Don’t Believe the Hype with Shirley Irizarry

ISSUE #4 — Social, Emotional Learning (SEL)

AUGUST 10, 2023

Welcome to “Don’t Believe the Hype” with Shirley Irizarry, where we will be bringing truth to light about issues affecting parents and students.

In continuing with our series on debunking myths about Social, Emotional Learning (SEL), we’d like to address one of the main myths about SEL and go into more detail about the 5 core competencies students can attain.

Don’t Believe the Hype when conservatives and uninformed individuals tell you that “Social, Emotional Learning only teaches kids about feelings.” In fact, according to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), emotional intelligence is only one of many parts of SEL and further develops the following skills:

• Self-awareness: Know your own emotions, strengths, and challenges and how they impact your actions. Have a growth mindset about your skills.
• Self-management: Self-regulate and use, like planning and organization, impulse control, and setting goals.
• Social awareness: Understand other perspectives, show empathy, respect diversity, and understand social norms.
• Relationship skills: Build and maintain relationships, communicate clearly, cooperate, and resolve conflict.
• Responsible decision-making: Make positive choices about how to behave and interact with others. Think about how your actions affect yourself and others.

Furthermore, several reports by McKinsey, an “institute for business and economics research,” that “publish fact-based insights that help inform management and policy decisions” prove individuals with a high emotional intelligence fare better in the workplace and are highly sought after by employers. So why not equip our students with all the necessary skills to succeed in their life?

Be sure to stay tuned as we continue this series and don’t forget to continue this conversation by registering for the National Parents Union Town Hall: Let’s Get Real About Health Literacy and SEL. Registration can be completed by clicking here!