Teaching Social, Emotional Skills Could Improve Overall Learning

The Chicago Tribune (10/6, Rubin) reports, "In 2004, Illinois became the first state in the nation to require all school districts to teach social and emotional skills as part of their curriculum and daily school life."  As part of their studies, "students are expected to meet certain benchmarks, such as recognizing and managing feelings, building empathy and making responsible decisions."  According to experts such as University of Illinois, Chicago, psychology professor Roger Weissberg, "the touchy-feely stuff doesn't have to come at the expense of intellect. New evidence shows a strong link between interpersonal skills and academics."  Weissberg said, "Some teachers may be skeptical about (Social and Emotional Learning) at first, but they are won over when their students learn more, are more engaged and better problem solvers."  The Tribune describes how social and emotional learning is employed in the classroom, such as in the case of a science lab.