5 Key thoughts:
1. The use of SEL can help improve lifetime outcomes throughout a child’s lifetime many years after completing high school. Through SEL, students can acquire the skills, strategies, and concepts that they can carry with them and use as a resource throughout their lives.
2. The component of self awareness is very important as it relates to mindfulness as well as the other components of SEL. Effective self awareness can help students regulate their feelings and emotions as well as the ability to live in the moment.
3. SEL can improve many areas of student development such as academics, career readiness, civil learning, equity, and mental health. It’s important to identify which of these areas that we need to focus on based on our needs as well as our position to make improvements.
4. The webinar survey indicates that 76% of people are focusing on the mental health component of SEL. Part of this is due to the COVID Pandemic, however, the need for support of mental health has been trending upward.
5. All 5 SEL competencies such as self-awareness, self management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making all mesh together and complement each other.I feel that focusing on self-awareness and self-management is a good place to start. Building self-awareness can help us lay the foundation and recognize our strengths as well as our areas where improvement is needed.
The 10 indicators of school wide SEL is a great resource that can be implemented in many different capacities such as physical education class, coaching athletic teams and other extracurricular activities.