Fostering Emotional Resilience

Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a cornerstone of modern education, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills alongside academic achievement. This capstone project explores the impact of social-emotional learning (SEL) programs on student behavior and academic performance in a fifth-grade classroom. Grounded in the implementation of the "Be Good People" SEL curriculum, the research focuses on developing core competencies such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Data was collected through classroom observations, behavioral trend analysis, and Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) academic standardized testing to analyze changes in student academic and behavioral outcomes. Results indicated that the SEL program positively influenced both behavior and academic performance, fostering a more inclusive and supportive classroom environment. These findings suggest the importance of integrating SEL into daily teaching practices and advocating for its adoption at a broader school and district level. This project concludes with actionable recommendations for sustaining SEL initiatives through professional development, family engagement, and ongoing program evaluation to ensure long-term benefits for students and educational stakeholders.