Social Emotional Learning

Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) is a process to create a safe, positive, and productive learning environment for all children. 

At our school, we use the acronym GOLD, which stands for:  Give Respect, Offer Kindness, Listen and Learn, & Demonstrate Safety.

Rewards and celebrations occur in classrooms and throughout the building to let students know that we see how amazing they are and how hard they are working every day to model these behavior expectations!

How can you support your student at home?

• A core principle of PBIS that you can use at home is the 5:1 rule.  For every corrective statement made, provide five positive statements or praises of your child's behavior. 
• Use your schools acronym and expectations to reinforce student behavior at home.
• Talk to your student about what these behavior expectations look like at home and in the community.

Green Gables Elementary uses Restorative Practices and Proactive Circles throughout the school year. 

Restorative Practices is a term used to describe a relationship-oriented approach (rather than a punishment-oriented one) to resolving issues that arise in school.  The five Rs of Restorative Practice are relationship, respect, responsibility, repair, and reintegration.

• Proactive Circles-- happen weekly in the classroom for the purpose of connection and belonging (usually a question with a brief answer where everyone participates)
• Responsive Circles--happen as needed in classrooms to address incidents that may cause harm (bullying, playground conflict, or unsafe behavior) or denote a change in the community (new student or a student’s last day)
• Informal Conferences--used to talk to an individual or small group about an issue  (student/teacher conflict, habitual tardies, etc.) using 4 questions (What happened? Who did it affect? What might you have done differently? What is a solution so it doesn’t happen again?) to reflect on effects of the behavior
• Preconferences--fact-finding review of the 4 questions with each individual in conflict prior to determine whether to put them together in a formal RP Conference
• RP Conferences--conference with two people in conflict or a reintegration of a student who has been suspended that results in a signed, mutually agreeable and student-generated solution.
• School Wide Circles - happen once a month to review the Habit of Character focus for that month and to celebrate our school community

How can you support your student at home?

• Use the 4 questions when helping your student to problem solve through a conflict they have at home. Use this resource as a guide.
• Take turns answering relationship building questions around the dinner table. You can get some ideas here: Restorative Practices at Home

Restorative Practice Questions

• What happened?
• What are the effects?
• What responsibility can you take?
• What are the solutions?

Second Step is taught weekly in every classroom.  The lessons provide instruction in social and emotional learning with units on skills for learning, empathy, emotion management, friendship skills, and problem solving.  Second Step uses four key strategies to reinforce skill development: brain builder games, weekly theme activities, reinforcing activities, and home links.

EL Education Model Habits of Character

In the EL Education model, students' character development is equally as important as producing high-quality work and mastering knowledge and skills. Throughout their educational journey, students are working to become effective learners, ethical people, and contributors to a better world. Schools adopt Habits of Scholarship, which are a subset of Habits of Character that support students to become effective learners.

Each month, our school focuses on one Habit of Character. Students participate in school wide activities and classroom activities to enhance their understanding about that Habit of Character.  Our 8 Habits of Character are:

1. Responsibility: I take responsibility  This means I take ownership of my actions, my work and my space.
2. Respect: I show respect.  This means I treat myself, others and the environment with care.
3. Empathy: I show empathy. This means I show care and concern for others and try to understand the feelings of others.
4. Initiative: I take initiative.  This means I notice what needs to be done and do it.
5. Integrity: I behave with integrity.  This means I do the right thing even when it is hard.
6. Persevere: I persevere.  This means I challenge myself.  When something is hard, I keep trying and ask for help if I need it.
7. Collaborate: I collaborate.  This means I can work well with others.
8. Compassion: I show compassion.  This means I notice when people are sad or upset and reach out to help them.

Sometimes, students might need additional supports/services for a few weeks or even a few months.  Typical things that might impact your child's social/emotional status could be friendship changes, family changes, the loss of a loved one or pet, change in schools, self-esteem and much more.  Our school provides additional supports to help all students thrive in school. 

Some of our supports/interventions include:

• Short Term 1:1 sessions with the Social Emotional Learning Specialist: Students will meet with Ms. Michelle 1:1 on a weekly basis to talk through situations, work on various skills, identify coping strategies and much more. Sessions typically are 4-8 weeks long. Consent is required for this intervention
• Check-In Check-Out (CICO): Students check in/out with an identified staff member and their classroom teacher monitors their day with a simple daily point sheet.
• Small groups:  Students can participate in a 6-8 week short term social skills group to learn new skills/strategies.
• Family Resources: With so much information out there, it can be hard to know where to start. Individualized resources (websites, books, local providers) are provided based on your child's needs.