Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an increasingly popular methodology that makes it easier for students of all ages to comprehend their emotions in an efficient manner, fully feel those emotions and demonstrate empathy for others. As per Hind Louali French School of Austin- Ecole Jean-Jacques Rousseau, such learned behaviours help students to make positive, responsible decisions, and build positive relationships with others.
Hind Louali briefly talks about Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is an increasingly popular educational approach, which is meant to weave the principles of social-emotional wellness into standard academic programming. It helps in making sure that the students can acquire the knowledge and ability to:
- Set achievable goals
- Feel and show empathy toward others
- Recognize, name, and positively navigate their emotions
- Make responsible, forward-looking decisions
- Establish and maintain positive relationships with peers, parents, teachers, and siblings
As a concept, SEL can be considered to be somewhat like team sports. Young people who engage in a sport like volleyball, for instance, will learn the mechanics of the game. They will learn how to serve, set, and block, how to care for equipment, and protect themselves from injury. However, beyond that, they would also need to build certain universal skills like collaboration, patience, commitment, strategic planning, leadership, as well as how to win with grace. Educational programming that puts emphasis on SEL works in a similar manner. As the students learn about the Constitution, for example, they might also be asked to describe how they feel about what they are learning. They must be provided with vital opportunities to practice interior inquiry. This would help them become better communicators.
While SEL outcomes might appear simple or instinctive, they actually require learning, which takes place through observation, instruction, and practice. Not all students have the chance to learn these skills at home. Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, often including students from the global majority and those with learning disabilities, tend to experience higher stress levels and may have fewer adults available to guide them in positive emotional management. Public schools have a duty to help bridge these gaps, as they are directly linked to academic achievement.
Hind Louali French School of Austin-Ecole Jean-Jacques Rousseau mentions that the students engaged in SEL are likely to be comparatively less aggressive and disruptive in school, and for the years to come. When young people are provided with the opportunity and training to express themselves in a safe space, and can discuss the impact of potential actions before they take place, they are relatively less likely to resort to verbal or physical outbursts.
Even though SEL essentially is not a designated subject like math or history, it can be woven into the fabric of the curriculum of a school. As educators make an active effort to make academic lessons more relatable and personal for the students, the students are also more likely to take part in classroom discussions. SEL fosters a sense of empathy, self-awareness, and feelings of safety and inclusiveness in the classroom, which would have long-term benefits for the students.