What is CARE Class?
This year, students in grades 1-6 will have a weekly subject class called CARE Class, led by Mrs. Reed! Students will work with monthly themes such as Communication, Gratitude, and Creativity. Lessons will have aspects of story, art, movement, and service as part of the regular rhythm of each 45-minute period. The last class period of each month will be dedicated to an age-appropriate yoga and meditation practice that will help to integrate the learning that developed over the course of the month. Students in seventh and eighth grade have an extremely tight schedule, so their exposure to this program will be integrated into existing classes and curriculum planned for them throughout the year. While their experience with SEL and mindfulness will look different than the younger grades, they will still receive instruction as time allows and according to the same themes as grades 1-6.
Why should we CARE?
There is a great deal of research being done that shows the benefits of intentional implementation of SEL curriculum. CASEL, the leading innovators of Social-emotional Learning for over 20 years have an entire section of their website dedicated to the research. Two notable examples are listed below. Feel free to check out any of the links more in-depth as you wish!
57% more students in schools with an SEL program improved their skills compared to students in schools without an SEL program, 27% more improved their academic performance, and 24% more improved their emotional well-being and social behavior.” See full study click here.
SEL programming can have a positive impact up to 18 years later on academics, conduct problems, emotional distress, and drug use.” See 2017 Meta-analysis of 82 studies of 100,000 students here: click here for the full study.I look forward to sharing more information around this important topic in several ways throughout the year. Stay tuned!