Defining The C.A.R.E.S. Competencies

What are the Five Competencies of SEL?

The five competencies of social and emotional learning are cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control, also known as C.A.R.E.S. These competencies were researched and developed by the Center for Responsive Schools and are taught within the Fly Five curriculum.

To guide the teaching of social and emotional learning in the classroom, the Center for Responsive Schools (CRS) developed five, research-backed competencies that are necessary for students’ social, emotional, and academic success. These competencies are cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control, known collectively as C.A.R.E.S.

The C.A.R.E.S. competencies were first developed by CRS in the early 1980s and confirmed through research in the 1990s. These competencies are at the core of the Fly Five curriculum, where the developmentally appropriate skills of each competency are the focus of lessons, read-alouds, and additional resources. C.A.R.E.S. also aligns to the “CASEL Five” competencies of relationship skills, self-awareness, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and self-management. Explore the connection between C.A.R.E.S. and the CASEL Five in the chart below.

Defining C.A.R.E.S

Each of the five C.A.R.E.S. competencies plays a foundational role in the teaching and development of social and emotional skills. These competencies also transform the classroom into a safe and productive learning environment where all students can thrive.