On any given day in the classroom, students will study language arts, explore new math concepts and test out scientific theories. However, in recent years, teachers and administrators have been working together to implement a new subject into the curriculum — social-emotional learning (SEL).
In an age when children of all ages are struggling with emotional regulation and emotional intelligence, it’s become clear that there is a need for a social skills curriculum at every level of education. Understanding the importance of emotional intelligence in education can help you become a better teacher and a more effective leader in the learning environment.
Understanding Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
SEL is an evidence-based educational practice that offers numerous benefits to both students and teachers. Today’s young learners have dealt with unprecedented circumstances that have greatly shaped their ability to interact with one another, connect with their classmates and regulate their emotions. Between the influence of technology and the global pandemic that reshaped social life for many members of the youngest generation, it’s become obvious that additional measures need to be taken within the classroom to help students succeed.
What Is SEL?
SEL is defined by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments as an educational approach that emphasizes the development of social and emotional skills. The goal of an SEL curriculum is to:
- Help students identify and recognize a wide range of emotions.
- Allow students to develop the skills necessary to regulate their emotions.
- Encourage students to become empathetic and aware individuals.
- Encourage students to make responsible choices.
- Teach students how to set and achieve personal goals.
Why SEL Matters in Education
In addition to teaching emotional regulation and fostering resilience in students, SEL has a significant impact on each child’s educational experience. The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments notes that research has revealed that SEL helps:
- Improve student behavior overall, particularly because it emphasizes positive reinforcement versus punitive measures.
- Improve academic performance and improve the students’ perception of being at school and in the learning environment.
- Equip students with the social and emotional skills needed to navigate complex social situations throughout their entire lives.
Integrating SEL Into Everyday Curriculum
In some schools, SEL is a specific subject taught independently at certain times of the day. In addition to these targeted SEL classroom activities, teachers can embed SEL into other aspects of the curriculum to reinforce emotional intelligence skill-building in the learning environment.
According to Mental Health America, these are some of the best ways to weave SEL classroom activities into your existing curriculum:
Embedding SEL in Academic Lessons
Academic lessons are often focused on specific skills and subject areas that students need to master, which may make it seem like they are a separate entity entirely from social-emotional learning. However, teachers in today’s evolving educational landscape can effortlessly incorporate SEL into academic lessons by providing more opportunities for discussing the material and acknowledging how the students feel about it. Regularly checking in with students during lessons helps them recognize their emotions and develop strategies to manage frustration or confusion.
Using Morning Meetings and Reflection Time
Morning meetings are one of the most effective SEL strategies for teachers, as they provide a designated time for the classroom to come together and start the day on the best possible note. During the morning meeting, the teacher can address the schedule for the day, as well as begin the day with a structured routine. This may consist of checking attendance, doing the calendar and giving the lunch choices for the day. In addition, this can be a time for reflection and consideration, giving students an opportunity to share feelings and experiences that they are having that may not be related to academic life at school.
Teaching SEL Through Literature and Stories
Another way students can begin to recognize their own feelings is to experience those same emotions through the eyes of a beloved character in a book. Teachers can help reinforce their social skills curriculum by reading a wide range of stories out loud, assigning students books to read in the classroom and discussing the social and emotional topics that arise. By encouraging the students to develop a sense of empathy for the characters, they will begin to better understand and identify the vast range of emotions that people experience on any given day.
Incorporating SEL in Group Work and Peer Collaboration
Classroom community-building activities are the perfect way to incorporate SEL into group work. Some of the top SEL classroom activities include:
- Enjoying mindfulness activities together, like a yoga class once per week.
- Creating classroom journals and having the students write in their journals each day.
- Making calm down jars as a class together.
- Assigning jobs to all the students in the classroom so that everyone works together to make their learning space the best it can be.
Practical Strategies for Educators
In addition to prioritizing conflict resolution strategies in education and teaching emotional intelligence in the classroom, teachers can employ a variety of SEL strategies to reinforce the topics learned and discussed as part of the social skills curriculum.
These are some of the leading SEL strategies for teachers to consider:
Modeling SEL as a Teacher
As adults and educational experts, teachers are often adept at identifying and managing their own emotions. However, they can still model SEL as a teacher to set an example for the students. For example, suppose a teacher is beginning to feel mad or frustrated because the class is not listening. In that case, they can first take a deep breath to calm down, showing the students that it is possible to maintain control over their emotions.
Then, they can identify how they are feeling out loud and explain to the class what they are doing to try to regulate their feelings of anger or frustration. This shows the students that they are not only a teacher but also a human with emotions and that they actively work to use the SEL tools and strategies that the students are encouraged to use as well.
Using SEL-Focused Tools and Resources
By investing in SEL-focused tools and resources, teachers can provide students with a wide variety of materials to use as they navigate life in the classroom each day. Some examples of effective SEL tools include:
- Feelings flashcards help students identify the way they are feeling through words and pictures.
- Sensory items, such as calm-down jars or fidget spinners, that children can use in the calm-down corner in the classroom.
- Choice seating to give students an opportunity to feel more comfortable and calm in the learning environment.
Partnering With Families to Support SEL
SEL classroom activities can be incredibly impactful, but when teachers partner with families to carry the social skills curriculum into the home environment, the results are even more impressive. By explaining the purpose of the SEL curriculum and providing updates about the topics being discussed, teachers can connect with family members and encourage them to use these same tools and strategies in their homes. Through consistency, students will begin developing the emotional intelligence skills they need to thrive.
Assessing SEL in the Classroom
Assessing the progress of the social skills curriculum is distinctly different from assessing academic subject areas. Teachers can evaluate the effectiveness of their SEL classroom activities by:
Measuring Student Progress in SEL
Many public school districts across the country measure student progress in SEL through:
- Questionnaires and classroom surveys that evaluate student progress.
- Targeted SEL assessment tools that collect and harvest student data related to student progress in SEL.
- Observing and recording progress in the classroom environment.
Adjusting Instruction Based on SEL Feedback
Once teachers have data available, they can monitor their progress and adjust their SEL curriculum examples accordingly to better meet their students’ needs.
Challenges and Opportunities in SEL Integration
While SEL can be a powerful addition to any academic curriculum, teachers may face challenges when integrating these activities and assessments into their own classrooms.
Addressing Barriers to SEL Implementation
Some of the leading barriers to SEL implementation include:
- Lack of funding or budget constraints.
- Lack of available instruction time.
- High levels of burnout rates among educators.
The Growing Importance of SEL in a Post-Pandemic World
While barriers do exist, teachers should advocate for their students, particularly in the aftermath of the global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life for millions of children around the world, and the impacts have become quite clear. Students are struggling academically and are behind in their emotional development, highlighting the importance of teaching emotional intelligence in the classroom.
Discover the Vital Role of Emotional Intelligence in Education at Marymount University
While academic growth and development is a priority in any classroom setting, it’s becoming clear that a social skills curriculum is also necessary to foster emotional intelligence in students of all ages. At Marymount University, we offer a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction degree program that emphasizes the importance of teaching emotional intelligence.
Throughout this degree program, you will develop the advanced teaching skills necessary to create and implement impactful curriculum programs, allowing you to grow personally and professionally.
Learn more about our degree programs and apply to Marymount University today.
Sources
https://marymount.edu/academics/education/master-of-education/curriculum-and-instruction/
https://marymount.edu/academics/majors-programs/
https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/hot-topics/social-emotional-learning
https://www.cfchildren.org/what-is-social-emotional-learning/
https://www.mhanational.org/blog/10-tips-for-classroom-social-emotional-learning
https://www.weareteachers.com/social-emotional-learning-activities/
https://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/mental-health/social-emotional-learning/assessment/evidence-based
https://blog.smilingmind.com.au/overcoming-the-barriers-to-implementing-sel
