PS/IS 686 | Brooklyn, NY

Social Emotional Curriculum

In Kindergarten at BSI, the Social Emotional Curriculum is embedded into our everyday practice.  We are a Tribes and Responsive Classroom Learning Community. 

We have school-wide Tribes Community Agreements to create safe and caring school/classroom environments in which students can thrive. They are:  

  • Attentive Listening – I will listen with my eyes, ears and heart
  • Appreciations / No Put Downs  – I will show appreciations and NO put downs
  • Body Safety – I will be safe with my body and heart 
  • Mutual Respect – I will show mutual respect
  • The Right to Pass – I have the right to pass (This gives students time to think before responding) 
  • Personal Best  – I will do my personal best (This helps encourage students to be active learners & give their best effort) 

Keeping this in mind, there are of course conflicts that happen between students. As the year progresses, students are taught tools to help with conflict resolution. 

Some tools we use are: 

1. “I-Mat” – this tool has not been taught yet but will be in the coming month. This is a wonderful tool that teaches students how to speak from the perspective of “I” vs. blaming and making “You” statements. It helps students express how a situation made them feel and offers the opportunity for students to reach a resolution. 

2. Think Time Reflection Sheets – This is used to give students a chance to reflect on a situation and to facilitate a conversation (student to student, teacher to student).

3. Peace Center – A quiet space in the room for reflection and emotional management.

As kindergartners continue to learn how to navigate the social world, we provide them with the language and tools necessary to help them succeed.