Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is more than just a buzzword in education today – it should be a crucial part of any school community. According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), “SEL is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.” In today’s multicultural world, incorporating SEL into curriculum helps set a foundation for a safe learning environment for all students and provides skills students need to be successful in life.
SEL skills strengthen a student’s self-reliance, their ability to learn from and work with others, their capacity to manage challenging problems and projects, and their potential to communicate clearly. Whether your students are planning to attend college, apply for apprenticeships, head right into the workforce, or pursue artistic passions, all of these skills are essential to be a successful member of society. Many business leaders say they have trouble finding recent graduates who have the communication, decision making, or problem-solving skills needed to succeed in the workplace. You can read the entire Congressional Briefing on SEL and Employability Skills here. These skills are embedded in CASEL’s five key components of SEL, which include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making.
The big question is this: How do we support student growth in these areas when our school day, home life, external stressors, and the inability to travel freely all impact our student experience and understanding of traditional learning?
Below are some suggestions of ways to positively impact each competency through virtual learning, trauma awareness, and future travel.
While schools can adopt evidence-based SEL programming to make learning these skills part of a school curriculum, there are ways for parents and teachers to integrate SEL through modeling and coaching, project-based learning, and team activities. Whether learning is occurring in a classroom, at home, or in a new destination, SEL instruction is critical for student success.
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