Utilizing Culturally Responsive Teaching in an SEL Curriculum

Schools are increasing the use of social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, especially at the elementary level. As this trend continues, it's important to examine the SEL curriculum and the competencies that define it. While there are similar definitions for explaining what's involved in SEL, most educators agree that it's basically the process through which students acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, in order to help them make more responsible decisions. In this chapter, the detailed elements of SEL will be reviewed first, followed by an overview of the basic tenets of culturally responsive teaching. Additional cultural needs that today's elementary, middle, and high school students face will also be addressed in this chapter. The last part of the chapter will discuss the importance of merging SEL and culturally responsive teaching in co-existence in order to develop a stronger curriculum for creating equitable outcomes for diverse groups of students.