Developing skills that translate success across school, work, and life can be difficult without the help of social emotional learning (“SEL”). Holistic, school-based wellness organizations such as Brain Power Wellness (“BPW”) have infused social emotional wellness strategies into their programs to better support students, parents, teachers, and administrators. The company is now offering corporate Brain Power Wellness retreats in order to bring these SEL benefits into the business sector.
What is SEL and what is unique about the Brain Power Wellness approach to SEL?
Social emotional learning is essential to human and educational development. In the school setting, this process helps students of all ages learn behaviors that enable them to develop healthy identities, comprehend emotions, make responsible decisions, practice empathy, and establish positive relationships. These strategies also improve students’ abilities to build frameworks within which they can successfully imagine and then achieve their goals.
The best proof that the Brain Power Wellness program successfully delivers these benefits is the company’s long-standing relationships with its partner schools worldwide. There are two central features about the BPW approach that contribute to the sustainability of these longstanding partnerships. The first is the company’s dedication to “embodied SEL,” meaning the program helps people experience a strong reconnection to their bodies.
High stress, combined with a limited capacity for emotional management, can result in a disembodied human experience. In this unhealthy state, thoughts rather than intuitive feelings are the individual’s guiding forces. BPW instructors and trainers skillfully guide students in reconnecting to their bodies and, critically, their inherent somatic wisdom. This brings about a healthier way of living.
The second central feature is the unique leadership component of the BPW program. Throughout the school year, a number of teachers and students from each partner school are provided with a higher level of leadership training that enhances their ability to implement the BPW program with clarity and consistency. Essentially, they become BPW ambassadors, committed to ensuring the sustainability of their school’s partnership with BPW.
The Five Social Emotional Learning Competencies
SEL has five core competencies according to CASEL, otherwise known as Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. These core competencies can be applied in school, home, corporate, or community environments.
The first of five SEL core competencies is self-awareness. Generating self-awareness guides students to recognize personal emotions and how emotions impact behavior. Self-awareness also helps them notice their strengths and weaknesses, which, in turn, boosts their confidence in their ability to learn and grow.
Self-management is another one of the core competencies. This competency not only teaches students how to set and work towards goals; but also gives them the tools needed to take ownership and control over their thoughts, emotions, and actions in the myriad circumstances of daily life.
The remaining core competencies include social awareness, relationship skills, and making responsible decisions. Social awareness revolves around teaching empathy and showing students how to put themselves into another’s shoes regardless of that individual’s background. Relationship skills are developed through empathetic listening and choosing to be kind to one another. Students are encouraged to engage in team-building activities that promote fun and curiosity, which builds rapport and develops a wide range of communication skills and opportunities for responsible decision-making.
Benefits of SEL
“Through the use of social emotional learning, students learn to recognize what is going on inside them and be aware of their emotions which helps them deal with strong emotions and impulsive behaviors. It helps them stop, take a breath and think about a situation before acting.” -Quote by Positive Pieces that Brain Power Wellness reviews on their Facebook page.
In schools, 95% of educators in Brain Power Wellness reviews agree that the program aided their students as well as themselves in stress management and emotional regulation. Equipping students with stress management tools early in life sets them up to be able to better navigate every other challenge throughout their lives.
The benefits of SEL for students in the classroom empower them to choose positive and productive actions. As their confidence grows through taking repeated action, their self-esteem is improved and they will naturally help others respond with more kindness, inclusion and compassion.
Expanding SEL Access
For readers who are interested in learning more about what Brain Power Wellness has to offer, teachers and educators of all types, coaches, and parents, or anyone interested in SEL are invited to explore BPW’s Online Teacher Course. This course guides participants through a foundation in Social Emotional Learning and how Brain Power Wellness’ embodied approach brings SEL alive through fun and engaging exercises for focus, mindfulness, physical/emotional wellness and confidence.
Informative, diverse and engaging, this course touches on a wide range of subjects such as CASEL’s Core Competencies; BPW’s approach to understanding emotions; ACEs; and how to use Brain Power tools to help students release stress and much more!
About Brain Power Wellness
Brain Power Wellness is a holistic, school-based wellness organization that supports healthier, happier, more focused school environments. The mission of Brain Power Wellness is to help transform the culture of its partner schools through self-development, mindfulness, community building, retreats, SEL, holistic wellness, and brain training for teachers, students, parents, and administrators.
