The Educator's Guide to Emotional Intelligence and Academic Achievement: Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom

Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D. is Professor, Psychology Department, Rutgers University, Director of the Rutgers Social-Emotional Learning Lab, and Academic Director of The Collaborative Center for Community-Based Research and Service at Rutgers. He is Past President of the Society for Community Research and Action/Division of Community Psychology (27) of APA and has received the SCRA Distinguished Contribution to Practice and Ethnic Minority Mentoring Awards, as well the Joseph E. Zins Memorial Senior Scholar Award for Social-Emotional Learning from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the John P. McGovern Medal from the American School Health Association, and the Sanford McDonnell Award for Lifetime Achievement in Character Education.

Prof. Elias lectures nationally and internationally to educators and parents about students’ emotional intelligence, school success, and social-emotional and character development. Among Dr. Elias’ numerous books are ASCD’s Promoting Social and Emotional Learning: Guidelines for Educators, the Social Decision Making/Social Problem Solving curricula for grades k-8, the new e-book, Emotionally Intelligent Parenting, and a book for young children: Talking Treasure: Stories to Help Build Emotional Intelligence and Resilience in Young Children (www.researchpress.com, 2012). He also writes a blog for on SEL-related topics for the George Lucas Educational Foundation at www.edutopia.org.

With colleagues at the College of St. Elizabeth, he has developed an online credentialing program for Direct Instruction of Social-Emotional and Character Development (SECD) programs in classroom, small group, and after school settings (sel.rutgers.edu), and for School-Focused Leadership and Coordination of SECD and School Culture and Climate (SELinSchools.org).

Professor Elias interviewed with Rae Pica on Bam! Radio's Studentcentricity. You can find the interview, Classroom Management: Redirecting Misbehavior, here.

Take a look at a review on The Other Side of the Report Card, published by the New Jersey Association of School Psychologists here.

Dr. Harriet Brown Arnold is a veteran educator who has served as elementary school teacher, middle school administrator, elementary school principal, director of personnel and staff development, and international consultant to schools. A graduate of San Francisco State University with a B.A. in Social Welfare, she received her Masters in Education at California State University, San Jose and her Doctorate with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of San Francisco. Her professional development projects have included training for the Ministry of Education in the Bahamas and coordinating the Sequoia Beginning Teacher Program.