Doctors and teachers converge at the importance of social-emotional learning. Doctors work in a developmental world. Peter, a little boy I first met in the newborn nursery, is now a lively four-year-old trying to hit me with my own stethoscope. How did this happen? I'm not entirely sure, but I know it involves the millions of neurons and trillions of synapses in his brain. Peter's emotional networks, a web of neurons extending from the amygdala through his brain and beyond, significantly influence how he thinks and learns. Simultaneously, Peter's cognitive brain is learning to affect his emotional brain in ways that can alter reactions and behaviors.
I observed Peter as he read his mom's facial expressions and the tone of her voice when she took the stethoscope from him. He expressed his frustration by announcing to the room, "Don't do that!" However, Peter is also tough and realized that the penlight I gave him after getting my stethoscope was a nice extra. Peter's cognitive processing was evident, much like a computer screen displaying information. We must also recognize that a constantly updated emotional brain was working in the background, not always visible but fully engaged in these interactions.
Our emotional lives strongly impact our ability to acquire new knowledge. Our cognitive (thinking) brain needs to learn to recognize, balance, and filter all that emotional noise to enable us to learn and grow. This is why pediatricians incorporate guidance on social-emotional learning (SEL) topics into routine check-ups and why so many teachers are adopting SEL programs.
Educators report that focusing on key skills that drive long-term academic success involves not just IQ but social-emotional abilities like self-awareness and self-regulation, understanding what others might be experiencing, and the skills needed to work effectively in groups. Children are not born with these skills any more than they are born knowing their ABCs.
What does SEL look like in practice? In first grade, the teacher might use a question from SEL flashcards like, "How does it make you feel when someone cuts in line?" and let each student respond. This isn’t about manners; it prompts the emotional brain to include the cognitive brain in the conversation. It's the difference between kicking the pushy line-breaker and responding more effectively, like speaking up. In fifth grade, SEL might involve a game of emotional charades (guessing the emotion a student is expressing) to help students read the room. High school activities, like journaling, can combine academic goals with emotional awareness.
There is substantial evidence that social-emotional skills are critical to academic success and are teachable. Pediatricians provide anticipatory guidance on everything from nutrition to screen time, even if parents haven’t brought it up. We offer this guidance from the very first encounter with each family. We know we can’t wait until a child has a near-drowning incident before we talk about water safety. This is why SEL programs make sense to us. From a pediatric perspective, SEL stands out as education’s version of anticipatory guidance. We shouldn't wait until a child is academically drowning before teaching them how to swim.
In classrooms where SEL is integrated, teachers, students, and parents all benefit. Teachers tell us that social-emotional skills are an essential part of a child's educational skill set and a crucial investment in long-term academic success. Studies show that parents feel empowered by learning how to foster social-emotional competence at home. Teachers say they can teach more effectively because their students are performing better. Administrators note that school culture seems to improve as well.
SEL is not a cure for educational inequalities or the frustrating teach-to-the-test mindset that plagues many education systems. However, it highlights the interconnectedness between the emotional and cognitive centers of the brain. Pediatricians are generally comfortable with the idea of letting promising new approaches grow and develop. SEL as an educational tool might still be in its early stages of development. It would likely benefit from more consistent SEL programs and professional training initiatives. Nonetheless, it must be taken seriously as it gradually matures—much like Peter.