Kids Before Content provides the context for educators to develop their own and their students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies. The SEL competencies include self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and social awareness. Educators are provided the resources they need to build up their own SEL skills first, and then their students through this guide. There are suggestions for building professional learning communities and connecting with other like-minded educators who would like to transform the culture of their schools one educator and one student at a time. The book includes information for school leaders to build SEL connections in their schools. With SEL competencies, educators can more readily reach their students, which makes teaching content easier. If educators understand how to use CASEL’s SEL competencies to address SEL in the classroom for themselves and their students, both students and teachers are better served.

Renee G. Carr, EdD has been working in the field of education since 2007. Dr. Carr has a history of working in international and domestic education and exchange.