Here are four different ways our SEL curriculum has helped us achieve these goals in the alternative school setting:

SEL is for students and SEL doesn’t happen in a bubble. To be the most meaningful, both teacher and student have to be on board and involved. We have an incredible staff here that trained with the team from our SEL provider and then hit the ground running with the new lessons. For example, using the "passion" mindset, teachers choose something that they’re passionate about and then develop a lesson around that passion. One teacher who loves cake decorating, for example, teaches a class on how to decorate cakes. This really helps bring to light the fact that teachers are human and they have interests and passions that they want to share.

It helps reset the clock for students. Many of our students have struggled with historical trauma and social issues. They all learn differently. We tell them that they’re here not because they weren’t successful someplace else, but because they can be. We want to give them a fresh start and a new beginning, and our SEL curriculum helps us with that reset. For example, it allows students to think more intrinsically about what matters to them. What are they passionate about? What are their goals and dreams? What type of relationships do they want to have? When students and educators engage in these conversations about what matters to them, that’s when the real learning takes place.

Students learn to "live to give." Giving is difficult, even for adults. Receiving is even harder. With the live to give mindset, students learn the value that comes when you have something to give. Our kids just jump on that and embrace it. They understand that if they have something to share that it makes them valuable. This changes everything at the most functional level as our students come up with activities and options that reflect this mindset. For instance, one of our students who was passionate about fishing said, "I bet there are some middle school kids who need some friends? Can we get a bus? Can we take them fishing?” This is just one example of how kids are sharing their passions and learning the value of giving in life; it changes everything.

Embrace challenges. There’s a perception that life is great, and that if you have a great life then you’ve got it made. In reality, we all endure hard times. At Pathfinder High School, we incorporate the growth mindset in our lessons. Every week we’re talking about how "tough" can be good, and that it challenges us all to learn and grow. Put simply, if it doesn’t come easy, it’s fantastic. It gives us all the opportunity to learn new skills.

Anything is possible

This year, our students will be working with our SEL curriculum once a week and we will discuss the mindsets every day. Teachers are in the classroom learning right along with their students, talking things out, and building on outside activities that allow us to use the same SEL language, and growth mindset. We’re pleased with the progress we’ve made over the last four years. All of our students come from diverse backgrounds and have voices that deserve to be heard. Our SEL curriculum has truly given our kids that voice and helped them be confident in the knowledge that they can go out and achieve anything, and that anything’s possible.

Instant Insights /

4 reasons alternative schools need a SEL curriculum

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