Building a Strong SEL Connection in the Remote Classroom with Brittany Collins

"We need these emotional skills as much as we need content-based knowledge.”

Let’s be honest…during these unprecedented times, we miss our students. Deeply and truly. And this relational void is impossible to completely fill even in the remote teaching environment.  In this episode, writer and education expert Brittany Collins shares her hope-filled wisdom about the opportunities that come with remote teaching. During our conversation, we explore topics such as the need for trauma-informed teaching, the power of writing in aiding student mental and emotional wellness, and the centrality of maintaining a strong SEL remote classroom during this age of anxiety. As her recent Ed Week opinion piece so eloquently stated, we “really, really should” include trauma-informed teaching in our remote classrooms.  In this thoughtful and deeply informative episode, Ms. Collins will tell us why…and how.  

Brittany R. Collins is the Teaching & Learning Coordinator at Write the World, a global online writing platform for middle and high school students and teachers. She is also a freelance education and curriculum writer, with works appearing in Education Week; Inside Higher Ed; English Journal and Literacy & NCTE of the National Council of Teachers of English; PBS Learning Media; and, soon, the Washington Post, among others. She is at work on a book exploring trauma-informed teaching as it relates to grief and bereavement support at school. You can find out more about her work at www.brittanyrcollins.com or on Twitter @brcollins27.