As educators, we are constantly devising ways to equip our students with the skills they need to be successful beyond the classroom, well into their future. This is recognised as the focus for SEL Day 2025:
Skills for Success - Ready for the Future
SEL Day is a global, grassroots celebration of social and emotional learning to support children’s academic achievement and well-being. Since its inception in 2020, individuals and organizations from more than 85 countries around the world have engaged in #SELDay activities.
Research shows social-emotional learning can greatly impact future student success: students with strong social-emotional competence are twice as likely to earn a university degree, and nearly 50% more likely to finish Year 12 and have a full-time job by age 25. Students who participate in SEL do better academically, have improved attitudes and behaviours, and participate in delinquent or disruptive ways less often.
Just as important, students who are socially and emotionally competent have more friends. This means they’re more likely to feel connected to school and do well, and less likely to be left out or bullied. Simply put, by participating in SEL, students learn the skills to succeed in every facet of school and the rest of their lives.
At Positive Pieces Education, we take great pride in helping teachers equip their students with these skills for future success, through the evidence-based Second Step® Social-Emotional Learning Program. With programs for Early Learning through Year 8, it’s never too early to start setting students up for success by teaching them skills that build their capacity for empathy, resilience, and emotion management.
When implemented with fidelity, here are just some of the ways SEL positively impacts students, and school communities as a whole:
SEL helps students develop critical skills
Empathy, communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, and self-regulation are lifelong skills that prepare children to build and maintain positive relationships, excel academically, make responsible decisions, and collaborate in the workplace.
SEL helps young people to reach their potential
SEL fosters skills for learning and there is ample research to suggest that when educators create an environment that values and respects students, affirms their identities and supports their growth, students are motivated – and earn higher grades and test scores. Creating supportive conditions for learning fosters engagement and motivates young people to reach their potential.
SEL sets Kindergartners up for success
Kindergartners with stronger SEL skills are more likely to attain a university degree, more likely to earn a high school diploma, and more likely to have a full-time job at age 25.
SEL Day is an opportunity to collectively spread the word about the importance and impact of social emotional learning. Working together, we can raise awareness for SEL, bring on new SEL stakeholders, create artifacts that demonstrate SEL in action, share SEL best practices… and more! Here’s how you can take part in the #SELDay celebrations:
Join us in celebrating International SEL Day on March 3, 2025. Sign up today to showcase, promote, advocate and support SEL in your community.
Positive Pieces Education is the Australian and New Zealand publisher of the Second Step social-emotional learning program. Learn more
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