1. Introduction
2. What is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)?
3. How Does This Look At bina?
4. The Benefits Of SEL: Inside The Classroom
5. The Benefits Of SEL: Outside The Classroom
6. Conclusion
7. About Us
8. Call to Action
It's Monday morning, and 6-year-old Harper logs into their bina classroom. Their dad just left for a work trip. Harper feels sad and unsettled and, in the next room, you do too; how will Harper fare with the day of learning ahead? How can you concentrate on your work, knowing that they are struggling?
With Harper at bina, you don't need to worry. Harper will be met with an educator who supports them to regulate their unsettled feelings, and a curriculum dedicated to helping them tackle the tricky emotional hurdles in their life. This is Social-Emotional Learning, to which we commit ¼ of the bina day.
Social-Emotional learning (SEL) is a process through which individuals develop essential skills such as social awareness, empathy-building, self-awareness, decision making, and relationship skills. Students who participate in Social-Emotional Learning activities foster emotional intelligence, social skills, and ethical behaviour, which contribute to their personal well-being and to the creation of equitable, supportive communities.
SEL at bina is expansive and multifaceted; let's look at two examples of how we approach it.
Educators, parents and students work together to set personalised SEL goals for each child. These are set at the beginning of each biome, reviewed half-way through and reflected on at the end. Perhaps Alex feels overwhelmed by teamwork and doesn't want to share; maybe Carey doesn't know how to react when they notice a friend is sad. Our educators will work with each child to set specific and measurable goals on how to communicate, regulate and handle those feelings better.
At bina, we support our students to fill their "toolbox" with strategies they can use to manage their feelings. Tools in the toolbox might include breathing exercises, a little walk, asking for a hug, having a chat or taking some time alone. Students can reach into their toolbox, select the tool that fits their feeling and use it to express their needs and regulate themselves.
At bina, we run carefully curated SEL themes as part of our curriculum. These themes include persistence, kindness, and collaboration. They help our students take ownership of their learning, set them up for academic success and help them consider other people's perspectives along the way.
But we haven't stopped there. Our educators tune in to each child's social and emotional journey, making notes on their needs, worries and strengths. They'll even adjust their teaching in real time according to the needs of their class - mixing up structure to account for morning sleepiness or easing slowly into team work to consider social anxieties. What does this mean for you? It means that your kiddo's academic content is delivered in ways that meet their unique social and emotional needs.
This means that SEL isn't just part of academic learning; it informs it.
Let's take another look at little Harper, wriggling in their seat at the beginning of the school day and missing their Dad. For them, the SEL in the bina day supports them to express and address their feelings of sadness.
This is obviously going to improve Harper's learning that day - but it's actually after their lessons that the magic of SEL sets in. Equipped with communicative language and with their personalised tool kit fully stocked, Harper will face the rest of the day with the invaluable ability to understand and manage their own emotions, asking for help where they need it.
This is an ability that lasts a lifetime. Children who practise SEL learn not just to manage their emotions but to speak up for their needs, to make tricky decisions, to face challenges calmly, and to understand others. Ultimately, this is why Social-Emotional Learning matters: it helps students to navigate their lives as more empathetic, confident, persistent, socially aware, and self-aware people.
What does this mean for your kiddo? It means that, at bina, we nurture the whole child, dedicating ¼ of our curriculum to Social-Emotional Learning. We teach students skills that not only help them learn, but that set them up for success throughout their life.
bina is dedicated to creating a holistic educational experience for our students. We aim to provide an education that balances academic excellence with social-emotional growth, ensuring every child feels seen, known, and supported.
Are you ready to explore how bina can support your child's social-emotional and academic growth? We'd love to get to know you and your family. Book a call with us today to learn more about our approach to education.