| As society moves to a faster pace, and as life | | | | to cater to the social and emotional needs of |
| starts evolving to a more complicated process, it | | | | these young children. After observing K-5 children |
| is very probable that children of this generation will | | | | under the said after-school program, the select |
| have greater feelings of stress and anxiety. This | | | | schools from the three areas with the addition of |
| means that the usual coping strategies for these | | | | Dade County, found our that children exhibited |
| young individuals may not be enough. | | | | less destructive behavior and greater coping skills |
| This is where afters-school programs and special | | | | with everyday experiences. Observation of |
| curriculum come in. At the moment, after-school | | | | Broward and Dade County have also supported |
| programs for Hollywood and Pembroke Pines, FL | | | | their idea that after-school learning has to go |
| schools are being put together and developed to | | | | beyond academic tutoring. |
| provide the students with a well-needed support | | | | As a solution for the increased need for academic |
| program for non-academic learning. | | | | tutoring programs and enrichment programs of |
| But what exactly is an SEL curriculum? | | | | Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Broward County and |
| SEL stands for social and emotional learning. The | | | | Dade County, an integration of both SEL and |
| curriculum that Hollywood and Pembroke Pines are | | | | academic learning has been developed within the |
| working on revolves around this type of learning. | | | | after-school programs. |
| According to the Social Learning Theory, where | | | | This integrated program uses instructional |
| the idea was founded on, effective social and | | | | methods of teaching that are active, participatory, |
| emotional learning for kids gives higher probability | | | | and developmentally appropriate. Activities are |
| for more active interest in gaining knowledge and | | | | designed in such a way that it will (1)encourage |
| sustaining engagement with the process of | | | | open dialogue between kids and the teachers, (2) |
| learning. It is also a strong reinforcement for tool | | | | initiate decision-making as a group and as an |
| for character education for younger kids. Although | | | | individual, (3) allow kids to exhibit problem-solving |
| social and emotional learning is not considered as a | | | | skills, and (4) encourage independence. By the end |
| formal program, especially for traditional schools, it | | | | of the program, children should be competent in |
| can stand for itself as an important aspect of | | | | the five core areas of social and emotional |
| holistic development and character education. | | | | learning, which are (1)self awareness, (2) |
| Why do we need to have social and emotional | | | | emotional control, (3) social awareness, (4) |
| learning curriculum integrated with our school's | | | | relationship building, and (5) good decision-making. |
| academic program? | | | | Schools offering after-school programs in |
| Data from the 2005 Risk Behavior Survey | | | | Hollywood and Pembroke Pines, FL have been |
| indicated that children between the ages of 8 to | | | | garnering wonderful recognition for its positive |
| 14 have increased feelings of anxiety and | | | | effects on young children. It will no longer be a |
| depression due to family and environmentally | | | | surprise if other schools from surrounding counties |
| related reasons. Succeeding surveys have shown | | | | adapt the same programs. Some have even |
| that the numbers have continuously been climbing | | | | started adapting the SEL curriculum in summer |
| as well. Because of these factors, schools have | | | | camps. |
| taken into greater consideration, the need for | | | | According to Alfred Bandura, father of the Social |
| some sort of support group or program for | | | | Learning Theory, children can learn from modeling |
| these kids, thus, the development of after-school | | | | and observation. It's only up to the teachers, |
| and enrichment programs. Aside from Hollywood | | | | tutors, parents, and the community to exhibit the |
| and Pembroke Pines, Broward County has also | | | | right behavior they can adopt so they are better |
| started applying SEL curriculum into their system | | | | prepared for the outside world. |