Welcome, Parents, Guardian’s and Families of Gwendolyn Brooks Elementary!
At Gwendolyn Brooks Elementary, we believe in fostering not only academic excellence but also the social and emotional well-being of our students. We recognize that a child's success goes beyond the traditional subjects taught in the classroom. That's why we have integrated Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) into our daily routine to ensure a holistic approach to education.
What is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL):
Social-Emotional Learning is a process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
In order to meet the needs of the whole child, the Illinois State Board of Education developed social-emotional learning standards, which must be implemented in all schools. These standards are designed to explicitly teach the skills students need to develop self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness, responsible decision-making, and positive relationships with adults and peers.
The Importance of SEL in Elementary School:
In the elementary years, children are developing foundational social and emotional skills that will influence their academic success, interpersonal relationships, and overall well-being. By focusing on SEL, we aim to equip our students with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of growing up, fostering a positive and inclusive school environment.
The social emotional learning standards prepare students to be college and career ready upon graduation. These skills reach beyond preparing students to engage within the learning environment, to increasing overall academic gains. Research has found students who have received explicit instruction in the SEL competencies have seen an average increase of 11 percentile points on standardized assessments when compared to students who did not receive the additional instruction (Durlak et al., 2011).
