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Emotions Matter
A key premise of the field of emotional intelligence is that, used wisely, all emotions—both positive and negative—become resources we draw on to inform our decisions, support our well-being, and help us achieve goals. (Marc A Brackett, ASCD, Oct 1, 2018)
New York State has identified the following goals to guide Social Emotional Learning for New York State schools:
- Develop self-awareness and self-management skills essential to success in school and in life.
- Use social awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships.
- Demonstrate ethical decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts. (NYS SEL Benchmarks 2018)
Suffern Central Schools utilize several anchor tools that help students and teachers become more aware of their feelings and how they affect learning. These anchor tools help teachers introduce skills connected to emotional intelligence into everyday classroom routines and academic instruction.
- RULER is a schoolwide approach that teaches all stakeholders in a school about the value of emotions, the skills of emotional intelligence, and the importance of building a positive school climate.
- Mood Meter is a four-quadrant grid that provides a concrete way to plot oneself in “emotion space” and helps students become more aware of feelings and how they affect learning.
