Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/expanding-sel
The ‘Expanding SEL’ course on Coursera offers an insightful and comprehensive exploration into social and emotional learning (SEL), emphasizing community-based and youth-empowerment perspectives. Taught by Emily Price and Ben Kirshner, this course critically examines traditional SEL approaches and advocates for more equitable, culturally responsive, and context-aware practices.
One of the most compelling aspects of this course is its focus on the tensions within SEL, such as the potential for behavior management to become manipulative rather than empowering. It also emphasizes the importance of considering cultural, racial, and social contexts, urging educators and practitioners to develop approaches that are inclusive and respectful of diverse student backgrounds.
The course delves into how success in SEL should be measured thoughtfully, moving beyond simplistic metrics to understand soft skills like social awareness and relationship building. It introduces innovative methods such as mindfulness, testimonials, critical witnessing, and youth participatory action research (YPAR) to foster equity-oriented growth.
I highly recommend ‘Expanding SEL’ to educators, school administrators, community leaders, and anyone interested in fostering a more just and inclusive social-emotional environment in schools. The course’s critical perspective, combined with practical strategies for community engagement and cultural responsiveness, makes it a valuable resource for transforming SEL practices into tools for social change.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/expanding-sel