Crazy About SEL | By: Committee for Children I confess that when it comes to social-emotional learning (SEL), one might consider me passionate, enthusiastic, or even somewhat fanatical. As a psychologist, I have always believed it is important to meet children’s emotional needs and help them develop the social skills they need to be successful in life. But my commitment to SEL intensified a few years ago when I read a study by Joseph Durlak and Roger Weissberg that showed a connection between social-emotional learning and various factors such as reductions in violence, truancy, and bullying and increases in student achievement. When I attend meetings that are focused on academics, I find myself sharing what I know about SEL and achievement without even realizing it. I search the web and the research regularly to find out what is new with SEL. While my passion may be a bit much for some people, I recognize how important these skills are for the success of our students. My over-enthusiasm for SEL also permeates my personal life. I find myself asking my nieces, “How does that make you feel?” and “What would be a fair way to solve this problem?” I am also excited to see this passion in others. One of my colleagues told me that she finds herself asking her 2-year-old how characters in a story are feeling and following up with, “How do you know?” She says it’s kind of a compulsion and that she can’t help but feel a little proud when her daughter answers correctly. Another colleague admitted taking home a Second Step pre-survey and administering it to her daughter, to asses her social skills. And just last week, a different co-worker confessed that she regularly observes her year-old nephew, looking for early signs of social development. I guess this is a classic case of taking your work home with you. My commitment (or overzealousness, depending on who you ask) to SEL continues as I see the direct benefits of teaching and modeling social skills in our schools: increases in positive student behavior; happier teachers; district data showing improved student skills. It is gratifying to know we are making a difference in the lives of our students by giving them more opportunities for success. And even though my colleagues and I might be driving the kids in our lives crazy, we like to think that one day they will thank us for these skills. Has SEL had the same effect on you?