This article shares the success story of Carrollwood Day School in Florida, chronicling the efforts of school leadership and students to make compassion a cornerstone of their educational model. With students at the helm, the school partnered with Harvard’s Making Caring Common project and started a series of small changes, such as a kindness initiative in which peers teach each other ways to show compassion. Eventually, they implemented more focused exercises, such as the circle of concern, which prompts kids to show empathy beyond their close circle.
Social-emotional learning is thought to be a key part of personalizing learning, and its impact on educational outcomes, especially in marginalized groups, is often lauded. This article is a useful example of a successful SEL model that prioritizes student engagement and leadership.
Source Organization: KQED