| Abstract: The authors use a social modeling and reinforcement paradigm to teach social and emotional learning in the elementary classroom. Culturally diverse literature is used to introduce and guide the learning for the targeted behaviors. Direct observations and pupil responses to enactments and paper assignments document the extent of learning Social and emotional learning is proposed for the elementary-aged child within a diverse society. This instruction is consistent with the emphasis on global education and the need to prepare our students for a shrinking planet and increasingly diverse immediate and larger environments. Advanced societies demand that we recognize, respect, and celebrate the “other.” At minimum, authorities agree successful global citizens can affirm others, take others’ perspectives, experience empathy, develop meaningful cooperative relations with others, and pursue social justice: the ability to question unfair practices and advocate for self and others. Accordingly, we need to extend social and emotional learning. Diversity is defined broadly so that this model includes differences according to race, religion, gender, socioeconomics, language, ethnicity, disability, and age. Learners are helped to identify with literature models and discern aspects of the literature to employ most advantageously. This learning benefits the child, the classroom, the school, the family, and the community. Lessons focus on affirming self and others, asserting self, managing conflict situations, and maintaining these behaviors over time. |