Social-emotional learning (SEL), wellness, and academic growth are integrally connected. Research shows that students who attend schools with strong social-emotional learning and wellness programs have higher academic achievement, better mental health, and fewer behavioral difficulties in school, benefits that continue into adulthood.
COMPETENCIES FOR THE MKA COMMUNITY
Social and emotional learning at MKA helps students to build an essential foundation for academic and personal success by developing the self-awareness, empathy, and good character needed to make responsible decisions and create positive relationships with others. All members of the MKA community commit to developing the five skills identified here and modeling them for others.
The ability to identify and understand your emotions, thoughts, and multiple identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, ability) and how they influence behavior in different situations, and how different situations influence your behavior. The ability to understand your values, strengths, challenges, and areas for growth with a well-grounded sense of confidence and purpose.
The ability to regulate your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes developing the capacities to manage stress, create balance, delay gratification, and feel motivation and agency to accomplish personal/collective goals.
The ability to understand multiple perspectives and to act with empathy and compassion for one another. This includes understanding how your words and actions, and historical and current social structures, impact you and others.
The ability to establish and maintain healthy and supportive friendships and other relationships and to effectively navigate situations with diverse individuals and groups. This includes the capacity to communicate clearly, listen actively, work collaboratively, negotiate conflict constructively, navigate settings with differing social and cultural demands and opportunities, provide leadership, and seek and/or offer help when needed.
The ability to make caring, respectful, and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions in different situations and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports. This includes the capacity to consider ethical standards (such as honesty and fairness), cultural norms, and safety, and to evaluate the benefits and consequences of various actions for personal, social, and collective well-being.
DEVELOPING HABITS FOR A HEALTHY LIFE
Social-emotional competencies are also taught in connection with MKA’s wellness curriculum, which helps students to analyze typical social situations and explore the concept of living a balanced life. Students receive accurate, developmentally appropriate information regarding physical and psychological wellness and learn skills that empower them to better understand identity, including how to evaluate different aspects of daily life and relationships, deal with adversity, manage stress, and develop healthy values and habits. Students explore the relationship between physical fitness and a healthy body and have opportunities to develop individual goals; classes challenge students to develop physical skills and interests that support a healthy lifestyle.
