Let’s Be Honest… SEL in Upper Elementary is Awkward (Here’s How Slam Poetry Fixed That for Me)
- Jun 30, 2025
- 3 min read
You know how teaching SEL (Social Emotional Learning) in kindergarten or first grade feels… natural? You grab a picture book about feelings, sit on the carpet, have a quick heart-to-heart, and boom—lesson done. But upper elementary? Totally different ballgame.
By the time kids hit 5th or 6th grade, they’re…
More self-conscious
More private
More likely to roll their eyes the second you say the words “feelings” or “reflection.”
And honestly? I get it. They’re at that weird in-between stage where they have big feelings, but zero interest in talking about them out loud in a teacher-led circle.
So... How Do You Actually Teach SEL to Big Kids Without Making It Weird?
For me, the answer ended up being slam poetry.
Not because I set out thinking: "Oh, SEL! Let’s write poems about our emotions!"
But because I wanted them to write something real… and speak it out loud… and own their voice…Without turning it into one more sit-and-get writing assignment.
And poetry slam lets me do exactly that.
Real Talk: My Kids Were Skeptical at First
Let me paint the scene:
I stood at the front of the room, told them we were going to write and perform original poems, and…
Crickets.
Some kids got nervous. Some kids fake-gagged for dramatic effect. A few brave souls got curious.
But once I showed them an example slam poem, and we started brainstorming topics that actually mattered to them, everything shifted.
Suddenly, they were writing about:
The pressure of grades
Friend drama
Being underestimated
Funny family moments
Feeling overlooked
Anxiety, happiness, hope, frustration... all of it
The SEL Benefits? 100% Unintentional… and 100% Real
I didn’t sit them down and say, “Now we’re going to build self-awareness and empathy!” But guess what naturally happened:
They had to identify their feelings (self-awareness)
They learned how to manage nerves before performing (self-management)
They listened—really listened—to each other’s poems and gave feedback (social awareness + relationship skills)
They made decisions about tone, delivery, and how to share their message (responsible decision-making)
And honestly, by the time Slam Day rolled around, even my quietest kids were standing up and performing like total pros.
Were they nervous? Absolutely. Did they do it anyway? Every single one.
What I Used to Pull This Off (Because Let’s Be Real… No Teacher Has Time to Build This from Scratch)
If you want to run something like this but don’t have time to create all the lessons, worksheets, and event materials yourself…I’ve got you.
I ended up turning the whole thing into a resource for Teachers Pay Teachers.
Here’s what’s inside:
8 ready-to-teach lessons
12 student worksheets (brainstorming, figurative language, emotion mapping, drafting, peer feedback, etc.)
A revising checklist
A sample slam poem written at a 5th/6th grade level
Performance prep sheets
Printable event materials (flyers, applause signs, slam day program, etc.)
A post-slam reflection journal
It’s all super flexible. Some teachers do this in a week. Others spread it over two or three.
Random Extras That Made Slam Day More Fun
If you want to go full Pinterest-teacher mode (no shame, I’ve been there), here are a couple of small extras I used:
I am an Amazon affiliate and make commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.
Fake Microphone (Amazon link) – Not necessary, but my kids LOVED pretending they were on stage at an open mic night.👉 link here
Magnetic Poetry Kit (Amazon Link): This is such a fun way to keep the memory alive on a magnetic board. It is also just fun to have in the classroom. Cheap decoration that engages students!👉 link here
Metal Easel Boards (Amazon link): If you’re feeling extra and want a cute place to put the poetry tiles. 👉 link here
Final Thought
If you’ve been avoiding SEL because it feels awkward in upper elementary… or you’ve just been trying to survive writing workshop without adding more…
This project makes it doable. And fun. And honestly… kind of magical.
Grab the resource [here]. And if you run your own slam, PLEASE email me or tag me on Instagram. I want to cheer for your students, too.
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