Why SEL Matters More Now... and How? Social Emotional Learning in school
Why SEL Matters More Now... and How? Social Emotional Learning in school. Join experts for an all encompassing livestream about the power of social emotional learning in school, why do our children need it now more than ever? What is it all about? How can it actually be implemented?
Education is stressed. Teachers, administrators, kids, parents are struggling – so why should we focus on social emotional learning (SEL) at a time like this? And for remote or hybrid teaching, is it even possible?
The “Covid-Pressure-Cooker” is exposing the cracks in education systems worldwide. A new Axios survey found 59% of US teens felt that online school is worse for them (half said they learn better in person) -- but even so, 70% of teens said they didn’t trust that schools could open safely… and that’s even higher for Black and Latinx teens. Against this backdrop, it may be even more urgent -- and much harder -- to build the social emotional conditions that make learning work well. This Six Seconds’ weekly EQ Livestream will feature one of the early pioneers who helped invent the field of social emotional learning, and educators who are on the front lines of the challenge. We’ll talk about why children and adults need SEL, what it really means, how SEL fits with racial equity, and if -- how -- SEL can work in Covidized education. IF YOU CAN join live, because we’ll be trying activities together and making this a test of a SEL-broadcast-workshop, so join us to be part of the conversation, and learning together.
Moderated by Joshua Freedman, Six Seconds CEO and Best Selling author.
Panelists:
Anabel Jensen is an “educator’s educator” who helped create the field of social emotional learning. She is one of the few school principals in the US to win two Federal Blue Ribbons for excellence in education, in part because of the robust social emotional learning process she helped pioneer. Anabel is cofounder and President of Six Seconds, cofounder of Synapse School, and a retired professor of education who trained over 10,000 teachers.
Ashley Tucker is a Dean and special education teacher at a special education high school in Brooklyn in New York City. She serves as the social and emotional wellness advisor of her school and refers to herself as an SEL enthusiast. She specializes in facilitating relationship building experiences for staff/students and providing explicit SEL instruction for a diverse range of learners. Ashley is particularly interested in implementing SEL practices in ways that are culturally-affirming. Before joining the Department of Education, Ashley worked as a Program Director for WINGS for kids, a social and emotional learning education program that took place in the after-school setting, from 2012 - 2015. Ashley is currently working on her Masters of Educational Leadership and Administration from Teachers College at Columbia University and produces content for her personal project Teachers Pay Black Teachers when she can.
Cherilyn Leet is the Associate Director of Education for Six Seconds’ global team. With over a decade of classroom experience, Cherilyn’s goal is to integrate social emotional learning into all levels of education. Cherilyn develops curriculum, assessments, and workshops about emotional intelligence competencies in her role at Six Seconds. An active member of the EQ community in North America, Cherilyn is the recipient of a Fulbright grant, during which she taught students at the university level and developed training programs for faculty in Colombia. Cherilyn holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction (Gifted and Talented) from Arizona State University.
Norma C Garcés is a Bush Fellow and former Executive Director at El Colegio Charter School; in her tenure the school was recognized as a model for Latinx and many first-generation-to-college students who were not served by traditional education. As the executive director of El Colegio High School, Norma’s unrelenting vision has been to ensure the brightest future for every student who walks through the door. She has created a culturally-conscious, resilience-based environment where for the past five years, 100% of all graduating seniors have been accepted into at least one post-secondary institution. The triennial MN Student Survey found El Colegio to be the #1 school in the state for making education relevant to Latinx youth, as well as one of the safest schools to attend. Norma is a talented bilingual, bicultural educator and accomplished leader with a long history working with youth of color and their families going back over 28 years. In 2019, Norma was selected to join the prestigious Bush Foundation Fellowship, in which members are selected based on their potential to make an even bigger impact in their community. Norma is currently pursuing her MEd at SPA, Teachers College, Columbia University.