Social Emotional Learning
What is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?
The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) defines social and emotional learning (SEL) as "an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions." See below for descriptions of the 5 SEL competency areas:
SEL at Butler
Butler classroom teachers currently use an evidence based, CASEL aligned, SEL curriculum called Second Step to teach whole-class SEL lessons. For more information on the current SEL practices at Butler, please click below:
SEL at Home
Looking for ways to support your child(ren's) social emotional development at home? You're in the right place!
Growth Mindset:
One of the many ways social emotional learning is imbedded into what we do each day at Butler is teaching students at every grade level what it means to have a growth mindset. We talk about our brains being like a muscle that needs practice and work, to grow and get stronger! Growth Mindset is when we believe that our intelligence and abilities can improve with effort and using the right strategies. People with a growth mindset are willing to face challenges, and view mistakes as an opportunity to learn, grow, and try again. This type of mindset is strongly linked to greater happiness and higher achievement in life. A Fixed Mindset is the opposite. People with a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence and abilities cannot change. They view mistakes as failures. Those stuck in a fixed mindset, people may be fearful of trying new things and taking risks.
Psycholoigist, Dr. Carol Dweck explains more in her Ted Talk below:
Mindfulness:
Mindfulness has been a part of the kindergarten social emotional learning curriculum for many years at Butler and has proven to be quite beneficial to our students, particularly when they are exposed at a young age. Scholarly research finds that mindfulness practice decreases stress and anxiety, increases attention, improves self-awareness and interpersonal relationships, strengthens compassion, and confers a host of other benefits.
In addition to explicit mindfulness skill instruction taught in kindergarten, elements of mindfulness are woven into the social emotional learning curriculum at other grade levels. Each week, our whole school community begins the day with a mindful moment to ground ourselves and prepare for a day of learning.
Check out some mindfulness videos below in Ms. Quinn's virtual Zen Den! These are great for the whole family.
Suggested Reading:
Books are a great way to learn and discuss various social emotional skills at home. Below, you will find a list of suggested books for elementary school students that cover a variety of social emotional topics. This list is not all encompassing and is just a sampling of the many wonderful books that can support SEL. Please do check back for updates or reach out to Ms. Quinn if you are in search of a book to support a specific topic.