From Stories to Skills: How Books & Bridges Brings SEL to Life

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) isn’t something that happens only during a morning circle or a one-time workshop. It lives in the everyday - in how we greet children, how we respond to conflict, and yes, in the stories we choose to share.

At Yugen Education Foundation, we believe that books can be quiet companions in a child’s emotional growth. That’s why we started the Books & Bridges project.

Each SEL library we build in rural schools is handpicked with care. These aren’t just storybooks - they are doorways into courage, kindness, curiosity, and empathy. They help children see themselves more clearly and understand others more deeply.

But we know a book alone isn't enough.

To help teachers bring these stories alive in the classroom, we’ve created a Teacher Resources page. It's a growing collection of support materials, including:

• Thoughtful reflections and key SEL themes for each book

• Age-appropriate discussion prompts and questions

• Simple follow-up activities that connect the story to classroom life

Using the Teacher Guides: A Few Gentle Notes

Each guide is meant to support - not prescribe - your classroom conversations.

The questions are starting points. The activities are suggestions.
You are the one who knows your students best. Feel free to bring in your own experiences, weave in local stories, or adapt the activities in ways that suit your teaching style and your children’s context.

During discussions, we encourage you to make space for children’s thoughts without judging or correcting them too quickly.
Let their ideas breathe.

If a child says, “I think the character was silly,” or “I wouldn’t help someone like that,” resist the urge to immediately say, “That’s wrong.”
Instead, try:
“Hmm… that’s interesting. Why do you think so?”

Judgment can shut a door.
Curiosity keeps it open.

And whenever possible, let children speak to one another, not just to you.
Encourage them to listen, to agree, to disagree, to ask questions like,
“What would you have done?” or “Do you feel the same way?”
These conversations help them build empathy, confidence, and the ability to see the world through someone else’s eyes.

At the same time, don’t force any child to speak.
Not everyone expresses themselves through words right away - and that’s okay.
Create gentle space for participation: a smile, a drawing, a quiet nod, or simply listening with attention.
Over time, safety leads to sharing.

SEL grows best in classrooms where children feel free to explore - not just the story, but their own feelings, questions, and thoughts - at their own pace, in their own voice, together.

Why This Matters

Because a good story is just the beginning.
The real magic happens in how it’s read, questioned, explored - and remembered.

This is our hope with Books & Bridges:
To turn reading into relationship.
To turn stories into seeds of lifelong learning.
To help teachers become guides not just in academics, but in what we all carry with us - our emotional lives.

Curious to know more about SEL and how it works in everyday classrooms?
Read our full guide here:
The Heart of Learning: A Guide to Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)