SEL expert Dr. Daniel Goleman on SEE Learning

Summary

The speaker reflects on the development of social-emotional learning (SEL) since 1994, emphasizing its impact on students by cultivating self-awareness, empathy, and social skills. SEL has proven effective in reducing negative behaviors and enhancing academic performance. The speaker connects SEL with the Dalai Lama’s vision of an 'education of the heart' and introduces the C Learning framework developed with Emory University, which integrates compassion, ethical learning, and discernment. The hope is that C Learning will continue to benefit students globally, representing an evolution of SEL into its next phase, SEL 2.0.

Takeaways

• 📘 Emotional and social skills are crucial for students' development, as argued in the book *Emotional Intelligence* (1994).
• 🧠 Programs addressing student issues like violence, drug abuse, and depression successfully promote self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and social skills.
• 🌍 The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) was founded to spread the importance of these skills worldwide.
• 📊 Research shows that SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) reduces anti-social behavior by 10%, improves pro-social attitudes like liking school by 10%, and raises academic achievement by 11%.
• 🎓 SEL aligns with the Dalai Lama's vision of 'education of the heart,' promoting compassion and emotional growth.
• 📚 The C-Learning framework developed with Emory University expands on SEL by adding skills like attention training, care, compassion, systems learning, and ethical development.
• 💡 Compassion combined with discernment is essential for effective social and emotional learning.
• 🌱 SEL 2.0, represented by C-Learning, seeks to integrate wisdom and compassion to meet modern educational needs.
• 🎉 C-Learning is the result of over 20 years of collaboration between Emory University and the Dalai Lama, launched globally to benefit future generations.
• 🔍 SEL 2.0 emphasizes a holistic approach to education, combining academic, social, emotional, and ethical learning for students.

Q & A

What was the author's argument in their 1994 work on emotional intelligence?

The author argued for educating students in emotional and social skills, stating that successful programs addressing issues like violence, drug abuse, and depression focused on self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and social skills.

What inspired the author to advocate for emotional and social skills education?

The author was inspired by findings that effective programs for addressing student problems, such as violence and dropouts, all emphasized the same foundational skills: self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and social skills.

What is SEL, and how has it evolved?

SEL, or Social-Emotional Learning, is a movement focused on developing students' emotional and social skills. It started with a small group of educators, including the author and Linda Lantieri, and has grown into a global movement.

What have studies shown about the effectiveness of SEL programs?

Research on SEL programs has shown a 10% decrease in anti-social behavior, a 10% increase in pro-social attitudes like liking school, and an 11% boost in academic achievement scores among students.

How does the author’s book, 'A Force for Good,' connect to SEL?

In 'A Force for Good,' written for the Dalai Lama's 80th birthday, the author connects SEL with the Dalai Lama's vision of an 'education of the heart,' which emphasizes compassion and discernment.

What is the C Learning framework, and how does it complement SEL?

The C Learning framework, developed in collaboration with Emory University, complements SEL by adding skills like attention training, care and compassion, systems learning, and the development of an ethical outlook.

What are the key elements emphasized in C Learning that are missing from traditional SEL programs?

C Learning emphasizes skills such as attention training, care and compassion, systems thinking, and the development of an ethical outlook, which are seen as crucial but often missing in traditional SEL programs.

Why does the author believe combining wisdom and compassion is essential?

The author believes that combining wisdom and compassion is essential because compassion without discernment is 'blind,' while discernment without compassion is like a 'dried-up fruit tree,' implying that both qualities are needed for balanced decision-making.

How does the author hope C Learning will impact students in the future?

The author hopes that C Learning will be widely adopted and help more students develop crucial life skills, fostering wisdom and compassion, which they believe the world needs now.

What does the author mean by SEL 2.0 in the context of C Learning?

SEL 2.0 refers to an evolved version of social-emotional learning, where C Learning builds upon traditional SEL by adding new dimensions like compassion, systems thinking, and ethical development.

Outlines

00:00

📘 The Importance of Emotional and Social Skills in Education

In 1994, the author advocated for integrating emotional and social skills into education, inspired by the observation that successful programs addressing student issues like violence, drug abuse, depression, and dropouts shared common elements: self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and social skills. These core competencies enable students to make sound decisions. To promote this approach, the author, along with Linda LAN Thierry, co-founded the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), which has grown into a global movement known as social-emotional learning (SEL).

🌍 The Global Impact and Research Support for SEL

Research supports SEL's effectiveness. Studies involving hundreds of thousands of students have shown that SEL reduces antisocial behavior by 10%, fosters a positive attitude toward school by 10%, and improves academic performance by 11%. These statistics reflect SEL's wide-reaching influence on both behavior and education, further validating its significance in modern schooling.

📚 SEL and the Dalai Lama's Vision for Compassionate Education

While writing 'A Force for Good' for the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday, the author recognized SEL’s alignment with the Dalai Lama’s mission of providing an 'education of the heart.' SEL emphasizes cultivating emotional intelligence, compassion, and ethical thinking, which are key to the Dalai Lama's vision for 21st-century education.

🧘 Enhancing SEL with Attention, Compassion, and Ethical Learning

The author describes how SEL can be enhanced by including crucial missing components: attention training, care, compassion, systems thinking, and the development of an ethical outlook. These skills, detailed in the author's collaboration with MIT's Peter Senge in 'The Triple Focus,' provide the foundation for Emory University’s 'C Learning' framework, a deeper evolution of SEL.

🌟 Compassion and Discernment: Essential Values for Today

The integration of compassion and discernment forms the heart of the 'C Learning' approach, which the author views as essential for the modern world. The analogy is used that compassion without discernment is 'blind,' while discernment without compassion is like a 'dried up fruit tree,' underscoring the importance of balancing these values.

🎓 Celebrating the Launch of C Learning and its Future Impact

The author celebrates the global launch of C Learning, a culmination of over 20 years of academic collaboration between the Dalai Lama and Emory University. The hope is that C Learning, an evolved version of SEL (termed 'SEL 2.0'), will continue to spread, influencing more students and creating a lasting impact for generations to come.

Keywords

💡Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions and those of others. In the video, it is highlighted as a key component for educating students in social and emotional skills, which are vital for addressing problems such as violence and depression. The speaker's book on emotional intelligence, written in 1994, laid the foundation for this educational approach.

💡Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is an educational framework that focuses on developing emotional and social skills like self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and social skills. The video emphasizes that SEL programs have shown to improve students’ social attitudes, reduce anti-social behavior, and enhance academic performance by providing students with the tools to make better life decisions.

💡Self-awareness

Self-awareness involves understanding one’s own emotions, strengths, and weaknesses. In the context of the video, it is one of the core skills that SEL programs aim to cultivate. Developing self-awareness helps students make better decisions and cope with challenges such as peer pressure or personal stress.

💡Self-management

Self-management is the ability to regulate one’s emotions and behaviors in different situations. The video mentions it as one of the fundamental skills taught through SEL programs, helping students control impulses, set goals, and deal with stress more effectively.

💡Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. In the video, it is presented as a crucial component of SEL, enabling students to develop stronger relationships and make more compassionate decisions. Empathy helps students connect with their peers and fosters a sense of community.

💡Compassion

Compassion, the concern for the suffering of others, is highlighted as a central theme in both SEL and the Dalai Lama's teachings. The speaker refers to compassion as an essential skill that, when combined with discernment, helps students develop a more ethical and balanced perspective on life.

💡Discernment

Discernment is the ability to judge well and make wise decisions. The speaker in the video notes that compassion without discernment is 'blind,' while discernment without compassion is like a 'dried up fruit tree,' emphasizing that both skills must work together to help students navigate complex social and ethical situations.

💡C Learning

C Learning, or Compassionate Learning, refers to a specific educational framework developed in collaboration with the Dalai Lama and Emory University. The video describes it as an extension of SEL, focusing on additional skills like compassion, ethical outlook, attention training, and systems learning, aimed at addressing 21st-century challenges.

💡Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader whose vision for 'education of the heart' aligns with the principles of SEL. The video mentions his collaboration with Emory University to develop C Learning, emphasizing compassion and wisdom as crucial for modern education. His mission is to spread these teachings to create a more compassionate world.

💡Academic Achievement

Academic achievement refers to the improvement in students' educational performance. The video cites research showing that SEL programs not only improve social skills but also boost academic scores by 11%. This demonstrates that emotional and social education positively impacts students’ overall learning and success in school.

Highlights

Emotional intelligence education focuses on emotional and social skills, helping address problems like violence, drug abuse, and depression.

Founding of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) by the author and colleagues to promote social-emotional learning (SEL).

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is now a worldwide movement, showing effectiveness in improving student outcomes.

Research on SEL programs reveals a 10% reduction in anti-social behavior, a 10% increase in pro-social attitudes, and an 11% boost in academic achievement.

The author's work 'A Force for Good' for the Dalai Lama emphasizes the alignment of SEL with the Dalai Lama's 'education of the heart' approach.

The Emory C learning framework enhances SEL by introducing crucial skills like attention training, care, compassion, and systems learning.

Compassion and discernment form the foundation of the C learning framework, and are critical for its success.

The collaboration between the Dalai Lama and Emory University has led to the global launch of C learning, after more than 20 years of research and development.

The C learning framework represents an evolution of SEL, or 'SEL 2.0,' providing a more comprehensive approach to student development.

The saying 'compassion without discernment is blind, discernment without compassion is like a dried-up fruit tree' reflects the balance needed in education.

The goal of C learning is to spread globally and influence students far into the future by combining wisdom and compassion in education.

SEL 2.0 incorporates an ethical outlook and systems learning, helping students understand their role in the larger world.

Attention training, emphasized in C learning, is crucial for student focus and emotional self-regulation.

Care and compassion training are central to C learning, aiming to foster emotional intelligence and empathy among students.

The author's hope is that C learning will be widely adopted, helping students build both emotional and cognitive skills for life.

Transcripts

when I wrote emotional intelligence in

1994 I argued for educating students

emotional and social skills I was

spurred by the finding that when it came

to students problems like violence drug

abuse depression and dropouts the

programs that worked all cultivated the

same basics self-awareness

self-management empathy and social

skills which altogether help kids make

good decisions in their lives a small

group of us including my friend and

fellow speaker Linda LAN Thierry founded

the collaborative for academic social

and emotional learning to spread this

approach today it's become a worldwide

movement known as social-emotional

learning or SEL research shows that

these programs work a study of several

hundred thousand students found SEL

lowers anti-social problems by 10

percent increases pro-social attitudes

such as liking school by 10 percent and

boosts academic achievement scores by 11

percent when I wrote a force for good

the Dalai Lama's vision for our world

for his 80th birthday I came to see how

SEL aligns with his holiness mission of

reaching the people of the 21st century

with what he calls an education of the

heart the Emery C learning framework

complements SEO with crucial skills that

are largely missing from existing

programs skills that I identified in my

book the triple focus written with mi

t--'s Peter sengai these include

attention training care and compassion

systems learning and the development of

an ethical outlook in particular

compassion and discernment provide the

foundations for C learning this

combination of wisdom and compassion

seems exactly what the world needs now

there's a saying compassion without

discernment is blind discernment without

compassion is like a dried up fruit tree

congratulations your holiness on this

global launch of C learning the

culmination of more than 20 years of

academic collaboration

between you and Emory University my hope

is that see learning will be adopted far

and wide and help more and more students

far into the future it represents SCL

2.0