SEL - Part II

SEL refers to the acquisition of skills for students to:

1. Recognise and manage emotions
2. Develop care and concern for others
3. Make responsible decisions
4. Establish positive relationships
5. Handle challenging situations effectively

Self-Awareness

• What am I feeling physically and emotionally?
• Why am I feeling this way?

Relationship Management

• Communication
• Relationship building
• Negotiation
• Refusal

Students see disagreements as conflicts. This provides the opportunity for us to demonstrate how to resolve conflicts through negotiation. Anticipate, discuss and address rather than escalate.

Sustained listening is the bedrock to building perspective taking skills. Posture of interest and open-ness is expected - part of respect. Ask clarifying questions with the objective to understand. Reflect on what they have heard - don't make assumptions.

Responsible Decision Making

• Problem solving
• Analysing situation
• Assuming personal responsibility
• Respecting others 

What are you feeling today?

Cognitive - e.g. overwhelmed

Physical - e.g. tired

Feeling - e.g. happy

R - Recognise

U - Understand: emotional honesty - link the emotion to the context

L - Label (Do the students have the emotional vocabulary?)

E - Express (could be through journaling)
R - Regulate (emotional stamp collection, the more you collect, the more extensive the outburst) [Last resort]

There are no RIGHT feelings. It is a state that informs.

Must emphasise need for self-care.

Fundamentals of Character Development

Characters and Citizenship Education is one of the key directions the educational landscape is moving to. Going through a workshop that talks about the principles (and not the precepts) couldn't be more apt!

Developing SEL skill sets
Self-awareness (can only be developed through reflections) --> Self-management (only then can you manage what you know) --> Interaction with others (Social Awareness - Stop and Look with Interest, Observe, Listen / Clarify, Respond with Empathy) --> Do we have the skills to respond? (Relationship Management) --> Responsible Decision Making affects not only self but also others and the wider community.

Compassion --> Social Awareness + Relationship Management
Integrity --> Self-Management + Responsible Decision Making + Self-Awareness

Character Development = Skills + Values go hand in hand!

SEL Skills --> HOW --> Learnt through observation (culture)
Values --> WHY

Values without skills --> Not efficacious.

Pedagogical Principles

1. Action
2. Relevance
3. Providing for social dimension
4. Providing for emotional dimension
5. Reflection

How to make friends - Making it SAFE (sequential, active, focused, explicit)

Identify skills --> Explain

Process --> Demo

Procedural steps (Active) --> Practise

Feedback / Celebrate --> Promote

One of the main concerns we face - if we have to teach SEL skills explicitly, where do we find the time??