What is SECD, and Why does Every Classroom need it?

SECD is:
SECD is a hybrid of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) skills and competencies, where many use the definitions developed by The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), and Character Development.

CASEL presents SEL in terms of five social and emotional competencies that can be developed by children and adults, which are necessary and essential life habits that allow us to become good human beings:

• Self-awareness: recognize and manage emotions;
• Self-management: make responsible, ethical decisions;
• Social awareness: develop caring and concern for others;
• Relationship skills: establish positive relationships;
• Responsible decision-making: handle challenging situations.

Character is positive values in action (Thomas Lickona), and can be defined numerous ways by different practitioners and researchers. Character.org defines character as "the intentional effort to live one's life using core values and working on continuous growth through ethical and compassionate decision-making." One can get a free download of "The 11 Principles of Character," to use in daily practice. 

For teachers, SECD is about teaching, modeling, practicing, and encouraging these essential life habits so our students can cope with and adapt to life's stresses, and they can develop into good, decent, and productive human beings. 

Every classroom needs to include SECD because:

Human development is, of course, a lifelong process, but it is during childhood that the values, ethics, principles, cultural and societal norms, and behavioral characteristics an individual will have for a lifetime are learned and developed. This all happens from birth through the schooling years, so each of our intellects are being formed during the time we learn SEL and develop our character through environment and involvement in society.

SECD in classrooms is not at all new, and every teacher likely does at least an occasional lesson or activity that includes a SECD skill or competency defined above. But many or most teachers do not realize this - 

During the certification process, teachers traditionally are not trained or taught about SECD skills and competencies, instead the focus of teacher training tends to be in and emphasizes the academic content in our field and at our grade level. 

But in a time when our children are struggling so much coping with and adapting to the modern, technology-driven and fast-paced world, and record numbers of children, teens and young adults are suffering in terms of their mental, social and emotional health, SECD is needed more than ever before. 

SECD in classrooms, starting in the earliest grades and progressing from year to year, and done consistently with an "all hands on deck" approach, will have great impact for students and society:

• Improve academic growth and achievement; on average, 11% improvement for students who went through these types of programs;
• Significantly improves a variety of student outcomes: societal skills, academics, social behavior, ability to handle emotional stresses, attitudes towards school and everyday life, fewer behavioral and conduct problems in school;
• Improvements in a variety of student outcomes last long-term (some measured to 18 years after the SECD exposure in school);
• SECD programming and exposure beginning in Kindergarten and lasting through the schooling years of development last a lifetime - those individuals are more likely to stay out of poverty, stay away from drug and alcohol addiction, have better mental and social health, stay out of prison, and get and hold higher paying jobs;
• SECD expenses in school are paid for, and then some, after students leave the school system: there is a 11:1 payoff to the economy for those who came through successful SECD programming and exposure in the school systems - for every $1 invested in SECD, society gains $11 in returns;
• SECD in schools is a key component to reducing poverty and improving economic mobility; 
• Perception among education system stakeholders overwhelmingly feel there is a need for SECD in schools: students, parents, teachers, administrators, scientists, and employers;
• SECD skills and competencies are not all intuitive, but need to be taught and learned; many of the skills are based on societal norms, and need to be taught to our youngest students and continued to be presented year after year for reinforcement as societal stresses increase with age; 

And after all these benefits and evidence for including SECD skills and teaching in the classroom, the improvements and gains students receive translate into better working conditions for teachers! 

Why would teachers NOT want to put in some work at the start of a school year in order to gain significant improvements in their own job stresses and working environment in their classrooms as the year progresses?!