1. "Human existence depends upon
compassion and curiosity leading to
knowledge, but curiosity and knowledge
without compassion is inhuman and
compassion without curiosity and
knowledge is ineffectual.“
--Victor Weisskopf, nuclear physicist
2. Actively teaching social skills – who is
responsible for this? How do we fit it in?
What do parents and other stakeholders
want our WSS graduates to have when
they leave here? Is this really what they
need? How do we know if this is even
working? (And, what is in it for me?)
3. Where is/is SEL in the curriculum (am I
responsible for this)?
Where is it in our hearts?
What are the community expectations for
this?
Do we have to throw something off to fit in
something new?
4.
5. The development of this IRP has been guided
by the principles of learning:
Learning requires the active participation of the
student.
People learn in a variety of ways and at
different rates.
Learning is both an individual and a group
process.
6. Bloom’s taxonomy of learning behaviours
identified three domains of educational
activities:
affective (growth in feelings or emotional areas )
cognitive (mental skills – knowledge),
psychomotor (manual or physical skills)
The affective domain involves the way in
which we perceive and respond to things
emotionally, such as
feelings, values, appreciation, enthusiasms, moti
vations, and attitudes.
7. Contributing to the classroom and school
community
Solving problems in peaceful ways
Valuing diversity and defending human
rights
Exercising democratic rights and
responsibilities
(BC Ministry of Education)
8. Each class has an opportunity for
SEL
Each project has this opportunity -
but how?
9. Divide into departments
(humanities, math, science, health and
fitness, technical and applied arts)
Consider how SEL fits with your curriculum.
What is one thing each of you do now to
embrace SEL within your classroom?
As a group, design one SEL-based project or
idea for your subject area. How will this idea
or lesson support SEL at WSS?
10.
11. curricula that provide neither guidance on how to promote socially
responsible citizenship nor the time necessary for it
School staff who may be more concerned with orderly classrooms
than with the substance of the teaching and learning that takes
place in them
teachers and students whose view of citizenship and social
responsibility is confined to only the ‘leadership class’
teachers who are fearful about promoting active citizenship
(sometimes with good reason)
parents and community members who think a school's primary
function is to get students to memorize facts and score well on
tests so they can get into college
parents and community members who may protest student
involvement in controversial public issue
(http://www.teachablemoment.org/high/socialresponsibility.html)
12. FSA is gaining traction with our Minister of Ed
– consider the value statement this makes
NPBS to help us infuse and assess
Dalai Lama centre workshops
Collaboration time?
Resources on teacher common and in binder
in upstairs prep room
13. Purpose of the Ministry
“A strong character, an understanding of the
world, and the skills that allow individuals to
flourish are all products of a high-quality
education. “
2010/11 – 2012/13 SERVICE PLAN
March 2010
www.gov.bc.ca/bced Ministry of Education
14. “We are increasing our focus on skills such as
reading, writing, and numeracy that are
essential components of every child’s
education. The Foundation Skills Assessment
(FSA) will continue to be an important tool
…”
2010/11 – 2012/13 SERVICE PLAN
March 2010
www.gov.bc.ca/bced Ministry of Education
Editor's Notes
Slide up as teachers return to presentation from snack and breakPlus a side note to connect SEL and cooperative games – cooperative learning is one tool of SEL and when done well, has some empirical support for increased academic and social learning. Before lunch we were presented with some current research on SEL and EI – a quick refresher – what ideas and images stuck with you? What questions do you have? Now on to the next step – how to infuse SEL into our existing curriculum.
Consider the tyranny of the ‘or’. Does it have to be one or the other – academia or social – competition or cooperation – can we paradigm shift to embrace ‘and’.
From our 2009/2010 school improvement plan – social responsibility is a goal at WSS and for SD 48 - documents are on the e-resource on the teacher common drive under SEL resources.
Curriculum example – math 8/9 IRP recognizes that learning can be a group process – but group learning makes the assumption that students have the social skills to work effectively in a group – or we make allowances to teach these while we teach the cognitive skills.
Referred to by Ministry of Ed in the new IRP for math 8 and 9 ( and most likely other subjects but I haven’t read all the IRP’s yet)Social and emotional is peppered throughout our curriculum – but rarely with specific expectations for learning. We do have performance standards for social responsibility, but these are optional . . . So given that this is somewhat optional, it could be argued that we are not professionaly responsible for teaching SEL. But, if it makes our jobs easier, and the end product (student achievement) is better, why wouldn’t we?
Research says . . . Social skills such as empathy, sympathy, perspective-taking, pro-social reasoning, conceptions of friendship, conflict resolution, reading social cues (Hymel Shelley, 1993, Vol. 3, Nos 1 & 2)
The hearts question (where does SEL lie in our hearts – do each of us think it should or should not be part of our educational practice) will need to be addressed at a later date – perhaps in collaboration time or at a Pro D event.We/I hope to show that infusing our teaching days and practices with SEL doesn’t mean throwing out what we now do.Reminder that Curriculum is the learning activities (both content and process) that a teacher plans for a particular group of students in a particular class. It includes how we monitor and provide feedback to students on their learning. It is not the IRP nor is it a text book. It is designed and constructed by each teacher for each class each year and considers the intended learning outcomes, individual student characteristics on context variables.
Have chart paper and pens readyPoster of the 5 elements of cooperative learningHandout sheets on performance standards for Social responsibilityHandouts on suggested social skill progressionsHandout selection of irp packagesAllow time for this to happen – small group work for staff and hopefully a take-away that is almost classroom ready!
Address assessment concerns!! Have some background for thisWhat are some highlights from the staff projectsEmphasize the process not the product – a goal would suggest arriving there or an end point – this is a spectrum SEL done well will include training on social emotional skills for teachers and students, be backed from all levels (school, district, superintendent, etc), programs should be field-tested and evidence based, (Safe and sound: An educational leader's guide to evidence-based social and emotional learning, 2003)(CASEL)
This is from USAannecdotal evidence and is not a reflection of our school or staff – although the parent and community barriers may be of concern to us
FSA – see upcoming quoteDefine Network for performance based schools and be prepared to discuss and set plans to participate if interest from staff is strongList of upcoming workshops from Dalai Lama center
I was lucky enough to give the student speech at my UBC grad when I received my BHKin degree – and I remember struggling over what I could possibly say to all those really brilliant people who were earning their degrees. I kept coming back to the idea that it’s not what we know but what we do with what we know that matters – and somewhere I had heard this quote. I wish I remember who said it to me. Social skills and emotional skills are as necessary as cognitive skills for responsible citizenship. Without social emotional skills, we are intellectual derelicts at best.
