Open Circle - About Us

Resources -
Why Social & Emotional Learning?

Parents’ hopes for their children are universal. They want their daughters and sons to be happy and healthy, to have friends, to be able to handle life’s challenges, to be good learners, to be good people.

Educators cherish these hopes for children too, and yet we live in a time and culture where many children come to school with a complex array of social and emotional needs and with a diminished sense of connection to others. We also live in a time of war, of sudden violence and uncertainty. In our closely connected world, this violence does not go unnoticed by our children who often carry a heavy burden of anxiety with them to the classroom. And parents and educators share an anxiety about how to prepare children to face a complex and uncertain future.

Schools are our most powerful catalyst for bringing people together, fostering understanding, and reinforcing democratic values in our diverse society. As schools address the challenge of preparing students for the 21st century, for technologies and circumstances we can only imagine, certain truths remain constant. As human beings, we need to learn to work with each other, to empathize, collaborate and communicate. And we need to develop the capacity to form relationships with others that give our lives meaning, that bring us joy and comfort, that challenge us to look beyond ourselves and inspire us to create a better society.

In spite of these truths, many schools—faced with the imperatives of standards and high-stakes testing—feel increasing pressure to focus solely on academics to the exclusion of social and emotional learning. However, educators are also learning that if their students are to be successful in school, the latter simply cannot be ignored. In fact, social and emotional learning is at the heart of the educational process.

Research over the last decade tells us that “EQ” (emotional intelligence) is as important as “IQ” for success in life and that intellectual and social emotional growth are inextricably linked. Students who are anxious, angry or depressed can’t concentrate on academics. By the same token, children who learn to empathize with others and to look beyond themselves are more likely to be interested and engaged in learning about their world. To help children reach their full potential, schools must provide students with a safe and nurturing environment where they learn how to recognize and manage their feelings, empathize with each other, play, work and learn together.

For Teachers
	Curriculum Order Form (for past trainees only)
	Helping Children Deal with Traumatic Events
	Children's Literature Connection
	Framingham State Course Syllabus
	SEL Bibliography
	Links to Massachusetts Curriculum Framework

For Consulting Teachers
	Instructions for the Front-Front/Back-Back Energizer
	Consulting Log
	Process of Successful Implementation

For Administrators
	Evaluate the impact of Open Circle in your school
	Fees and Funding Guide
	Curriculum Order Form (for past trainees only)