SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: In the Elementary School at BFIS

What is SEL?  Social and Emotional Learning  Five Key Areas:  Self-Awareness  Self-Management  Social Awareness  Relationship skills  Responsible decision making  Rational – to help out students learn these skills and practice them in a safe environment

What does SEL look like at BFIS?  Morning Meetings  Classroom Meetings (one period a week)  Monthly SEL Themes  Monthly Assemblies  Second Step (grades K-2)  Steps to Respect (grades 3-5)  Counseling

Morning Meetings  Every morning from 8:40-9:00  Purpose:  Sets the tone for respectful learning and establishes a climate of trust.  Morning Meeting motivates children by addressing two human needs: the need to feel a sense of significance and belong and the need to have fun.  The repetition of many ordinary moments of respectful interaction in Morning Meeting enables some extraordinary moments.  Morning Meeting merges social, emotional, and intellectual learning.

The 4 Components  Morning Greeting – Sets a positive tone and provides a sense of recognition and belonging  Morning Message – Eases transition into scheduled day, and reinforces a learning skill  Activity – Fosters active participation, encourages cooperation, and adds to group identity (all know common material)  Share - Develops skills of caring communication, provides public speaking practice, and stregthens vocabulary

Classroom Meeting  Classes hold meetings once a week  During scheduled time  Or if a big issue or concern occurs  Teachers set up routine and a safe environment  Meetings are a place to:  Share- Think  Encourage- Decide  Listen- Plan and evaluate

Purpose of Class Meetings  Assist students in personal growth  Help students to resolve conflict  Allow students to make suggestions and plan activities  Help improve academics  Unify the classroom  Offer a forum for recognizing and celebrating class accomplishments  Provide an occasion for enjoying each other’s company

Benefits in 5 Areas  Personal growth  Leadership, organizational and public-speaking skills  Thinking skills and cognitive gains  Problem-Solving skills  Interpersonal skills for creating a community of learners

Class Meeting Agenda  Call the meeting to order  “I now call this meeting to order.”  Encouragement Cicle  “Today, you will be encouraging me.”  Students provide compliments  Old Business  Teacher reports on old buisness  New Business  Read problems (one at a time)  Use “Steps in Solving Problems” to help you  Read suggesstions  Use “Steps for Discussing Suggestions” to help you  Thank you’s and compliments  Close meeting  Thank everyone for listening and participating  “Please return to your seats quietly”

Second Step (Kindergarten through 2nd grade)  Helps Develop: self-regulation skills; Social- emotional competencies; School connectedness  Helps Prevent: problem behaviors; peer rejection; Impulsivity; Antisocial Behavior; Low academic achievement  Helps Promote: Skills for learning; Empathy; Emotion Management; Problem Solving

Steps to Respect (3rd through 5th grade)  Emotional Intelligence Skills: Perspective taking and empathy; managing emotions  Self-Management Skills: Risk assessment and decision making; setting and achieving positive goals  Social Skills: assertive communication; distinguishing interntional hurt from unintentional hurt; conflict resolution; building and maintaining friendships

Monthly SEL Themes  September – Building a Sense of Community  October – Accepting and Embracing Differences  November – January – Friendship  February – Celebrating Individual and Linguistic Identity  March – Sportsmanship  April – Respecting Our Environment  May – Celebrating Our Cultures  June – Transitions and Goodbyes

Counseling  What issues are dealt with in counseling sessions?  Self-image and self-esteem  Career and educational goals  Family issues  Academics  Behavior  Conflict resolution  Goal setting, time management, organization  Communication and social skills  Bullying  Problem Solving & decision making

Why is this Important?  Research has shown that the implementation of an SEL program is consistently associated with student success, including:  Student perception that their education is important  Better relations between teacher and student  Academic and / or behavior monitoring  High grades  Feeling of safety and security at school  Student reports of higher satisfaction with their education

What can parents do at home? Continue the conversation at home!