Teach Prosocial Skills
Definition: Infuse opportunities to teach and model prosocial skills throughout the day.
Purpose: To give all students opportunities to build skills that help them thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, and contribute to a welcoming, cohesive, and inclusive classroom community.
Teach prosocial skills in a way that honors diversity, strengths, and needs across and within students.
Resources for K-2 Educators
Documents
The Elephant Fable (Word)
Scripts
The Elephant Fable Script (pdf – for students)
The Elephant Fable Script II (pdf – for students)
Websites
Understanding Prejudice Through Paper Plate Portraits
Becoming Upended: Teaching and Learning about Race and Racism with Young Children and Their Families
Talking to Young Children About Race and Racism
Videos
The 4-minute video, above, is an example of the importance of building community in the classroom.
This 12-minute TED talk discusses how to talk to kids about taboo or sensitive topics such as race.
This 3-minute video about a fable can be shared with students to teach important lessons on perception and differences in understanding.
Resources for 3-5 Educators
Websites
Understanding Prejudice Through Paper Plate Portraits
Becoming Upended: Teaching and Learning about Race and Racism with Young Children and Their Families
Videos
The 4-minute video, above, is an example of the importance of building community in the classroom.
This 12-minute TED talk discusses how to talk to kids about taboo or sensitive topics such as race.
Help students use prosocial skills to create a welcoming and inclusive classroom community, where all students feel valued and respected.
Resources for K-2 Educators
Handouts
Social Skills Instruction (pdf)
Videos
The 3-minute video, above, demonstrates a useful skill-building activity that you can try.
The 6-minute video, above, provides four social skills students can practice.
This 8-minute video on RTI is a great resource for guiding students on how to work independently and focus on skills-based learning. This involves inviting students to construct their own learning during center/pod learning with a teacher, and the “May Do’s and Must Do’s”. It is also a great way to help teachers not feel overwhelmed in the classroom.
Resources for 3-5 Educators
Handouts
Social Skills Instruction (pdf)
Websites
Lesson Plans to Create Gender Expansive Classrooms
Videos
The 6-minute video, above, provides four social skills students can practice.
Teach prosocial skills grounded in core values of empathy, compassion, and connection.
Resources for 3-5 Educators
Handouts
What Adults Can Do to Promote Young Children’s Prosocial Skills (pdf)
Videos
The 5-minute video, above, highlights the importance and impact of teachers.
Teach prosocial skills proactively and in response to challenging social interactions in the classroom.
Resources for K-2 Educators
Handouts
Social Skills (pdf)
Websites
Honesty Commitment for Students
Ideas for Teaching Children about Emotions
Videos
The 2-minute video, above, is an example of using visuals when problem solving.
This 3-minute video is a nice guide on how to set up and use a calm down corner for students who need it.
This 2-minute video is an example of a “Peace Corner” that can be used to help student practice self-regulation and managing stress.
Resources for 3-5 Educators
Handouts
Social Skills (pdf)
Websites
Honesty Commitment for Students
Videos
This 3-minute video is a nice guide on how to set up and use a calm down corner for students who need it.
This 2-minute video is an example of a “Peace Corner” that can be used to help student practice self-regulation and managing stress.
This 6-minute video explains how Calm Down Centers can help support both special education and general education teachers.
Tips:
- Teachers can have an identified time for social emotional learning (SEL) and try to seize learning opportunities throughout the day when events or behaviors happen, as well. Reinforcement, corrective feedback, and repetition are all critical for skill development.
- Meet students where they are in the moment by acknowledging that students may be exposed to significant stressors in their lives or at home. This can help you decide which social skills to prioritize.
- Model the use of prosocial skills for students and provide opportunities for students to respond and react to each skill.
- Create a classroom culture where any moment can be used as an opportunity to learn or practice prosocial skills. Such a culture can communicate the values of embracing challenges, understanding different perspectives, and developing trust.
- Try to create a classroom culture where making mistakes is “okay,” Try to help students learn from their mistakes. Communicating the importance of skills can be improved with effort, persistence, and the inspiration of others.
- Communicate with caregivers about the prosocial skills they are trying to promote at home; ask for their input to enhance comfort and engagement for all students.
- Keep in mind that teaching prosocial skills should be developmentally appropriate. For example, emotion recognition must precede emotion regulation. Give students scripts or offer guidelines for problem solving discussions (e.g., use “I statements”; wait for the other person to finish speaking before you speak) and assist with more advanced skills over time (perspective taking skills, advocacy skills, leadership skills, relationship skills, helping, sharing, complementing others, and mindful practices).