Social Emotional Learning
As defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.
The five interrelated competencies identified as part of the CASEL framework are listed below. These areas can be taught and applied at various stages of childhood through adult development, and are applicable in many contexts in support of academic success, school/ civic engagement, health and wellness, and within one’s own career.
Franklin Lakes Public Schools recognizes that prioritizing Social Emotional Learning and development of non-cognitive skills supports and benefits students in a variety of ways including, but not limited to:
With the knowledge of SEL’s impact on students, and given a number of NJDOE curriculum and instruction mandates in place pertaining to the importance of respecting and appreciating individual differences/ diversity and inclusion within the curriculum of New Jersey's public schools, Franklin Lakes has created a curricula to equip students with the soft skills needed to positively interact and build meaningful relationships with others in our diverse global society.
About Unit Zero
Through this PK-8 curriculum, intended to serve as a touchstone for all learning, students develop and apply human skills/ SEL competencies emphasizing:
Unit Zero serves as an important instructional initiative in the creation of safe, supportive, positive, and welcoming learning environments for every student. It is our goal for every student to see themselves in the curriculum, and to provide opportunities to understand and appreciate the experiences of others in the hopes of showing students that each one of them, regardless of race, national origin, culture, ethnicity, ability, religion, gender, affectional/ sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or other identifying feature/ trait has equal value in the world and a bright/ hopeful future.
We utilize a developmentally appropriate approach as part of our curricular framework, which is informed by three areas of knowledge about children as they mature:
This curriculum infuses and supports the following NJ curriculum mandates in an age-appropriate manner: