I’m going to do my best to keep this brief but you should know, that’s going to be a challenge for me. Social-emotional learning and art are my special interests. I can’t get enough of this combination because they naturally and seamlessly compliment each other.
Social-emotional learning, often abbreviated SEL, isn’t a new concept, yet you might be hearing about it for the first time. It’s a hot topic right now- some might consider it a buzzword (buzzterm?) – and that’s wonderful news for everyone! All of us *gestures wildly around* benefit when SEL is appropriately applied and appreciated.
Most people need to be explicitly taught how to recognize and express their emotions. It would be great if we all emerged from the womb and understood how to treat ourselves and other people with respect. It doesn’t always come naturally.
Social Emotional Learning is the process of gaining social awareness through activities and interactions, often in educational environments. Social awareness is a broad term and according to Greater Good in Education, it “involves the ability to understand and empathize with others”. Social awareness involves understanding social skills and cues, a sense of belonging, and self-worth and self-esteem.
Let’s cover some common FAQs:
What Is Social-Emotional Learning?
There are many definitions for SEL and I’ve grabbed a couple of my favorites for us to look through and ponder.
SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.
CASEL
SEL is the vital framework through which people of all ages acquire skills in working towards their own unique goals, comprehending and managing their emotions, nurturing positive relationships, making informed choices, and feeling and exhibiting empathy.
PositiveAction.net
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process of developing and using social and emotional skills.
Understood.org
What Are The Benefits of SEL?
SEL has a lot of benefits. I wouldn’t be writing this post if it didn’t! Here are some of my favorite positive outcomes:
- Enhanced self-efficacy, self-determination, and empowerment
- Self-esteem and self-confidence
- Perseverance
- Meaningful relationships and connection
- Sense of purpose and belonging
- Reduced conduct problems and risk-taking behavior
- Self-awareness and self-knowledge
- Ability to understand and identify emotions
- Increased self-control
- Cope with challenges and manage stress
Who Should Learn This Stuff?
In a perfect world SEL would be taught to children in school, during extracurricular activities, and at home. Just as children learn how to read or subtract, they would also learn how to empathize with peers or ask for help. That being said, in order to teach these skills to children, adults must know how to do them as well. It’s not just parents, caregivers, coaches, and educators who need to be personally equipped to pass along this knowledge, but all members of our society. Since this isn’t a perfect world, we have to take responsibility for our lack of emotional awareness and take accountability for our education.
What ISN’T SEL?
SEL is not liberal propaganda. It’s not going to make people weak. It’s not just “for girls”.