In District 68, we use the RULER approach to social-emotional learning, developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, to help students build the skills they need to understand and manage emotions. RULER teaches children how to Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, and Regulate their feelings in healthy ways. Through engaging lessons and classroom practices, students learn strategies for building empathy, strengthening relationships, making responsible decisions, and creating positive learning environments. By developing these lifelong skills, RULER supports both students’ well-being and their academic success.

The RULER approach includes four practical tools that help students and adults build emotional intelligence in everyday life:

Mood Meter – A colorful chart that helps students recognize and talk about their emotions by identifying how they feel (high or low energy, pleasant or unpleasant).

Charter – A shared agreement created by a class or school community that describes how everyone wants to feel and the actions they will take to support those feelings.

 

Meta-Moment – A strategy that teaches students to pause, reflect, and choose helpful responses when they experience strong emotions.

 

Blueprint – A tool for problem-solving and conflict resolution that guides students to consider their own and others’ feelings, perspectives, and needs.

 

Together, these tools give students the skills to manage emotions, build empathy, and create positive classroom communities.