How one Twin Cities high school is incorporating social and emotional learning into its curriculum
MINNEAPOLIS — Schools and educators are championing the importance of social and emotional learning.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic spiked mental health challenges, SEL had been infused into classrooms and school culture.
A new program developed post pandemic is helping students reconnect with others and reengage with learning.
"Ninth grade is a big year for high school so it's just a lot of stuff coming at you at a speed that you don't want it to come at you," said Joey Trahar, a freshman at Totino-Grace High School.
Today's students face enormous challenges in their personal development and future plans while attempting to reconnect.
"Definitely really different going from not really having to speak on camera to having to go in and engage in real life with everybody," said freshman Elijah Dunn.
"Kids are feeling disconnected from themselves, from others because of the pandemic," said Pam Ryan Mejia, founder of Better Together³.
Many schools are shifting to include social and emotional learning and seeking new ways to include it.
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We spend so much time looking down and communicating on our phones. We need to just look up and say, 'I see you. I hear you. I value you,' which is exactly the foundation of our program," said Ryan Mejia.
Ryan Mejia founded Better Together³ nearly four years ago.
It's a K-12 curriculum which can be integrated into learning with flexibility for teachers.
Better Together³ is based on the work and research of best-selling author Dr. Brené Brown. It focuses on empathy, resilience, and connection.
"Receiving those lessons is very powerful because they are able to not only self-reflect which is what we want them to do ultimately but also share. Not only with their classmate but also with us," said William Kvot, French teacher at Totino-Grace High School.
Once a month, students at Totino-Grace take part in one of the Better Together³ lessons during homeroom.
"There's one called perseverance playlist where students design a playlist for when things are challenging. Goal setting, self-regulation, healthy relationships, problem-solving," explained Ryan Mejia.
Freshman Ivanka Luciw recalls an activity in which she wrote a postcard to her parents.
"I don't always tell my parents how much I appreciate them. I always tell them I love you, but I just wrote more details like you always help me through things. I feel like it brought me closer to my homeroom because they saw I cried. They saw a more emotional side of me," said Luciw.
"They've been vulnerable with each other. I think once you see kids open up about their lives you just naturally begin to trust each other, you begin to form stronger relationships. Not just relationships on the surface, hey I sit next to you during class but hey I really know you," said Cheri Broadhead, Principal of Totino-Grace High School.
"It's really helpful because it shows that you're not the only person going through stuff like this," said Dunn.
