Social Emotional Learning Competencies

Social Emotional Learning Competencies There are many different ways students experience stress in schools, from standardized or high stakes testing to bullying. In order to better  equip students with the emotional skills they will need while they are schools, once they leave school and enter the work force. Many schools are adopting programs to help support  Social-Emotional Learning (SEL).  Ã‚  The definition of  Social-Emotional Learning or SEL is:   (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.   In education, SEL has become the way schools and districts have coordinated activities  and programs in character education, violence prevention, anti-bullying, drug prevention and school discipline. Under this organizational umbrella, the primary goals of SEL are to reduce these problems enhancing the school climate, and improve students’ academic performance. FIVE COMPETENCIES FOR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Research shows that in order for students to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills described in SEL, students need to be  competent,  or have  abilities, in five areas: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision making. The following criteria for these skills could serve as an inventory for students to self-evaluate as well: Collaborative for Academic,  Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)  defines these areas of ability as: Self-awareness:   This is the students ability to accurately recognize emotions and thoughts and the influence   of emotions and thoughts on behavior. Self-awareness means that a student can accurately assessing his or her own strengths as well as limitations. Students who are self-aware possess a sense of confidence and optimism.  Self-management:  This is the ability for a student to regulate emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. The ability to self-manage includes how well the student manages stress, controls impulses,and   motivates himself or herself. The student who can self-manage can set and work toward achieving personal and academic goals.Social awareness:  This is the ability for a student to use another lens or another persons point of view. Students who are socially aware can empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures. These students can understand diverse social and ethical norms for behavior. Students who ar e socially aware can recognize and know where to find family, school, and community resources and supports.   Relationship skills:  This is the ability for a student to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. Students who have strong relationship skills  Ã‚  listening actively and  can communicate clearly. These students are cooperative while resisting inappropriate social pressure. These students have the ability to negotiate conflict constructively. Students with strong relationship skills can seek and offer help when needed.Responsible decision making:  This is the ability for a student to make constructive and respectful choices about his or her own personal behavior and social interactions. These choices are based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms. They respect the realistic evaluations of situations. Students who exhibit responsible decision making respect the consequences of various actions, the well-being of themselves, and the well-being of others. CONCLUSION The research  shows that  these competencies are taught most effectively within caring, supportive, and well-managed learning environments.   Incorporating social emotional learning programs (SEL) in school curriculum is considerably different than offering programs for math and reading test achievement. The goal of SEL programs is to develop students to be healthy, safe, engaged, challenged, and supported beyond school, well into college or career. The consequence, however, of good SEL programming,  is that the research shows that it results in a general improvement in academic achievement. Finally, the students who participate in social emotional learning programs offered through schools learn identify their individual strengths and weaknesses in dealing with stress. Knowing individual   strength or weaknesses can help student develop the social emotional skills they need to be successful in college and/or career.

Anabolic Steroids - Performance Enhancing Drugs

Anabolic Steroids - Performance Enhancing Drugs Anabolic steroids are a class of steroid hormones based on the androgen testosterone. Anabolic steroids are also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids or AAS or performance-enhancing drugs. What Do Anabolic Steroids Do? Anabolic steroids increase the rate of protein synthesis within cells. The building of cellular tissue (anabolism) is especially noticeable in muscles. Anabolic steroids also have androgenic and virilizing effects. They influence masculine characteristics such as the growth of the vocal cords and body hair. How Are Anabolic Steroids Used as Drugs? Anabolic steroids have been attractive to athletes and bodybuilders because they increase the size and strength of muscles. They also increase aggressiveness and competitiveness, which can be desirable traits in sports. Anabolic steroids may be prescribed to promote appetite, stimulate bone growth, induce male puberty, to lessen the effects of muscle wasting from chronic diseases, such as cancer or AIDS, and may show promise as a male contraceptive. The drugs are available as oral pills, injectable steroids, and skin patches. How Do Anabolic Steroids Work? Anabolic steroids change muscle mass and strength by two processes. First, the steroids lead to an increased production of proteins, which are the building blocks of muscle. The steroids also block the effect of the hormone cortisol on muscle tissue, so that existing muscle is broken down at a slower rate. Additionally, anabolic steroids lead to cells differentiating into muscle more readily than fat. What Are the Risks of Using Anabolic Steroids? In addition to increasing muscle strength and mass, the effects of taking anabolic steroids include harmful changes in cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, acne, liver damage, and changes to the structure of the left ventricle of the heart. Anabolic steroids have an androgenic or virilizing effect, meaning they affect male characteristics. Anabolic steroids affect the onset of puberty, the growth of the clitoris in females and the penis in male children (does not affect the size of the penis in adults), increased the size of the vocal chords and deepening of the voice, increased body hair, and premature baldness in people predisposed to it. Another side effect is decreased fertility and testicular atrophy. Why Are Anabolic Steroids Dangerous for Teens? Many of the side effects of taking performance-enhancing drugs can be countered by combining them with other drugs and exercise and are somewhat reversible in adults. However, anabolic steroid use can have permanent negative consequences if used by adolescents. One side effect can be the early onset of puberty. More significantly, the drugs can stunt growth by prematurely stopping the lengthening of the bones.