The Essentials: [click on each for more information]

Featured Books, Articles & Resources:

How can we capitalize on the recent emergence of social-emotional learning, critical thinking and positive identity formation, mentoring, healing circles, African centered schooling, job and and entrepreneurship training, while resisting current movement towards profit models and corporate oriented schools?

The Emergence of Social Emotional Learning and the Implications for the Black child - Lathardus Goggins II, Ed.D.

The Emergence of SEL

The recent emphasis on social emotional learning (SEL) can be tied to the continued frustration of the “ineffectiveness” of American public education, the growing evidence of regarding the significance of SEL on academic achievement, and the subsequent passing of legislation mandating SEL strategies.

The term "social and emotional learning" was coined at a meeting hosted by the Fetzer Institute in 1994. The meeting's purpose was to address concerns about ineffective school programming and the lack of coordination at the school level. Schools were being overwhelmed by the number of youth development programs focusing on drug and violence prevention, sex education, civic education, and moral education. These initiatives and various "wrap around" services were a response to the 1983 A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform report.

SEL was introduced as a framework to align and coordinate services and programs meant to address the need of young people (students). Along with SEL as a framework, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) was formed to support research and advocate for policy (which evidentially would include legislation) that supported adoption of the SEL framework. Since the mid 1990's, many organizations have come to advocate for SEL, however, CASEL remains a leading force in the promotion of SEL and evaluating evidence-based SEL programming.

The SEL framework identifies five core competencies essential to enhance a student's capacity to integrate skills, attitudes, and behaviors to effectively and ethically perform task and meet challenges (i.e. learn): (1) self-awareness, (2) social-awareness, (3) self-management, (4) relationship skills, and (5) responsible decision-making.

[The Emergence of Social Emotional Learning and the Implications for the Black child]

Originally published 1982. Relaunch Summer 2013.

The purpose of the Black Child Journal is to focus on issues that are critical to the development of the Black child. 

For a complete list [Click Here].

Featured on Medium.com:

"There is no mystery ... first treat them like humans, and second love them." - Dr. Asa Hilliard III

[Click Here] for the worksheet.

Education for Transformation: The Keys to Releasing the Genius of African American Students

From a Nation at Risk to a Nation at Hope. Recommendations from The Aspen Institute National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development.

SEL, Whole Child Education and Student Readiness: How do They Connect?

Social-Emotional Learning and Academic Achievement: Using Causal Methods to Explore Classroom-Level Mechanisms

Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners The Role of Noncognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance

Foundations for Young Adult Success A Developmental Framework

Addressing the African American Achievement Gap: Three Leading Educators Issue a Call to Action

Additional Resources:

Featured Audio & Video:

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SEL, Identity, and Achievement (Oct. 2021) - Lathardus Goggins II, Ed.D.

Powerful Partnerships: Educational Success Through Family Engagement - Karen L. Mapp Ed.D.

Excerpts from Reclaiming the Black Male Image:
The intersection of Identity & Achievement (2015)

ACEs and Toxic Stress: Rewriting the Story for the Next Generation

We Want to Do More than Survive:
Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom

Communal & Ancestral Knowledge for Our Black Children's Survival – 2020 Indiana Black Expo Education Conference

Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome

Building a Culture of Equity through SEL

ConnecTeach Racial Equity Conversations ...