Our Lower School Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist provides weekly SEL classes for students in grades K-4, helping students to develop a mindset that emotions matter so as to know themselves authentically, sustain healthy relationships, and positively contribute to the broader community. Our approach to teaching social and emotional skills draws from a variety of evidence-based programs including RULER, Kimochis, and IFSEL, and is grounded in the SEL core competencies of the CASEL Framework. SEL topics such as emotional vocabulary, problem-solving, mindfulness, and conflict resolution are introduced and revisited to build on prior learning and the program is designed to complement and support the developmental needs of boys.
In Upper School, students continue to build interpersonal and emotional awareness, practice communication skills, and engage in personal reflection in Experiences class. Led by our Upper School Dean of Character and Culture, these classes include discussions introducing new emotional vocabulary, the nuance and “temperature” of emotions, and strategies for managing unpleasant emotions, conflict resolution, and peer relationships, as well as topics incorporated on an as-needed basis.