Should students be graded on their social and emotional learning?

Reading, writing, and . . . relating to others? Recently, educators have been paying a lot of attention to social and emotional learning, which includes skills such as problem solving and working well in teams. Teachers who have implemented SEL programs in their classrooms report increased productivity and fewer disruptions.

The importance of SEL extends into the working world as well, where even highly intelligent employees may not succeed if they lack essential socials skills. Many agree that SEL can give students important communication tools, but it is less clear how to measure SEL achievement in academic terms. Should report cards simply notify parents of their children's SEL strengths and weaknesses? Or should students actually be graded on their social and emotional learning? Tell us what you think.