The alignment of wellness with academic performance
Position Statement
Academic development and social & emotional wellness are often described in distinct and separate ways. The Office of Student and Educator Wellness (OSEW) affirms peer-reviewed and published research of a correlation between social & emotional wellness and academic development. 1 – 7 This office assumes a duty of care to ensure that NH educators understand how, and under what conditions, students learn best. OSEW shares this research for guidance and provides technical assistance to schools and districts that align academic success with social & emotional wellness. [i]
In this effort, OSEW considers the following:
Brain Science (brain-based learning)
Brain-based learning is an approach to instruction that pulls from current research in neuroscience. Having basic knowledge of the structure and function of the human brain at different stages of development, and in various conditions, empowers educators to be effective in planning for, and addressing the diverse teaching and learning environments in NH classrooms. 3 Teachers familiar with brain-based learning can teach students about how wellness conditions impact their successes in school environments.
Evidence Based Practices
Research affirms that students participating in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curricula demonstrate improvements not only in self- and social awareness, relationships, and decision-making skills, but also in academics and standardized testing. 1 -4 SEL skills have been linked to improved attitudes about school and academic performance; for example, students who are more self-aware and confident about their learning abilities try harder in school and are more likely to persist in the face of challenges. 1 -4
In Sum
By recognizing and addressing a students’ social and emotional needs through a comprehensive lens, as well as an individual approach, such as data-identified prevention and intervention, and by building a more respectful and caring school climate, NH schools and districts can affect positive academic outcomes for all students. OSEW supports building awareness and systems that encourage and promote academic performance through the lens of social & emotional wellness.
1 Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D. & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: Ameta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1): 405–432.
2 Bierman, K.L., Domitrovich, C.E., Nix, R.L., Gest, S.D., Welsh, J.A., Greenberg, M.T., et al. (2008). Promoting academic and social-emotional school readiness: The Head Start REDI Program. Child Development, 79(6), 1802-1817.
3 Zins, J. E., Weissberg, R. P., Wang, M. C., & Walberg, H. J. (Eds.). (2004). Building academic success on social and emotional learning: What does the research say? New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
4 Payton, J. W., Graczyk, P., Wardlaw, D., Bloodworth, M., Tompsett, C., & Weissberg, R. (2000). Social and emotional learning: A framework for promoting mental health and reducing risk behavior in children and youth. Journal of School Health, 70, 179–185.
5 Hoover, S., Lever, N., Sachdev, N., Bravo, N., Schlitt, J., Acosta Price, O., Sheriff, L. & Cashman, J. (2019). Advancing Comprehensive School Mental Health: Guidance from the Field. Baltimore, MD: National Center for School Mental Health. University of Maryland School of Medicine.
6 Horner, R.H., Sugai, G., & Anderson, C.M. (2010). Examining the Evidence Base for School-Wide Positive Behavior Support. Focus on Exceptional Children, 42(8), 1-14.
7 Francisco L. Colino, Chad C. Williams, Cameron D. Hassall, Gordon Binsted, Olave E. Krigolson, The impact of wellness on neural learning systems, Neuroscience Letters, Volume 714,2020,134537,ISSN 0304-3940, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134537 Links to an external site.