What is SEL?
Social emotional learning is a process through which the individual acquires and effectively uses knowledge, qualifications, attitudes, and skills necessary for dealing with day-to-day challenges, in order to develop into inquisitive people, able to understand their emotions and those of others. It also enables people to conduct positive interactions with others, to act from internal motivation, to exhibit flexible thinking and to develop the abilities to persist, to regulate emotions and behavior, and to make decisions responsibly. In recent years, there has been a dramatic rise in both research and practice of social emotional learning (SEL). Only during the past four years have a half million SEL related scientific studies been published. In this massive amount of literature, there have been different areas of emphasis, and a variety of definitions and points of view.
SEL Competencies
SEL competencies are the abilities to coordinate between cognitive, emotional and behavioral processes in order to encourage optimal development, enable achievement of goals, and be successful in a variety of relationships and cultural environments. The CASEL model relates to these competencies as belonging to five main areas, including intrapersonal skills, attitudes and abilities (self-awareness), interpersonal abilities (self-management, social awareness, relationship skills) and responsible and ethical decision-making in personal and social situations (responsible decision making).
Why is SEL important!
Social emotional competencies are a significant source of resilience throughout one’slife and in the long term, are linked to academic success and better emotionaland physical health. From the wide-ranging amount of research done on SEL,there is ample evidence that SEL contributes to the academic, emotional andsocial functioning of the student.
Boston Online Home Education is a member of the Boston Group of companies. Boston City Campus was founded in 1991 and is registered as a Private Higher Educational Institution. Over the more than 30 years the group has developed a depth of experience in education, pedagogy, learning design, technology, excellent support and systems which ensure success for learners. This experience has enabled Boston to understand on a practical level “what works” to enrich your learning experience and ensure success. As a result the various companies in the group have received multiple awards including “Best College Award” for over 12 years.
Cambridge Assessment International Education is the only international exam board that is wholly owned by a world-leading university, the University of Cambridge. Cambridge programmes and qualifications set the global standard for international education. They are created by subject experts, rooted in academic rigor and reflect the latest educational research. Every year, nearly a million Cambridge learners prepare for their future with an education from Cambridge International. Cambridge learners are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged – equipped for success in the modern world.
SEL is a fundamental part of the teaching and learning at BOHE. The academic and tech team at BOHE are constantly researching and exploring solutions to enhance the social emotional learning in the context of their core subjects such as English, Math, Science and Commerce. How does BOHE teaching and learning ensure that SEL competencies are built into the fibre of the daily teaching and learning. BOHE has studied the CASEL model and has ensured that their pedagogy is designed according to the model.
How does BOHE teaching and learning ensure that SEL competencies are built into the fibre of the daily teaching and learning?
To foster self-awareness we implemented a journal writing solution whereby students are provided space to jot down their feelings and emotions. Academic counsellors set meetings with students to discuss their feelings and emotions and provide them with further support where needed.
To enhance self-management skills, we use a "good habits" section within each course. The good habits section allow students to set academic goals and plan how to achieve these goals. Teachers can then monitor these self-management plans by accessing individual schemas for progress.
To foster social awareness we developed a Debate platform in conjunction with forum activities that are linked to our LMS. The Debate platform allow students to interact with peers on the same or different topics of interest and to raise their voices. It also fosters critical thinking, respect for other's opinions and bringing out their own voices.
We put a high premium on relationships hence we created space in all our online activities for positive feedback. In conjunction we also have one-on-one sessions where students can book sessions with teachers. Students are encouraged to keep diaries and only the classroom teacher has access to further show interest what interests them. We also have a set structure within all our classes for asynchronous courses and students have a direct line to academic counsellors to report issues.
Through the forums we provide students with opportunities to identify problems to be solved. Through discussions we also encourage students to gather information and brainstorm solutions. The live classes also encourage discussions and problem-solving mechanisms.
Students also have access to a plethora of short courses based on:Goal settingSelf EsteemBuild Self AwarenessStress ManagementTime ManagementStudy SkillsTeamworkLanguage Skills
Our philosophy at BOHE is underpinned by monitoring, support and early intervention, hence our platform is integrated with various unique functionalities to achieve this. Our vision and mission are to develop students holistically and hence incorporating various online tools to assist students in their educational journey. Our online learning platform makes it possible for:Self-paced learning and hence flexibilityBetter time managementSelf-motivationVirtual communication and collaborationBroadening perspectivesCritical thinking skillsTechnical skills
Journal writing allows kids to take control of their learning and feelings by provoking more contemplation.
As part of the students academic journey they need to know where they are at and where they are going. We provide them the tools to determine their academic goals, refine it and encourage them to achieve it. Our goal setting tool allow them to:
At BOHE we put a high premium on achieving academic goals hence the availability of a study schedule which can be modified to your specific needs. To achieve your academic goals it is important to keep to a study schedule since it:
Because their attention is focused and they are not wasting time on distractions (such as social media), effective time management allows students to achieve more in less time. As students cross tasks off their to-do list, efficient time management minimizes stress. Effective time management will allow students to:
Learning to dispute well has several benefits, including research, thinking, and even public speaking abilities. Debating can prepare you for any problem life may throw at you, from organizing your argument – even if you disagree with it – to carefully picking your words. Here are some of the advantages of debating:
Our unique booking system makes it possible for students to book individual sessions with counsellors. The counsellors can also advise students to book sessions with teachers based on their academic performance. Her are some of the benefits of our booking system:
Each tutor has his/her own timetable where they can schedule sessions for students based on individual needs. The benefits of having a timetable includes:
At BOHE we put a high premium on performance. hence we have integrated an automatic system to notify teachers/counsellors of the student's performance in all courses. The benefits of this include:
Complete the form below and one of our academic counsellors will assist you.
