Chocksett News
Wachusett Regional School District
In this newsletter:
Strategies for Parents
Strategies At Home
- Be a good listener.
- Model the behavior you seek.
- Nurture your child's self-esteem.
- Respect differences.
- Take advantage of support services.
Strategies At School
- Investigate your school's efforts to support social and emotional learning.
- Organize guest speakers.
- Get involved.
- Celebrate diversity.
See the full article here:
https://www.edutopia.org/social-emotional-learning-parent-resources
What is SEL?
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
See the full article here:
SEL and students
Why Opportunities to Develop and Strengthen Social and Emotional Competence are Important:
SEL includes the knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs that allow students to:
- Set and achieve goals
- Regulate and manage emotions/ have self-compassion
- Take the perspective of another and feel empathy
- Establish and sustain healthy relationships
- Make responsible decisions
See full article here:
What are we doing at Chocksett to support student's SEL?
Our School Counsellor provides lessons on the following topics!
Grade 5 -
Name Calling/Assertiveness
Being an Upstander to bullying
Grade 6 -
Under the umbrella of “Success in Middle School” student lessons are focused on the development of executive functioning and self-management skills. Executive functioning is the complex cognitive process of setting goals, organizing and prioritizing, practicing flexible thinking, accessing working memory, self-monitoring and self-checking (Meltzer, 2010). Self-management is identified by CASEL as one of five social/emotional competencies. It is the “ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself and setting and working toward achieving personal and academic goals.”
Active listening
Goal Setting
Stress management
Organizing and Prioritizing Information
Taking responsibility
Grade 7 -
Under the umbrella of “Interpersonal Relationships” the lessons presented to the 7th grade students focuses on developing upon an understanding of self and others, peer relationships, effective social skills, communication, problem-solving, conflict resolution and diversity awareness. CASEL identifies Social-awareness and Relationship skills as two social/emotional competencies critical to being a good student, citizen, and worker (CASEL, 2005). CASEL defines these SEL competencies as:
Social awareness is the ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school and community resources and supports.
Relationship skills are the ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively and seeking and offering help when needed.
Active Listening
Perspective Taking
Empathy
Conflict resolution and disagreeing respectfully
Respecting differences
Overcoming obstacles and listening to myself
Time To ACT: (Signs of Suicide)
https://mentalhealthscreening.org/programs/youth
Additionally we will offer: SBIRT screening
Grade 8 -
Under the umbrella of “Making Healthy Choices” the lessons presented to 8th grade students focuses on the importance of recognizing their emotions and how they influence thoughts and actions. Lessons encourage students to explore their own interests, values, personality style and learning styles as well as further develop their ability to make choices and decisions with safety, ethical standards/norms and a constructive evaluation of consequences in mind. The CASEL competencies covered in these lessons are Responsible Decision Making, and Self-Awareness.
Responsible Decision Making is the ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and others.
Self-awareness is the ability to accurately recognize one’s emotions and thoughts and their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing one’s strengths and limitations and possessing a well-grounded sense of confidence and optimism.
Identifying and Recognizing Emotions
Making Healthy Choices
About Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs
Your Plan For The Future
Time To ACT: (Signs of Suicide)