“In these difficult times there are people who used their social emotional learning skills to build community.”
NEW YORK (PRWEB) December 11, 2020
The Urban Assembly and SEL4US are proud to announce that Friday, March 26, 2021 will be the second annual SEL Day. This initiative recognizes the immense value of social and emotional learning (SEL) with a global awareness campaign. Under this year’s theme, Building Bonds, Reimagining Communities, elected officials, educators, and community groups are encouraged to create activities and events that raise awareness for how SEL skills will help us remain connected and engaged during the pandemic.
SEL Day co-sponsors Urban Assembly and SEL4US launched the official 2021 website, selday.org, which includes toolkits that will guide participants in showcasing, promoting, supporting, and advocating social emotional education. SEL Day toolkits include: ways to engage students and families in SEL at home; templates that will help participants activate their communities, stakeholders and public officials; and sample SEL activities and events to promote SEL Day.
According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), 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.
In the article Social Emotional Learning Should be Priority During COVID-19 Crisis, the National Education Association notes that the pandemic has disrupted the feeling of being together and connected, particularly for children. The article maintains that using SEL skills to normalize feelings and emotions, and maintain a sense of connection, community, and relationships through virtual tools is paramount to getting through the crisis.
“During these challenging times, SEL can help us focus on building bonds and relationships to strengthen and reimagine our communities,” says Nova Biro of the
SEL4US Leadership Team. “Through SEL Day we are amplifying our voices to highlight the importance and positive impact of social and emotional learning in our schools, organizations, and communities.”
“In these difficult times there are people who used their social emotional learning skills to build community,” says David Adams, Senior Director of Strategy at the Urban Assembly. “This year, it's time to celebrate these people and the institutions that helped them develop these skills. SEL Day 2021 will give people around the world the opportunity to showcase the social emotional learning skills they use to build relationships and support their communities.”
The second annual SEL Day is Friday, March 26, 2021. Schools and community organizations who want to participate in SEL Day can sign up and find more information at selday.org.
About Urban Assembly
The Urban Assembly was founded in 1997 under the mission of advancing students’ social and economic mobility by improving public education. In partnership with the NYC Department of Education, the UA has created 23 small, career-themed middle and high schools throughout New York City, and adopted three pre-existing schools into their network. Annually the UA serves nearly 10,0000 students in New York City and beyond through social and emotional learning, academic and leadership support, career readiness, and postsecondary access and success programs.
About SEL4US
SEL4US (sel4us.org) was founded in 2019 to empower local advocates to influence and support their communities to implement high-quality social and emotional learning. SEL4US is a national membership organization that works at the state and community levels to raise awareness of the benefits of SEL, promote and support SEL implementation, and advance policies and funding to sustain and spread the use of high-quality SEL.