Cambridge Christian School is committed to teaching the whole child academically, emotionally and spiritually. Without a commitment to a student’s emotional growth, the benefits of academics are diminished. Our teachers help our students be successful in the classroom and in life by incorporating relational skills and a strong emphasis on personal accountability into their daily curriculum.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) emphasizes the importance of community, connections, and relationships. With Social-Emotional Learning as the foundation of the classroom, teachers and students tend to feel more connected, which allows everyone to feel safe and secure before diving into academics. This doesn’t mean that academics are deprioritized, it simply means that Social-Emotional Learning must be a part of the academic learning plan.
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), defines Social-Emotional Learning as “how children and adults learn to understand and manage emotions, set goals, show empathy for others, establish positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.” CASEL’s framework identifies five core competencies: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-making.
Research supports that Social-Emotional Learning is key to successful student performance. At Cambridge, teachers infuse these skills throughout the curriculum to enrich learning experiences for students. Teachers work to promote social and emotional development for all students by teaching and modeling social and emotional skills, creating opportunities for students to practice those skills, and giving students opportunities to apply these skills in various situations.
Community, connections, and relationships are the foundation of Cambridge, a commitment that doesn’t deprioritize content expertise, methodology, and pedagogy. Supporting students emotionally and preparing them for college and life is integral to our teaching philosophy and is the heartbeat of classrooms at Cambridge.
