Casel.org defines Social and emotional learning (SEL) as " the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions."
Our school is located in an inner-city neighbourhood that struggles with poverty, drug/alchol abuse, and gang involvement. Although SEL is important to implement for students from all backgrounds, research has shown it is especially necessary for children who come from challenging situations. Researchers have found that there is a disparity in emotional support between children that come from poverty versus those from more well off families. The ongoing stress and lack off stability can cause damage to children's brains. This can lead to behaviours including antisocial behaviour and increased aggression, specifically for boys. The good news is, that by implementing social and emotional learning into our schools, we can focus on educating the whole-child by promoting their social emotional development.
CASEL breaks SEl into 5 core-competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. This year our school is focusing on self-awareness and self-management, which are the two prominent components of self-regulation.