Article Changing Times Call for Changing Practice
Carie Walter
Introduction For decades in public school education, improving academic performance in the core competencies has been the main driving force for school districts across the country. Year after year, we spend countless hours developing strategic plans and setting academic goals that net the same results, so why are we still doing that? Now more than ever, we need to prioritize mental health as we know students are not able to access curriculum if they are in a constant state of distress. Likewise, staff are experiencing more stress than ever before with increasing demands and maneuvering a greater number of students with social and emotional needs that they feel ill equipped to handle. Have you ever considered implementing Social Emotional Learning with your staff to support the formulation of a solid school culture? Building a strong school culture through Social Emotional Learning starts with the staff in the building, and not just the teachers. The following will outline simple, easy to implement approaches around the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) Framework covering relationship skills, self-awareness, social awareness, and self-management, beginning with the first day staff meeting to monthly activities that will not only bring staff together, but also transform staff attitudes and perspectives as they go back to their 33
