While emotions might seem to be outside the realm of academic learning, a focus on SEL in the classroom provides many pay offs. Research has repeatedly shown that SEL is critical for success and well-being in life. People with social and emotional competence are more likely to:
– Have a sense of well-being in their personal lives
– Act as contributors to their communities
– Have meaningful relationships
– Feel happiness in their work lives
– Feel more optimistic about their future, and
– Demonstrate compassion for others (Casel)
The positive impact of SEL on academics has also been well documented. Student performance improves when social and emotional development is fostered by instructors and institutions. A 2010 study by Stanford Professor Gregory Walton and University of Texas at Austin Professor David Yeager found that a relatively little amount of social and emotional learning can produce large results.
SEL-Guidebook Ideas for Incorporating SEL Activities into your Classroom