Social Emotional Learning and the Brain: Strategies to Help Your Students Thrive
January 19, 2026
By Marilee Sprenger
9781416629498
Today's teachers face a daunting challenge: how to ensure a positive school experience for their students, many of whom carry the burden of adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, poverty, divorce, abandonment, and numerous other serious social issues. Spurred by her personal experience and extensive exploration of brain-based learning, author Marilee Sprenger explains how brain science—what we know about how the brain works—can be applied to social-emotional learning. Specifically, she addresses how to
Build strong, caring relationships with students to give them a sense of belonging.
Teach and model empathy, so students feel understood and can better understand others.
Awaken students' self-awareness, including the ability to name their own emotions, have accurate self-perceptions, and display self-confidence and self-efficacy.
Help students manage their behavior through impulse control, stress management, and other positive skills.
Improve students' social awareness and interaction with others.
Teach students how to handle relationships, including with people whose backgrounds differ from their own.
Guide students in making responsible decisions.
Offering clear, easy-to-understand explanations of brain activity and dozens of specific strategies for all grade levels, Social-Emotional Learning and the Brain is an essential guide to creating supportive classroom environments and improving outcomes for all our students.
January 19, 2026
By Marilee Sprenger
9781416629498
Today's teachers face a daunting challenge: how to ensure a positive school experience for their students, many of whom carry the burden of adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, poverty, divorce, abandonment, and numerous other serious social issues. Spurred by her personal experience and extensive exploration of brain-based learning, author Marilee Sprenger explains how brain science—what we know about how the brain works—can be applied to social-emotional learning. Specifically, she addresses how to
Build strong, caring relationships with students to give them a sense of belonging.
Teach and model empathy, so students feel understood and can better understand others.
Awaken students' self-awareness, including the ability to name their own emotions, have accurate self-perceptions, and display self-confidence and self-efficacy.
Help students manage their behavior through impulse control, stress management, and other positive skills.
Improve students' social awareness and interaction with others.
Teach students how to handle relationships, including with people whose backgrounds differ from their own.
Guide students in making responsible decisions.
Offering clear, easy-to-understand explanations of brain activity and dozens of specific strategies for all grade levels, Social-Emotional Learning and the Brain is an essential guide to creating supportive classroom environments and improving outcomes for all our students.
January 19, 2026
By Marilee Sprenger
9781416629498
Today's teachers face a daunting challenge: how to ensure a positive school experience for their students, many of whom carry the burden of adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, poverty, divorce, abandonment, and numerous other serious social issues. Spurred by her personal experience and extensive exploration of brain-based learning, author Marilee Sprenger explains how brain science—what we know about how the brain works—can be applied to social-emotional learning. Specifically, she addresses how to
Build strong, caring relationships with students to give them a sense of belonging.
Teach and model empathy, so students feel understood and can better understand others.
Awaken students' self-awareness, including the ability to name their own emotions, have accurate self-perceptions, and display self-confidence and self-efficacy.
Help students manage their behavior through impulse control, stress management, and other positive skills.
Improve students' social awareness and interaction with others.
Teach students how to handle relationships, including with people whose backgrounds differ from their own.
Guide students in making responsible decisions.
Offering clear, easy-to-understand explanations of brain activity and dozens of specific strategies for all grade levels, Social-Emotional Learning and the Brain is an essential guide to creating supportive classroom environments and improving outcomes for all our students.
North Dakota United is dedicated to providing researched-based, member-driven, relevant, high-quality programs to advance skills, communication, and leadership opportunities. Book studies are typically one credit courses that last approximately six weeks. One credit equates to 15 hours of study. Expectations include reading the book, answering discussion questions, responding to others’ responses, and a reflection paper/action plan.
COST
Book studies are FREE to North Dakota United members.
All participants (members and non-members) are responsible for obtaining the book and the $50 credit fee to UND to have your credit recorded onto your transcript. The fee to participate in an NDU book study for non-members is $100, plus the $50 credit fee to UND.
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