Just School. Just Growth (Session 3 of 3) – Intersection of SEL & Equity: Close Opportunity Gaps

Session 3: Intersection of SEL & Equity: Close Opportunity Gaps

Why?:  SEL is only successful in systems where Equity is valued and present.  Equity is only possible when compassionate members of the system check their power, privilege and implicit bias, which is accomplished through the SEL competencies and sub-competencies.  

Solution:  The promise emerging out of the chaos is our deep understanding that All learning is social and emotional.  And, importantly, that all learning is mediated by relationships that occur in schools – which is a socio-political, racialized context for EACH child, not just those who are black and brown, of differing cultures, religions, sexual orientations, or cognitive ability. SEL are cognitive skills that, in an equitable and just space, foster student agency by requiring students to make decisions in the face of perceived obstacles as well as having an understanding of themselves in terms of their wants and strengths that create optimal learning opportunities. 

Participants can expect to acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to:

• reflect on Adult SEL competencies to examine one’s power/privilege and implicit biases;
• use SEL approaches to draw out and build on student assets to facilitate understanding and learning;
• explore the concept of culturally relevant education (CRE) by strengthening students’ sense of identity & promoting equity and inclusivity in the classroom;
• learn about the neuroscience of learning; those signals that trigger a “threat” response as well as strategies explicitly designed to decrease stress and generate a sense of calm and well-being; and
• make normal the practice of speaking about race and understanding events and experiences through the lens of race, culture and power.

Audience: All Grades PK-12 Educators
Presenter(s): Sharon McCarthy, TMI-ENVISION SEL Specialist/Lead Consultant, ENVISION President

Time: 4 hours