Social and emotional learning is an important part of a child’s
education. Some would argue that it is slightly more important
than the academic learning done by children.
The primary goal of social and emotional learning is to
improve student’s capacity to establish and maintain healthy
relationships through establishing a safe, positive, and
mutually beneficial environment.
. Social learning is made up of the knowledge of skills that you
have when interacting in a social setting with someone. For
example, knowing what is appropriate behaviour from one
setting to the next is social learning.
What are Social Emotional Learning Competencies?
The five core competencies of social-emotional learning are
designed to provide a clear framework from which to teach
skills that will benefit students throughout their lives in
situations ranging from school and work to families and other
communities.
The 5 c”re SEL competencies
Self-Awareness
Self-Management
Responsible Decision Making
Social Awareness
Relationship Skills
These competencies each focus on abilities vital to the social-
emotional learning (SEL), and can be worked on through a
variety of methods.
Self-Awareness: The abilities to understand one's own emotions,
thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across
contexts. This includes capacities to recognize one's strengths and
limitations with a well-grounded sense of confidence and purpose.
For example:
Integrating personal and social identities
Identifying personal, cultural, and linguistic assets
Identifying one's emotions
Demonstrating honesty and integrity
Linking feelings, values, and thoughts
Examining prejudices and biases
Experiencing self-efficacy
Having a growth mindset
Developing interests and a sense of purpose
Self-Management: The abilities to manage one's emotions, thoughts,
and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals
and aspirations. This includes the capacities to delay gratification, manage
stress, and feel motivation & agency to accomplish personal/collective goals.
For example:
Managing one's emotions
Identifying and using stress-management strategies
Exhibiting self-discipline and self-motivation
Setting personal and collective goals
Using planning and organizational skills
Showing the courage to take initiative
Demonstrating personal and collective agency
Social Awareness: The abilities to understand the perspectives of and
empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds,
cultures, & contexts. This includes the capacities to feel compassion for
others, understand broader historical and social norms for behavior in
different settings, and recognize family, school, and community resources
and supports.
For example:
Taking others' perspectives
Recognizing strengths in others
Demonstrating empathy and compassion
Showing concern for the feelings of others
Understanding and expressing gratitude
Identifying diverse social norms, including unjust ones
Recognizing situational demands and opportunities
Understanding the influences of organizations/systems on behavior
Relationship Skills: The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and
supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with
diverse individuals and groups. This includes the capacities to
communicate clearly, listen actively, cooperate, work collaboratively to
problem solve and negotiate conflict constructively, navigate settings with
differing social and cultural demands and opportunities, provide leadership,
and seek or offer help when needed.
For example:
Communicating effectively
Developing positive relationships
Demonstrating cultural competency
Practicing teamwork and collaborative problem-solving
Resolving conflicts constructively
Resisting negative social pressure
Showing leadership in groups
Seeking or offering support and help when needed
Standing up for the rights of others
Responsible Decision-Making: The abilities to make caring and
constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions
across diverse situations. This includes the capacities to consider ethical
standards and safety concerns, and to evaluate the benefits and
consequences of various actions for personal, social, and collective well-
being.
For example:
Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness
Identifying solutions for personal and social problems
Learning to make a reasoned judgment after analyzing information,
data, facts
Anticipating and evaluating the consequences of one's actions
Recognizing how critical thinking skills are useful both inside & outside
of school
Reflecting on one's role to promote personal, family, and community
well-being
Evaluating personal, interpersonal, community, and institutional
impacts
Conclusion
The five SEL competencies (self-awareness, self-management,
responsible decision-making, social awareness, and
relationship skills), are vital to the teaching and understanding
of social and emotional learning at school. All these
competencies are integrated into the Positive Action program
to ensure students are equipped with the necessary skills to
lead happy, fulfilling, and positive lives.
While SEL has been more formally stood up as a program in
preschools throughout all 50 states, very few states have made SEL
a designated part of school curriculum at the elementary, middle,
and high school levels. As because so few states have made SEL a
part of their school curriculum, statistical evidence showing the
benefits of SEL has been anecdotal. However, preschool-age
children who were able to participate in an SEL program and learned
these principles early on in their school career were able to reap the
intended benefits. As more states and schools consider weaving SEL
into their curriculum, it can provide educators with more statistically
significant evidence of the program’s positive impact.
