Social Emotional Learning @ Howard
Principal Leeman, November 3, 2022
What is Social Emotional Learning and what does the research say?
Research says that "when students have supportive relationships and opportunities to develop and practice social, emotional, and cognitive skills across many different contexts, academic learning accelerates." The link below illustrates many more benefits of SEL and goes into the social competencies of social emotional learning.
Professionally, I have seen the positive effects that SEL has on individual students, peer to peer interactions, and school climates. Since last year, we have implemented PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports), which is our systematic structure to promote a safe, engaging, and fun learning environment. Our students know our PBIS as our Wild Cat PRIDE Expectations. Part of our PBIS is our monthly school assemblies, positive referral tickets, explicitly teaching the expectations, relationship building with students, culturally responsive teaching, and afterschool activities such as Little Leos, Student Council, and Sandy Churchill. This year we are piloting the Respectful Ways Curriculum in grades 4-6 to lead our SEL blocks and build upon our WB PRIDE.