Social and Emotional Learning

A few words about the course: Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success. People with strong social-emotional skills are better able to cope with everyday challenges and benefit academically, professionally, and socially. From effective problem-solving to self-discipline, from impulse control to emotion management and more, SEL provides a foundation for positive, long-term effects on kids, adults, and communities. Social-emotional learning (SEL) helps improve kids’ academic performance, curtail bullying, reduce dropout rates, and build character. Well-implemented SEL programs positively affect students’ success in school. Studies show that social-emotional skills—such as problem-solving, self-regulation, impulse control, and empathy—help improve academics, reduce negative social behaviors like bullying, and create positive classroom climates.

This course aims to help teachers gain insight into SEL and be instructed on how to embed SEL into the school curriculum and develop a whole-school approach. Additionally, it provides tools to assess students’ emotional and social skills and helps them adopt strategies and methods to handle challenging behaviours. Finally, this course synthesizes a wealth of scientifically based research on social, emotional, and academic learning, which can be used to support the integration SEL/SEAL into schools, districts, and communities.