HIGH POINT, N.C. — Students at Montlieu Academy of Technology in High Point are learning how to be better communicators and problem solvers. Kanika Alston is a first-grade teacher at the school. She said Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is teaching students how to better understand themselves and others. Alston said these are skills that will set students up for success beyond the classroom.
What is the social and emotional learning curriculum?
“We are excited about our program we are going into our fourth year of Second Step. It’s an online platform where we are allotted time throughout our day for morning meetings. During those morning meetings, we talk about different skills. This includes skills for learning, skills on how to be assertive, how to problem solve effectively, and how to show compassion and empathy towards each other. It’s important for our scholars to know how to use these skills and apply them in and out of school.”
Can you give me an example of how this is used?
“Every morning, we come in and we have morning meetings. Every morning on Mondays we start with our longer lessons which are like a story, a brain builder, different activities, chants, and songs. For example, in first grade, our focus this week is following directions. We listen to a song about what skills you need to follow directions. You have to listen, you have to focus your attention, you have to use self-talk, and just be assertive with asking for help. We also want our students to apply what they’re using so we have an SEL button. If we see the student using and applying those skills, they get positive dojo points for applying what they have learned throughout the day.”
Why is it important to learn skills like this in the classroom?
“For our kindergarten and first graders they must learn how to be a learner. They have to learn how to be a student and that means listening, that means learning how to follow directions, that means how to sit on the carpet for instructions. It’s going to build grade level to grade level.”