All Means All. At Distinctive Schools, we are proud to support all students both as learners and as individuals. One way we do this is through our comprehensive Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program! We sat down with Network Director of Student Support, Sarah Gaw, to dig into what SEL looks like at Distinctive campuses.
What is Social Emotional Learning?
SEL is a strategy that helps students to identify and regulate their emotions while teaching coping and interpersonal skills. fosters mental wellbeing, reduces conflicts, and contributes to a more empathetic and cooperative society. For this reason — SEL is a cornerstone of a holistic education.
SEL in the Classroom
Distinctive educators prioritize SEL, starting with dedicated Community time. During Community, learners practice their SEL skills, working on relationship-building, identifying feelings, and building empathy. Through this explicit instruction, students are learning emotional skills and practicing applying them. Our wonderful partners at Move This World provide an incredible SEL curriculum that educators also utilize to build skills and knowledge.
Support for every learner
We tailor our programming to students at every level- whether they are on grade level, or slightly below or above, we meet them where they are in their learning, and find the learning style that works best for them. We ensure all students get what they need both academically and behaviorally.
“My favorite part of my job is working with the wonderful students and our educators and principals! I could do this work at any network, at any school, but it’s the people that keep me here at Distinctive Schools,” shares Sarah Gaw.
The level of support and care dedicated to the social-emotional well-being of our learners is a point of pride for Distinctive Schools. Special thanks to Sarah Gaw, to our amazing leaders and educators, and especially to our entire student services team for their hard work in planning and implementing SEL programs.