The focus of EDUC6800 encompasses incorporating social belonging and emotional safety into the classroom to enhance academic instruction. EDUC6800 explores the foundations of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) by introducing the concepts of social emotional well-being and the relationship between SEL and current research on student achievement with the integration of SEL into the curriculum and classroom instruction. Classroom applicable strategies and activities for establishing a social-emotional classroom culture and fostering each of the social-emotional components will be discussed so that educators can facilitate student?s learning, social and emotional growth, and success. Assessment related topics include self-reflective writing, journal article review and discussion board interactions. A major requirement of the course is the development of a SEL unit.