Social-Emotional Learning in Education

Today’s classroom involves more than just teaching a particular subject if we expect our students to fully develop into adults who obtain academic success and achievements. Social-emotional skills are necessary skills that need to be incorporated into the classroom and at home. Social-emotional skills, is the “set of abilities that allows students to work with others, learn effectively, and serve essential roles in their families, communities and places of work.” (Elias, 2003). Skills that contribute to positive social-emotional development are goal setting and planning, creatively solving problems and conflict resolution, showing empathy and respect to others, and knowing how to behave and act ethically. When education includes the development of these skills, students are “more likely to remember and use what they are taught.” (Elias, 2003).

Goal Setting and planning is the ability to set short-term and long-term goals then plan a course of action to obtain those goals. These are necessary skills from the beginning of a child’s educational career as well as throughout their life. Goals are written in a specific and measurable form that can be visualized, realistically achievable and manageable. Goals are anything from completing an assigned task to learning to play an instrument. Planning is then applied to the goals so that they can be achieved. Teaching the student to set goals and plan is a life skill, which will help them obtain what they are working for in life.

Creatively solving problems and conflict resolution also involves the process of setting goals and making plans to achieve them. Invariably situations occur which create problems with the plans of achieving set goals. This is where being able to creatively solve obstacles to continue on the path to obtaining the desired goal. Being able to creatively solve problems is a life skill necessary in every aspect of life from a classroom project to long-term relationships. Conflict resolution is the skill to be able to negotiate successfully with others to come to an agreeable outcome for all. Like problems, conflicts arise in our lives at every turn, whether it’s a close friendship, personal or professional relationship.

Showing empathy and respect to others is as basic as “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It’s being able to understand someone else that may be different but still loves and hurts like you. We need to teach the student the ability to understand how others feel. Respect follows from understanding how another person has the same inner needs and wants as you do. It’s teaching the student that others all have a certain skill, trait, or worth. They may be different but they are equal of respect.

Knowing how to behave and act ethically is very important. Whether it is simply understanding that society has rules in place for the benefit of all or simply showing respect for others. Breaking society’s rules are only going to be detremental to the person who does not want to stay within societies rules. The rules do not change for one person who feels they don’t apply to them. This is part of being a responsible person in society. Teaching students what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ according to societies standards will guide them to proper behavior and act ethically.

The family that practices goal setting and planning to achieve what they want is setting a positive example and creating a habit for the child to also set goals and make plans. The family can help instill these habits by guiding the student with helping set goals and planning for assignments and projects. In addition to classwork, the family can guide the student by guiding the student with setting and obtaining personal goals.

The family that respects each other and shows empathy is teaching the student to experience empathy and show respect for others. The family that displays acceptance toward individuals and groups, which are different from them, is teaching the student to appreciate the differences in people and other cultures. That being different adds a wonderful aspect to humanity rather than being something ‘ugly’ because it’s different.

One of the ways the family environment can inhibit the student from learning empathy and respect for others is if there isn’t any respect within the family structure itself. Children learn what they live. Maybe siblings are allowed to call each other names or pick on a neighbor that isn’t liked by everyone for whatever reason. This is displaying a lack of respect, empathy for others and the student will also display the same lack of respect, and empathy believing it is acceptable behavior.

Goal setting and planning can be implemented in the classroom by using daily planners for assignments and projects. Helping the student to learn how to plan so that the assignments are done on time. Another way of teaching students the habit of setting goals and planning would be to have the students at the beginning of lessons set their goal of what they are to learn and list how they plan to learn the material, reevaluating at the end of each lesson.

Knowing how to behave and act ethically in the classroom begins with the teacher setting explicit rules in class, outlining what is expected as acceptable behavior. Rather than telling a student their behavior is wrong, it is more productive to tell the student what they should be doing. Students “find it easier to end disruptive behavior patterns by focusing on what to do rather than what not to do.” (Kagan, 2004). The teacher can also recognize positive behavior in numerous ways whether it might be extra time on the playground at the end of the day or a movie in the class at the end of a semester.

Creatively solving problems and conflicts can be taught by helping students brainstorming ideas. Assigning projects to teams where students work together to collaboratively solve problems allows them to work with others, seeing how others may see a problem differently and coming to a mutual agreement.

Strict structure without group interaction is inhibitive to the students being able to interact with others, mutually agreeing on items, as well as helping each other set goals and plans for the outcome of a joint project. When the teacher lectures to the class, requiring absolute silence, the students are denied the ability to jointly collaborate, set goals and plan on projects together, and interact creatively with a positive social interaction.

Teaching is more than just lecturing about a subject. Teaching involves guiding and helping students become a whole person who can be successful in their educational career as well as their future as a part of society.

References

Elias, M.J. (2003) Academic and social-emotional learning. Brussesls, Belgium: International Academy of Education.

Kagan, Kagan, Kyle, Patricia, Scott, Sally. (2004). Win-Win Discipline. (pp. 16.17). San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing.


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