Social and Emotional Learning
At Saint Mark’s, Social and Emotional Learning, or SEL, is in everything we do: how we play sports on teams, how we learn math, how we communicate our concerns, and how we know that we are safe. It’s in how we speak to each other, make friends in school and around the globe, and step forward confidently into new learning and fresh experiences.
We learn what we practice: Formal and informal SEL opportunities support our belief that all students have the ability to learn kindness, compassion, empathy, and how to stand up for themselves and others.
The overarching vision is held and guided by the school counselor and SEL coordinator, division heads, and the Director of Global and Special Programs. The nationally recognized Responsive Classroom model serves as scaffolding for many of the SEL moments in the classroom and on the playground. At the heart of this research-based program are ten key practices:
- Morning meeting
- Rule creation
- Interactive modeling
- Positive teacher language
- Logical consequences
- Guided discovery
- Academic choice
- Classroom organization
- Working with families
- Collaborative problem solving
Additionally, the Seven Pillars of Character and SEL competencies that we hope to instill underpin many of the curricular choices (selected books, drama class themes, art projects, sportsmanship discussions, science discussions, lessons in the garden) and mission-driven initiatives at the school (global education, media literacy, sustainability, community engagement).
Implementation
To make an impact throughout a child’s journey at Saint Mark’s, SEL is implemented formally and informally.
Formal Implementation
Weekly SEL lessons are taught by the homeroom teacher in kindergarten through sixth grade and by SEL teachers in seventh and eighth grade. The school counselor helps guide the teachers in lesson choices and often attends these classes as an observer or participant.
Morning meeting happens consistently in kindergarten through third grade, and Middle Division is working to integrate it into the day. In morning meeting, students learn that there is a safe space in which to become a strong self-advocate, thoughtful problem solver, and community upstander.
Our Media Literacy initiative educates students to be analytical of the media messages surrounding them in our culture, increasing their sensitivity to how their own attitudes and behaviors are influenced by media. The program spans grade levels and subject areas, culminating with a weeklong eighth-grade unit that includes a production project designed and executed by students. This program was honored with a Leading Edge award from the National Association of Independent Schools in 2005.
Outdoor education opportunities in grades three through eight offer teachers and students a concentrated block of time to learn about and honor each other beyond the classroom.
Teachers organize meetings to engage students in identifying and solving the issues that arrive at each developmental stage.
Informal Implementation
Global partnerships offer students the opportunity to learn how they are perceived through the eyes of others. They can connect with and learn from students in South Africa, Beijing, and other communities in Marin County.
Class meetings are held as needed after recess to address issues as soon as they arise.
Faculty remain attuned for the possibility of teachable moments. For example, a teacher may stop a math lesson to initiate a discussion about participation and confidence and how all members of the class contribute to a supportive environment.
We have acted upon the need to be good stewards of the environment, through recycling and composting projects, integration of the organic garden into the curriculum, and the EcoFest planned by the Upper Division science teacher and students.
Community engagement offers students a framework through which to reflect upon how and why they share their time and resources with others in our local community. Their “report back” sessions are often tied to oral or writing activities in kindergarten through sixth grade and in humanities classes in the Upper Division.
