Emotional Literacy Belongs in Schools Too
Australian teachers are interested in teaching emotional intelligence – social and emotional learning (SEL) – to their students. But parents and governments can’t expect all schools to deliver a high quality evidence-based SEL curriculum without professional development opportunities and resources.
There are many examples of individual schools in the United States, the UK and even in Australia, that deliver emotional intelligence curriculum to students simply because they have been fortunate enough to have the human and financial resources (and sometimes support from a University). And research has demonstrated that where this is done well, students do better academically, stay in school longer and have improved physical and social emotional health outcomes.
The School Climate website features a variety of resources for schools and parents interested in measuring the social and emotional climate of a school environment, as well as excellent resources and information about prevention and reduction of bullying in schools. The School Climate blog is also a useful resource for teachers looking for ideas for teaching emotional intelligence in classrooms and professional development opportunities.
This video example was linked to from the School Climate website. It’s a great 3 minute example and reminder of how and why a school uses emotional literacy to improve educational outcomes and the school environment. Worth watching - for parents and teachers.
