Social Emotional Model
An impressive body of research concludes that social and emotional learning (SEL) provides a foundation for positive learning and increases a child’s ability to succeed academically. SEL also supports children in developing successful social relationships and continues to contribute to a person’s happiness and success throughout life. One social emotional skill that is singled out as particularly important is the ability to self-regulate. In fact the ability to self-regulate is what paves the way for the development of other social emotional skills.
To simplify Social Emotional Learning, Positive Discipline Solutions has developed a model (below) that breaks social emotional learning down into three areas in which children need to develop skills or “smarts”. This simplified format is referred to as “The Smart Approach to Social Emotional Learning”.
Cheryl Erwin,
Author or co-author of nine parenting books including seven Positive Discipline books
Simply put, children need to develop skills to become “Self-Smart”, “Socially-Smart” and “Solution Smart”. In other words, they need to develop skills to become self-aware and self-disciplined and they need to develop a broad base of skills that are needed to be socially competent. Last, but not least, children need to acquire a foundation of problem solving skills that will enable them to effectively solve problems and make wise decisions throughout their life. The development of self-regulation spans all three areas.
“Self-regulation is the ability to manage your own energy states, emotions, behaviours and attention, in ways that are socially acceptable and help achieve positive goals, such as maintaining good relationships, learning and maintaining wellbeing.”
Dr. Stuart Shanker, (Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy and Psychology at York University, Toronto)
All the programs, workshops, trainings and materials that Positive Discipline Solutions offers put a strong emphasis on supporting children in developing social emotional skills including self-regulatory skills.