Social-emotional learning (SEL) is one of the core elements of the Empower Generations approach to education. Through social-emotional learning, learners understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
Academic achievement is only one aspect of a learner’s education at Empower Generations. We also deeply value learners’ development of emotional intelligence, life skills, and community engagement, and we support these through the development of character strengths, as defined by Character Lab. Social-emotional learning develops strengths of heart, mind, and will.
Today, we want to discuss a character strength of will: optimism. Optimism is being hopeful about future outcomes combined with the agency to shape that future.
When we embody the character strength of optimism, the following things are true about us:
We can help learners build healthy optimism in the following ways:
Character Lab CEO Angela Duckworth has said, “It stands to reason that even in our darkest moments, there will always be hope for humankind.”
That thought likely rings true for many of us as we survey a world gripped by multiple ongoing crises. We all need optimism, and we have a responsibility to help kids develop a healthy strength of optimism that will help them face the world.
This is our last week of our Crime Scene Investigation project for Ms. Susan’s learners. They will make their final decisions this week and put together their final presentations! Questions? Email email@example.com.