Social Emotional Learning & Anti-Bias
Essential Skills for the Future
One of the greatest strengths of the WNS program is our commitment to the skill development necessary to achieve social competency in diverse settings for our students and within our community as a whole. As such, it is critical to prioritize Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Anti-bias/Anti-racist (ABAR) education in the WNS curriculum. To accomplish this, we consciously engage in generative conversations with faculty and staff about effective implementation of SEL/ABAR into student life via the morning meeting/advisory program, classroom instruction, ACE programming, free play, and extracurricular activities.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
At WNS, our focus on social emotional learning (SEL) infuses every corner of our campus. All faculty are trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that values students’ identities and lived experiences and adapts teaching strategies to meet varied learning styles and diverse cultural backgrounds.
In addition, WNS has a social-emotional curriculum based on the cognitive building blocks of social thinking that was created by our faculty for use with our students. This curriculum centers around six essential skills – Self Regulation, Flexible Thinking, Perspective Taking, Social Communication, Problem Solving and Thinking as Part of a Group. Explicit instruction, integrated instruction, and authentic opportunities for practice begin in our ECC program and continue through middle school. We believe that these skills are essential for success in school and in life outside of education.
At our Early Childhood Center, Persona Dolls are used to support identity, empathy, and social-emotional learning through storytelling. These diverse dolls reflect the children’s experiences and spark meaningful discussions about differences, relationships, and inclusion. Their special presence during class meetings encourages thoughtful dialogue, connection, and a deeper sense of community.
Anti-Bias/ Anti-Racist Education
Our focus on Anti-Bias/Anti-Racist Education works in explicit partnership with our focus on Social Emotional Learning, for it is the relationship between these concepts that bring about more compassionate and equitable spaces. We have adopted the National Association of the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Anti-Bias Core Competencies (Identity/Diversity/Justice/
These resources provide the foundation for inquiry in and out of the classroom that sparks critical thinking, enriches conversation, and activates the spirit of activism in students that are essential skills for attaining a more just tomorrow. Additionally, when coupled with the numerous ways in which we celebrate our beautifully diverse community through art, literature, welcoming, representative classroom environments and schoolwide celebrations, it becomes very evident why WNS is a very special place to be.
Visit our Diversity & Belonging page for more information regarding our commitment to nurturing an inclusive community.
Diverse student experiences are celebrated in every aspect of life at WNS, both in and out of the classroom.
WNS faculty and staff attend and present at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference (POCC).