Q: What is social-emotional learning, and how does it foster success?
A: “It is the emotional intelligence that we foster in students specifically in regard to responsible decision-making, self-management, self-awareness and the relationship of self to others,” says Hallie Ritzman, director of the upper school at Hathaway Brown. “It’s about teachable moments. The moment on the tennis court where the kid gets so frustrated she throws her racket. How can we help you — through coping skills and knowing yourself well — to get ahead of these moments? These are lifelong skills. Teaching students now to work with their peers so they know how to work with colleagues in the future. Teaching students how to address their teachers, so they know how to work with a boss. It’s setting girls up for success beyond these walls.”
