“Why Are We Reading This?”
Lessons from Literature that Support Social & Emotional Learning Standards
MC3 Ignite Presentation
March 2019
Casel’s S.E.L. Core Competencies:
“Social and emotional learning (SEL) enhances students’ capacity to integrate skills, attitudes, and behaviors to deal effectively and ethically with daily tasks and challenges. Like many similar frameworks, CASEL’s integrated framework promotes intrapersonal, interpersonal, and cognitive competence. There are five core competencies that can be taught in many ways across many settings. Many educators and researchers are also exploring how best to assess these competencies.”
(https://casel.org/core-competencies/)
View Edutopia video:
CORE S.E.L. COMPETENCIES
SELF-AWARENESS
The ability to accurately recognize one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior. The ability to accurately assess one’s strengths and limitations, with a well-grounded sense of confidence, optimism, and a “growth mindset.”
SELF-MANAGEMENT
The ability to successfully regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations — effectively managing stress, controlling impulses, and motivating oneself. The ability to set and work toward personal and academic goals.
https://casel.org/core-competencies/
CORE S.E.L. COMPETENCIES
SOCIAL AWARENESS
The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures. The ability to understand social and ethical norms for behavior and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.
RELATIONSHIP SKILLS
The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. The ability to communicate clearly, listen well, cooperate with others, resist inappropriate social pressure, negotiate conflict constructively, and seek and offer help when needed.
RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING
The ability to make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms. The realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and a consideration of the well-being of oneself and others.
https://casel.org/core-competencies/
What better way to infuse S.E.L. Competencies than via rich literature?
Part One - Developing Empathy
Empathetic Children Can Recognize Feelings
Empathetic Children Have Moral Identity
Empathetic Children Understand the Needs of Others
Empathetic Children Have a Moral Imagination
LEARNING TO WALK IN ANOTHER’S SHOES
“Perspective taking is the ability to understand another person’s thoughts, feelings, wants, and needs...Mastering perspective taking is an important part of instilling a dep, caring, connection with others” (Borba, p. 49, 2016).
PERSPECTIVE IS A GATEWAY TO EMPATHY
Lessons from literature are universal and timeless
Themes
Characters
Settings
Conflicts
Plots
Authors’ Tones and Moods - How one influences the other
Literature can invoke thoughts as well as emotions
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Literature:
Power Struggles are Real
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Literature:
Do the Right Thing
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Literature:
Cynicism is a Defense Mechanism
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Literature:
Wisdom and Enlightenment Come From Experience
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Literature:
Every Voice Matters
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
Literature:
We are NOT Just Numbers
Anthem by Ayn Rand
Literature:
Recognize Mistakes...So Not To Repeat Them
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Literature:
Never Underestimate Yourself
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
Literature:
Know the Impact of YOU
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom