The certificate in Social and Emotional Learning provides practicing teachers with requisite background knowledge, understanding, and preparation so as to engage students in social and emotional learning. In order for teachers to enable students to become more aware and understanding of their own and others’ emotions, teachers need to understand their own emotions as well.

The arena of social and emotional learning is a new, growing, and much needed public school curricular domain. During the last three decades, public schools have focused almost exclusively on cognitive academic outcomes. While some progress has been achieved, the consensus seems to be that a renewed emphasis on the whole student needs to be restored. At the same time teachers’ professional work conditions have deteriorated. Teachers new to the field are leaving the profession at greater rates than in the past. Teacher “burnout” is a recognized and acknowledged public education phenomenon.

Students who wish to take classes and separately complete certificates without enrolling in the full MA program should see the Teacher Leadership program graduate certificate pathway.

Requirements

EDUA 5004The Teacher in SEL - Powerful Personal and Professional Emotions (asynchronous)2
EDUA 5005SEL for Students: A Path to Social and Emotional Well-Being (asynchronous)2
EDUA 5006Expanding SEL (asynchronous)2
EDUA 5007Social and Emotional Learning Capstone (synchronous)4
Total Credit Hours10

In order to earn a certificate, students must receive a minimum grade of a C or higher in each course. The cumulative GPA for certificate courses must be 3.0 or higher.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge outcomes:

This certificate will prepare teacher leaders to:

  • Examine and reflect on the role of emotions in teaching and learning.
  • Know the important distinct features and curricular approaches utilized in K-12 SEL curricula; consider alternative approaches to student well-being.
  • Choose and justify the appropriate K-12 or teacher SEL programming for their setting.

Skill outcomes:

This certificate will prepare teacher leaders to:

  • Know the ways in which their emotions affect their classroom interactions and educational contexts.
  • Implement an existing or develop an alternative SEL curriculum for their setting.
  • Identify or develop a teacher SEL approach for their setting.