Social & emotional learning is becoming a priority for many schools across America. Increasingly, schools are spending budgets and class time on curriculum, software, and specialists to introduce SEL school-wide. A 2017 study by CASEL, the university of Illinois at Chicago, Loyola University, and the University of British Columbia show that students that regularly practice SEL show more positive behaviors and are more prepared for success in the workforce. Another 2011 study by CASEL found that social & emotional learning led to an 11 percentile point gain in academic performance. These studies also found that the benefits of social and emotional learning in school can impact students for up to 18 years!
While many schools now understand the value of SEL, many still struggle to provide students with opportunities to practice these skills authentically. Too often, social & emotional learning means discussing concepts like empathy, respect and collaboration rather than actually practicing these skills. A 2015 report by the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institute found that, while SEL is critical for long-term student success, schools are not sufficiently incorporating SEL curriculum.
While many schools now understand the value of SEL, many still struggle to provide students with opportunities to practice these skills authentically. Too often, social & emotional learning means discussing concepts like empathy, respect and collaboration rather than actually practicing these skills. A 2015 report by the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institute found that, while SEL is critical for long-term student success, schools are not sufficiently incorporating SEL curriculum.
https://casel.org/impact/
When students do get opportunities to practice social emotional learning it’s usually with peers from the same school. While not all students within a school have the same perspective, students will often share similar customs and values. Even in the most diverse classrooms, students see each other every day, making it hard for SEL lessons to feel authentic rather than scripted.
So how do you make social & emotional learning authentic for students? Fortunately, new tools like PenPal Schools make it easier than ever for students to connect globally without leaving the classroom. Interacting with peers from diverse perspectives provides authentic opportunities to develop social & emotional skills in ways that in-class activities can’t.
So how do you make social & emotional learning authentic for students? Fortunately, new tools like PenPal Schools make it easier than ever for students to connect globally without leaving the classroom. Interacting with peers from diverse perspectives provides authentic opportunities to develop social & emotional skills in ways that in-class activities can’t.
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning has defined numerous core SEL competencies. Here are project based learning examples that demonstrate how global connections can be used to reinforce them all:
Respect
It can be easy to learn how to respect the people with whom you share a classroom every day. Challenge students to learn respect in moments where it may be the hardest to find middle ground. Global connections push students to learn how to respect people, ideas, and beliefs that they don’t agree with and may not understand.
When Rawaz from Iraq participated in World Explorer with PenPals from Turkey and the USA, he was surprised to discover how much they had in common.
When Rawaz from Iraq participated in World Explorer with PenPals from Turkey and the USA, he was surprised to discover how much they had in common.
Empathy
Empathy requires us not only to recognize someone else’s perspective, but to truly understand it. It can be easy to empathize with people you know and who share many common customs and beliefs. We need to challenge students to suspend their own assumptions, thoughts, and beliefs in order to empathize with people who are truly different from them. This is very difficult to accomplish within the familiarity of the classroom. Global connections are the best way to help students develop empathy.
When Karol from Mexico explored Immigration in the 21st Century, she had opportunities to empathize with others.
When Karol from Mexico explored Immigration in the 21st Century, she had opportunities to empathize with others.
Collaboration
After students graduate, they will enter an increasingly global workplace where they’ll need to collaborate with people from around the world. They need gain experience working with peers who practice different customs - from simple greetings and etiquette to nuances of working styles, goal setting, and accountability.
In Flags of the World, PenPals not only learn about flags, but collaborate to create a flag together.
In Flags of the World, PenPals not only learn about flags, but collaborate to create a flag together.
Luis from the Unites States says, "We were able to get to know other people from around the world and share our interests. It was interesting to hear about other flags and how they were used in the community. The best part was we were able to work together to create a flag and not be in the same classroom." Learn more about Luis' experience here.
Self-Awareness
Students need opportunities to see themselves through the eyes of others. Through global connections, students not only learn about their peers' communities, they also reflect on their own. By sharing about their own communities, customs, and daily lives, students have opportunities to think about themselves from an outside perspective. Ahaan from India did this well when he participated in World Explorer.
Self-Motivation
Authenticity can sometimes be misinterpreted as another education buzzword, but it’s repeated frequently for a good reason: it is the best way to help students learn how to be self-motivated. Completing an assignment for your teacher just isn’t motivating! However, when students have the opportunity to write to peers around the world they become much more engaged in their work.
Social Engagement
Social engagement happens both in-person and digitally, and it's important to provide students with opportunities to practice positive social behaviors in both settings. Before students start using LinkedIn or email, they need an opportunity to practice their digital literacy skills in a safe, monitored environment.
Identifying Problems + Analyzing Situations
“If I had an hour to solve a problem, I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”
- Albert Einstein
Too often, teachers spend a lot of time providing problems for students to solve or performance tasks for students to complete. To truly practice social and emotional learning, students should be spending more time identifying problems themselves. Through global collaborative experiences exploring topics like Protecting the Planet, The World Through My Eyes, and Walking to Freedom, students work together to analyze situations and develop their own understanding of real-world problems faced by communities around the world, like climate change, poverty, racism, and more.
Ethical Responsibility
Many schools and districts adopt a vision to “think globally, act locally.” Through global connections, students can learn from efforts happening around the world and see the impact that their local actions have on solving global problems.
|
Global connections instill an understanding that we are collectively responsible for making our world a better place, and students learn that they have an ethical responsibility to contribute to the world at large, understanding that our live impact and are impacted by the lives of others.
When the students in Beth Marks' class participated in Immigration in the 21st Century, they created a PSA for their school to encourage their peers to be more empathetic and open-minded. Through learning about the experiences of immigrants around the world and sharing perspectives with their PenPals, they wanted to encourage their school community to accept others, and decided to create these posters! Learn more about the class and their work here. |
International Mindedness
The most obvious benefit to global connections is learning about different cultures around the world. International mindedness is also becoming more important for college preparation and career-readiness. Global connections help students learn about different social norms and cultural values around the world, developing social skills that allow them to adapt to different environments. International mindedness is so important that the international OECD PISA test now evaluates global competence of students around the world.
Through global connections and project based learning, social & emotional learning experiences are more meaningful and relevant to students. Instead of talking about SEL or practicing with scripted activities, students can actually connect with diverse peers around the world and practice SEL skills authentically. And with the PenPal Schools teacher dashboard, educators can assess students' work using rubrics aligned to social & emotional learning standards, providing students with critical feedback to improve these important skills.
Check out these additional resources to learn more:
Teacher Resources for Social & Emotional Development in Children from Room 241, A Blog by Concordia University-Portland
How to Teach Empathy with PenPals
How to Practice Empathy & International Mindedness
Social & Emotional Learning Outcomes with PenPal Schools
How to Support Social & Emotional Learning with PenPal Schools
Here are some of our favorite tools for supporting social & emotional learning:
Peekapak immerses students in digital story-worlds to practice skills like empathy
Panorama helps schools gather data about social emotional learning to support students’ needs
G Suite for Education provides a variety of collaboration tools
Teacher Resources for Social & Emotional Development in Children from Room 241, A Blog by Concordia University-Portland
How to Teach Empathy with PenPals
How to Practice Empathy & International Mindedness
Social & Emotional Learning Outcomes with PenPal Schools
How to Support Social & Emotional Learning with PenPal Schools
Here are some of our favorite tools for supporting social & emotional learning:
Peekapak immerses students in digital story-worlds to practice skills like empathy
Panorama helps schools gather data about social emotional learning to support students’ needs
G Suite for Education provides a variety of collaboration tools
