A New Form of SEL

 Principal ponderings...

We have all heard about SEL - social emotional learning, but I am beginning to think more about SEL - social emotional literacy.  I have said it many times before...I believe books can save lives, books can be our therapy, books can help us deal with difficult emotions.  

I was excited and honored that I was approached by Pam Allyn and Bookelicious to present this summer at a conference with another principal friend of mine from Oklahoma.  Pam is a literacy expert and an author of several professional development books.  She has recently been creating a new learning platform that is focused on supporting families and caregivers.  It's called Dewey and Bookelicious has worked with Pam's team to create a collection of books that I would consider great books to help with SEL - social emotional literacy.

Dewey has a 7 Sparks Framework and provides some important skills and values to focus on while using the books in the collection.  We were lucky enough to receive all of the books in the collection for free.  I have the books, both picture books and chapter books, in two bins in the office.  Some of them I have used individually with kids and some I have started reading aloud in classes.  

Here are the 7 Sparks.  I like the different headings that they have created, but I like the simple directive statements that go along with each spark...

• joyful bonding - Connect deeply.
• curious learning - Wonder boldly.
• creative thinking - Imagine fiercely.
• empathy building - Care kindly.
• problem solving - Navigate bravely.
• thriving independently - Grow courageously.
• mindful balance - Breathe calmly.

There's a lot to unpack in each of those.  As I learn more about the Dewey platform, I will share with you, but for now I am excited to use the books in the collection to address some of these areas.  Here's a picture of the chapter book stack and the picture book stack that we were gifted.  After I use them for some more read alouds and share them with students, I plan to add them to our library collection.

I challenge you to think about how you could use any one of these books and select any one of the Sparks to engage with your students.  I have certainly pulled out Front Desk before with kids and talked about how the main character used writing to do some problem solving; she was certainly navigating bravely, and our kids can learn about how writing can help them to problem solve.  I read the beautiful book My First Day to 4th graders and was able to experience joyful bonding with some of our students whose families are from Vietnam; it was amazing to see kids connect deeply with a picture book and others who have a shared cultural experience. 

How can you practice this new form of SEL...social emotional literacy?

Feel free to come borrow a book or simply incorporate some of the phrasing related to the 7 Sparks.

Currently reading:

I said to my husband this week...I wish I could just sit in my home library and read everyday all day.  He told me to win the lottery and then I could do that.  For now, I will settle with spending a few hours throughout the week reading.  I finished reading Pax Journey Home this weekend.  This is the sequel to the book Pax.  Both books are about loss and love, told from alternating perspectives of a young boy and a fox. 

I was excited to dive into an adult realistic fiction book, All the Light We Cannot See.  Looking forward to reading this book...already got pulled into it and didn't want to stop reading. 

Events this week:

Monday - Welcome to Patrick Hoey, our new lunch/recess monitor, Liz in virtual MSAA meetings from 11:3-3:00

Tuesday - Liz in virtual Mass Literacy Support Network meeting from 9-11:00

Wednesday - 4th grade BAS/F&P all day PD, Half day, dismissal at 12:30, bag lunch option, PD sessions in the afternoon, report cards available in PowerSchool

Thursday -  2nd grade virtual author visit - Kevin Kurtz, 9:45 - lockdown drill - doors will be locked and students will remain distanced in their desks

Friday - Motoko visiting 5th grade in person for writing work

Check it out:

I can't remember if I already shared this but it's worth a re-share if I did...