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