Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is an important part of educational, emotional and human development. SEL is the process where students of all ages acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain healthy relationships and make responsible and caring decisions (CASEL, n.d.). By modelling social and emotional competencies, they can be practiced and lead to positive student outcomes and success later in school and in life. According to CASEL (n.d.) benefits include:
Why incorporate SEL in Kindergarten? (Weissberg, R., 2016) With so many benefits coming out of an effective SEL program, using it in Kindergarten provides a foundation for safe and positive learning. It also enhances a student's ability to succeed in school, future career(s) and life. It increases their awareness of prosocial behaviour- such as kindness, sharing and empathy- along with their attitudes towards school. By promoting Self-Awareness in a classroom, a teacher is promoting how one can understand one's own emotions, personal goals and values. Self-Management requires skills and attitudes to help facilitate the ability to regulate one's own emotions and behaviours. Social Awareness is when a student can understand, empathize and feel compassion for others outside of their social norms. Relationship Skills help students establish and maintain healthy relationships as well as effective communication. Finally, Responsible Recision Making is how students make choices while considering many different factors that can influence that decision. In Kindergarten these skills are still developing as each child is different and at a different developmental stage. But by planting the roots of SEL in the classroom, students are building the foundation that can develop in years to come.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |