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For some, education means books, calculators, and homework. For others, it’s manners, social cues, and respect. For these St. Louis grade schools, it’s a combination of all of these concepts and more. But where does social-emotional growth and identity fit in?
Social-emotional growth refers to a child’s ability to understand other people’s feelings, control emotions and behaviors, and ultimately get along with peers. According to a 2017 study by the Society for Research in Child Development that surveyed nearly 100,000 grade-school and middle-school students, the benefits of schools aiding in social-emotional growth are substantial. The study posits that students who participated in programs that focused on social-emotional growth graduated from high school and college at higher rates and showed lower rates of drug use and mental health diagnoses than those who did not participate.
Genevieve D’Arcy, co-lead for the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee at the New City School, says social-emotional growth has always been one of the school’s focuses. “Since they’re little, the students here are always involved in social action work and in being aware of the world around them and thinking about their impact,” says D’Arcy.
The school shares TED Talks, film festivals, literature, and a concept known as “systems thinking”—the idea that a movement is the work of everyone. “We wanted them to realize that all leadership is not about that person who’s at the microphone or the person in front of the parade with the flag,” D’Arcy says. “It’s a collective. It’s a huge amount of people who have a common goal and a common mission.”
Some schools find ways to incorporate social-emotional growth skills into traditional schoolwork. “These are things that are woven into the life of the school and the way that we approach lessons,” says Thad Falkner, head of school at the Wilson School, which hosts project-based assemblies and emphasizes mindfulness. The school’s Strong Student, Strong World program is designed to aid in the development of important character traits and identity. “It helps students to interact in positive ways, so they can be advocates for themselves but also talk about the idea of making sure that you understand others,” Falkner says. “It’s us asking how we can have these important conversations and demonstrate how to be good to one another.”
At New City School, the “social identity wheel” explores such topics as gender, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. Humanities teacher Nicole Post says the goal is to help students understand who they are so they can more effectively do the work to bring meaningful change. “We always come back to: Who am I, and who am I becoming?” Post says. “Because that’s how you can then build bridges in the community. Agency can’t happen without first knowing who you are.”
A NEW REALITY
The classroom looks much different today than it did a decade ago. Students at Christ Community Lutheran School, for example, can experience augmented reality, thanks to a grant from the Innovation Technology Education Fund. The Microsoft HoloLens 2 project allows students to explore and learn about anything from human anatomy to the cosmos—all from the comfort of a classroom. Students have recently taken on projects such as building virtual cathedrals and dream homes. In addition to gaining a better understanding of the subject areas, students can also “begin learning how to code and build apps in the HoloLens,” says director of technology Will Vann, noting that the school plans to share the mobile lab with other area schools.
