Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Social-Emotional Character Development (SECD) in schools focuses on attending to the development of the whole child. Too often education centers on purely academic achievement, but life is about so much more than achieving high scores on assessments. In fact, children in kindergarten assessed as more skilled socially and emotionally are more likely to achieve the following:
- Twice as likely to earn a college degree as young adults
- More than 50% more likely to graduate from high school
- Nearly 50% more likely to attain full-time employment by the age of 25
(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2015)
Current studies regarding SEL and SECD demonstrate modest increases in academic success throughout K-12 education, however research has found that SEL and SECD contribute to powerful strides in positive behavior management. For example, research findings regarding SEL and SECD include the following: decreased behavior problems, fewer classroom disruptions, encouraged relationships, lowered anxiety, decreased bullying, reduced physical altercations, reduced aggression, and ultimately improved classroom and school climate for teachers, learners, and administrators.
This handbook has been constructed with students, teachers, administrators, families, future employers, and ultimately our communities in mind. For teachers, fostering positive classroom climates using SEL and SECD can aid in building a classroom community that many of us strive for. Students will have opportunities to develop social skills and emotional intelligence that help them manage relationships, cope with feelings, and persevere far beyond academia. Administrators interested in adopting SEL can use this handbook and curriculum as a trial run in determining increases in positive school climate and behavioral changes. Last, families, communities, and employers are encouraged to vest time and effort in developing social skills and emotional intelligence of children by acting as role models in the community.
