Congressman Ryan, along with colleagues Tom Petri (R-Wisconsin), Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa), and Matt Cartwright (D-Pennsylvania) re-introduced legistlation this week that would encourage social-emotional learning across the country’s classrooms. If passed, elementary and secondary schools would receive funding to train teachers and principals and develop school-wide programs.
Social-emotional learning encompasses teaching students how to understand and manage emotions and work with others—beyond what might be encountered in a routine math or english class.
Ryan and his colleagues first introduced the bill in 2011, and Ryan hopes there is now more support for the bill.
“I have already seen what teaching social and emotional learning skills can do for a student and their classroom,” said Ryan in a statement yesterday. “Teaching social and emotional learning skills is based on the latest science and research, and schools in my congressional district are already improving because of social and emotional learning programs. Social and emotional competencies are absolutely essential skills—the foundation for all the other skills young people need to be successful in school and in life.”
To learn more about social-emotional learning, visit the Greater Good Science Center’s post about the bill, where they also discuss current research.
