Douglas Knoll

What does social emotional learning look like at DK?

Overall, our team is very supportive of each other.  We support each other with students - our classrooms are always open to students from other classrooms if they need a change of environment.  

Specifically, in our classrooms, we have a word of the week, number of the week, and now a social emotional focus of the week.  This shows students and parents that this is something important that we are focused on. We talk about the focus at the beginning of the week and then throughout the week.

We also incorporate academic and social-emotional learning together throughout the day.  For example, at blocks center - we talk about both sharing and who has more or less blocks.  

We also reinforce behaviors that we want to see.  In one class, the class earns a puzzle piece when they meet an expectation.

We have additional staff supports.  Our social worker, Kim, is often making sure we are okay and the students are okay.  Dr. Terry-Leonard (the early childhood mental health consultant) provides a very safe space to talk with her honestly about what is happening.  She gives us good strategies to help us with challenges that we identify and that she has noticed.  

Finally, we are really focused on our own wellness as a staff.  We talk about emotions honestly with each other. As a staff, we don’t feel the pressure that we cannot take a moment to feel frustrated or angry.  We never feel bad if we have to take an emotional day. And the Monday newsletter that Charlie puts out includes a section specifically on self-health and teacher wellness.  

Can you speak to the value that SEL has at this campus?  

We really see the value with our parents.  Lots of parents come in and they are putting out different types of energy, bringing in lots of stress.   It helps to de-escalate when they are coming in with so much. They see that school for us is so much more than “this is A! Clap the syllables!”.  They see us taking a moment to talk about these things with their children and we see it transferring on to the parents.

What does your staff do to ensure all kids are growing their social emotional skills?

We try to encourage social emotional skills when we see them.  We narrate what is doing on. For example, if a child throws a block we talk them through how we understand they may have wanted to share it, but here are the ways to do it.

We try to articulate our own emotions to students when we are having our own moments.  “I am feeling frustrated because there are books all over the floor; let’s take time to meditate”.  We practice lots of different breathing exercises and use the Calm Body book.  

We also set goals for preschool - they are to voice how we feel, understand what it means to wait, and have compassion.

What advice do you have for teaching teams who want to improve their SEL practices?

Incorporate it into all moments of the day!  It is not hard to do. You can teach SEL, manners, and spatial awareness during lunch, recess, and transitions.  It honestly makes your life much more easier to teach social-emotional skills. Once you do it and they get those skills, everything else flows.  Also, be consistent with language and use it throughout the school day. And finally, take care of yourself first so you can present.