Promoting Social and Emotional Learning: Guidelines for Educators

Fostering knowledgeable, responsible, and caring students is one of the most urgent challenges facing schools, families, and communities as we enter the 21st century. Promoting Social and Emotional Learning provides sound principles for meeting this challenge. This timely book addresses a crucial need among educators for a straightforward, practical guide to establishing high-quality social and emotional education programs. True academic success and lasting social effectiveness, the authors believe, require strong social and emotional skills. Students today face unparalleled demands. In addition to achieving academically, they must learn to work cooperatively, make responsible decisions about social and health practices, resist negative peer and media influences, contribute constructively to their family and community, function in an increasingly diverse society, and acquire the skills, attitudes, and values necessary to become productive workers and citizens. A comprehensive, integrated program of social and emotional education can help students meet these many demands. The authors draw upon the most recent scientific studies, the best theories, site visits carried out around the country, and their own extensive experiences to describe approaches to social and emotional learning for all levels. Framing the discussion are 39 concise guidelines, as well as many field-inspired examples for classrooms, schools, and districts. Chapters address how to develop, implement, and evaluate effective strategies. Educators who have programs in place will find ways to strengthen them. Those seeking greater direction will find an abundance of approaches and ideas. Appendixes include a curriculum scope for preschool through grade 12 and an extensive list of contacts that readers may follow up for firsthand knowledge about effective social and emotional learning programs.