Center Moriches: Creating a Culture of Care
LIASCD Presentation - Full Description
At Center Moriches we have leaned on an amazing resource and framework for what the law demands and more importantly . . . what our students need. The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning, or CASEL, defines SEL as the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. In December of 2020, nine months into the thick of the pandemic and following a study from 2019, CASEL updated the definition and framework descriptions to reflect our continuous learning from SEL research, practice and policy.
There were 4 key points in updating SEL:
- Explicit commitment to equity and excellence that emphasizes Identity, agency, belonging... the recognition of the need for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Highlight spaces & places where SEL can be promoted
- A need to infuse SEL into curriculum/instruction, out of school time, discipline, student support services
- Reflect the role of ongoing assessment for continuous improvement.
The CASEL 5 can be taught and applied at various developmental stages from childhood to adulthood and across diverse cultural contexts. Many school districts, states, and countries have used the CASEL 5 to establish preschool to high school learning standards and competencies that articulate what students should know and be able to do for academic success, school and civic engagement, health and wellness, and fulfilling careers. In Center Moriches, we use this framework to reflect on our SEL practices and create an inventory of SEL in our individual classrooms, grade-levels and departments, buildings, district-wide and in the larger CM community. As a District, we will be reflecting on those practices in place and building upon that work to strengthen these competencies for our students in our SEL Continuum.
View Creating a Culture of Care Slideshow
