The Benefits of Social Emotional Learning
Do your kids have a calm down corner or an emotions wheel in their classroom? Do they sometimes do mindful breathing or yoga as a part of their daily activities? If they do, chances are they've got a wonderful teacher who is teaching social emotional learning. There are many benefits that extend beyond the classroom walls when teachers teach with children's social emotional wellness in mind.
What is Social Emotional Learning?
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success.
People with strong social-emotional skills are better able to cope with everyday challenges and benefit academically, professionally, and socially. From effective problem-solving to self-discipline, from impulse control to emotion management and more, SEL provides a foundation for positive, long-term effects on kids, adults, and communities.*
The five main components of SEL are:
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Self Awareness : The skill of having knowledge of one's own emotions and developing a positive self-concept.
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Self-management: The ability to regulate one's own emotions and monitor one's own behaviours. This also pertains to intrinsic motivation and setting personal goals.
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Social Awareness: The ability to have awareness of the emotions and social situations of other people.
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Relationship Skills: The skill to foster relationships and communicate within them.
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Responsible Decision Making: The ability to solve problems and hold one's self accountable.
These core ideologies help students to live socially and emotionally healthy lives both during and after their time in the school system.
WHY TEACH KIDS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS?
According to a meta-analysis review * on schools that focus on S.E.L. education there are some pretty amazing benefits.
Research show that there was:- 9% decrease in conduct problems, such as classroom misbehavior and aggression
- 10% decrease in emotional distress, such as anxiety and depression
- 9% improvement in attitudes about self, others, and school
- 23% improvement in social and emotional skills 9% improvement in school and classroom behavior 11 % improvement in achievement test scores
The great news is that Social Emotional Learning is now embedded in most standard curriculum!
If you know a great teacher that truly cares about children's emotional wellness, consider our creative mindset tools as a great teachers gift and classroom resource that makes it easy to integrate SEL!
* definition adapted from: https://www.cfchildren.org/what-is-social-emotional-learning/
* Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P, Taylor, R. D., & Dymnicki, A. B. (in preparation). The effects of school-based social and emotional learning: A meta-analytic review