At the heart of all KICP programmes is a commitment to the wellness of every individual involved. As such, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) forms the foundation of both our pre-service and in-service teacher development initiatives.
SEL focuses on key human capacities—communication, collaboration, resilience, reflection, problem-solving, sensitivity, and relationship-building. By embedding SEL into all our work, KICP aims to equip teachers with the emotional intelligence and social awareness essential for deep, meaningful learning experiences. Our SEL approach is values-driven, empowering educators and learners with the personal and social competencies they need to thrive. It incorporates core professional skills that promote agility, adaptability, and critical thinking, helping individuals succeed in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.
This approach is fully supported by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (KZNDoE) and aligns with the South African Constitution and curriculum policy. It enables schools to integrate emotional and social intelligence across the curriculum in practical and sustainable ways.
KICP believes in empowering teachers, student teachers, and school leaders with personal and social competence through blending emotional and social intelligence principles in practice. KICP aims to develop the practices of reflection, resilience, relationship building, and the habits of mind in all education practitioners we work with. The cross-cutting social and emotional learning (SEL) theme is values-based and empowers staff and learners with personal and social competence, incorporating core work-related skills to develop agility and flexibility in a digitally orientated world. By implementing more SEL-focused classroom practices, teachers and learners alike are able to mindfully address the contextual challenges they face.
Improving SEL in schools allows the learners' voice to be heard and valued. When peer moderation is embraced, open, honest, and difficult conversations can be facilitated. This leads to behavious modification and the embedding of positive school cultures.
Key aspects of SEL are:
- Social skills training: coordination, communication, collaboration, critical thinking
- Resilience, Relationships, Reflection
- Emotional and social intelligence
- Training in the circle paradigm
- Problem solving and sensitivity
"Emotion and learning are completely connected.
If you are in a positive emotional space – if you are feeling good about yourself and your teacher –
that opens up the opportunity for more learning”
Edutopia, The Power of Relationships in Schools (2019)
