The New York State Education Department is providing resources to school districts so they can implement Social Emotional Learning, or SEL, programs, designed to help young people be successful in all parts of life, from academics to interpersonal relationships and making good life choices.
State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia issued a statement saying that "by supporting students both on a social emotional level and academic level, we provide them with interpersonal skills and a sense of well-being that will help them succeed academically."
Jeremy Smalline, director of student services and school improvement in the Greece Central School District, says they're already focusing on that, and the skills taught through SEL are now included in elementary report cards.
"When we're looking at our students, we're looking at self-awareness, the ability to self-manage, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and social awareness," he said.
He says integrating that instruction as part of the academic curriculum could prevent incidents like yesterday's shootings in Jacksonsville, Florida, allegedly carried out by a young adult.
"We're working with kids, especially in our younger grades, on how to become aware of what they're feeling at that moment, and train them of the skill set of what steps to do when they feel themselves becoming out of control or feeling that they can't control themselves at that time. What can they do to take a breath, relax, and then be able to make a responsible decision moving forward," he said.
Smalline says the district will use the benchmarks and guidance being made available by the state.
He says the challenge is to figure out ways to embed Social Emotional Learning as a part of the way the district works with its kids every day, rather than have it as a separate area of instruction.