Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

This page curated by: Dr. Daniel HellmanLast Update: 9/15/20

DESE has partnered with
"Alive and Well"

in the social-emotional learning and trauma informed schools initiative.WEBlink here for resources and training opportunities.

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If you have questions regarding social-emotional learning or Alive and Well Communities, please contact Rene Yoesel, coordinator of School Counseling, at Rene.Yoesel@dese.mo.gov or 573-751-0857.

"The relevant question is not if an art practice will affect a social-emotional competency, but how it will happen and what arts educators can do to improve the odds that the impact is positive."

Farrington, C. A., Maurer, J., Aska McBride, R. R., Nagaoka, J, Puller, J. S., Shewfelt, S., Weiss, E. M. & Wright, L. (2019, June). Arts education and social-emotional learning outcomes among K-12 students. Uchicago Consortlum on School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications

Arts teachers, work as child advocates to help decision-makers understand the inherent value of the arts. Sharing information about the connection of the arts to Social Emotional Learning can help strengthen that argument.

Engagement with the arts encompass the skills across the social-emotional learning spectrum.

Students who return to school settings after experiencing the trauma of recent events may need additional social emotional support.

The arts give us strength in times of adversity. People who might not consider themselves artists use music, theatre, dance and visual art to express their emotions and to bring hope and inspiration to others. The arts are a point of connection, reminding us of our shared human experience.

The structure of many schools allow for arts teachers to build strong positive relationships with their students over time. The power of the arts may not only help students with their recovery from the extraordinary circumstances of the recent past, but also ease the re-entry for both students and teachers, and help rebuild a sense of community.

Many aspects of existing social emotional learning programs utilize the arts to help students reach their goals. Activities from theatre arts allow students the opportunity to explore emotions in a safe and healthy way. Movement and dance can free the body from physical tension, and provide opportunities to cooperate and demonstrate teamwork. Music has long been associated with stress management, and like dance and theatre also assist with building self-confidence, impulse control, communication skills and leadership. Visual arts allow for non-verbal expression of ideas, feelings and emotion and problem-solving opportunities.

Sample lesson from MOVE THIS WORLD - SEL -CURRICULUM

All arts deal with skills that help students make responsible decisions.

"Arts education supports the social and emotional well-being of students, whether through distance learning or in person. Self-awareness, self-efficacy, self-management and perseverance, social awareness and relationship skills are central to any arts education activity, no matter the age and ability of the student or the environment in which the learning takes place. The arts, with their strong emphasis on team-building and self-reflection are supremely suited to re-ignite students’ interest in learning through collaboration, while simultaneously fostering creativity, critical thinking, and communication. " from the document Arts Education is Essential - Unified statement from more than 56 national associations. For full text click here.

LESSONS ENCOMPASSING ARTS and SEL Curriculum
Worldwide Day of Gratitude. (Spring, 2020). Developed by the student-led organization YOUnision, the day was designed to pay honor first responders and healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic through a global coming together through the arts. Recognizing that “Music has long served as a unify- ing force during challenging times,” for Worldwide Day of Gratitude https://www.younison.org/leanonus, teachers, students, and the general public, were invited to learn and share the iconic Bill Withers song, “Lean on Me,” which emerged as a rallying cry for the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the lesson plans developed stated: “The primary goal of this lesson is to learn the song “Lean on Me,” and be able to sing it or play it on an instrument. Regardless of instrumen- tal, vocal, or general music, listening to the song/analyzing the lyrics will allow musicians to further connect emotionally with the music... By reflecting on this day after, hopefully, we will all see the value of practicing gratitude in our own life”

Essential Question: How does the awareness of one’s strengths, limitations, feelings, and thoughts influence the generation of creative ideas?

Enduring Understanding: Managing emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are an integral part of the generation, refinement, and completion of creative ideas

By using the idea of expressing gratitude through the vehicle of music educators made powerful connections between the lyrics, the music, and the idea of gratitude. Students not only created their own ver- sions of the song, but they were also inspired to dance, draw, create messages of thanks, and have them delivered to hospitals. This was a powerful and compelling lesson because of the strong connection between the music and SEL as documented by the more than 20 million people engaged in the effort.

Excerpt from: Scott N. Edgar & Bob Morrison (2020): A vision for Social Emotional Learning and arts education policy, Arts Education Policy Review, DOI: 10.1080/10632913.2020.1774830. f ull article: https://doi.org/10.1080/10632913.2020.1774830E

ARTICLE: Talking with children about Coronavirus - CDC

ARTICLE: Helping Children Cope with Change resulting from Coronavirus - National Association of School Psychologists

INDIANA: Road Map for SEL re-entry - Indiana Dept. of Education

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