Room for optimisim- my SEL goals
My SEL goals will center primarily on the following two general categories: 1.)Awareness of self and others, 2.) Positive Attitudes and values.
These will be my essential "target" objectives pursuant to the unique social and cultural dynamics of the learning environment I am currently immersed in. Many students in Yap have an extremely difficult time expressing themselves - deferring to a cultural inclination towards conservatism (especially when it comes to airing one's personal feelings). The relationship and interplay between thoughts, feelings and actions often escapes our students who seem to become understandably frustrated at their individual and collective inability to verbalize and rationalize their emotions. The culture is such that young people are expected to display utmost "respect" at all times - personal feelings aside. The angst of adolescence is overlooked rendering the labeling of many Yapese teenagers as rebellious and disrespectful when they are simply displaying ordinary adolescent behavior.
To promote community awareness of the relationship between thoughts, feelings and actions (in terms of adolescents) is an overriding SEL goal I have. Another SEL goal is for me to "humanize and personalize" the educational process by encouraging teachers to become more aware of the impact and ramifications of emotions on student behavior.
Positive attitudes must be promoted and must permeate all educators' actions. By creating atmospheres of fear and mistrust, teachers and administrators are dooming the potential of certain learning environments. I have seen teachers "greet" students by literally shouting and berating them. Similarly, I have seen school principals attempt to manage perceived "crises" by becoming belligerent and scornful with resulting negative effects on the students. A smidgen of good will, a cultivation of virtues and an acknowledgment of another's emotional well-being will go a long way towards improving the quality of education in any conceivable learning environment.
In my particular learning environment, I will also promote the attainment of specific SEL goals related to perspective taking, managing emotions and building relationships. What is lacking at our multicultural learning environment is a true sense of empathy. Identifying and understanding the diverse and divergent thoughts and feelings of others is something we really need to work on. Our Micronesian students and administrators need to empathize with the Filipino and American teachers occupying our classrooms. Our Filipino and US teachers must also endeavor to empathically understand their respective students. Currently, the daily dose of culture clash is somewhat overwhelming! Seemingly minor disputes escalate into hurtful and debilitating conflicts due to a lack of mutual understanding. For example, understanding why students chew betel nut in the classroom almost incessantly (part of their culture and not out of defiance as most of our teachers sadly misinterpret) is important for our teachers. Similarly, our Micronesian students must attempt to understand why their Filipino and US teachers react the way they do upon seeing students chew (and spit) betel nut in their classrooms.
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