Dr. Daphne Kopelman-Rubin and Dr. Netta Sagie Publish Special Article on SEL in the AI Age in It’s Time for Education

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These days many are focusing on AI algorithms and smart agents, but the ultimate future-proof skills are not actually be technical at all.

In this fascinating article in Hebrew, Daphne and Netta reveal why social-emotional learning (SEL) is the real secret weapon in education and the workplace. As machines automate technical tasks, core human competencies like emotional regulation, self-awareness, and building healthy relationships will define who actually leads and innovates.

https://www.edunow.org.il/article/4696

New Study Sheds Light on the Prosocial Classroom Model

A new article that is part of Noa Weiss-Klayman’s doctoral research at the SEL.IL Center sheds light on the Prosocial Classroom Model (PCM). This study concluded that teachers with higher social-emotional competencies (SEC) implemented prosocial classroom management practices in a manner that facilitated their students’ SEC development. The study, which was published in Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, highlights the importance of teachers’ SEC and has significant implications for teacher training programs. The research was conducted under the joint supervision of Dr. Daphne Kopelman-Rubin and Prof. Mark T. Greenberg. Weiss-Klayman, N., Greenberg, M. T., & Kopelman-Rubin, D. (2026). The Missing Piece: The Mediating Role of Prosocial Classroom Management Practices in Understanding the Direct Relationship between Teachers’ and Students’ SEC. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 7(100202). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2026.100202
Dr. Daphne Kopelman-Rubin and Dr. Netta Sagie Publish Special Article on SEL in the AI Age in It’s Time for Education

These days many are focusing on AI algorithms and smart agents, but the ultimate future-proof skills are not actually be technical at all. In this fascinating article in Hebrew, Daphne and Netta reveal why social-emotional learning (SEL) is the real secret weapon in education and the workplace. As machines automate technical tasks, core human competencies like emotional regulation, self-awareness, and building healthy relationships will define who actually leads and innovates. https://www.edunow.org.il/article/4696
Rawad-SEL – The Trailblazers Leading Change in Baka el-Gharbiya

Al-Sanabel initiative in Baka el-Gharbiya is expanding and institutionalizing its best practices. In its fourth year, the Rawad training program was born. Rawad (رواد) means “trailblazers” in Arabic. This group of leaders, composed of two staff members from each participating school, is set to make social-emotional learning (SEL) an inseparable part of the school’s DNA. Why Rawad? The decision to introduce this training element stemmed from the need to move from individual initiatives within each school to sustainable, systemic change at the municipal level. School counselors and pedagogical coordinators were intentionally chosen to lead the initiative.This strategic, deliberate connection aims to connect the emotional-therapeutic aspect of school (which is the responsibility of school counselors) with the didactic implementation in the classrooms (which is the responsibility of the pedagogical coordinators). Together, they are breaking new ground to build a language and routines that will transform the promotion of SEL skills from an external add-on from the municipal school system to the heart of the school pedagogy. What does the Rawad training include? Participants undergo an in-depth process based on the unique SEL model developed in Baka el-Gharbiya. The model designed especially for the city has three main components: developing identity; developing agency; and recognizing, expressing and regulating emotions. The training provides participants with tools to guide communities of teachers and to develop skills to integrate SEL into pedagogy. This year, each pair of school representatives already is guiding a group of teachers as part of a school training program. This is a crucial step in realizing the city’s vision: building a strong education system that endows its students with a sense of pride and a local identity, as well as reduce violence by strengthening the SEL skills of the next generation in Baka el-Gharbiya.
Dr. Daphne Kopelman-Rubin and Dr. Netta Sagie Publish Special Article on Cultivating Excellence in “It’s Time for Education”

Is an intense focus on academics enough to prepare students for success in high-stakes tracks? Do you focus solely on cognitive skills or do you cultivate the inner strength to persevere? How do you help them handle intense pressure and fear of failure? In their insightful article in a Hebrew-language magazine dedicated to education, “How did emotion become the secret ingredient in promoting excellence?” Daphne and Netta reveal six social-emotional skills that are vital to academic excellence. https://www.edunow.org.il/article/4624
The Connection Between SEL and Literacy Development

CASEL recently published a report addressing the close connection between social-emotional learning (SEL) and literacy development in early childhood and elementary school. The report emphasizes the contributions that executive functioning, self-regulation, and emotional well-being make to the processes of reading, comprehension, and learning. The report presents a wide-ranging literature review of relevant research and reinforces the understanding that the deliberate integration of SEL is a key component in promoting academic success over time. We are proud that the report cites our research on the ICS preschool program that Dr. Inna Kats Gold and Dr. Daphne Kopelman-Rubin led. Ward, A. E., Beebe, J. L., Lane, G. M., Steele, L., & Ma, A. (2025). How Social and Emotional Learning Supports Student Literacy, Pre K-Grade 5. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). https://casel.org/how-sel-supports-literacy-pre-k-grade-5
New SEL Questionnaire for Israeli Elementary School Pupils

A new article that is part of Noa Weiss-Klayman’s doctoral research at the SEL.IL Center presents the development and validation of a questionnaire for assessing social-emotional competencies of pupils in grades 4-6. The new questionnaire encompasses five key dimensions that have been found to have high validity and reliability. It is culturally and developmentally adapted to an Israeli context. Based on the Israeli standards for social-emotional learning and in line with the CASEL model, the new questionnaire is part of the growing research and applied infrastructure for promoting the assessment and development of SEL programs in schools in Israel. The research was conducted under the joint supervision of Dr. Daphne Kopelman-Rubin and Prof. Mark Greenberg. Weiss-Klayman, N., Greenberg, M. T., & Kopelman-Rubin, D. (2024). Development and Validation of a Social-Emotional Questionnaire for Students in Grades 4-6 (SEQ [G4-6]). International Journal of Emotional Education, 16(2), 21–36. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/128321

Dr. Daphne Kopelman-Rubin and Dr. Netta Sagie Publish Special Article on SEL in the AI Age in It’s Time for Education

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