New England Association of Schools & Colleges – Creating a Culture of Dignity

As young people navigate a constantly changing educational environment, we know a few things are certain, supportive relationships and social skills are critical to their emotional well-being and academic engagement. But these skills are not “soft skills;” they are essential for young people to manage their emotions, self-advocate, develop resilience and become responsible, positive members of families and communities.

But teaching social skills that young people take seriously is often challenging. Programs can easily come across as superficial or unrelatable. This webinar will address this challenge by defining a principle based approach where a culture of dignity, as opposed to a culture of respect, is the key to any effective SEL program. We will review concrete SEL strategies so that educators engage with young people as resources in creating a healthy learning environment.