DESSA's Social Emotional Learning Competencies

Learning Activity

As you know, SEL is generally recognized to have five competencies identified by CASEL: Self-awareness, Self-management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible decision-making. The Devereux Students Strengths Assessment (DESSA) includes three additional competencies:

• Optimistic Thinking
• Personal Responsibility
• Goal-Directed Behavior

Resources

Aperture 8 guide 

DESSA's Optimistic Thinking Guide

DESSA Blog

8 key SEL skills developed through hands-on learning:

1. Self-Awareness: Identifying emotions and strengths while engaged in a project (e.g., realizing you get frustrated when a design fails).
2. Self-Management: Regulating impulses and managing stress to work through challenges, like staying calm during trial-and-error.
3. Social Awareness: Understanding others' perspectives during group work, like a science experiment or building project.
4. Relationship Skills: Communicating, cooperating, and resolving conflicts constructively with peers.
5. Responsible Decision-Making: Evaluating options, identifying problems, and choosing effective solutions during hands-on tasks.
6. Self-Efficacy: Building confidence in one's ability to succeed through experimentation and overcoming mistakes.
7. Perseverance & Resilience: Learning to keep trying when things don't work, essential in project-based or experimental learning.
8. Communication & Collaboration: Working with others, sharing ideas, and listening actively to achieve a collective goal.