In this article, the author describes how Amy Corvino, an English teacher, implements the social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum to increase her students' interest and engagement in English literatures. SEL is the process by which people develop the skills to recognize and manage emotions, form positive relationships, solve problems that arise, motivate themselves to accomplish a goal, make responsible decisions, and avoid risky behavior. Implementing SEL is not only about integrating the competencies with academic content, it also has to do with the way class is conducted and how students relate to one another. Corvino's first order of business was to create a classroom environment where students felt emotionally safe to speak up, especially about the sensitive issues that were raised in the literature. Students created a list of classroom norms to ensure that the class was a safe place to share their thoughts and feelings. Providing opportunities for student voice and choice increases students' motivation to learn in addition to improving classroom climate. Students actively build their understanding, rather than passively receive information, and teachers facilitate learning, rather than impart knowledge.