Adult social and emotional learning emphasizes the crucial role of educators’ social and emotional competencies in the effective implementation of SEL programs in schools.

This domain advocates for comprehensive professional development and the formation of collaborative learning networks for educators, focusing on enhancing their SEL skills and overall well-being. Understanding that personal well-being is a part of professional development, as a teacher is critical. SEL integration into educators’ professional practices and daily interactions with students, not as an additional workload, but as a transformative element of interactions in the classroom is a critical aspect of pedagogical and classroom management development. 

This approach involves active participation of educators in continuous training, feedback, and a focus on creating supportive environments for their own personal social development. Ultimately, the Adult SEL domain recognizes that the personal and professional growth of educators is fundamental to fostering a successful environment for students. In the context of compassion cultivation, this domain includes Cognitively Based Compassion Training (CBCT), which helps educators develop their own compassion-based SEL skills. 

This domain supports the creation of emotionally safe, learning-focused environments where educators can develop personally and professionally. In practice, this involves dedicated time and resources for training, regular debriefing, reflection spaces, and cultivating a school culture that prioritizes adult SEL and well-being, recognizing its direct impact on the overall effectiveness of SEL implementation in students.