Pub. 2 2012-2013 Issue 2

7 continued on page 8... skphotography / Shutterstock.com and science in the school’s core curricu- lum, many states have mandated social/ emotional learning (SEL) as a component part of the educational process for public school students. A meta-analysis of 213 school based SEL programs (Durlak, et al., 2011) indicates a growing base of empiri- cal evidence that well implemented SEL programs positively influence social, health and academic outcomes in students from kindergarten through high school. Conscious choice to implement EI The issue for administrators is how to fit SEL in with all the other priorities vying for scarce time. Given the preponderance of evidence that good EI skills help students in a number of ways, the pressing question is not: “Should we implement EI into the curriculum?” It is: “How can we effectively and meaningfully implement EI into the curriculum?” These skills are increasingly important in order for students to effectively navigate in the world as functional adults. There are programs available to schools from a variety of sources to infuse the “intangibles” to accompany academics. The implementation of most programs is primar- ily the responsibility of school counselors who go into classes weekly or monthly and deliver SEL to students. These programs have limited, lasting impact on students because they are stand alone in nature. In other programs, like Core Knowledge tm , EI is part of a larger instructional program which incorporates SEL into daily lessons. These programs seem to have a more lasting impact on student behavior and decision making. Our charter establishes SEL as a pillar of education along with technology and the performing arts. Our goal is to create a school culture where students under- stand and process their emotions and make responsible choices. That is a tall order! We decided the most effective and meaningful way we could approach SEL was to provide training for all our teachers. We then set out to find a program most suited to meet our goals and budget. After spending a considerable amount of time and energy looking at various options, we chose the Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Network. They are a non-profit organization dedicated to EI training at all levels of development. Their program originated in a private school in California and is based in neuroscience. Their board of directors includes giants in the field like Peter Salovey. From our point-of-view, the most attractive aspects of the Six Seconds program are the Emotional Inventories that can be taken from grade 4 through adult. They are self-reports with highly reliable results. Our teachers recently decided to receive additional training similar to what the administration completed, to become certi- fied to debrief these emotional function- ing measures. Like so many endeavors in the field of education, knowing “why” invariably leads to knowing “how.” The more our faculty has become immersed in understanding how our emotions effect decision-making, the more invested they are in facilitating that development in others. Differences so far Having a basis for, or developing a context for academic learning, seems to ground teachers and allay fears that the core may not get the “coverage” it requires. Similarly, when we use thematic units to teach concepts for long-term storage, using EI as a backdrop for contextualizing scho- lastic concepts helps teachers and students create lasting meaning with respect to new learning. For example, a discussion of why it would be useful to complete the math problems or which one needs more practice teaches self-selection and choice-making in terms of authentic goals. When students assess their relative strengths and weak- nesses, then act upon those determinations with action and intent, they can readily see the effect of their own personal investment. Clearly, we need to create a culture wherein making mistakes and taking risks associ- ated with learning becomes the desirable norm. This paradigm shift has been met with enthusiasm on behalf of our teachers. Our professional development focus is to establish norms of open communication among faculty and to create a culture of people happy to come to work because emotional dispositions are aligned with helping kids become aware of the things that ultimately make them happy. The dialogue and tools for this trans- formation are found in the EI literature, but are made usable and practical through the Six Seconds group. As is the case with any discipline, sharing a common vocabu- lary to process emotions and contemplate better choices is essential. When adults and students communicate with understanding and give voice to their feelings in calm and meaningful ways, a culture of acceptance, trust and belonging is the result. There are still misunderstandings and disagreements. People occasionally get angry. We are, after all, human. The difference for us is – we work through issues and come out the other end better people for it! What our teachers say “My ultimate goal as an educator is to inspire and provide a safe place for students to express themselves through the art of dance. SEI practices have given me the tools to achieve this goal, as well as encourage students to take responsibility for their own goals and achievements in life.” “In the Special Education world we continually work with students and their families on what it means to be smart with feelings (emotional intelligence). I feel the academic survival of my/all students depends on being able to recognize and Our goal is to create a school culture where students understand and process their emotions and make responsible choices. That is a tall order!