The end of the school year brings a wave of emotions for teachers and students alike. Between performances, finals, presentations, and games, what should feel exciting can quickly become overwhelming. The pressure to demonstrate a full year of growth in a short window can weigh heavily on students, often manifesting as difficulty maintaining stamina, persistence, and emotional control.
This showed up in my own classroom. As spring arrived and the end of the year approached, I watched students who had thrived all year begin to unravel—losing confidence, feeling overwhelmed, and struggling to meet expectations that had seemed manageable just months before. After asking myself what was going on with my students, and trying to decide what I could do to help, I found my answer in social and emotional learning (SEL) skills.