Tending to students’ well-being before tackling academics—“Maslow before Bloom”—isn’t easy to do, especially in the era of high-stakes testing and inflexible curricula. ⁣ ⁣ But not prioritizing kids’ social and emotional needs, the research shows, is a mistake. “When we’re able to combine social, emotional, affective, and cognitive development together, we are creating many more interconnections in the developing brain that enable children to accelerate learning and development,” says child psychiatrist Pamela Cantor.⁣ ⁣ Here’s how to use Maslow daily so that students may Bloom:⁣ ⁣ • Welcome students: Take time to greet students at the door—or, when they’re learning from home, try admitting them one by one from a Zoom virtual waiting room. Research shows this can boost academic engagement and decrease disruptive behavior. It also helps kids feel they belong. Consider taking a few minutes at the beginning of class for light, non-academic chat: try a question like “What’s your favorite p...