Educators say ‘socio-emotional learning’ is linked to higher test scores

Educators are talking more about the rise of “socio-emotional learning” since the pandemic and how it has helped students do better on tests.

Upon returning to the classroom, many students experienced difficulties, and not only in their studies. Teachers say the students had trouble connecting with each other and feeling like they belonged at school because of the months apart.

But teachers and families at San Jose Meadows Elementary School in the Franklin-McKinley School District have found that time spent developing social-emotional connections helps students feel better and perform better on tests.

The school received help from Power My Learning, a non-profit organization that runs workshops to help educators help students develop things like interpersonal skills, self-awareness, and positive behavior.

The director says spending time on social-emotional learning for students increased their reading scores by 13% and math scores by 7%.

“If they have conflicts with other students, how do they resolve them, how do they solve problems, how do they approach trials and defeats? — said school principal Magdalena Moore. How do we develop a growth mindset? Of course, along with learning to read and math.”

Power My Learning states that parents can support their child’s social-emotional learning at home by interacting with them in the following ways:

Ask them to teach you how to do something, this will reinforce what they have learned.
As your child works on homework, ask him questions such as what strategies he used and how he would use the work he does in the real world.
Collaborate with your child’s school and teachers.

“We know that students who have been through the pandemic have experienced a lot of trauma, so this helps teachers and school leaders understand the language of trauma and how to identify it,” said Jill Nyhus, director of development for Power My Learning.

According to the National Education Association, some activists have targeted the socio-emotional bias, claiming it is indoctrination. But NEA says studies show it has led to positive test results and has parental support.