SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)
Over the course of the school year, Wheatland students will be participating in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) classes once per week. Research has shown that helping children develop strong social and emotional skills early in life is very beneficial to their long-term health and well-being and it also results in improved academic success. The SEL program at Wheatland reinforces our goals as a Leader in Me School and it also supports students in our desire for them to develop the positive qualities of our mission statement:
Lead with confidence Learn without limits Love who you are
Everyday Mindfulness At Home/School/Community
At Wheatland Elementary, teachers/staff have been learning more about mindfulness. Teachers/staff who practice mindfulness, naturally bring those concepts to life in the classroom. Our goal is to build a culture of mindfulness with our students, giving them the tools to understand and manage anxiety through proven skills and healthy behaviours - starting at a young age.
There are a lot of pressures in modern daily life. Parents and Caregivers are often stressed themselves; grownups need encouragement to find a moment or two throughout the day to check-in, slow down and act wisely.
Here’s a Mindful skill presented in an acronym to get you started.
When you sense you are overwhelmed, frustrated or “tuned out” you can…STOP!
S- Stop what you are doing (ie. take a physical step back, put your device down)
T- Take a slow, deep breath
O- Observe what’s happening, without judgement or assumptions
P- Proceed with kindness and curiosity
Taking a moment to use the STOP skill, can make a significant difference in your state of mind, and your interactions with others, especially your loved ones. Children just need to know that you are genuinely interested in who they are, what they think and feel. Being able to fully concentrate on connectedness during your time together is invaluable.
To learn more, check out this article