Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

What is SEL?

SEL integrates self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making in our academic curriculum. I graduated from Neumann University in 2019 with a Masters in SEL. The courses I took changed not just my teaching, but my life. Don't just take it from me - at the bottom of this page you will find unedited quotes from my former students.

I was privileged to be featured on Thom Stecher's podcast last year to discuss how SEL had impacted my classroom. If you are interested in listening to that podcast, please visit Thom's podcast channel and look for my episode, "The Unicorn Squad." His channel features many incredible guests, including our own Mrs. Weber and Nurse Becky, and is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning more about SEL.

Mr. Smith's Friday Focus

Curious about what SEL looks like in a classroom? Take a peak at this video Mr. Smith made during a class visit.

SEL Connection at the CCIU

I had the honor of escorting 3 WVES students to the SEL Connection Conference in spring 2019. It was an incredible opportunity to facilitate dialogue between administrators, teachers, and students. This group of students did an incredible job sharing their ideas.

Dear School Board Members...

This is a video welcoming the OJR School Board into the daily lives of fourth graders at WVES. The work showcased by our students is a fantastic example of how SEL can be academically integrated into our curriculum.

Here are some of the SEL activities students have enjoyed in the past:

Group Juggle

This activity is great for community building and building trust in the classroom.

Fruit Loop Torch Relay

Kids LOVE this game! It is a modified relay race, so students build camaraderie and solve problems together.

Celebrating our differences

This activity gives students the opportunity to celebrate the things they have in common, as well as the things that set them apart. Every student has a chance to share their story, if they wish. We learn that our uniqueness is cause for celebration, and we celebrate each other all year long. In the past, some students have celebrated by teaching the class to count in their native language or translating words into sign language.

The Hidden Path

This is a great team-building game. The kids have to make their way through a hidden pathway, without telling each other the correct steps to take. It is a game of trial and error - and a lot of laughter!!

What is the FISH Philosophy?

The FISH Philosophy is our code of conduct. When you are following the FISH Philosophy, you are doing everything you can to learn joyfully and contribute to a healthy class community.

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