this episodes Show Notes: https://www.instituteforsel.net/posts/sel-cast-building-a-culture-of-thinking-a-school-leadership-lens-for-the-digital-age---with-stephen-taylor [https://www.instituteforsel.net/posts/sel-cast-building-a-culture-of-thinking-a-school-leadership-lens-for-the-digital-age---with-stephen-taylor]  Explore all of IFSEL's upcoming events: https://www.instituteforsel.net/sel-workshops/event-listing [https://www.instituteforsel.net/sel-workshops/event-listing]

Meaningful Advisory and Student Engagement: Driving Academic Success With Cary Academy's Twanna Monds & Josette Huntress

In this month's episode, we talk with Twanna Monds and Josette Huntress from Cary Academy! From protecting advisory time across all teachers to creating consistent, structured experiences, we discuss why advisory can’t be treated as expendable and how starting strong in middle and high school can lead to school-wide impact. We also dive into the importance of knowing every student, their interests, strengths, and challenges, and how that foundation leads to stronger relationships, better peer connections, and more meaningful conversations with families. You’ll hear how schools can clearly communicate their mission, especially around social-emotional learning (SEL), and bring parents along by connecting these skills to real-world success. Plus, we unpack how to support teachers through uncertainty with intentional training, collaboration, and protected professional development time. Download this Episode ShowNotes [https://www.instituteforsel.net/posts/sel-cast-meaningful-advisory-and-student-engagement-driving-academic-success-with-cary-academys-twanna-monds-josette-huntress] Check out IFSEL's Workshops and PD Events [https://www.instituteforsel.net/sel-workshops/event-listing], including our Advisory Workshop [https://www.instituteforsel.net/sel-workshops/advisory-workshops]

Culture and Belonging as a Strategy in International Schools - with Colette McWilliams

Explore how school leaders can cultivate thriving cultures where every identity is honored, every voice matters, and wellbeing drives performance. Designed for educators in independent and international settings, IFSEL’s Executive Director Nick Haisman-Smith and Founding Head of Hiba Academy Bay Area Colette McWilliams as we dive into practical, relational strategies that make values visible and felt across your entire community. You’ll learn how to: * Start with connection — using simple check-ins to lead with emotional awareness and authenticity. * Build relationships first — because academic excellence follows human connection. * Model SEL daily — creating shared language and systems before high-stakes moments arise. * Pause and prioritize relationships — strengthening trust before diving into curriculum. * Center student wellbeing as the foundation — not an add-on — to school success. We also explore what it truly means to lead in bilingual and multicultural environments: * Seeing multilingualism as multiple windows into the world. * Leading with grace across cultural nuance. * Normalizing curiosity and repair. * Reflecting and revisiting when misunderstandings occur because trust grows through repair. Think of SEL like the staff room coffee machine: technically, school can run without it… but no one is at their best. If you believe strong school cultures are built through connection, cultural humility, and whole-community leadership, this podcast is for you. Check out IFSEL’s Whole Community SEL Audit to understand your school’s landscape: https://www.instituteforsel.net/what-we-offer/sel-audit [https://www.instituteforsel.net/what-we-offer/sel-audit]  Download the Shownotes here: https://www.instituteforsel.net/posts/sel-cast-culture-and-belonging-as-a-strategy-in-international-schools-with-colette-mcwilliams [https://www.instituteforsel.net/posts/sel-cast-culture-and-belonging-as-a-strategy-in-international-schools-with-colette-mcwilliams]

AI, Cell Phones, and Educators Navigating Change - with Tricia Friedman

Check out our upcoming Summer Institute: Staying Human in the Age of AI: https://www.instituteforsel.net/sel-workshops/staying-human-in-the-age-of-ai [https://www.instituteforsel.net/sel-workshops/staying-human-in-the-age-of-ai]   Download the Show Notes for this episode: https://www.instituteforsel.net/posts/sel-cast-ai-cell-phones-and-educators-navigating-change---with-tricia-friedman [https://www.instituteforsel.net/posts/sel-cast-ai-cell-phones-and-educators-navigating-change---with-tricia-friedman]    Episode Description: As educators and students navigate constant change, expectations often shift faster than systems can keep up. Teachers feel pressure to have all the answers, while students experience inconsistency across classrooms. Tricia reminds us that while the goalposts may keep moving, belonging, empathy, and compassion remain constant, making SEL foundational in this moment. We discuss the importance of slowing down and creating space for meaning-making in schools, asking deeper questions about perspective, humanity, and how learning connects to real life. Tricia also challenges common fears about AI, arguing that rigid assessment practices, not technology, are often the biggest barrier to creativity. The conversation extends to SEL for adults, emphasizing that schools thrive when educators are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences. We also unpack the nuance around cell phone bans and screen time, highlighting equity, context, and the importance of modeling healthy digital habits.

Reimagining Schools: Addressing Teacher Burnout Through Wellbeing and Regenerative Systems - with Ruth Poulsen

Care is central to the teaching profession—but many school systems aren’t designed to sustain it. In this episode, we explore Adult SEL and what a true culture of care looks like in the everyday reality of schools. As student needs rise, educators are being stretched thin by systems that deplete rather than restore. Drawing on the idea of regenerative cultures, we discuss how schools can move beyond the “give, give, give” model to support educator wellbeing without sacrificing excellence. We challenge the martyr mindset, examine why rest can feel uncomfortable, and reflect on the idea that we never heal in isolation. The conversation also highlights why leaders must be regulated themselves to create healthy, sustainable school cultures. You’ll leave with practical ideas for setting boundaries, creating supportive norms, and building care within your zone of influence.   Download this episode's ShowNotes: https://www.instituteforsel.net/posts/sel-cast-podcast-reimagining-schools-addressing-teacher-burnout-through-wellbeing-and-regenerative-systems---ruth-poulsen [https://www.instituteforsel.net/posts/sel-cast-podcast-reimagining-schools-addressing-teacher-burnout-through-wellbeing-and-regenerative-systems---ruth-poulsen]  Read Ruth's Substack for more insights! https://regenerativeschools.substack.com [https://regenerativeschools.substack.com]