Today is National Social and Emotional Learning Day! At Mastery, our mission is for all students to learn the academic and personal skills they need to be truly prepared for postsecondary success and able to pursue their dreams! When we talk about Social and Emotional Learning (“SEL”), we’re talking about teaching students the personal skills that are critical to every child’s development. Here’s a snapshot of what Mastery does to promote SEL it at three of our twenty-four schools!

 

Wister Elementary (K-5 in East Germantown)

At Wister, students have Safe Spaces to identify and process their feelings. These spaces include sensory toys and engagement options to promote positive feelings. Students are then supported in choosing safe, appropriate, and respectful strategies to work through these feelings. Our students are also supported in learning how to ask for help in this safe space. It’s educators’ job to validate students’ feelings. We help students understand that they are entitled to feel their feelings. We teach students how to regulate and display those feelings safely.

 

Thomas Elementary (K-6 in South Philadelphia)

At Thomas, students are provided with Individual Calm Kits. We encourage students to use these tools when they are experiencing the various feelings that do not allow them to be their best selves. Included in each kit/folder is a reflection sheet, a zones anchor chart, a self-made breathing stick, and mindfulness activities. In addition to these tools, each classroom has a calm bin with a timer and several sanitized fidgets that can be requested during students’ calming sessions.

 

Simon Gratz High School (9-12 in Nicetown/Tioga)

Community Meetings are a staple of SEL at Gratz. These meetings build strong connections between students and staff and foster tons of student voice, joy and humor. Recently, we were proud to host Stefon Bristol, Director of Netflix’s “See You Yesterday” – part of the streamers Black Lives Matter Collection –  and proud Morehouse alumnus), to talk with Gratz students about his experience in the film industry as well as his matriculation at a Historical Black College and University.

 

Please follow us on Social Media to learn more  – we are proud to share all of the ways our students learning and growing in Mastery Schools each and every day!

 

#SELday #SocialandEmotionalLearning #SELinSchools