Recommendations for Incorporation of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) at Residential Environmental Learning Centers (RELCS)
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Date
2015-05Author
Cutting, Lindsay
Publisher
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, College of Natural Resources
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Social emotional learning (SEL) is a movement in the United States’ public education
system focused on teaching students intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. Social
emotional learning provides students with the tools to understand themselves and others
to ultimately achieve personal success and well-being throughout their lives. The
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction created social emotional learning guidelines
called Standards of the Heart and designated them a “Characteristic of Successful
Schools.” This project focused on uncovering the nature of the relationship between
Wisconsin residential environmental learning centers (RELCs) and social emotional
learning to create a set of recommendations for RELCs to incorporate SEL into their
programming. An electronic survey assessed the awareness, interest, and experience of
Wisconsin RELCs with SEL. Interviews with four RELC administrators revealed specific
practices that RELCs use to incorporate SEL. The data collected, along with a literature
review, created the framework for the recommendations. Research revealed that RELCs
already provide an ideal supportive learning environment for SEL and offer SEL
opportunities throughout their curriculum. Educators are important individuals in the
implementation of SEL at RELCs, but they also present challenges for successful
implementation of SEL. Through training educators about SEL and providing them with
activities and processing tools to address SEL, RELCs can combat these challenges.
RELCs can also create SEL objectives and forms of assessment to measure SEL.
Incorporating more social emotional learning opportunities into programming could be a
tool to improve RELC programming and help strengthen the partnership between schools
and RELCs.