November 28, 2021 Volume I, Section 14

Social Emotional Learning

"Meeting learners where they are and growing them as much as we can!"

Teaching the skills to be ready to Learn

Returning to our first full year of full-time instruction on campus since the pandemic began has proved to be a challenge in many ways. One thing is apparent. Students are struggling with returning to the social pressures of being on a campus all day. Every day we work with children who are navigating being surrounded by others, trying to manage friendships, and learning how to manage their own complex emotions. We know students are less available for learning when they feel these challenges. We also see atypical student behaviors when emotions and stressors are high. Recognizing this, we are "meeting learners where they are" and increasing our lessons around Social Emotional Learning (SEL.)

Chet F. Harritt teachers use the Second Step program as our SEL curriculum on campus. This program was adopted by the Santee School District. Second Step's goal is to create "a sense of safety and respect grounded in the social-emotional health and well-being of the entire school community." The strength of a shared curriculum like this is that is builds on itself over the years and allows for common language on campus.

As children grow in this area, you will notice a few things. They will be more aware of the skills needed for learning with regard to focus and attention. They will better understand how to set goals for learning and monitor their progress on those goals. They will better understand the feelings of others and empathy. They will have more tools for identifying and resolving conflicts. These are skills that not only benefit them in school, but in life.

We've all had to acknowledge that these are tough times. It's important to also understand that children do not always have the skills necessary to navigate them. They need instruction, just as they need instruction in reading and mathematics. As a matter of fact, learning reading and mathematics are that much harder without these skills. It's time to show patience and empathy as we all grow together to manage ourselves in this complex learning environment.