Developing children’s innate systems intelligence to enhance social and emotional learning
A diverse group of people involved with the Center for Systems Awareness, including the co-founders, a board member, reviewers and Master Practitioners, have just published an article titled “Developing children’s innate systems intelligence to enhance social and emotional learning” in the journal Social and Emotional Learning : Research, Practice and Policy.
Here is the abstract:
This paper explores the concept of systems intelligence in children and highlights its links to social and emotional learning (SEL), proposing that young people possess an innate capacity to understand interdependence, relationships, and change within complex systems. The argument centers on the importance and feasibility of cultivating systems intelligence in children and youth as a response to the complex challenges societies face today. Traditional education often overlooks this innate capacity, emphasizing technical academic content and reductionistic approaches instead. Drawing on insights from Goleman and Senge’s (2014) The Triple Focus, we propose that integrating attention to intrapersonal, interpersonal, and broader social and ecological interdependence can deepen and extend SEL. Practical examples of systems intelligence in action—such as young children using feedback loops to resolve conflicts—illustrate the intuitive nature of this form of thinking. We also show that a variety of practical tools now exist to help educators weave systems science into SEL in diverse contexts. Finally, we situate cultivating systems intelligence within recent educational innovations, arguing that, together, these can enable a transformative educational paradigm that fosters both deeper understanding of interconnectedness and agency in addressing global issues.
Access to the original article in Elsevier
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