By Sam Piha

Social-emotional learning (SEL) and character skills are increasingly accepted as vital for youth to promote their success in school, work, and life. Dr. Dale Blyth has been a leader in youth development and SEL for many years. Below we offer a brief interview with Dr. Blyth. (He will also be a featured speaker at our Speaker's Forum on April 6th in Los Angeles and April 10th in Oakland. We have also posted three briefing papers on SEL authored by Dr. Blyth on our Expanded Learning 360°/365 website.)

Q: Can you give a brief description of what you mean by social-emotional learning? 

A: I see social emotional learning as the ways children and young people learn to deal with emotions, other people, and tasks -- what I call their ways of being.

Q: SEL (sometimes talked about using the terms of non-cognitive skills, growth mindsets, etc.) has gained acceptance as vital for success in school, work, and life. How did this acceptance come about? 

A: Partly from new research on a clearer set of measured concepts in this area and partially from the failure of a strictly academic or "cognitive" focus to provide results.

Q: You also talk about "program quality". Can you define this?

A: Program quality is about the processes and practices that programs use to ensure youth are safe, engaged and have voice. I like the way the Weikert Center's Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA) defines and operates in this space.

Q: In your mind, how is SEL different than the principles and practices of "youth development", which we learned about in years past?

A: I see a lot of compatibility or overlap in good youth development and good SEL practices.  Youth development is less focused on any specific outcomes, meets youth where they are, and is youth centric.  Good SEL is also youth centric but more conscious or deliberate about helping youth build social and emotional competencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes) needed for success.

Q: You write about the importance of pursuing SEL through intentional practice. Can you say what you mean by this and offer a couple of examples? 

A: Intentional practice involves preparing adults to do SEL, creating environments that use routines that deliberately foster SEL, designing programs/activities/experiences that deliberately involve SEL competencies and help youth practice SEL. This includes using data to improve these skills in young people and the climate of the program.

Examples: Program practices that create space for emotions and seek to understand where youth are at each day; programs that involve team problem solving and promote positive relationships; and feedback from staff that promotes self reflection and is more about feedback than advice.

By Sam Piha

There is a growing consensus among school day and expanded learning educators that young people need social-emotional and character skills to be successful in school, work, and life.

The 360°/365 Project and Temescal Associates are offering a number of educational and training events for expanded learning program staff:

JOIN US AT BOOST
DAY I, Workshop 1: April 19th, 2017; 10:30-12:15
Let’s Zoom in on Trust: The Role of Trusting Relationships in Expanded Learning
DAY I, Workshop 2: April 19th, 2017; 2:45 – 4:45
Screening of Finding the Gold Within and Discussion

Developing a growth mindset in the young people we serve in expanded learning programs is an important part of what we do. Below is a personal take on this important work.

By Guest Blogger, Frank Escobar

Frank Escobar, Visalia Unified School DistrictSpending more than half of my life in and out of a locker room, one gets very used to the sound of competition. Sayings like, “failure is not an option” and “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing,” were common echoes in my upbringing. From one coach to the next, it was always about winning, getting better, playing your best, minimizing mistakes, practice makes perfect, etc., etc. It’s no wonder that I wanted to quit after losing my first soccer game of the year in 4th grade or during the 4th quarter of my first contact football game in 8th grade. I was convinced by others, that if we weren’t winning or if I wasn’t playing well, we or I were losers and should concede. As I look back, all I remember about my playing days is that every coach I ever played for was obsessed with one thing – winning. That is, except for one. My dad.
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Frank Escobar Sr. never officially served as one of my coaches but I’m certainly convinced today, he taught me more about sports than any formal coach I ever had. Back then, my dad had what we call growth mindset today. A former junior college athlete himself, it wasn’t that he lacked competitive drive or a will to win, he simply had perspective. And, that perspective helped balance my competitive spirit for years to come, even today.