Social and Emotional Learning

       Social and emotional learning is key to providing students with the skills to be successful in not only school but life as well. Teaching students about social and emotional learning allows them to develop self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Allowing the students to make connections from emotions to actions can be very beneficial in promoting student growth and development.

       I personally feel that this is crucial in the lower grades. Providing students with a firm foundation of social and emotional learning will allow the students to collaborate efficiently and engage in discourse successfully. Speaking from personal experience, I believe that it is important to take the time to talk to students about the emotions they are feeling and how their emotions can affect not only their actions but also the people around them. 

       I mostly recently have been working in a kindergarten classroom, and I see social and emotional learning every day multiple times a day. My kindergarteners are still learning self-awareness, and I have see first-hand how beneficial taking the time to engage in discussions about emotions and how they can affect others can be. 

         The following video provides information on social and emotional learning.