All aspects of schooling require social-emotional competency and a mastery of Executive Function. Yet, it is only recently that we have begun to question if and how kids learn these nuanced cognitive and affective skills, as well as how teachers teach them in K-12 education. One incredibly effective method to do this is by founding education in Social and Emotional Learning methods.
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL1) states that Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) “… is how children and adults learn to understand and manage emotions, set goals, show empathy for others, establish positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.” However, we cannot do justice to SEL without interconnecting its concepts with Executive Function, the set of mental skills that direct thoughts, behaviors, actions, and feelings to yield results based on goals identified by yourself, for yourself, and to serve the needs of your future-self.
At its core, Executive Function is composed of many overlapping regulatory constructs such as self-control that engage the brain’s proactive, intentional system. Using this top down system, one can handle interruptions or setbacks that arise during the goal attainment process by responding appropriately, for the benefit of both the future-self and our society at large.
Optimizing Executive Function means building our children’s social-emotional competence: the wind beneath their wings!
Join Sucheta Kamath, CEO & Founder of ExQ, and her collaborator, Dr. Debra Krodman-Collins, psychologist and co-author of the S.T.O.P. and Relax© yoga-based self-calming curriculum, for a discussion showing how all learning is social-emotional, requiring effortful skill building of our Executive Function skills.
Teaching SEL: Powering up students with social-emotional and Executive Function know-how
There is a general agreement in the field of neuroscience and cognitive psychology that Executive Function is comprised of three pivotal components: Working Memory, Inhibitory Control, and Cognitive Flexibility. Not only are these components central to Executive Functioning, but it is important to highlight how they directly connect to SEL.
Download our white paper and learn more about the value and importance of teaching SEL and Executive Function.
Let’s Talk!
Please share a little about you and your role, and an ExQ team member will reach out to you to set up a time to talk!
We look forward to meeting you and learning about your school’s or district’s SEL and Executive Function goals.
