159. Bringing Social Emotional Learning to Classrooms with Bridget Durkan Laird

If the role of school is to prepare students for their adult lives, then academics are only a part of what they need to learn. We’re going to look at an innovative program that is working hard to bring SEL (social emotional learning) to the forefront of our thinking as we look at transforming our school structure.

Bridget Durkan Laird is the chief executive officer at Wings for Kids, an organization that recognizes how emotional intelligence was a missing component in schools and sought out to give kids these skills by the time they’re teenagers. We discuss why Wings for Kids was founded, their approach toward teaching SEL, and the impact they are hoping to have.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• The goal of Wings for Kids and the importance of social emotional learning
• How Wings for Kids works to bring SEL into the classroom in engaging ways
• Partnering with teachers who are passionate about SEL
• The importance of adult buy-in when teaching kids
• Finding the kids that need the most help

Resources:

• Learn more at wingsforkids.org
• soarwithwings.com