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Social-Emotional Learning-Prioritizing Equity and Academic Achievement
Dr. Rob Darling [email protected] @darling_rt
Today’s Purpose ➢ Promote a common understanding of WHAT social-
emotional learning is and looks like ➢ physiological impact on student brains➢ Clarify HOW SEL impacts academic growth, especially for
students of poverty and marginalized students.
Today’s Purpose ➢ Establish WHY SEL needs to be an integral part of
PreK-12 classroom pedagogy (crucially as important for administrators to practice with their teachers/staff)
➢ Macro level➢ Adult new learning = unlearning
● 6 years Elementary Principal (850 students)
● 7 years teaching K-5● 7 College/University Professor● Doctoral research● Board Member, Wa. Assoc. for Bilingual Education (WABE)● OSPI’s Dual Language Task Force
○ Bilingual/biliterate in Portuguese, proficient in Spanish● Initiated SEL programming and support, PreK - 5, including
community preschool providers● Facilitator, Washington State’s Professional Educator
Standards Board (PESB) Social-Emotional Learning Micro-Credential
Why Social-Emotional Learning?
Social Emotional Learning is a change in mindset about how we view and address
deficiencies in student learning.
SEL at our school (micro)
● (PreK-5) SEL curriculum ○ 15-20 minute morning meeting○ Community building activities (5 min)○ 30-40 minute structured lessons
● 45-minute SEL specialist○ Mindfulness, Awareness & Breathing○ Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) (tapping) ○ Centering exercises (yoga)○ Empathy, Kindness, Gratitude
SEL at our school (micro)
● Daily Classroom routines○ morning meeting (20 minutes)○ community building (5 minutes)○ Stand-alone lessons (35-40 minutes)
● Weekly class SEL goals ● Monthly SEL Goal PLC data analysis
Students who struggle academicallyIf students struggle in MATH?
→ Provide math intervention, extra support, extra instruction, research-based understanding
If students struggle in READING?
→ Provide reading intervention, extra support, extra instruction, research-based understanding
If students struggle with BEHAVIOR?
What systems are in place for students who struggle with language? Attention issues? Social struggles? Cultural differences? Trauma? Lack of connections at school? Adverse childhood experiences? Negative homelife? Hunger? Lack of sleep?
SEL Standards
National: The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
(CASEL)
Washington State’s K-12 Social Emotional Learning
Standards and Benchmarks
CASEL-Self-Awareness-Self-Management-Responsible Decision-Making-Relationship Skills-Social-Awareness
Humans are emotionally vulnerable when our “tanks” are low.
SEL teaches how to: 1) identify their tanks (self-awareness)2) identify what makes their tanks full (Responsible Decision-Making)3) know how to properly fill their tanks (Self-Management) 4) how to fill the tanks of others (Relationship Skills and Social Awareness)
Which feelings are hardwired?
Humility
Forgiveness
Optimism
Empathy
Kindness
Patience
Gratitude
Compassion
Sadness
Joy
Disgust
Anger
FearEkman, P (2016). What 149 Scientists Who Study Emotion Agree About. Perspectives on Psychological Science 11, 31-34
Why Social-Emotional Learning?
Humility
Forgiveness
Optimism
Empathy
Kindness
Patience
Gratitude
Compassion
How often do we need to teach
these?
→ Every. → Single. → Day.
What is the Amygdala?emotional center of the brain:
the integrative center for emotions, emotional behavior,
and motivation
Amygdala= Fire alarm (act now, think later)
What Affects the Amygdala?
Strong emotions
→ STRESS ←
What causes stress for students? ● Hunger● Fatigue/lack of sleep● Social disconnect ● Us (school) -Academic demands -language barriers -Cultural differences
● ACEs ● Homelife● Lack of choice● Too little downtime● Change● ...and so on...
What causes stress for students? ● Hunger● Fatigue/lack of sleep● Social interactions ● Us (school) -Academic demands -language barriers -Cultural differences
● Living in ACEs● Homelife● Lack of choice● Too little downtime● Change● ...and so on...
Students do not have control over
most these issues
What causes stress for students? ● Hunger● Fatigue/lack of sleep● Social interactions ● Us (school) -Academic demands -language barriers -Cultural differences
● Living in ACEs● Homelife● Lack of choice● Too little downtime● Change● ...and so on...
Students do not have
adult coping skills
Why teach Social-Emotional Learning?
stress and anxiety (strong emotions) impact Amygdala-based function
What is impacted with an unhappy Amygdala?
● Prefrontal Cortex (Executive Functioning / logic and rational thinking)
● Hippocampus (memory)
What does Executive Functioning Do?
Prefrontal Cortex
Executive Function and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to PLAN, FOCUS ATTENTION, REMEMBER instructions, and juggle MULTIPLE TASKS successfully.
(Center for the Developing Child, Harvard University)
“Dysregulated children CANNOT learn, relate, or reason.” -Dr. Bruce Perry
HOW Do Students Develop Executive Function?● Working memory governs our ability to retain and
manipulate distinct pieces of information over short periods of time.
● Mental flexibility helps us to sustain or shift attention in response to different demands or to apply different rules in different settings.
● Self-control enables us to set priorities and resist impulsive actions or responses. (Center for the Developing Child, Harvard University)
How do we use working memory? (your chosen one)● Responding appropriately when having a conversation● Carrying out instructions● Reading an unknown word● Paraphrasing spoken information (e.g. repeating back information
heard/instructions to clarify)● Answering questions and remembering what to say when it’s your
turn to talk (in class, conversation)● Daily organization● Problem solving● Reading comprehension● Doing maths sums in your head
Working Memory often presents the same as ADHD
Teach Working Memory➔ Building-wide in Core➔ Specialists (PE, Music, Art, Library, Technology, SEL)➔ Tier II & Tier III: As part of reading/math intervention
program, student support teams, student intervention teams (Behavior intervention room/program)
➔ Systematic: MTSS, PD, PLC, Team Data Huddles
How many of these commonly apply
● Hunger● Fatigue/lack of sleep● Negative or no Social
interactions ● Us (school) -Academic demands -language barriers -Cultural differences
● Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
● Homelife● Lack of choice● Too little downtime● Change● ...and so on...
Students of Poverty?
Students learning English
Students failing multiple courses?
Students with
disabilities?
...and so on...
How is this Good News?
System-wide problems allow for equitable system
restructure and growth
learning, when done correctly, will include
frustration, struggle, uncertainty, discomfort, vulnerability, feelings of inadequacy…
Sadness, joy, disgust, anger, or fear
learning, when done correctly, will include
frustration, struggle, uncertainty, discomfort, vulnerability, feelings of inadequacy…
Need: kindness, patience, gratitude, compassion, humility, forgiveness, optimism, and empathy
1
2
2
2
3
4
lack of self-control, memory struggles, inability to plan, attention issues...
Exec. Function Issues
Stress, cultural differences, Work demand, hunger, lack of sleep, frustration, academic struggles, social issues, homelife...
academic struggles, social issues...
Unhappy AmygdalaHow do we break
this cycle?
We model for them Teach them
awareness and coping strategies
Teach how to
self-manage
Engagement IssuesBehavior Struggles
Education 101
Teacher
Student Content
Education 101
SEL
SEL
SEL
(Fisher, Frey, Quaglia, et. al, 2018)
Students + Teachers = Growth-Producing Relationships Looking through the lens of student engagement, how is a “growth-producing relationship” different than just having a “relationship” with students? What is required?
“No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship.” -James Corner
Four types of teachers ➔ Intentionally Uninviting➔ Untentionally Uninviting➔ Unintentionally Inviting➔ Intentionally Inviting
(Fisher, Frey, Quaglia, et. al, 2018)
Intentionally Inviting Teacher/School➢ Knows students by name➢ Knows about them➢ High expectations/High
support➢ Welcoming climate and
culture➢ Notices students w/o
strong relationships
➢ Believes in students and THEY know it
➢ Uses relationship-building strategies (ex. 10 by 2)
➢ Fresh start every day➢ Meets the students’ most
basic needs (food, shelter, safety, love)
How do we begin? Teach and Model
Humility
Forgiveness
Optimism
Empathy
Kindness
Patience
Gratitude
Compassion
Marginalized students:● Struggle to relate to peers ● Don’t often see themselves reflected in teachers,
aides or leadership● Literature disconnected● Empathy NOT taught
at home
Student + Content (micro)● Previous Language Arts
curriculum○ anthologies &
leveled readers○ Minimal non-fiction,
low interest, low engagement
○ Poorly represented student population
Student + Content
A Cambridge University study found that “reading fiction
provides an excellent training for young people in developing
and practicing empathy and theory of mind, that is,
understanding of how other people feel and think”.
“Fiction tricks our brains into thinking we are part of the
story. The empathy we feel for characters wires our brains
to have the same sensitivity towards real people. Carnegie
Mellon University studies discovered that when you get
lost in a book your brain lives through the characters at a
neurological level.”
High quality Non-Fiction builds empathy, allows us to see the world for what it is and was, who students are and who they can be.
Literature increases Empathy when● Pick the right books● Teach vocabulary for
feelings● Step into a character’s
shoes; Perspective Taking
● Moral Identity
School Climate and CultureHow are they different?
Culture is how we act Climate is how we feel
School Climate and Culture
Climate is how we feel
How do we make people ‘feel’?
Culture is how we act
What behaviors do we need to set as non-negotiable in our school, for staff and students?
SEL Culture (how we act)
Established look-fors We see and hear: ● Positive Interactions between students, and
between student and teacher● Growth mindset talk and encouragement● Risk taking to learn, interact and make mistakes● Equitable and Specific Feedback that fosters growth● Classroom environment is welcoming and learning focused
What do Teachers need? ● Positive School Culture and Leadership● Felt trusted with decision making● Felt supported (parents and students)● Principal was a good listener and communicator● Teaming/collaboration
In Closing● Change in mindset around how we view and address
deficiencies in student learning● Students need Trusting Relationships & Empathy ● School-wide SEL culture ● Impact on Executive Function and Working Memory● Impacts our most at-risk students
New, Knew, Re-new
New, Knew, Re-new
My 6 year old: Dad, everyone around us is artwork. Me: What do you mean, buddy? Son: Well think about it…everyone is someone’s masterpiece. Me: … [still speechless]
Why Social-Emotional Learning?EVERYONE is someone’s masterpiece.
Dr. Rob Darling [email protected] (360)460-6721 @darling_rt
