Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/expanding-sel
In the realm of education, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has become an increasingly prominent focus over the last decade. While many programs aim to foster these crucial skills in students, the Coursera course “Expanding SEL” offers a refreshing and vital perspective. Taught by Emily Price and Ben Kirshner, this course delves beyond traditional SEL frameworks to explore community-based and youth-empowerment approaches, critically examining how social and political systems, such as immigration and structural racism, profoundly impact children’s social and emotional experiences.
This course is a valuable component of the five-course “Specialization” in SEL, and it truly lives up to its name by expanding our understanding of what SEL can and should be. The syllabus is thoughtfully structured to address key tensions within the field, encouraging a critical yet constructive engagement with SEL practices.
The first module, “Behavior Management and SEL,” immediately challenges the often-unexamined link between SEL and behavior management. It bravely confronts how behavior management strategies can sometimes lead to emotional manipulation and highlights the disproportionate impact on students of color. The instructors guide us to consider alternative, humanizing structures that foster student agency rather than simply aiming for compliance.
“Culture, Context, and SEL” tackles the second critical tension: the frequent inattention to culture and context in SEL program design. This module emphasizes the necessity of integrating discussions around race, class, gender, sexuality, and culture into SEL approaches, ensuring that programs are relevant and equitable for all students.
Furthermore, “Examining ‘Success’: Goals, Measurement, and Outcomes in SEL” probes the third tension, questioning how we define and measure success in SEL. It encourages a critical look at assessment methods for soft skills, prompting us to think deeply about what truly constitutes social and emotional development.
The latter modules, “Moving Forward: A Critical Examination of the Self Competencies” and “Moving Forward: A Critical Examination of the Social Competencies,” offer practical pathways forward. They explore equity-oriented methods for developing self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship-building skills, highlighting innovative approaches like mindfulness, testimonials, critical witnessing, and youth participatory action research (YPAR).
Overall, “Expanding SEL” is an exceptional course for educators, administrators, parents, and anyone interested in fostering genuine social and emotional growth in young people. It provides a much-needed critical lens, empowering learners to develop more inclusive, equitable, and effective SEL strategies. I highly recommend this course for its insightful content, its commitment to social justice, and its forward-thinking approach to a vital aspect of education.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/expanding-sel