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Holistic K-12 Schools: Designing for Social-Emotional Learning
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships and make responsible and caring decisions”
Students spend approximately 15,000 hours in school before graduation. (4) After a child’s home, school is the second most influential place in a child life, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. (61) As such, schools are uniquely positioned to bring a holistic approach to a child’s health. Schools not only facilitate learning, but they also build selfesteem, and provide socialization, counseling, medical services, food, laundry facilities, physical activity and more. To better support students, schools are expanding their focus through social-emotional learning (SEL).
The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning defines SEL as “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.” (62) Emerging evidence suggests SEL curriculum benefit children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. (63) In fact, a 2019 study of 213 SEL programs found that 27% of students saw an improve in their academic performance. (64) Additionally, the study found 24% of students improved social behaviors and exhibited lower levels of distress. Ultimately, SEL improves lives over time. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found significant associations between kindergartner’s social emotional skills and future wellness into adulthood. (65)
In 2022, the US Department of Education published a report for Designing and Implementing Social Emotional Learning Programs to Promote Equity. (66) The report highlights the benefits of SEL for an equitable society, but through the lens of the curriculum and training of staff and families. This report and much of the existing research does not mention the role of the built environment in promoting SEL. By following the six principles of SEL through the design lens, there is a holistic, evidence-based approach to support the students.
Flexibility
According to research, emotional awareness, expression, and regulation differ by student demographics. (67) With the diverse student population in today’s schools, socialemotional learning programs must be adaptable for specific student needs to effectively improve social-emotional competencies. As such, flexible learning environments need to be able to rapidly adapt to support the needs of students across grade levels and abilities. These adaptations may range from hourly changes, such as reconfiguring furniture, to wholescale repurposing for a new school year.
Customization
Customizing learning spaces can take place in new construction, as well as existing buildings to respond to students’ physical, educational, cultural, and socialbehavioral needs. Often, tailored learning spaces are heavily influenced by principles of Universal Design for Learning. (7) As highlighted in UDL research on student learning, spaces need to facilitate and balance features to support all sorts of learners: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, as well as reading and writing. Personalized learning spaces respond to rapidly developing students as each child brings a unique personal narrative to their learning environment. (68)
Visibility
Visibility is the ability for students, teachers, and staff to see one another throughout the building. It encompasses the idea of “to see and to be seen.” In his book, “Visible Learning Into Action,” author John Hattie makes the case for visible learning in which he argues for learning by watching. In schools, learning by watching can take place on an insular level within a distinct space. (69) Yet by introducing transparency, there is the opportunity for greater exposure with effects that ripple through the building and its occupants. For instance, connectivity to transparent breakout rooms creates sightlines to all learning spaces. This allows for teacher supervision, while giving students independence needed grow.
Communicative
An identity-focused school tells a story by sparking emotional human connections and supporting a common vision and mission. Through architecture, interior design, and graphics, communicative spaces can establish and reinforce a school’s values and expectations. Thoughtful communicative graphics and signage can indirectly mitigate implicit biases, racial anxiety, stereotype threat, and hate, which diminish student performance. (70) At the same time, these design elements can create an environment where students feel welcome in their community. Social and graphic wayfinding can support safety and security for all occupants by positively reinforcing students’ self-worth, facilitating ease of movement through the space without consequence, fostering inclusion of the greater school community, and supporting students of all abilities. (71)
Collaborative
At the heart of learning is collaboration, human connection, and engagement. Collaboration is an essential social development skill that has implications for future job performance, building healthy relationships, and conflict resolution. (72) Design can support deliberate, formal collaboration while also providing opportunities for spontaneous human connection. Through breakout areas, learning pods, and social spaces, collaboration areas allow for students to engage with one another. This supports a social learning pedagogy- in which humans learn best by observation and interaction. In this collaboration zones, students can learn teamwork, communication and problem solving.
