Project AWARE, which stands for Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education, is a grant designed to promote efforts of Windham Public Schools, one of three Alliance school districts awarded the grant in Connecticut, to strengthen Social Emotional supports as well as develop a comprehensive system of mental health services within the District.
What is Social Learning?
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire the skills that help them understand and manage emotions and maintain positive relations with others.
The Five Core Competencies of Social Emotional Learning include
Self-management: 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.
Social awareness: 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: 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.
Responsible decision-making: 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.
How we are currently incorporating Social Emotional Learning at WPS:
Responsive Classroom: This is an evidence-based approach to teaching and discipline that focuses on engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmental awareness. Learn more about Responsive Classroom
RULER: RULER is an evidence-based approach for integrating social and emotional learning into schools, developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.
RULER applies “hard science” to the teaching of what have historically been called “soft skills.” RULER teaches the skills of emotional intelligence — those associated with Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating Emotion. Decades of research show that these skills are essential to effective teaching and learning, sound decision making, physical and mental health, and success in school and beyond. Learn more about RULER.
Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) and Bounce Back (BB) : This program is a school-based, group and individual intervention. It is designed to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and behavioral problems, and to improve functioning, grades and attendance, peer and parent support, and coping skills.
CBITS is designed for students in grades 5-12 and Bounce Back is similar programing customized for students grades Kindergarten-5.
Social-Emotional Resources for Families
Call: 1-833-258-5011
Visit: www.talkitoutct.com
Video: https://youtu.be/pfrDfVc8-GQ