From a young age, the classroom is often the first place students are exposed to people who come from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, beliefs and capabilities. To account for these differences and set students on an equal level to succeed academically; Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) develops critical social and interpersonal skills in students necessary for successful academic and professional careers.
SEL is a methodology that helps students better understand their emotions, process those emotions fully and demonstrate empathy for others. These learned behaviors are then used to help students make responsible decisions, set realistic goals and build positive relationships with others throughout their lives. The value in developing social-awareness through SEL in today’s students is that it enables them to consider the perspective and needs of others which is a key component of emotional intelligence. In this blog, we will discuss the value of SEL and how it serves as an important tool for today’s CTE educators.
Promotes Social-Awareness
Social awareness is the ability to understand, empathize and feel compassion for those with different backgrounds, cultures or other diversifying factors. As a social skill, social awareness enables students to consider the perspective of others and understand their needs. By developing social awareness in students, CTE educators are preparing them to work effectively in teams, develop positive
relationships and understand different perspectives, which are all necessary skills used in everyday life and in the workforce. Developing social awareness in today’s students is imperative as teachers aim to educate and effectively prepare students for further education or to enter the workforce.
SEL develops social awareness in the classroom by encouraging students to communicate personal interests, identify strengths and weaknesses, and understand their own emotions and responses. As a personal and professional development tool in the CTE classroom, SEL develops students’ ability to understand others and develop positive relationships in and outside of the classroom.
Develops Personal Awareness
Research shows that SEL not only improves achievement by an average of 11%, but also benefits social behaviors, improves student attitudes toward school and develops interpersonal skills. Self-awareness, as an interpersonal skill, is the ability to focus and understand oneself and how one’s actions, thoughts or emotions align with personal values or goals. For today’s CTE student’s, self-awareness benefits their decision-making and conflict resolution skills, increases persistence and sense of purpose in their education.
Students who are exposed to SEL become more self-aware and are better able to understand how their education supports their professional career and personal lives as they plan for their future. As student personal awareness increases, students are better able to self-actualize adding value not only to experiences students have in the classroom but also their career journey to follow.
SEL offers immense value in today’s CTE classrooms and to the development of the next generation of the workforce. As an educational tool, SEL develops vital social and interpersonal skills in students necessary for successful academic and professional careers. SEL also offers value for educators as students gain social and personal awareness. To learn more about SEL, visit our website and download iCEV’s free Social-Emotional Learning Toolkit for instant access to resources, activities and strategies to prepare your students for a successful career.
