The mission of the Enumclaw School District is to inspire students to learn, lead and impact their community and the world by providing opportunities to develop relevant skills and preparing students for success beyond the classroom. When looking at the necessary skills students need to develop to find success, we consider the whole child. Understanding and demonstrating competency in subject-based content is critical for growth and learning. But what about the emotional state of a student as they receive new content and attempt to develop skills? How effectively do you learn new information or develop new skills if you feel unsafe, upset or dysregulated?
To address the needs of the whole child, the Enumclaw School District focuses on instructional practices (developing Reading and Writing skills for example) and on developing social and emotional skills to achieve the highest level of learning.
l'VE HEARD THE TERM "SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)", WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process of developing self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills (the skills we use to interact with others) that are critical for school. Examples of emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills include verbal and nonverbal communication, the ability to handle conflict, teamwork, empathy, flexibility, and listening. These are essential skills for success in life and careers beyond the classroom.
IS SEL A SUBJECT OR CLASS STUDENTS TAKE?
We do not teach SEL as a separate subject or class, social and emotional learning opportunities are integrated throughout the day and often taught in the moment when incidents or opportunities arise. Our primary resource for addressing the SEL needs is Conscious Discipline. Conscious Discipline is focused on safety, connection and problem solving.
WHAT IS CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE AND WHY DOES ESD USE THIS RESOURCE TO ADDRESS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING?
Conscious Discipline is a researched and evidence-based, trauma-informed approach to behavior management that provides strategies and classroom structures to cultivate learning opportunities for both adults and students. Conscious Discipline utilizes brain research and focuses on skills for self-regulation, problem-solving, and creating a culture of community and belonging. The intent for approaching behavior management in this way is to empower students, and the adults working with those students, to apply strategies to regulate themselves and maintain a brain state that allows for the greatest potential for learning.