is how we think about ourselves and who we are. It includes understanding our culture, our thoughts and feelings, and what we believe we're capable of. It's also about understanding how these things can influence our behaviors and beliefs.
is about managing our emotions, thoughts, and actions as we work toward goals. This includes coping with stress and anxiety, persevering through challenges, and developing a sense of personal agency, (a willingness and ability to take action to make a difference).
is how we understand others, how we learn to take on different perspectives and have empathy for people, even those who are different from us. It also includes understanding how what's happening around us can influence us and how we create and feel a sense of belonging.
are how we get along with others and how we form lasting friendships and connections. This includes communicating clearly, solving problems together, managing conflicts and disagreements, and standing up for ourselves and others.
is how we make positive and informed choices. This includes thinking about the consequences of our actions, being curious and open-minded to new perspectives and information, and identifying solutions that benefit us and the community.
Social and emotional skills look different across different ages and stages. While the five competencies are important parts of development at all ages, the tasks we are able to do change as we mature. For example, a child in preschool might practice social awareness by identifying the emotion of a character in a book, while a junior in high school may be able to understand how a friend's different experiences lead them to feel and think differently about a situation.
CASEL's framework for schoolwide SEL also highlights four key settings that shape social and emotional development:
In the classroom, teachers can teach social and emotional skills directly and also create opportunities for students to practice and apply SEL skills during academic subjects. Classroom environments that are nurturing, trusting, relationship-rich, and student-centered strengthen SEL.
Beyond the classroom, a student's SEL development can be nurtured throughout their school experience: for example, the way they are greeted in the hallways, the clubs they join, or their interactions with other students and staff in the cafeteria, playground, bus, and main office. Adults in the schools can intentionally promote SEL by listening to students' opinions, being thoughtful about how they collect and reflect on data, and planning for academic and behavioral support.
Families and caregivers are children's first teachers and bring deep expertise about their children's growth, experiences, culture, and learning needs. It is essential that schools listen to and work with families to better understand student needs and shape how schools can effectively support their children's social and emotional development.
Similarly, when schools connect with community organizations during and outside school, students have additional and aligned opportunities for SEL. Community programs offer space for young people to practice social and emotional skills in settings such as sports, arts, clubs, work experiences, and service.
Social and emotional skills are necessary for navigating school, work, and personal relationships. We all call upon these skills daily as we cope with challenges, experience emotions, communicate with and listen to others, and consider what those around us may be thinking and feeling.
SOURCE: Collaborative for Academic, Social, & Emotional Learning (2023). An Introduction to Social Emotional Learning [Online course]. Retrieved from CASEL https://leadingschoolwidesel.casel.org/courses/intro-to-sel