DO PALOS VERDES SCHOOLS TEACH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)?
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District has adopted several formal programs to teach Social Emotional Learning (SEL) to the Elementary, Middle, and High School students. View the district curriculum web page here.
The Following Curricula and Programs have been or are currently being used in Palos Verdes Schools:
Questions to ask about these non-academic programs.
What are the lessons in the curriculum?
Are parents consenting to the Social/Emotional lessons?
Are there any measurable standards for success in these curriculums?
Are the lessons age-appropriate and aligned with the California Education Code?
How much is academic instruction time reduced in order to make room for Social/Emotional learning ?
Are schools trying to take on roles of parents?
Are teachers being asked to act as amateur social workers?
How and where is personal student data being stored and used?
Let’s Take a Closer Look:
An example of the SEL curriculum found in a first grade PV classroom
Hidden Rules and Expected and Unexpected Behaviors: Pirate Adventure is the book used in the “We Thinkers!” curriculum. There is a “Mood Teacher” who teaches that there are no clear rules or expectations, but you can find hidden rules about conforming to collective behaviors. Children are looked down upon and put under peer pressure to join the collective group. The different ways children can join the group include:
“Following the group plan”.
“Keep everyone feeling comfortable”.
“Keeping your body in the group”.
Is this the best choice to teach our children about rules, manners, and awareness?
Are children being celebrated for their individual talents or are they being taught to group think?
Is this the kind of curriculum we want our children learning during valuable school time?
Is this where PVPUSD should be spending funds when the District has financial concerns?