What Is SEL and Why Is It Important?

Dear York Prep Community,                                                                                           
 
Over the past few years we’ve been hearing terms such as the whole child, social emotional learning (SEL) and character education. What is social emotional learning and why is it important? Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a methodology that helps students of all ages to better understand their emotions, to feel those emotions fully, and demonstrate empathy for others. These learned behaviors are then used to help students make positive, responsible decisions; create frameworks to achieve their goals, and build positive relationships with others and students in their communities. Here at York, when students are in grades 6-8 they attend community classes. One of those sections is Mentoring, where the focus is on Social Emotional Learning. As a community, we value character and believe reinforcing these skills will help our students beyond their academic life to make good choices as adults. Below are the five core competencies of SEL:
 
Self Awareness: The ability to recognize and understand how your emotions, thoughts, and values impact your behavior.
 
Self Management: The ability to regulate your emotions, thoughts, and behavior in varying situations as well as motivate yourself to cope with stress. 
 
Social awareness: The ability to understand other points of view, show empathy, respect diversity, and understand social norms. This skill enables relationships/friendships to thrive.
 
Relationship skills: The ability to build and maintain healthy and fulfilling relationships with others. While we are wired for relationships, connection, and community, these skills need to be developed. The focus is on listening to and being able to communicate with others, peacefully resolving conflict, and knowing when to ask for or offer help.
 
Making responsible decisions: The ability to think about how what you do impacts yourself and others. Learning how to make constructive choices about how to act or respond to a situation based on learned behaviors such as ethics, safety , weighing consequences and well-being of others, as well as yourself.
Studies have shown students are more successful in their daily lives and in school when they are able to understand and manage themselves, make sound choices about personal and social decisions, understand the perspectives of others and relate effectively with them. There is increased confidence, empathy,  decreased emotional distress, and overall increased positive attitude towards oneself and others. Below are resources to help you continue to support SEL at home:
 
 
 
Best,
Ms. Evelyn, Ms. Aiello, and Dr. Tennant
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