Social Emotional Learning (Character Building)

Our foundation for character building is the habits of mind.   The habits of mind are knowing how to behave with thought and intelligence when you do not know the answer.  It means having a disposition toward behaving intelligently when confronted with problems, the answers to which are not immediately known.   Examples of the habits of mind include persisting, thinking and communicating with clarity and precision, managing impulsivity, listening with understanding and empathy and thinking flexibly.  Teachers integrate the habits of mind into their daily lessons. In addition, all classes engage in morning meeting, this is a collective time with teachers, used to build community and is framed through the essential questions of our K-12 Character Education Framework, which includes the following essential questions:

• What is fair?
• What is ownership?
• What makes a community?
• How is inaction action?
• What defines who we are?

Students will also develop and participate in monthly assemblies related to character building.   While the assemblies are for students and school personnel only, they present an opportunity for you to have a follow-up conversation with your child at home.  The link to the video of the assembly will be emailed home, along with questions to guide a discussion.