Students’ social, emotional, and academic development are “deeply intertwined,” and all are central to learning, according to a new consensus report by a 28-member scientific panel organized by the Aspen Institute’s National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development.
Beyond academics, the skills students need to be successful in the classroom and in life can be grouped into three areas:
• Cognitive skills, including executive functions such as working memory, attention control and flexibility, inhibition, and planning, as well as beliefs and attitudes that guide one’s approaches to learning and growth;
• Emotional competencies that enable one to cope with frustration, manage emotions, and understand others’ perspectives; and
• Social and interpersonal skills that enable one to read social cues, navigate social situations, resolve interpersonal conflicts, work effectively in a team, and demonstrate compassion and empathy toward others.
