A Beginner’s Guide to Social-Emotional Learning
There’s a new term out there in the educational arena. The model has existed for many years, but only recently have educators started to incorporate it into their teachings. So what is this interesting concept you may ask? Well, in short, it’s called SEL. SEL stands for Social-Emotional Learning.
Social-Emotional Learning is one of the main concepts that is being taught in the Child and Youth Program at Sakeenah Canada’s transitional homes. It is composed of so many vital skills that some educators believe that it may even be more important than learning academics! Now that’s something to really reflect on. Without further ado, let’s learn more about what SEL is.
SEL is an important part of human development that starts at birth and evolves across the lifespan. It’s a process where both children and adults develop vital skills that support their healthy development and relationships throughout life. SEL has the greatest impact when a child’s school, home, and community settings work in collaboration to develop these fundamental skills.
SEL is made up of 5 core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
1. Self-awareness: basic skills include understanding one’s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and values
2. Self-management: involves regulating one’s emotions, practising self-control, mindfulness, confidence, and setting goals
3. Social awareness: skills include showing empathy, compassion, understanding others perspectives, and appreciating diversity
4. Relationship skills: establishing and maintaining healthy relationships, respect, conflict resolution, communication, and working collaboratively
5. Responsible decision-making: involves making constructive choices across diverse situations, valuing ethical and moral principles, taking into account consequences, problem-solving, and considering the well-being of both oneself and others through one’s actions
There are numerous benefits of SEL. It not only improves a person’s character, but it ends up strengthening society as a whole. It aids in the academic, social, emotional, mental and behavioral development and growth of individuals. Some key advantages of SEL are: enhanced emotional well-being, having a positive attitude, increased empathy and compassion, ability to maintain healthy relationships, and being equipped with conflict resolution skills.
Recent research is also proving that incorporating SEL into classroom settings not only improves academic performance but also decreases behavioural issues. These include behaviour problems in the classroom setting, drug use, teenage pregnancy, criminal behaviour and mental health problems.
All in all, SEL is an imperative component of our growth as individuals. By fostering these skills, we gain values that contribute to a better version of us. I encourage you all to explore more into SEL and implement it in the lives of yourselves and those around you. Together, let’s aim to create a more compassionate, respectful, and empathetic world.
Written by Muneeba Chaudhry - Child and Youth Program Advisor at Sakeenah Canada. I am passionate about helping children reach their potential. Fun fact about me: I am ambidextrous.
About Sakeenah
Sakeenah Canada, a national charitable organization, was founded in 2018 in response to a gap in culturally and religiously sensitive services available for women and children facing domestic violence and homelessness. Since then, our services have expanded to include mental health therapy and counseling. Sakeenah has also started The People’s Market, a food program that helps combat food insecurity, and has become the first licensed foster care agency for Muslim children in all of North America. We currently operate 8 transitional homes across Canada: Toronto, Brampton, Milton, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Regina, in addition to the first long-term housing program for Muslim women and children in Canada, in Windsor.