What is SEL
Social Emotional Literacy (SEL) skills are sometimes referred to as soft skills, but have also been called inter-personal skills and life skills. Whatever you call them, these skills are the ones usually never formally taught in school, but are vital skills needed to be successful going into college and the workforce. By no means are these skills less important than the informational knowledge students are formally taught in school. While they might be called 'soft', a better way of looking at SEL skills is they are the mortar between the 'bricks' of information knowledge students are taught in school.
Why is SEL SO important?
As adults, we use SEL skills hundreds of times a day in all our interactions. Tony Wagner, expert in education has highlighted the most common and vital skills needed for college and the workforce in his Seven Survival Skills. They are:
-Creating Thinking and problem solving
-Collaboration across networks
-Agility and Adaptability
-Initiative and entrepreneurism
-Effective communication
-Accessing and analyzing information
-Curiosity and imagination
There is such a deficit of these skills in the workforce Wagner and other experts in the education field conclude it has lead to millions of employees being underpaid and a national economy of stagnate of income growth (Wagner, 2013).
In recent survey conducted on college professors and hiring managers found that 47% of students graduating from high school did not adequately possess going into college or the workforce (47% of high school grads aren’t prepared for college). College and career aside, what makes being proficient in SEL vital is they form the foundation for leading healthy, fulfilled, and purposeful lives. Therefore it is paramount that SEL teachings be integrated and reinforced at school and in classroom curriculum in order for students to have the greatest chance of reaching their full potential.
Social Emotional Literacy (SEL) skills are sometimes referred to as soft skills, but have also been called inter-personal skills and life skills. Whatever you call them, these skills are the ones usually never formally taught in school, but are vital skills needed to be successful going into college and the workforce. By no means are these skills less important than the informational knowledge students are formally taught in school. While they might be called 'soft', a better way of looking at SEL skills is they are the mortar between the 'bricks' of information knowledge students are taught in school.
Why is SEL SO important?
As adults, we use SEL skills hundreds of times a day in all our interactions. Tony Wagner, expert in education has highlighted the most common and vital skills needed for college and the workforce in his Seven Survival Skills. They are:
-Creating Thinking and problem solving
-Collaboration across networks
-Agility and Adaptability
-Initiative and entrepreneurism
-Effective communication
-Accessing and analyzing information
-Curiosity and imagination
There is such a deficit of these skills in the workforce Wagner and other experts in the education field conclude it has lead to millions of employees being underpaid and a national economy of stagnate of income growth (Wagner, 2013).
In recent survey conducted on college professors and hiring managers found that 47% of students graduating from high school did not adequately possess going into college or the workforce (47% of high school grads aren’t prepared for college). College and career aside, what makes being proficient in SEL vital is they form the foundation for leading healthy, fulfilled, and purposeful lives. Therefore it is paramount that SEL teachings be integrated and reinforced at school and in classroom curriculum in order for students to have the greatest chance of reaching their full potential.