The pursuit of teaching children skills for thriving in the classroom and beyond brought people on the left and right together.
It may sound familiar, because it has become a flashpoint in the battle over children's education. Social-emotional learning, or SEL, is a process designed to support young students well-being and academic performance in five key areas: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
The concept of SEL began to take off in the mid 1990s, thanks to experts in youth development who believed that schools should support all children's social, emotional, and academic growth. Positive outcomes for kids include an improved ability to handle stress, better classroom behavior, and academic gains. It is practiced in the U.S. from preschool through high school. According to a survey conducted in July of 2021, more than half of respondents said their school had begun implementing SEL curriculum.
In the classroom, SEL lessons can be taught through curriculum or integrated into other subjects, including through activities like labeling feelings, goal setting, and collaborating with peers. SEL emphasizes the importance of a warm and inclusive school environment, which is why it is often part of efforts to prevent and reduce discrimination. SEL can be used to start and guide candid discussions about experiences like racism, sexism, and homophobia.
SEL has drawn the ire of right-wing activists who believe it reflects systemic efforts to force children to adopt liberal beliefs because of the conservative attacks on critical race theory. The Florida Department of Education found dozens of math textbooks to be "impermissible" because they included SEL components and references to critical race theory. Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran said in a press release that children should receive a world-class education without the fear of indoctrination or exposure to dangerous and divisive concepts.
SEL is really not about teaching kids what to think.
Conservative activists are pressuring schools and districts to drop related curriculum because of the fight over SEL. SEL advocates are trying to keep misinformation out of the public eye.
According to the vice president of practice and programs for the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), SEL is not about teaching kids what to think.
I think most people agree that these are important universal values that we all have for our kids, and that they get a high-quality education that prepares them for college.
If a small but vocal group of right-wing activists have gotten SEL wrong, what should newcomers know about it?
The Gerald S. Lesser Professor in Early Childhood Development at Harvard Graduate School of Education likes to answer this question by illustrating a typical classroom scene.
A group of students are working on a science project at a lab table while their teacher reads from a rug. As they discuss the book's themes or try to tackle the nuances of scientific observation, they are also working to manage a range of internal experiences, like focusing on the task at hand, following directions, or feeling discouraged.
According to Jones, social and emotional skills are intertwined with the learning process in school.
When parents try to learn more about SEL and encounter research jargon and acronyms instead, this example can get lost. The feeling that a parent needs an advanced degree to understand SEL can make it vulnerable to misinterpretation. Activists intent on sowing outrage might use the terminology in ways that are deceiving. It is important for curious parents to learn more about SEL from authoritative sources.
The core principles of SEL have been part of high-quality education for a long time. Some parents recall terms like character education and life skills support from their school days. SEL is the framework for many schools in the U.S. in recent years. Only a few states have adopted SEL standards for higher-level grades.
SEL is a process meant to help kids understand themselves, connect with others, collaborate, problem solve, and support their communities. When SEL is prioritized at school, it can create a positive environment that helps kids develop a sense of belonging and feel valued, which is critical to their personal and academic development. Goal setting, stress management, team building, and perspective taking are some of the social and emotional skills they learn.
Some SEL is better than others. Schlinger believes that SEL curriculum can be used to improve well-being and academics. The gold standard of scientific research is randomized trials. More than 80 independent, evidence-based SEL programs were designed and tested in communities with diverse needs.
How a school practices SEL is important. There are 10 signs that a school has implemented SEL. Dedicated time to practice social and emotional skills, opportunities for youth to shape the programming, and a supportive school and classroom environment are some of the things dedicated time to practice. It can take up to five years for a school to implement a program in the key areas outlined by CASEL.
Conservative critics are angry that SEL can include bias and discrimination information. CASEL promotes a specific form of SEL that helps young people and adults build strong, respectful, and lasting relationships that facilitate co- learning to critically examine root causes of inequity, and to develop collaborative solutions that lead to personal, community.
skeptics don't want children learning critical race theory in school Inequity cannot go undiscussed if children's well-being and success in the classroom depends on being part of an accepting community.
According to Schlinger, SEL emphasizes how children can understand the complicated world they live in.
Some progressive criticism of SEL argues that it doesn't go far enough in combatting racism in schools. The founder of the SEL, racial justice, and healing collective LiberatED told EdSurge that the point of teaching children about conflict resolution skills is not to talk about it.
Schlinger says that many people think that SEL is a top-down curriculum, a mental health intervention and that it replaces instruction time.
Schools can choose from dozens of evidence-based SEL programs in partnership with families and communities to find the right one for their needs. SEL is not designed to treat mental health conditions like anxiety or depression. Schlinger says it makes the work richer and more engaging for students. SEL in math instruction can include activities like telling stories about famous mathematicians who showed respect for each other, learning relaxation techniques like belly breathing to help manage stress and anxiety, and offering students the opportunity to reflect on when they have been successful in math.
It is definitely something that is not a one-size-fits-all approach but rather part of a local community's vision for the kind of education they want to provide their kids.
She encourages parents to dig beneath the politics and seek information from their child's school. Questions to consider include whether the SEL curriculum is backed by evidence, how the goals of the programming are defined, whether it improves the overall school climate and academic outcomes, and if the staff has the right kind of opportunities to implement it effectively. Schlinger says that SEL can help a child become a better learner, friend, and citizen, as well as more prepared for college or a career.
Schlinger believes that the focus of SEL should be on creating an environment in which children can thrive.
I think what we're seeing here has motives that aren't necessarily on what's best for kids.
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