Social Emotional Learning

Emotional Intelligence 

Meet the new Dean helping students

balance academics with social/emotional

learning.

Starting a new job at any stage in life, in any

field, can be overwhelming, or at least a bit

stressful—and all the more when that job

involves working with young students on the

West side of Chicago, during a global

pandemic and a national reckoning for racial injustice. 

But surprisingly, Justin Walker, who joined CWSCS as the new Dean of Students in June 2020, isn’t intimidated by the challenge.

“I’ve always been passionate about full-fledged restorative justice,”explains Justin, who views his role as ministry. (continue reading article)

What does SEL look like at CWSCS? 

In grades K-3, it is doing emotional awareness and emotional vocabulary development—developing the language to talk about the way they feel.

 In grades 4 and 5, it is discussing ideas around citizenship: What does it mean to be a good friend? What does it mean to be a good person? How do we address conflicts and disagreements? 

In grades 6-8, it is growing in social justice awareness, discussing such questions as What is justice? and What is the difference between a right and a privilege?

ARTICLE: Social-Emotional Learning Should Be Priority During COVID-19 Crisis

Experts say teaching and learning during closures is unrealistic if SEL for students and educators is left out of the conversation.

“So often our students are pathologized, looked at as broken, and treated as if they aren’t whole people, that we somehow have to fix— as opposed to acknowledging and respecting their humanity, their truth, their voice, their story, and figuring out how to stand in solidarity with them.” -Justin Walker