Reflections on SEL From a Decade of Teaching

I started my teaching career in a government school in Victoria, Australia, in 2016 as a young 22-year-old graduate teacher. My attention was centered on curriculum delivery and classroom management. But, looking back, I now recognize that what did not get enough attention was the important topic of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).

As the years went on, I developed a much greater understanding of the need for SEL in creating an inclusive learning environment. It was not until I started teaching at Aoba Japan International School that I began to understand the role of SEL in the educational setting. Moving from teaching Grade 5 and Grade 4 in Australia to teaching Grade 2 in Japan, I began to see how emotional and social skills, combined with a strong academic framework, are essential tools for both academic and personal development.

In Australia, my early teaching experience focused mostly on academic achievement. Sometimes, we would touch on behavioral and well-being issues, but SEL was not something that was explicitly taught. However, when I started teaching at Aoba in Grade 2, I began to see the connection between social and emotional skills and academic achievement. In the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, where critical thinking is important, I learned how to guide students through the social and emotional challenges they faced each day.

An important concept in Grade 2 was the size of the problem. Teaching young children how to consider whether a broken pencil or an argument with a friend is a small or big problem was very important in helping them build emotional regulation. If children can learn to assess the scale of a problem, it helps them remain calm and effective in those situations. Is it a “glitch” or a “big problem?” This approach helps children recognize their emotions and make better choices.

Another key focus was conversation starters for conflict and anger management. Instead of simply telling children what not to do, I learned to give them actual tools to help them navigate tough situations. Phrases like "What was your trigger?" or "What do you think would help us solve this?" gave students the language and a framework to communicate their feelings in a constructive way. We used the toolbox to help them find strategies if they were in the “red zone,” which could mean they were angry or frustrated. They learned to use the quiet area by telling the teacher what zone they were in, choosing something to help them calm down, and then returning to learning when they were ready. Since students were in Grade 2, they still needed a lot of guidance. For example, we made sure they use a timer so they know when they should rejoin the class.

I also found that many students needed to understand the meaning of empathy. It was important to ensure they were aware of other people’s feelings and understood the idea of putting themselves in someone else’s shoes. I had students act out different scenarios using sentence starters such as, “I feel ___ when you ___, please ___.” This allowed students to practice empathy in real-life situations, and I began to notice this behavior naturally taking place in my classroom.

It is so simple, yet so important; not having resilience and emotional regulation will leave students unprepared. These qualities of emotional competence, including the ability to deal with challenges, manage emotions, and be empathetic, contribute to long-term success and happiness. These are the qualities we can give our students that will stay with them for life.