SEL in 5 – September Edition
This month, we discuss a proactive approach to teacher-student relationships and student supports.
One additional note: our team recently spoke with Polly Stansell, VP of Product at Committee for Children, about the recently launched “More Than Just Okay” initiative. You can read the full interview here.
3 SEL Leadership Thoughts
Student voice, empowerment, and attention to equity need to be at the heart of every school-based effort to address trauma. Too many social-emotional-learning curricula and behavioral health efforts start from a place of deficit: What is this child lacking? Listening to children, by contrast, starts from a place of strength: How is this child an expert on their own experience? What can we learn about this child’s needs and strengths from listening to them? [Tweet This]
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We don’t need a new curriculum or technology to create authentic connections with students. We don’t need to fund new roles to improve relationships. Instead, we need to view students’ sense of belonging as a state that we can cultivate and prompt ourselves to proactively build belonging—in our environments and in our interactions with others. [Tweet This]
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The work of improving social-emotional and academic outcomes for students is incredibly complex. Continuous improvement will only come when we embrace experimentation; when we can learn from failures instead of avoiding them or brushing them under the rug. [Tweet This]
2 Quotes from SEL Leaders
“We need to become a wellness model instead of a sickness model. We need to teach skills to all children, so they can use them before challenges escalate to crisis.” – R. Keeth Matheny [Read More]
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“It’s important not to lose sight of the fact that schools have been teaching kids social-emotional skills such as communication, problem-solving, and confidence for generations, not only because it prepares them to thrive in the real world, but because these skills are valued by employers. And, at the end of the day, isn’t that what we all want for our children—the skills to live happy, healthy, and successful lives?” – Polly Stansell, VP of Product at Committee for Children [Read More]
1 Question for You
How might we encourage others to shift to a more proactive and asset-based approach when it comes to student supports?
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If you enjoyed that, please consider sharing SEL in 5 with others.
Until next month,
Nick Woolf
Author of SEL in 5
Founder of Inside SEL
p.s. here’s what else I’m reading:
Alarm on Children’s Mental Health Has Been Rising for Decades. Too Few Have Listened.
Emotions Come and Go In Waves. We Can Teach Students How to Surf Them.
Committee for Children’s VP of Product on the "More Than Just Okay" Campaign
Montpelier School District Offers Free Mental Health Support
Social-Emotional Learning Helps Our Kids Be More Than Just Okay