Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is the fifth core component of the comprehensive Five-Component Framework for 21st-century classroom management. Its primary goal Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is the fifth core component of the comprehensive Five-Component Framework for 21st-century classroom management. Its primary goal is to empower students by developing their abilities to understand and manage emotions, set goals, show empathy, establish positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Integrating SEL directly supports effective classroom management by promoting emotional intelligence and fostering a positive learning environment.
The SEL framework utilizes the five core CASEL competencies:
- Self-Awareness involves recognizing one’s emotions and values, using strategies like Emotion Check-ins (e.g., an emotion thermometer) and reflective journaling.
- Self-Management is the ability to regulate thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, often supported by resources like a Calm-Down Corner and mindfulness techniques.
- Social Awareness focuses on taking the perspective of and empathizing with others, built through perspective-taking activities and using diverse literature.
- Relationship Skills involve establishing and maintaining healthy relationships, developed through collaborative learning structures with rotating roles and explicit teaching of conflict resolution protocols.
- Responsible Decision-Making is the ability to make constructive choices based on ethics and consequences, guided by tools like the DECIDE model and analysis of Ethical Dilemmas.
SEL integration directly supports classroom management because it focuses on preventing problems through proactive skill development and aligns perfectly with Restorative Practices by prioritizing strong relationships and addressing the root causes of behavior. Teachers are encouraged to model SEL skills explicitly and integrate these practices daily, such as starting the day with SEL check-ins or using SEL-focused language during academic lessons, which has been shown to lead to significantly fewer disciplinary incidents.