Promoting Mental Well-Being Through Social-Emotional Learning in Schools: Examples from British Columbia

Abstract

Social and emotional learning is increasingly recognized as playing an important role in the promotion of positive mental health in schools. In 2012, the Mental Health Commission of Canada identified child and youth mental health as a priority for the transformation of mental health systems in Canada. To this end, comprehensive efforts to promote positive social and emotional development in schools and to foster safe and caring school environments are urgently needed. This paper highlights the multi-faceted approach undertaken in British Columbia over the past decade to promote positive mental health through social-emotional learning in schools.

Do students notice stress in teachers? Associations between classroom teacher burnout and students' perceptions of teacher social–emotional competence

“…This finding can be interpreted in the context of recent changes in the provincial curriculum and in preservice teacher training in the province in which this study took place. This study was implemented in British Columbia (BC; Canada), where social responsibility has been one of four “foundational skills” in the school curriculum since 2001 and social–emotional learning has been formally promoted by the Ministry of Education since 2015 through a revised curriculum (Hymel, Low, Starosta, Gill, & Schonert‐Reichl, 2018). The formal provincial focus on social–emotional learning has shaped the nature of preservice teacher training programs in BC over the past few years, with several preservice teacher education programs including the development of teacher SEC in their curricula (Hymel et al, 2018).…”

“…This study was implemented in British Columbia (BC; Canada), where social responsibility has been one of four “foundational skills” in the school curriculum since 2001 and social–emotional learning has been formally promoted by the Ministry of Education since 2015 through a revised curriculum (Hymel, Low, Starosta, Gill, & Schonert‐Reichl, 2018). The formal provincial focus on social–emotional learning has shaped the nature of preservice teacher training programs in BC over the past few years, with several preservice teacher education programs including the development of teacher SEC in their curricula (Hymel et al, 2018). Since younger teachers have likely completed their preservice teacher training more recently, it is possible that their professional training had a stronger focus on social and emotional learning practices, shaping their approach to educational practice.…”

Being Bullied at School: Gratitude as Potential Protective Factor for Suicide Risk in Adolescents

“…In so doing, we would suggest addressing both well-being and mental health difficulties through prevention and early intervention and providing safer contexts in which adolescents with mental health difficulties can be supported (cf. Hymel et al, 2018). However, the role of gender should be considered in developing optimal preventive interventions and service.…”

Coping With the Pandemic: Implementing Social and Emotional Learning in the California K-12 School System

“…Given that mental health issues can have both a direct toll on affected individuals and an indirect toll on society (e.g., costs of unemployment and homelessness, outcomes people with mental illness are at an increased risk of experiencing; Dewa et al, 2010; Fischer & Breakey, 1985; Hymel et al, 2018), recent years have seen increased attention to mental well-being interventions (Weare, 2010). One such intervention is SEL, which, broadly speaking, teaches children how to manage both their internal emotions and their external interactions in a way that benefits themselves and others (Jones & Doolittle, 2017).…”