Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process of how children (and adults) learn, acquire, and apply skills like understanding and managing emotions, setting and working toward positive goals, problem solving, empathy, cooperation, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and healthy and responsible decisions.

SEL at WMS!

At Whitcomb, we are working to implement social and emotional learning strategies and interventions.

• Painting for PAWSitivity

• Extended HR Lessons

• Mindfulness Tools and Lessons

• Alternative Detention

• Faculty Meeting/PD

• Creating Classroom Coping Skill Boxes

• Articles and Resources

  ...and many more!!

Alternative Detention: Research shows the effectiveness of utilizing strategies like skills based groups to reduce the frequency of poor behaviors by students. We work to develop relationships with the students referred and not only introduce valuable topics and skills but talk to them about their experiences and how to handle situations. It is a great opportunity to have a collaborative relationship and important conversations. We have gone over topics like bullying, peer pressure, coping skills, listening, and giving/accepting feedback.

Painting for PAWSitivity: Collaborating with the art department, SELC reached out to our students to have them create positive messages and works of art for their bathrooms. These would be words of encouragement to reflect the positive culture of our school. Students created these works of art and voted on their favorites. They will be presented in English, Spanish, and Portuguese in the student bathrooms!

Extended Homeroom Lessons: Extended homerooms are being used to provide lessons to our students about different skills and expectations. We have worked to contribute to these efforts by designing and writing lessons plans on (hopefully) helpful social emotional skills. We work to introduce valuable topics and skills and how to handle situations.

The District Curriculum Accommodations Plan (DCAP) describes the strategies and resources that are available to classroom teachers and specialists in their quest to address the diverse learning needs of ALL our students.

Mindfulness!

Mindfulness is our ability to be aware of what is going on both inside us and around us. It is our awareness of our bodies, emotions, and thoughts.

Benefits of Mindfulness

1. Increased focus and performance

2. Skillful response to difficult emotions

3. Increased empathy and understanding of others.

4. Natural conflict resolution skills

5. Happier, healthier people who can work and learn efficiently

This means…

1. Decrease in bullying behaviors

2. Increase in confidence and engagement

3. Increased attention

4. Increased endurance

5. Decreased distractibility

6. Increased creativity

7. Increased problem solving

Research shows that school-aged children taught mindfulness show:

• 24% INCREASE in positive social behaviors

• 24% DECREASE in aggression

• 15% INCREASE in math scores