I speak with educators every day, and the overwhelming message is clear—COVID-19 has changed everything. Students are experiencing a health crisis of unprecedented proportions, with an increase in anxiety, depression, PTSD, and even eating disorders. Educators often feel ill-equipped to address this crisis within standard general education classrooms. Something more needs to be incorporated in the curriculum to help students gain an understanding of emotional intelligence (EQ).

The Conover Company, with 40 years of research behind its platform, offers The Personal Skills Map® which is the core assessment tool and the heart of our system for developing EQ. This assessment is designed to identify strengths and weaknesses in social and emotional intelligence skills. These are the very skills that allow students to become more successful in life, school, and work, and to adapt to change and enhance personal growth. The Personal Skills Map® assesses skills and then, based on the results of the assessment, assigns skills training and learning experiences meant to foster healthy personal development.

This assessment covers the competencies that are most strongly correlated with personal and career success, including Self-Esteem, Interpersonal Assertion, Interpersonal Awareness, Empathy, Drive Strength/Motivation, Decision Making, Time Management, Sales Orientation/Leadership, Commitment Ethic, Stress Management, Physical Wellness, Interpersonal Aggression, Interpersonal Deference, and Change Orientation.

We follow three easy steps to implement SEL:

  1. Conover quickly and accurately assesses the needs of each student.
  2. The management system analyzes the data and identifies the areas of need for each student.
  3. Each student receives a customized success plan tailored to their specific needs, which Conover automatically delivers.

A “custom success plan” that can address the social and emotional well-being of students is how we at Conover differentiate ourselves. These are the needs that educators share with me every day. The U.S. Department of Education has addressed the effects of COVID-19 in various articles, specifically outlining addressing students’ needs in these areas: “. . . Schools should explicitly teach critical social, emotional, and academic skills and promote safe and supportive learning environments through intentionally inclusive practices, among other evidence-based strategies.” (Volume 2, USDOE COVID Handbook)

I would welcome the opportunity to learn what struggles you’re facing at your school or in your district. If you’d like more information about how I can assist you in helping your students navigate the pandemic and its effects, please visit: conovercompany.com/solutions/sel/.