Social-Emotional Learning
Social-Emotional Learning is the evolution from what was once typically defined as social skills, i.e. how to be a healthy, functional member of society.
When we think of social skills, we usually think of things like:
We should treat others with kindness.
We should mind our manners in public.
We shouldn’t throw tantrums when we’re frustrated.
These are important concepts that most of us internalize at a young age.
However, new studies and revelations about childhood development are expanding SEL to also include trauma and mental health. Modern SEL curricula incorporate concepts such as:
Empathetic listening and communication
Holding space for others’ opinions
Regulating and understanding emotions
Achieving a positive self-identity
Growth in these areas leads to students (and adults) who have a better exchange of ideas, collaborate more productively, and maintain healthier relationships.
Engaging with the Systems Around Us
The SEL program developed at The B.R.I.D.G.E. produces young people who can think deeper about the world they inhabit. They have a better understanding of the internal and external systems that affect their daily lives. If those systems are positive, they know to appreciate and expand them. If they are negative, they are able to conceive of ways to shift or change them.
Our curriculum includes lessons on self-awareness, emotional knowledge, emotional regulation, and resiliency building skills. We teach students how to have challenging conversations that lead to breakthroughs in understanding. We teach the “Rules of Engagement”, so that everyone feels safe.
Fear, trauma, and anxiety are difficult subjects for a person of any age, because (despite being part of the universal human experience) we rarely learn how to appropriately discuss them. The B.R.I.D.G.E. provides a safe environment for students to learn how to speak openly and candidly with one another.
While these challenging conversations are going on, students inevitably become emotionally activated. We use these moments to filter in emotional regulation skills and help them down-regulate. Over time, they acquire the skills and experience to do this without professional intervention.
We see SEL as an educational mandate that benefits students’ emotional wellbeing AND their academic success. A student who can pay attention longer and regulate themselves to avoid a behavioral outburst is going to be more engaged in the classroom. They will have better attendance, higher GPAs, and improved critical thinking which leads to a deeper understanding of the subject at hand.
