The Whole Child & Social Emotional Learning
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At West Hills STEM Academy, we believe in meeting the needs of the Whole Child - which includes not only a student's academic ability, but also their social emotional learning needs.
Social Emotional Learning includes a student's ability to persevere, to problem-solve, and to manage their emotions, among other skills. The skills are commonly known as Soft Skills and are an integral part of becoming successful learners - and successful adults!
Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow
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Three Key Practices in Every Lesson, Every Day
Welcoming routines and rituals
- Begins at the door and continues throughout the day
- Welcoming students into the classroom each morning
- Providing structures and routines that create an overall welcoming classroom culture
Engaging practices
- Engaging students with key SEL practices that build relationships, collaboration, and empowerment
- Being responsive to needs of the brain with "Brain Breaks"
Optimistic closure
- Supports successful transitions
- Ends the day on a positive note
The Core Competencies in Social Emotional Learning
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There are five core SEL competencies that can be taught in many ways across many settings. They are:
Self-Awareness - The ability to accurately recognize one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior. The ability to accurately assess one’s strengths and limitations, with a well-grounded sense of confidence, optimism, and a “growth mindset.”
Self-Management - The ability to successfully regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations — effectively managing stress, controlling impulses, and motivating oneself. The ability to set and work toward personal and academic goals.
Social Awareness - The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures. The ability to understand social and ethical norms for behavior and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.
Relationship Skills - The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. The ability to communicate clearly, listen well, cooperate with others, resist inappropriate social pressure, negotiate conflict constructively, and seek and offer help when needed.
Responsible Decision-Making - The ability to make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms. The realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and a consideration of the well-being of oneself and others.
Other Resources for Social Emotional Learning
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Brain Breaks and Focused Attention
When presented with new material, standards, and complicated topics, we need to be focused and calm as we approach our assignments. We can use brain breaks and focused-attention practices to positively impact our emotional states and learning. They refocus our neural circuitry with either stimulating or quieting practices that generate increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, where problem solving and emotional regulation occur.
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Connecting the Common Core to SEL
Common Core Mapping: A short document showing how SEL and Common Core overlap.
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Social and Emotional Learning: Strategies for Parents
Here are some specific steps you can take to nurture an emotionally intelligent child, and additional resources you can use to learn more about social and emotional learning.
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Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction & SEL
"The goal of Washington’s public education system is to prepare every student who walks through our school doors for post-secondary aspirations, careers, and life. To do so, we must embrace an approach to education that encompasses the whole child…,” These words begin the vision statement for OSPI from Washington State Superintendent, Chris Reykdal.
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CASEL
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is the nation’s leading organization advancing the development of academic, social and emotional competence for all students. Its mission is to help make evidence-based social and emotional learning an integral part of education from preschool through high school. Through research, practice and policy, CASEL collaborates to ensure all students become knowledgeable, responsible, caring and contributing members of society.
What We Teach @ WHSA
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Habits of Mind - Embedded in All that We Do
What behaviors indicate an efficient, effective thinker? What do human beings do when they behave intelligently? Vast research on effective thinking, successful people, and intelligent behavior suggests that effective thinkers and peak performers have identifiable characteristics.
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Second Steps Curriculum: Used in all K-5 Classrooms
The evidence-based Second Step Program includes everything schools need to integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) into their classrooms and schoolwide. Using the Second Step curriculum has been shown to decrease problem behaviors, and it's designed to promote school success, self-regulation, and a sense of safety and support.
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Why Try? Curriculum: Used in all 6-8 Classrooms
The WhyTry Program is a resilience education curriculum that provides simple, hands-on solutions for dropout prevention, violence prevention, truancy reduction, and increased academic success. The idea is straightforward: Teach social and emotional principles to youth in a way they can understand and remember. -
21st Century Skills: Taught in All CTE Courses
We believe in students prepared to flourish in a dynamic, global economy. State CTE courses exemplify the intentional synthesis of technical knowledge and skills, traditional academics, and 21st century skills as outlined by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills
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Academic Youth Development Curriculum: 8th Grade
The AYD Curriculum is provided in 8th grade homeroom classrooms as part of a grant project. AYD provides opportunities for rigorous analysis, problem solving, collaboration, and presentation to enable students to internalize new ways of thinking and engaging in school and transforms the way they think about themselves as learners.
