LIHU‘E — The Hawai‘iUSA Federal Credit Union is partnering with the Kaua‘i Department of Education to help get the DOE’s social and emotional learning component moving.
On Thursday, Kaua‘i Complex Area Acting Superintendent Daniel Hamada and District Educational Specialist Sean Doi reviewed one of the starter social-emotional text sets with the staff of the Kukui Grove branch of Hawai‘iUSA FCU that will be going out to nine Kaua‘i public elementary schools.
Books within the social-emotional text sets bridges SEL lessons with literacy to foster the joy of reading for students, and provide contexts for teachers to facilitate discussions about how the themes, lessons, and mindsets from the books can strengthen students’ social emotional competencies.
Additionally, the books continue to build on the learning experiences gained from these read-alouds, discussions, and corresponding work to continue to enhance social emotional learning lessons and units of study.
Doi said starting next week, each public elementary school, including Hanalei, Kilauea, Kapa‘a, King Kaumuali‘i, Wilcox, Koloa, Kalaheo, ‘Ele‘ele, and Kekaha, will receive one text set that includes several books that will be housed at the school, which will determine how to provide access to these books for use by teachers, counselors, and staff.
Social and emotional learning is an essential component to an educational system, the Kaua‘i DOE said in a release.
As defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, 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.”
Doi added, “Our Kaua‘i Complex Area firmly believes in this process and outcome. It is because of this goal, we strive to provide rich and meaningful experiences that integrate both social emotional learning and literacy development.
“Using high-quality literature to teach and model for students the mindsets and social emotional skills is a high-impact strategy that can create a positive impact for our students.”
