Okay, SEL. This one requires two parts because there is SO MUCH to talk about. This has been a topic of conversation in the education world for several years now. Many of us grew up with "Character Education" and SEL is an extension of that. Many schools actually use SEL curriculums now, such as Second Step or Zones of Regulation. There are a few others but these are what I have seen used in public schools. National University defines it as " the process through which individuals learn and apply a set of social, emotional, and related skills, attitudes, behaviors, and values that help direct students. This includes thoughts, feelings, and actions in ways that enable them to succeed in school".
In early childhood education, the focus of SEL is recognizing and managing emotions, and as we know, young children can have a lot of BIG emotions! In Kindergarten we focused on recognizing and naming feelings, using example scenarios to act out and talk through how to handle situations that deal with these emotions and more. There was a lot of focus on mindfulness, calm down strategies and breathing techniques. That being said, not every program focuses on the same skills, so if you are a homeschooling parent or a prent looking to work on this at home, check your sources and make sure that the program you are following aligns with your family's values.
You can find out more about the basics of SEL here
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