Implementing Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in Classrooms and Schools

Book excerpt: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is 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. Research shows that social and emotional skills are prerequisite to the thinking and learning skills that comprise the time-honored academic focus of education. A study published in 2015 found significant correlations between SEL skills of children in kindergarten and important outcomes when these kindergartners became young adults, including differences in mental health, substance abuse, criminal activity, education, and employment. This 6-page, quick-reference laminated guide by Marc Brackett and colleagues at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, provides educators with an introduction to SEL, guidelines for effective implementation of SEL in your classroom and school, an introduction to the RULER approach to SEL, strategies to promote your own social and emotional wellbeing, and a classroom SEL evaluation tool.