Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process where students develop self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills. This process and social-emotional competence are important for school, work, and life outcomes.
Through SEL, students learn and develop the skills to nurture a positive sense of self, build respectful relationships, and build the capacity to healthily manage emotions, behaviors, and interactions with others. These skills can be learned through a range of school-related activities.
When it comes to creating programs and facilitating activities that enhance students’ social and emotional development, strong school leadership is essential. Many professionals in educational leadership doctoral programs online will learn about designing and implementing SEL initiatives that help students build essential life skills.
This article delves into the importance of social-emotional learning and how schools help develop social skills and emotional intelligence. It’ll also cover the different types of skills covered in SEL and how they can help later in life.
Social-emotional learning
Studies show that social-emotional learning can have a major impact on an individual. Not only can it significantly affect their academic performance, but it also plays a crucial role in their social behavior and emotional self-regulation skills.
While research focuses heavily on the benefits of effective emotional self-regulation skills later in life, social-emotional learning usually begins much earlier. Most people go through SEL during their early years at school.
When it comes to social-emotional learning, the skills the students should be learning can be broadly divided into five categories. These are also referred to as social-emotional competencies and include:
- Self-awareness: Refers to an individual’s ability to recognize and understand their own feelings and strengths.
- Self-management: This term describes the ability an individual has to regulate and express their emotions effectively and appropriately.
- Social awareness: This refers to being able to understand what others are feeling, their perspective, and interact in social groups appropriately.
- Relationship skills: Refers to an individual’s ability to establish and maintain healthy relationships.
- Responsible decision-making: This describes an individual’s ability to consider the consequences for themselves and others when making decisions.
The role school plays in development
Schools play a major role in laying down the foundations for kids to develop their social skills and emotional intelligence. From developing the foundations for SEL through fostering an inclusive environment to lessons on skills like empathy, they play a multifaceted part.
Schools foster a positive environment, which is integral to learning social and emotional competencies. Research has shown that a positive learning environment cultivates a strong sense of belonging and positive relationships, which helps develop social skills and emotional intelligence.
Teachers themselves also play a crucial role in the SEL process. They act as leaders and role models for their students, being a positive ‘goal’ to achieve when it comes to developing social-emotional abilities.
Class activities, like group projects, also play a significant role in students developing their social-emotional skills. This is because it promotes relationship building, responsible decision-making, and self-awareness through interacting with others.
School-wide initiatives and groups like mentorship programs and extra-curricular clubs, like chess club, also play a crucial role in developing these skills. The social interaction and responsibility through these activities encourage social-emotional growth.
The importance of emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EQ or EI) is described as the ability to perceive, express, and regulate emotions. The skill plays a massive role in communication, the ability to form relationships, mental health, and the ability to better manage negative emotions.
Studies show that people with higher emotional intelligence do better in their jobs and feel happier. People with a higher EQ are also better at managing their feelings, understanding others, coping with stress, and handling difficult situations.
According to a study published in 2019, where researchers looked at data from more than 160 studies covering 42,000 students worldwide, they found that students with higher emotional intelligence tended to get higher grades and better test scores.
Emotional intelligence, which can develop through SEL in school, is positively linked to successful outcomes throughout life. From grades to better career opportunities, EQ is consistently associated with positive life outcomes.
Schools and the road to success
The road to success is paved by schools and social-emotional learning. Mountains of research positively link social-emotional competencies, like self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship building, to positive life outcomes.
Schools play an undeniable, critical role in helping kids develop their social skills and emotional intelligence. It’s also in the best interest of all parties involved that students develop a high level of EQ.
Studies show that students with higher emotional intelligence not only achieve higher grades but are also more engaged in learning and exhibit better classroom behavior. The skill is also closely related to another important ability—empathy.
Where emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize others’ emotions, empathy is the ability to understand how they feel. Empathy plays an important part in social interactions and fostering meaningful connections.
Similarly, developing empathy is typically learned early in life, usually in a classroom environment. Children can and do learn empathy through a range of activities, like playing games, group activities, and even reading.
Schools play an invaluable role in society, not only preparing students for the future by providing a wealth of practical knowledge but also emotionally. Social skills and emotional intelligence are just as vital to a person’s life as cognitive intelligence.