Social Emotional Learning and Employability Skills

1. Social Emotional Learning and Employability Skills Presented by Toni R. Tollerud, Ph.D. LCPC, NCC, NCSC, ACS Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita Northern Illinois University March 1, 2019 VALEES INSERVICE

2. Getting Started Who are you?  Why are you interested in this presentation?  What workplace/personal skill do you think you possessed that was most significant in you getting the job you currently have? 

3. SMALL GROUP: What are you thinking?  When you think of employability skills, what specifically are your thinking about?  Are Employability Skills different from Social-Emotional Skills?  What do you do in your current role in your school that addresses SEL and Employability Skills?

4. GOALS for this Session Review the literature on SEL Review the literature on Employability Skills Connect SEL and Employability skills Consider ways of building a positive SEL Learning environment Explore research based strategies to SEL implementation Explore resources to find ideas to enhance working with students Collect from the group ideas that are already successful in your classrooms-share       

5. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) SEL is the process of acquiring the skills to recognize and manage emotions, develop caring and concern for others, establish positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and handle challenging tasks effectively. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (2005). Safe and Sound, IL Edition

6. What are the Core SE Competencies? Recognizing one’s emotions and values as well as one’s strengths and limitations Managing emotions and behaviors to achieve one’s goals Making ethical, constructive choices about personal and social behavior Self- awareness Self- management Responsible decision- making social & emotional learning Social awareness Relationship Skills Forming positive relationships, working in teams, and dealing effectively with conflict Showing understanding and empathy for others Graphic: CASEL

7. Illinois Social and Emotional Learning Goals Self- Social Awareness Relationship Skills Responsible Decision- making Awareness Self- Management Goal 31: Develop self- awareness and self- management skills to achieve school and life success. Goal 32: Use social awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships. Goal 33: Demonstrate decision- making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school and community contexts. Graphic: University of Illinois Extension

8. Teaching Strategies on SEL for working with Students  To what extent do you agree with the following: We are responsible as educators and counselors in our schools to address the social emotional development of our students at every grade level.

9. Social Emotional Competencies Linked With Success at Work  Self-awareness  Self-regulation  Motivation  Social-awareness  Social Skills  See handout by Cherniss & Goleman (2006)

10. Importance of SEL in the School Setting  What Do Employers Want? This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

11. Top Ten Skills-Employers Survey 1. Work as a team 2. Make decisions and solve problems 3. Communication 4. Plan, organize and prioritize work 5. Obtain and process information 6. Analyze quantitative data 7. Technical knowledge 8. Computer software programs 9. Create and edit written material 10. Sell and influence others Forbes leadership (November, 2014)

12. Employability Skills Framework-- Three Sections: See handout (CTE and Adult Education program, US Department of Education) #1 Workplace Skills  Communication skills  Information Use  Systems thinking  Technology use  Resource management

13. Employability Skills Framework: Crucial Component of College and Career Readiness #2. Applied Knowledge  Applied academic skills  Critical thinking skills #3. Effective Relationships  Interpersonal skills  Personal qualities

14. Key to Learning SEL/Employability Skills: Learning Environments What do you believe is necessary in creating a learning environment that supports SEL in your setting?  http://cte.ed.gov/initiatives/employabil ity-skills-framework

15. Creating Learning Environments  The goal is to find ways to connect the SEL skills with the employability skills connect for our students!!!!!  NEEDS:  Valuable Classroom Resources  Thoughtfulness  Intentionality  Relevance

16. Building a quality learning environment Illinois has excellent state standards that schools can use to drive their programs  State Standards  Illinois PaCE: Postsecondary and Career Expectations-Adopted June, 2017  Guiding Questions and Calendar on  Career exploration and development  College Exploration, preparation, selection  Financial Aid and Literacy 

17. Learning Environments  Collaboration between Teachers, School Counselors, Field Supervisors and Business Entities to Address these skills. Planning is Essential  Go beyond subject to include the social emotional whenever possible, relevant, appropriate

18. How do Students Acquire SEL in the Learning Environment? Explicit interactive instruction Practice and feedback Observation of others’ good behavior Reflection on their experiences Application and generalization throughout the school       SO…. Goal: can you implement these teaching/SEL skills more intentionally in the classroom?

19. Connecting SEL and Employability Skills  What do you currently do in your role in the school or the classroom that helps students to connect social- emotional skills with employability skills?  BE SPECIFIC  IDENTIFY THE TEACHING ELEMENTS YOU ARE USING  WRITE YOUR INTERVENTION ON A 3X5

20. Research Based Elements of an SEL Program-Strategies Research has also suggested that effective programs incorporate a set of core program elements: S: Use of a Sequenced set of activities to achieve skill objectives A: Use of Active forms of listening F: Includes at least one program component Focused on developing personal or social skills E: Explicitly targets a particular personal or social skill for development     

21. Research Based Strategies  Check and Connect an SEL program designed to provide personalized learning supports by identifying students who are at risk of disengaging from school and pairing each student with a caring, trained mentor 

22. More SEL Teaching Curriculum Strategies  Lions Quest Skills for Action provide essential components of rigorous programs of study by integrating core curriculum with SEL and employability skills and providing work experience to increase students’ postsecondary preparedness. Lions Quest includes a classroom-based curriculum and has a large service learning component that focuses on teaching students to communicate effectively, analyze and solve problems, set and achieve goals, and work successfully as part of a team. www.lions-quest.org/grades-9-12-preview-l1  

23. Other Resources on teaching/integrating Workplace-Employability Skills in the Classroom ILCTE Illinois Career and Technical Education Link www.Ilcte.net  CareerCenter21 Helps Teachers Easily Address Standards in Career Readiness & Exploration  www.aeseducation.com/careercenter21 

24. More resources for lessons: LESSON PLANET: Where teachers go to Find, Plan, Share, and inspire: www.lessonplanet.com/search  www.brighthubeducation.com/high-school-teaching- tips/6207-employability-skills-lesson-plan-high- school/ 

25. “One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings.” Carl Jung “Education, therefore, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living.” John Dewey

26. References and Sources Elias, M.J., O’Brien, M. U. & Weissberg, R. P. (December, 2006). Transformative leadership for social-emotional learning. In Devaney, e., O’Brien, M.U. Resnik, H., Keister, S., & Weissberg, R. Sustainable schoolwide social and emotional learning (SEL): Implementation guide and toolkit. (pp.10-13). Chicago, IL: CASEL  Collaborative for academic, social, and emotional learning. (2003) Safe and sound: An educational leaders’ guide to evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs. Chicago, IL CASEL.  Brown, A. (October, 2016). Key finds about the American workforce and the changing job market. Pew Research Center, http://www.pewresearcg,org/fact-tank2016  Cherniss, C. & Goldman, D. (2006). From school to work. In Maurice Elias & Harriet Arnold (Eds.) The educator’s guide to emotional intelligence and academic achievement: Social-emotional learning in the classroom. (pp. 58-61).Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.  Dymnicki, A., Sambolt, M., & Kidron, Y., (March, 2013). Improving college and career readiness by incorporating social and emotional learning. College and Career Readiness and Success Center at American Institutes for Research. 