We define social and emotional learning (SEL) as an integral part of education and human development. 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.
SEL advances educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that feature trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing evaluation. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities.
Think of a young person in your life. What skills will they need to achieve their hopes and dreams?
Chances are, you just named social and emotional skills – like staying motivated, communicating effectively, practicing curiosity, and working with others to solve problems. Social and emotional learning, or SEL, helps develop the skills we need for life.
Hear why students, parents, and educators want SEL in schools.
Here are 3 things to know about social and emotional learning:
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Social and emotional learning is essential to helping us all lead healthy, fulfilling lives. Take our free online course to learn more about how to develop these critical skills.
SEL makes a difference. We know this from the research, which demonstrates that an education that promotes SEL has a positive impact on a wide range of outcomes, including academic performance, healthy relationships, mental wellness, and more.
For many, our framework is known as the “CASEL wheel.” At the center are the five core social and emotional competencies—broad, interrelated areas that support learning and development. Circling them are four key settings where students live and grow. School-family-community partnerships coordinate SEL practices and establish equitable learning environments across all of these contexts.
We are driven by a vision of all children and adults as self-aware, caring, responsible, engaged, and lifelong learners who work together to achieve their goals. SEL can be a powerful lever for creating caring, just, inclusive, and healthy schools that support all young people.
The majority of students, teachers, and families agree: SEL belongs in schools. But when it is co-opted by political agendas, students risk losing out on an education that will help them succeed in school and in life. Now is the time for brave thinkers and tireless doers to champion SEL.
Across the country, schools and communities are having conversations about how to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every child. While there is no single solution, we know that SEL plays a critical role. Evidence-based practices that build supportive relationships and promote social and emotional skills can help reduce bullying and isolation, promote belonging, boost engagement, and curb future violence.
States, districts, and schools looking to support the mental health and well-being of their young people and adults often turn to SEL. SEL can promote positive mental health in many ways. SEL should be implemented as part of a system of mental wellness supports and resources that include promotion, prevention, early-intervention, and treatment strategies and programs.
Today’s increasingly dynamic and multicultural society will call on the next generation of civic leaders to use a wide range of social and emotional skills—including deep levels of self-awareness, collaborative problem-solving, and cultural competence. By integrating SEL into civic learning, students have opportunities to develop the skills and relationships needed to participate as caring and engaged members of their local community and the broader society.
Strengthening Career and College Readiness Through Social and Emotional Skill Development
Like academic skills, social and emotional competencies create a foundation for students to pursue their career and life goals. By aligning and integrating SEL and workforce preparation efforts through an equity lens, states and districts can more intentionally promote the competencies and environments that will prepare youth to thrive and succeed in the workplace.
A Social and Emotional Learning Webisode Series
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
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