Evolving Transformative Social and Emotional Learning with an Ecological Perspective

Owen, R., Srinivason, M.,Wanless, S. (2025)
Social and Emotional Learning Research, Practice, and Policy. Vol. 6, December, 100126

What is the connection between climate change and meditation? Everything. Climate change is a first-tier concern in our world today.
​The effects of climate change on the environment, e.g. extreme weather conditions, rising seas, and wildfires, can cause fear, anxiety, and helplessness among young people. The authors of this article make the compelling  case for integrating an ecological perspective into SEL (Social Emotional Learning) practices in schools. 

Practices of mindfulness among youth transform thinking from an inner focus to an outer direction. When applied to the context of climate and environmental justice, students learn to see themselves in relationship to one another and the world.The shift from self to beyond self opens the door for students to recognize inequities such as the effects of climate change on people and the world. Once realized, students can take actions to mitigate its effects and become champions of climate justice.