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Social Emotional Learning
October, 2023
Welcome to the First Edition of Social Emotional Learning: Creating a School-Home Partnership.
These newsletters will function as a tool to help create a partnership between what students learn in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) class, and how parents/guardians can use the same language and activities to help their learner use the skills in situations at home!
What is Social Emotional Learning?
CASEL Resources state that:
We define 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 person and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.
SEL Framework, known as the "CASEL Wheel," helps cultivate skills and environments that advance students' learning and development. The five competencies within the wheel include:
1 - Self-Awareness
2 - Self-Management
3 - Responsible Decision-Making
4 - Relationship Skills
5 - Social Awareness
Click on the CASEL framework wheel to explore the CASEL website for more information on SEL.
Self Awareness
Each newsletter will talk about one of five CASEL competencies: the first one is Self-Awareness.
Self awareness is defined as the abilities to understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts.
Examples:
- Identifying one's emotions
- Demonstrating honesty and good character
- Examining self-confidence
- Having a growth mindset
- Developing interests and a sense of purpose
Which one of the following could be used for self-awareness?
School to Home Connection
During Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons, we use cue words to help our learners with Self-Awareness.
One of our lessons comes from Sesame Street:
I notice
I feel
I can
I Notice: Notice what you feel in your body, like butterflies in your stomach. Sometimes your face may feel red hot, or your heart starts to pound.
I Feel: Name the emotion you're feeling, and what happened to make you feel that way.
"I feel frustrated when my sister snatched my toy from me."
I Can: Choose a strategy for managing your feelings like belly breathing or going for a walk.
You can use the same words at home to help review these cues/skills in all settings.
Resources
"The Very Last Leaf"
"The Very Last Leaf" is a story that addresses self-confidence, anxiety, and perfectionism. Click here to be directed to a read aloud you can watch with your child/ren. Feel free to pause the video at different spots to talk about parts of the books and how they apply to home.
Self-Awareness with Positive Action
Fall Leaf Drawing Activity
Click here to access a Fall Leaf Drawing activity. This is a great activity that you could do with your child/ren or help them work through the video. Key points would be to be aware of their levels of frustration, what to do when they get behind, and ways to ask for help if they are struggling with the leaf drawing.