Words from Walsh: an SEL Edition
January 2021
Greetings from Principal Martin
What are the CASEL Competencies, you ask, and how do they help our school improve? Let me explain a little bit about CASEL and about the competencies. I have also added in this special newsletter edition, a parent video to help you understand how home and school work together to provide SEL for our students.
CASEL stands for The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, and this organization seeks to provide schools with resources and guidance in supporting social-emotional learning for our students and staff. CASEL also provides resources for parents, as we know that social and emotional learning starts at home. Parents and families are critical partners in helping their children develop social and emotional know-how. They can model the kinds of skills, attitudes and behaviors we want students to master.
The 5 Competencies and a few examples of skills in each are:
- Self-awareness: label and recognize own and other's emotions and how they affect others, recognize own strengths and limitations, and identify own needs and values
- Self-management: set plans and work toward goals, manage personal and interpersonal stress, use feedback constructively, seek help when needed, and advocate for oneself
- Social Awareness: identify social cues to determine how others feel, respect others, understand other points of view and perspectives, and appreciate diversity
- Relationship Skills: demonstrate capacity to make friends, exhibit cooperative learning and working toward group goals, communicate effectively, and provide help to those in need
- Responsible Decision-making: negotiate fairly, become self-reflective and self-evaluative, identify problems and generate alternatives, and implement problem-solving skills
Why is it that we are making Social-Emotional Learning a priority? Because research confirms that social and emotional competencies can be taught, modeled, and practiced, and lead to positive student outcomes that are important for success in school and life. So not only do social-emotional competencies prepare students to participate in learning activities, they also increase a student's capacity to learn.
I will continue to share SEL information, goals and progress with you as we navigate SEL together. If you have any questions about SEL in our school, please feel free to contact the office.
Stay safe and be well,
Mrs. Martin