Connecting Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) to Career Success
As you reflect on your school, university, or work setting, where are social-emotional learning principles present? List 1-3 examples.
My school district has also chosen to establish the Portrait of a Graduate program for our students, similar to the one in the example. After surveys by district employees, parents, students, and the community were evaluated, we selected four skills that we want our students to master by their high school graduation. Those skills do include academic behaviors, but also include 21st century skills, such as teamwork and communication, along with compassion. We are still in the early phases of implementation; however, the idea is that students are more intentional about recognizing what they learn and how they grow on the continuum, in addition to how that prepares them for success once they leave high school.
In my school, social and emotional learning is a vital part of our culture and climate. We have a club called Sources of Strength, where student leaders host events and build awareness surrounding mental health and social awareness. They do a fabulous job, and I also believe a lot of the SEL culture comes from the teacher as well. Establishing a safe place for students to open up and be themselves is very important.
One of the best ways I feel I get my student thinking is working in groups whether in a classroom or at home this naturally brings out social-emotional skills.
List of things is:
1.People have to communicate clearly
2. Listen to different perspectives
3. Figure out how to handle disagreements when they come up.
It also pushes individuals to be accountable to the team and work toward a shared goal, which helps build empathy and stronger relationships over time. Conflict resolution is not just winning the majority vote.
In our high school, social-emotional learning principles are present in advisory periods where students engage in lessons on self-awareness, goal setting, and relationship skills. They are also evident in restorative practices and peer mediation programs that help students build empathy, manage conflict, and take responsibility for their actions.
- We have mock job interviews where students practice simple skills like proper handshakes, how to exchange pleasantries, practice verbal and nonverbal communication.
- Social Media cautions and reflection
- Sports and club involvement highly encouraged for all students.
- We have a course for 7th graders called Why Try. This helps them navigate middle school and overcome challenges.
- We implemented a Wellness Wednesday during HOSA week in which students participated in yoga and meditation.
- We are a small school, so we have built close relationships with students and their families, in and out of school.
We employ strategies to reinforce SEL during building wide SEL homerooms, during all counseling presentations, and school messaging for unity.
- We implement SEL lessons on "Wellness Wednesday" through the ReThinkEd Program
- We receive SEL training from our Affirmative Action team and are provided with additional optional SEL/mindfulness training opportunities
- We incorporate Botvin LifeSkills Training to our College & Career Readiness Academy (Freshman Seminar class)
- Fostering an environment where students feel safe.
- Celebrating diversity throughout our school.
- Modeling appropriate emotional response.
- Creating SEL lessons based on students needs.
- Fostering relationships with students, and families.
- Being an example of someone who is able to express emotions in a productive manner.
- Group Projects in Class – Working in teams helps students learn to cooperate, manage conflict, and show empathy toward others’ ideas and perspectives.
- Career and Technical Education (CTE) Classes – Many CTE classes include teamwork, communication, and professional behavior, which are key SEL skills.
- Extracurricular Activities and Sports – Teams and clubs teach students how to work together, manage emotions under pressure, and develop leadership and cooperation.
- Self-awareness to allow students to recognize what they need to do in the learning environment.
- Self-management to understand when they become overwhelmed and need a break.
- Relationship skills allowing them to be built with forcing the issue.
These are present in structured class bear times, integrated in the daily class management and specialized clubs and organizations.
In the courses that I teach part of the content includes a Wellness and Mental Health units that include activities that help the students with exercises in stress reduction and mindfulness, etc.
At my school, we currently have SEL Fridays. We have a curriculum that we use and teach a small group of students an SEL Lesson every Friday.
Some social-emotional techniques we use in the classroom are building positive relationships with students to where they feel comfortable being themselves around us, having meeting to obtain more knowledge about how we can implement more social-emotional learning objectives to meet students need to collaborate with other students during classwork, and also making sure to build relationships with parents and making sure they feel included in discussions.
They are present in our hallways, in our classrooms, and in our lessons. Since we teach these in our SEL time, we discuss these things with our student and get them to connect on a different level. SEL is everywhere.
Social Emotional Learning Skills are present in the hallways, with our decorative banners, in our classes, while we teach growth mindset alongside our lessons, and in our current SEL time, where we spend 15 minutes discussing with students a variety of things that relate to SEL and how they can build in their learning.
- Every week students participate in SEL assignments that are graded
- Students are encouraged to utilize the QR codes for counselors and social workers
- Empathizing in classroom settings and as an expectation allows students to understand emotional growth.
