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What is Social Emotional Learning? Social Emotional Learning (SEL) teaches young, tween and teen students how they can use their education to improve the lives of people within their direct contact and community.

> > > 5 Questions: Find out what you know about SEL < < <

Programs focused on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) are especially imperative as we continue to see a surge in the popularity of “all of about me” products, services, and online communities that hold the ability to desensitize active users to “real world” communicative skills. This includes social outlets such as MySpace, Facebook, You Tube and other outlets that are aimed at the tween and teen markets.

> > > See the Poll Results < < <

According to Illinois State Board of Education, the top three goals of a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program is (1) Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success. (2) Use social-awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships. (3) Demonstrate decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts.

 

According to studies, conducted in k-12 schools, primarily located in the northeastern region of the United States, participating in SEL provides a slew of benefits. It is sited that there are both short and long term effects. These occur in both academic and personal performance.


“It promotes young people’s academic success, health, and well-being at the same time that it prevents a variety of problems such as alcohol and drug use, violence, truancy, and bullying,” said an administrator from Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL).

CASEL is non-profit organization works to advance the science and evidence-based practice of social and emotional learning. This organization has had success in showing results in their “Stop, Think, Act” program, which was highlighted in the PBS news hour, in 2009. This organization also cited that “a landmark review found that students who receive SEL instruction had more positive attitudes about school and improved an average of 11 percentile points on standardized achievement tests compared to students who did not receive such instruction.”

> > > See the Poll Results < < <

 

A Brooklyn elementary school teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, told me that she has taught for 10 years and within the last few years has experienced a surge in children who are overly self praising. She accredits it to the surge in social media and the media validation of online networking for 15-minutes of fame.

 

The teacher told me, “It is a bit scary and sad to see a child not only praising themselves repeatedly but then expecting everyone else too. Worse yet, is when the other students don’t give them that praise”

 

The teacher continued on to say, “I never know what to say when a student tells me they have a You Tube page and they are 7. I always wonder why. One group of girls made a video of singing and dancing that I find to be too mature for even 15-year old kids to create. They asked me to watch because they were so proud. I was mortified. I contacted the parents. But, the parents told me that they made it for them!”

 

Tzipah, a Jewish schoolteacher, employed by a private New York school, explained how one college-aged brother has been monitoring his high-school aged sister, He told her that he is trying to keep her personal life off of Facebook. He explained to her that he is aware how this could hurt her later. This is especially so in the Jewish-Orthodox community where matching through shadkhan’s is a regular process. This leaves people always doing research to find out info on potential matches before allowing children to date them.

 

Florida-based middle school teacher, Robert, explained his school’s story. He said, “Last year, we realized we needed to find a program that could help students become more aware of how they can hurt themselves through the use of social media. We found that Social Emotional Learning tied in to what we needed. Tried it and saw a change within a few moths.”

 

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Non-Profit for Social Learning

A Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program such as the one developed by Orly Wahba, Founder and President, of the New York based non-profit Life Vest Inside, strives to intertwine a fun Social Emotional Learning (SEL) experience, within the public and private school systems, where results can be definitively measured in numbers.

 

Currently, Life Vest Inside has begun connecting with local Junior High and High schools and finalizing the logistics for Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program placements in select schools in New York. Persons in the New York area can contact this organization for more information on getting the program in their school.

 

Information for Educators

Interested in getting an SEL program for your classroom? Here are some SEL activities that you can find online. PBS Arthur Series: Site offers a variety of free SEL activities for children 3-7 years of age. Developmental Studies Center: Several sample SEL activities from the Caring School Community Program (found under the “What’s Taught” section of the site map). Project ExSEL: Offers free social and emotional literacy lessons. Do 2 Learn:
Offers two free, interactive online emotion games, the feelings game, and a facial expressions game. Responsive Classroom: Several community-building activities can be found in this site’s newsletter archives. Wings for Kids: Dedicated to SEL after school, site offers free activities for elementary school age kids. EmoSocial: An online journal that helps children label their emotions and characterize the nature of their relationships.

 

Graphics in SLIDE SHOW created by Ruth Amber Gristak

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about this writer: Ruth Amber Gristak is the Founder and CEO of BRYBER LLC, leads a Top-10 Business Group on Myspace and has received millions of views to her personal You Tube page. Gristak is a two-time bestselling author (You Can’t Buy a Halo and EMOETRY); former newspaper editor and has acted in top films and television series.

In 2009, the former Ohio University Bobcat became involved with a global non-profit, focused on autism research and education. She served as the Chief of Staff for the organization and focused on increasing public awareness of autism and connecting with those touched by the neurological disorder.


 

Social Emotional Learning Sources

“Illinois Learning Standards: Social/Emotional Learning (SEL).” Illinois State Board of Education. Web. 1 April 2011. http://www2.isbe.state.il.us/ils/social_emotional/standards.htm

“Audio & Video Segments about SEL teaching in the classroom.” Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Web 20 April, 2011.

“Meta- Analysis.” Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Web 20 April, 2011.

Lauer, Matt. (Reporter). (2011). Today Show, Matt: One-on-One with First Lady Michelle Obama.