Social Emotional Learning
In an article by The New York Times, the question was asked, “Can Emotional Intelligence Be Taught?” At Stanley we say yes, it can be taught and we’ve been teaching social and emotional skills since our founding over 50 years ago.
Collaborative Classrooms
Pre-K to 5
In the Pre-K to 5th grades, students meet weekly with their Social and Emotional teacher to work on key concepts and skills such as learning to stop and consider the feelings of others, learning to think about the consequences of one’s actions, and making positive choices.
Additionally, we provide proactive support for students who need help in specific areas and address these opportunities individually and in small groups that meet over lunch. In the classroom, teachers spend significant time focusing on social and emotional instruction, debriefing with the class after recess, role playing specific social situations that are developmentally appropriate, helping children talk through their feelings, and assisting them with problem solving.
Ultimately, this Pre-K to 5 curriculum gives children the practical skills to build a strong social and emotional foundation for middle school, allowing them to be even better adjusted for high school and eventually adulthood.
Middle School
In the 6-7-8 grades, the Social and Emotional curriculum is designed to build self-efficacy through the study of identity development. Our middle school counselor works with small grade level groups, meets with students one-on-one to work through specific issues or opportunities, consults with both teachers and parents, and develops the foundation of the middle school social and emotional curriculum.
In our multi-age homeroom meetings, students are taught about specific character traits such as perseverance and integrity and then are challenged to strengthen these behaviors in off-campus team building trips and meaningful service projects. In the weekly grade level classes, students explore different social and emotional challenges to identify how personal values affect decision-making and critical thinking skills.
The middle school also features a 3-year Advisor Program where each student is matched to a faculty advisor who provides academic support and acts as a social and emotional mentor throughout the entire middle school experience.
Stanley is a member of the Social Institute, which seeks to reinvent the conversation around teens and social media. Their approach reinforces character and leadership strengths like empathy, integrity, and teamwork, and emphasizes teaching students and their role models to champion high character on all social platforms.
With a set of standards as a jumping off point, kids learn to protect their privacy in the digital space, strike a balance between homework, hobbies, and social media, and value time spent with others as well as living in the moment without the validation of others through likes, views, or comments.
"you can tell who the stanley students are. They’re more poised and they know how to stand up for themselves and get what they need from their teachers.”
Comment from an independent school high school teacher
Dedicated Faculty
Our commitment to teaching students these crucial skills is reflected in the fact we have three faculty positions solely dedicated to social and emotional instruction and support: one for our Pre-K-K-1-2 grades, one for 3-4-5 and one for our middle school.
Together, they ensure all faculty share a common language and an understanding of what Stanley teaches in the area of social and emotional skills.
Allison Neckers, Pre-K to 2
With a background in social work, Allison entered the Stanley Teacher Preparation Program in the 1990s and was an integral part of the teaching team for many years before starting the Stanley Social Emotional Program. Allison enjoys working with students, teachers and parents on how to navigate difficult situations and be the best people we can be while making a positive difference in the world. Allison loves her Social Emotional class times and small group sessions with the children. She also likes playing on the playground with them!
Emily Strong, 3-4-5
Emily loves kids and began her career as an English teacher before getting her MA in Counseling and later a Doctorate, in addition to being a licensed counselor. She's worked with students K-12 over her years in public and independent schools and values nurturing social emotional skills and supporting holistic student and staff well-being.
A parent of two independent school graduates herself, Emily deeply values listening and partnering with parents to support them in their child's unique journey.
Amy Summers, Middle School
Amy loves partnering with the middle school community in supporting the continued development of students into caring and thoughtful learners.
She joined Stanley after spending just over two decades working at an independent school in Baltimore, Maryland where she worked as a French teacher, Director of Middle School Admissions, and, most recently, Middle School Counselor. She holds a Master’s in Education in School Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). She truly loves working with middle school students and is thrilled to support students’ social, emotional, and academic growth.