Today's world – in both personal and professional spheres – increasingly demands that our students arrive prepared with the tools necessary to navigate life's challenges. Social emotional learning (SEL) is the way in which we help students develop those necessary skills, which include empathy, communication, and better self-regulation of emotions. Employers have indicated that EQ – emotional intelligence skills that are acquired as a result of SEL – are more critical to the overall success of their employees than the actual technical skills they need to do their jobs.  

SEL Is Crucial to Personal and Academic Success

Multiple studies have demonstrated that students who receive SEL instruction in their classrooms have better academic outcomes, improved behavior, and higher rates of graduation and college attendance. But SEL isn't just for students; teachers can benefit from SEL, too. Development of the skills taught through social emotional learning can help improve relationship building, stress management, and the ability to negotiate difficult moments, such as conflict, criticism, and rapidly changing work environments, making SEL ideal for career readiness.  

The Importance of SEL in Today's Rapidly Changing Environment

The world is rapidly changing, especially in terms of technological advancement. No better example exists right now than the sudden rise of generative AI, ChatGPT in particular, which is impacting whole industries, both positively and negatively. Coping with ongoing changes that impact the ways in which we learn, as well as the ways in which we work, can cause enormous stress and anxiety. SEL is an essential tool for helping people successfully manage the resulting stress of these changes. It's also essential for a generation of students coming of age during a time of global challenges, such as climate change, inequality, and social justice issues. When people must work together to create positive change in the world, SEL provides the tools to make it possible.  

The Importance of SEL for Mental Health and Wellbeing

Research has shown that people who have strong social and emotional skills are more resilient and better able to manage stress and adversity. These skills are essential for maintaining good mental health and for preventing mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. The development of these skills is one of the reasons why SEL is being increasingly recognized as an essential component of education. Schools are now incorporating SEL instruction into their curriculum, and research has shown that this instruction is having a positive impact on students.

School Day is the best K-12 solution for measuring and managing student well-being and social-emotional skills and the best tool for district leaders and teachers to proactively lead well-being in the classroom to improve learning results. School Day asks students weekly questions that focus on learning, social relationships, and health. The data is analyzed, furnishing real-time insight and highlighting what's going well; resources are provided for the areas that need more attention. Request a quote for your school today!