Social and Emotional Learning

As a school, we recognise that the recent pandemic may have raised concerns for some children. Since returning to school, teachers have been exploring social and emotional learning and wellbeing with their class to assist the children in identifying and dealing with their emotions.

Social and emotional learning involves students having opportunities to learn and practice social skills such as:

• cooperation
• managing conflict
• making friends
• coping
• being resilient
• recognising and managing their own feelings.

Social and Emotional Learning involves five broad areas:

• Self-awareness:  Identifying and recognising emotions; recognising personal interests and strengths; maintaining a well-grounded sense of self-confidence.
• Self-management: Regulating emotions to handle stress, control impulses, and motivating oneself to persevere in overcoming obstacles, setting and monitoring progress toward the achievement of personal and academic goals; expressing emotions appropriately.
• Social awareness:  Being able to take the perspective of and empathise with others; recognising and appreciating individual and group similarities and differences.
• Relationship skills:  Establishing and maintaining healthy and rewarding relationships based on cooperation and resistance to inappropriate social pressure, preventing, managing, and constructively resolving interpersonal conflict; seeking help when needed.
• Responsible decision-making:  Making decisions based on a consideration of all relevant factors, including applicable ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms; the likely consequences of taking alternative courses of action; evaluation and reflection.

In next week’s newsletter, I will include ideas for parents to assist their children with social and emotional learning at home.

MRS LILLIAN DEL GIUDICE

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL