"Noncognitive" Skills

It is so important that we give our preschoolers a good start in developing their social emotional learning (SEL). Here's some insight on where this area of research and teaching is headed:

"What’s an Effective Learner?

It’s a relatively new concept borne of recent research establishing the critical importance of noncognitive skills and behaviors to student success in school and beyond. While we use the word “noncognitive,” we recognize that the field does not yet have a common language for this set of competencies. Therefore, we focus on the outcome—effective learning—and define “effective learners” as students who develop a set of qualities that includes self-control, persistence, social awareness, relationship skills, curiosity, resilience, and self-confidence. Research shows that such skills are the defining factors that set high school and college graduates apart from those who drop out at either level. The research that has introduced the importance of these qualities into mainstream conversation falls into two distinct but overlapping arenas: social and emotional learning (SEL), and academic attitudes and behaviors.

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is the leading proponent of SEL. Its mission is to make SEL an integral part of education from kindergarten through high school. CASEL has identified five interrelated social and emotional competencies that define SEL..."

For more, follow this link to the original article published February 2015 (I accessed it March 10, 2015). http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/rethinking_how_students_succeed?cm_mid=4400106&cm_crmid=c43dcf5b-6d8f-e311-8c8b-00155d753d0b&cm_medium=email