How To Develop Social-Emotional Learning Skills With Service Learning
Social Emotional Learning is not at all a new concept. It has been there right from the origin of mankind. But the application of this concept has recently gained prominence because of the increase in societal atrocities.
Here in this blog, we are going to check the aspects related to Social-Emotional Learning and how to develop SEL skills with service learning.
What constitutes SEL?
In order to get an in-depth understanding of the concept of Social Emotional Learning, we need to be acquainted with the four basic aspects that constitute SEL. They are:
Self-awareness
A thorough understanding of one’s self is essential to survive in a society. This throws light on the right perception of others as well as for maintaining strong interpersonal relationships.
Social awareness
The next important aspect of SEL is social awareness. As we are an integral part of social living, interdependent on other elements of society, it is important to have a social awareness of what is accepted and what is not accepted in the society.
Self-management
Apart from basic awareness, one should be proficient enough to effectively deal with other elements of society. And this is made possible by self-management.
Relationship management
It is important to effectively manage social relationships within a society. This should be acquired by individuals at a young age and schools serve as a great podium for this process.
The core competencies of SEL
The concept of Social Emotional Learning is reflected both in thoughts and actions that seem to have a tremendous impact on society.
- Compassion - The ability to place oneself in the position of others during a crisis and the act of showing genuine concern towards mishappening.
- Conscience - This quality acts as an excellent guide to one's behaviour and shows the ability of a person to differentiate between right and wrong.
- Control - This can be defined as the ability to influence others' behaviour. Positive influences have their right impacts on society.
- Courage - This is an essential quality of boldness to act in times of crisis. It means the ability to do anything that others dare not to do.
The Significance of Service Learning in SEL Development
Service learning focuses on combining knowledge and skills learned from books with the real experience of serving a community. This kind of learning can either be in the form of direct or indirect involvement in societal issues. Service learning brings SEL development in students by means of
- Effective Interpersonal Development
- Nurturing Leadership and Communication
- Stimulating Social Responsibility
- Enhancing cultural understanding
The Role of Teachers in SEL Development
Teachers have a prominent role in promoting social-emotional learning skills in children. They do this by reflecting desired attitudes and behaviours and by implementing special practices in the classroom. The major tool adopted by teachers to develop SEL in students is the service learning pedagogy.
By making students involve either directly or indirectly in community activities, teachers encourage their socio-emotional morale and help them cope with a changing environment. The development of SEL through service learning not only ensures the well-being of each person involved but also contributes towards the overall progress of the society at large.
