JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County students head back to class on Monday, and this year, Mandarin High School is offering a new class to freshmen called Social-Emotional Learning.
The course is offered at various schools across the country. It is designed to help students overcome obstacles and be successful in school and adulthood. It teaches social awareness, self-management, relationship skills, responsible decision making and self-awareness.
The course will be taught by Rachel Kuhbander and Michael Santana at Mandarin High School.
“It’s a little bit of everything. All the things you wish you learned in high school but never did,” explained Kuhbander.
Kuhbander said the curriculum is very interactive. Some of the lessons involve getting in the habit of using a planner on a daily basis, learning how to read people and their emotions, and learning how to react to others and understand their body language.
Her colleague, Michael Santana, said these tools will help students succeed and properly deal with situations they might face.
“If they are able to have the tools to deal with that stuff, let that stuff roll off their backs, then they’ll be able to focus,” explained Santana. “They’ll finish an essay, finish a book, be able to focus on their test and be able to not act out in class or even recoil in class.”
Mandarin Principal John Kniseley said they decided to start the course because of the success it’s had at other schools in the country. He said data shows it contributes to increased learning and a significant decrease in freshman failures.
The course is the first of its kind at Mandarin High School.
Both teachers said they hope it expands to other schools in the district, state and country.
“We’re hoping to start the culture shift and bring our students back to the wholesome 'Let’s care about each other and care less about the grades and the number' (mentality). Let’s graduate being awesome people,” explained Kuhbander.
On top of this new course at Mandarin High School, Duval County Public Schools said this year social-emotional learning will continue to be embedded into its curriculum district-wide.
This year, the district said every student will have access to a mental health therapist. It will also hold “Wellness Wednesdays” once a month to engage in an instructional session on a mental or emotional wellness topic for 30 minutes.