Last time we wrote, we discussed some of the reasons it’s great to be CFSD: things like curriculum choices; attendance and graduation rates; parental and community support; the highest statewide testing scores; and ADE’s grade A assigned to all our schools. These are truly great measures of CFSD’s success. But CFSD doesn’t get there with a focus only on “reading, writing and ‘rithmetic”. CFSD gets there because its administrators, staff and board members are dedicated to the education of the whole child.
Jonathan Eig, author of King: A Life – a recent and definitive biography of Martin Luther King, Jr.—notes an early essay written by MLK on the importance of education. King stated:
“We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”
King went on to say that if we are not careful and attend only to the academic side of education, we might raise a generation of closed-minded, unscientific people without a moral compass. King wrote this essay in 1947. Clearly, Social-Emotional Learning which is really what he was talking about—is nothing new.
Social-Emotional Learning – or SEL - is the contemporary term for the character education that has always taken place within the walls of CFSD. CFSD partners with parents to support our common goal to shape our kids into confident, contributing members of our society.
SEL gets a bad rap these days, and a lot of the backlash against it comes from a fundamental misunderstanding of why it’s so important to the success of our students. SEL is not indoctrination; SEL does not teach students what to think, but rather, how to think; SEL imparts to our kids some very crucial life skills. CFSD’s SEL effort:
Helps students manage anxiety and stress, which makes them better learners.
Builds resilience and coping strategies which keeps our kids persevering whether they’re attacking a particularly tough math, writing or science assignment or facing an intractable personal problem in their home or social lives.
Helps improve communication, conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.
This leads to the development of the empathy and respect for others that is so important to our students’ long-term success in anything they do.
In fact, the benefits of Social-Emotional Learning bring to mind the Shared Core Values featured in CFSD’s strategic plan crafted by the Board in 2012. These Shared Core Values include a commitment to:
Equity
Integrity
Belonging
Compassion
Curiosity
Innovation
Risk-Taking
Perseverance
Resilience
Way back in 2012, CFSD made a commitment to SEL. The governing board and district leaders recognized it as pivotal to our students’ academic success and to the development of these children into responsible, contributing citizens of our global community. In short, Social-Emotional Learning is key to our students’ academic success and the realization of CFSD’s strategic Mission and Vision for our students.
There’s a wonderful video on the CFSD website entitled Someone To You. This heartwarming and tears-of-joy-inducing video traces several CFSD students from their earliest years into their lives beyond CFSD. It’s a must view for anyone who wants to understand the magical alchemy that occurs within the walls of CFSD schools as our teachers and staff practice the artistry of educating our students into the people they were destined to become. And, yes, these kids accomplished their goals by tending to the three R’s. But, their achievements were made possible because the CFSD community understands that it’s not just about numbers and letters. It’s about people and it’s about values and it’s about learning from each other’s strengths and differences – all lessons supported by the concepts of Social Emotional Learning.
Your Students First slate of governing board candidates is committed to SEL, and we will work cooperatively and collaboratively with CFSD’s administration and staff to promote and perpetuate this portion of CFSD’s curriculum.
Want to understand more about why SEL is so key? Our very own Pima County School Superintendent, Dustin Williams said it all in his recent op ed, The Unfounded Fear of Social Emotional Learning and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
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