Social Emotional Learning: What do we know, what do we need to know and how do we contextualize it?
David Osher, Ph.D.October 18, 2012
Overview
What is (and is not) Social Emotional Learning and What Are Social Emotional competencies?
Why is it important? What is the relationship between SEL, School
Climate, School Culture, and the Conditions for Learning.
WHAT IS (AND IS NOT) SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND WHAT ARE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL COMPETENCIES?
What Is Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)?
SEL is a process for helping children and adults develop the basic skills necessary for a safe and happy life.
SEL teaches the skills we all need to handle ourselves, our relationships, and our work effectively and ethically.
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Emotional Intelligence Framework
Self Awareness Social Awareness
Self Management Relationship Management
Based on Daniel Goleman and Linda Lantieri
Positive Impact
on Others
What Is, Is Not, and Can Be SEL?
Executive Function- yes Grit-yes Mindfulness-yes Emotional Intelligence-yes Character Education-sometimes
Effective character education incorporates SEL, e.g., Caring School Communities PATHS Positive Action Lion's Quest
What Is, Is Not, and Can It Be SEL?
Providing Children and Youth With Social and Emotional Support-no Can support SEL and be supported by SEL
Educational Mindsets-no SEL can be foundational to developing mindsets
E.g., self-regulation, attentional control
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports-no PBIS and SEL can be aligned
Restorative Practices-yes/no SEL can be foundational for restorative practices Restorative Practices can teach and reinforce SEL
Where Can and Does SEL Take Place?
All Settings Intentional Modeling and Reinforcement
How Do We Conceptualize SEL and Social Emotional :CASEL’s Approach
Resource: http://casel.org
Individuals Who Are Self-Aware
Have the ability to: Accurately assess
their feelings, interests, values, and strengths; and
Maintain a well-grounded sense of self-confidence.
Demonstrate it by: Recognizing and accurately
labeling simple emotions such as sadness, anger, and happiness.
Analyzing factors that trigger their stress reactions.
Analyzing how various expressions of emotion affect other people.
Individuals Who Self-Manage
Have the ability to: Regulate their emotions
to handle stress, control impulses, and persevere in overcoming obstacles;
Set and monitor progress toward personal and professional goals; and
Express emotions appropriately.
Demonstrate it by: Describing the steps of setting
and working toward goals. Making a plan to achieve a
short-term personal or professional goal.
Identifying strategies to make use of available resources and overcome obstacles in achieving a long-term goal.
Individuals Who Are Socially Aware
Have the ability to: Take the perspective of
others and empathize with others;
Recognize and appreciate individual and group similarities and differences; and
Recognize and use family, school, and community resources.
Demonstrate it by: Identifying verbal, physical,
and situational cues indicating how others feel.
Predicting others’ feelings and perspectives in various situations.
Evaluating their ability to empathize with others.
Individuals Who Have Good Relationship Skills
Have the ability to: Establish and maintain
healthy and rewarding relationships based on cooperation;
Resist inappropriate social pressure;
Prevent, manage, and resolve interpersonal conflict; and
Seek help when needed.
Demonstrate it by: Describing approaches to
making and keeping friends. Being cooperative and
working on a team to promote group goals.
Evaluating the uses of communication skills with peers, teachers, and family members.
Individuals Who Make Responsible Decisions
Have the ability to: Make decisions based on
consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, appropriate social norms, respect for others, and likely consequences of various actions;
Apply decision-making skills to academic and social situations; and
Contribute to the well-being of their school and community.
Demonstrate it by: Identifying a range of
decisions they make at school.
Evaluating strategies for resisting peer pressure to engage in unsafe or unethical activities.
Analyzing how their current decision making affects their college and career prospects.
What is Emotional Literacy?(Brackett & Rivers, 2011)
RecognizingUnderstandingLabelingExpressingRegulating
Spectrum of Program Theory
Direct Instruction
Co-constructi
on
Different Approaches to Social and Emotional Learning Programs
Direct Instruction Emphasizes highly scripted
teacher led lessons. Requires the teacher to
become fluent with a specific lesson protocol and packaged teaching materials.
Constructivism Focuses on taking
advantage of the spontaneous interactions that take place the school.
Requires teachers to create ways for the learning to take place.
Different Approaches to Social and Emotional Learning Programing
Levels of Intervention Universal Early Intervention Intensive Intervention
Setting Level Programs Infusion Kernels (Biglan & Embry)
District, State, Ministry Social Emotional Learning Standards Common Programs
WHY IS SEL IMPORTANT?
What Affects Learning Outcomes
Teaching Learning
Com
pete
ncie
s
Conditions
Better Outcomes
What Affects Performance Such As Staff in an Organization
Supervisors Staff
Com
pete
ncie
s
Conditions
Higher Job Satisfaction &
Productivity
Why SEL: Some Reasons
Addressing Trauma & the Adversities of Poverty Compromised attachment Compromised ability to self-regulate Can buffer the response to stress, toxic stress, and
adversity Developing Portable Assets in an evolving world Empowering learners
A prerequisite to academic mindsets Tools for cooperative learning Self-regulated learning
Why SEL: Some Reasons
Helping students stay our of harm’s way Avoid school-reloaded unsafe & antisocial behavior Avoid community-related unsafe antisocial behavior
Making values real Moral education is not enough Building as well as building upon compassion
Support active citizenship and drive for social change
How To Use Social Emotional Learning In Building Human Capacity
• Facilitation• Coaching• Mentoring – mentor has to be SEL sensitized; be
aware of the mentee’s point of view & feelings• Being learner centered• Believing in human potential and capacity
SEL Program Impacts: Evidence from One Program—Seattle Social Development Program
¨ Lowered teacher-rated aggressive behavior in boys and self destructive behavior in girls Improved bonding to family and school
¨ Students less likely to use alcohol and engage in delinquent behavior
¨ Reduced involvement in sexual activity, violent delinquency, drunkenness, and drinking
¨ Improved Long Term Academic Results
Social Emotional Competencies Can Be Learned
They can be modeled nurtured taught practiced and reinforced
Nurturing Environments
Richly Reinforce Prosocial
Behaviors
Minimize Toxic
Conditions
Promote Psychological
Flexibility
Limit Opportunities for Problem
Behavior
Implications of Various IOM and NRC Studies
Social & Emotional Competencies Can Be Developed: Evidence of Success with SEL
23% increase in skills 9% improvement in attitudes about self,
others, and school 9% improvement in prosocial behavior 9% reduction in problem behaviors 10% reduction in emotional distress 11% increase in standardized achievement test
scores (math and reading)Source: Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Taylor, R.D., & Dymnicki, A.B. (in press, Child Development). The effects of
school-based social and emotional learning: A meta-analytic review.
Meta-analysis: SEL Promotes Success in SchoolDurlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger (2009)
SEL
Learning Environment
SE Skills Instruction
Positive Social Behavior
Coordinated School, Family, and Community Programming
SE Skill Acquisition
Improved Attitudes
Fewer Conduct Problems
Less Emotional Distress
Academic Success
SEL Can Be Adapted and Adopted.
Cambodian SEL VISION
Teachers and students who care, respect each other and who are able to make responsible decisions.
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SEL Around the World: Some Examples
Canada--BC United States- Collaborating Districts Initiative Singapore-social emotional learning standards Cambodia-teacher “stop and think” Thailand-SEL in Basic Education China-Child Friendly Schools for Vulnerable Children UK-SEAL; Meta Analysis Bangladesh-BRAC schools for first generation
students
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEL, SCHOOL CLIMATE, SCHOOL CULTURE, AND THE CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING?
Self-Control/Emotion RegulationCognitive Abilities – Problem Solving SkillsBuilding Attention and Learning CapacityHealthy relations with
peers and adultsSafe, Welcoming, Caring
Classrooms
School-Based Prevention Focuses on Nurturing Resilience
(Mark Greenberg, 2012)
Supporting Effective Social and Emotional Development
Teacher Well-Being and Awareness
Social and Emotional
Skill Development
Effective Conditions
for Learning
Conditions for Learning: Key Aspects of School Climate
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Students are safePhysically safe
Emotionally and socially safe
Treated fairly and equitably
Avoid risky behaviorsSchool is safe and
orderly
Students are supportedMeaningful
connection to adultsStrong bonds to school
Positive peer relationships
Effective and available support
Students are challenged
High expectationsStrong personal
motivationSchool is connected to
life goalsRigorous academic
opportunities
Students are socially capable
Emotionally intelligent and culturally
competentResponsible and
persistentCooperative team
playersContribute to school
community
Address Variation of Impact
Why Are Social Emotional Competencies & the Conditions For Learning Important - The Neurochemistry and Neurobiology of Learning
Attending Concentrating Using working memory Memorizing Handling Emotions
Why SEL?
Life success Individually Relationallly
School success Individually Collectively
Doing more good and healthy things Avoiding bad and unhealthy things
E.g., Drugs Implicit bias
Why SEL? A Vision
Portable assets in an evolving world Making values real
Moral education is not enough Building as well as building upon compassion
Resilience and recovery Emotionally literate and competent adults raising
the next generation of children Emotionally competent adults collaborating to create
a just world Thriving, Flourishing, Well-being
