Bring Social Emotional Learning to Your Organization
We’re spreading our WINGS across America.
As part of our mission to reach as many kids as possible with high-quality social emotional learning, we are committed to spreading our WINGS far and wide. We wish we could provide WINGS to every child in need. Instead, we are expanding our reach by empowering others to use social emotional learning best practices and through partnership projects with like-minded organizations.
Our Workshops, Partner Projects, and Resources are for youth-serving organizations and schools that want to integrate social emotional learning into their program time. We provide consultation, training, and technical assistance for districts, schools, and youth-serving organizations who are ready to take a comprehensive approach to embed social emotional learning in the afterschool time, school day, or both. Together, we can help kids soar!
A Comprehensive Approach
Not all social emotional learning programs are equal. We take a comprehensive approach by fostering a positive culture and climate, extensive training, integrating social emotional learning through all activities, and an explicit curriculum to develop skills across the five social emotional learning core competencies. Our approach is backed by rigorous external evaluation and can be used in tandem with other focus areas such as art, STEM, or Common Core.
With more than 24 years operating programs in Title 1 elementary schools, we know what it takes. You have to live it before you can teach it. In order for children to best develop social emotional competence they need to interact with teachers and mentors who model the competencies through their own behaviors and teaching practices. That’s why our approach starts with adult skills and practices. Once the adults comprehend and internalize these skills, they are then able to transfer their skills and knowledge in their capacity as educators and mentors.
Workshops
Empowering Others with Social Emotional Learning Best Practices
For the 2021-22 school year, workshops will be in a live, virtual format, approximately 60-90 minutes OR in-person, based on your comfort level and COVID protocols.
To empower youth workers and organizations with the knowledge and skills to strengthen their own programming with social emotional learning (SEL), WINGS has designed interactive and engaging professional development sessions using best practices and our research-based approach to social emotional learning and behavior management.
Our workshops cover instructional techniques to boost adult and youth SEL and provide practical and easy-to-use tools applicable to any environment. These sessions are beneficial for full- and part-time staff who work with youth of all ages.
Available Workshops
An exceptional school year requires extra care, practice, and patience for front-line educators. Working with youth – whether in the classroom or in an afterschool program – starts with adults. This session dives deep into the five core competencies of social emotional learning and provides opportunities for reflection and application in both personal and professional settings.
Topics Covered:
- Understanding the five core competencies of social emotional learning: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making
- Adult social emotional skills and perspectives, including strengths and weaknesses
- Strategies for developing social emotional skills in personal and professional life
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain the impact of social emotional skill development on themselves and reflect on the application of the five social emotional skills in their own lives.
- Implement 2-3 techniques for SE skill integration
Connecting with students and building trust is critical to student learning. Today, more than ever, we need to engage and build a sense of community in our classrooms and programs. This session provides an introduction to teaching practices and modeling adult skills needed to build relationships with students.
Topics Covered:
- Adult social emotional skills and perspectives
- Modeling SE skills for others thoughtfully
- Tangible rituals and routines to engage students and build relationships
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Reflect on the application of the five social emotional skills in their own lives
- Appropriately model self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, and relationship skills as teachable moments
- Implement activities to intentionally foster connections among students
This session helps participants set the stage for an inclusive environment where everyone belongs and kids can be the best version of themselves with our field-tested S-E-T Framework: Support, Engage, and Teach; including ways to identify and leverage “teachable moments” to reinforce social emotional skills with quality and consistency.
Topics Covered:
- Overview of social emotional learning – what it is and what the research says about the impact
- Adult social emotional skills and perspectives
- Deep dive into developing a social emotional learning culture through the WINGS S-E-T Framework including practice and application
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain the impact of social emotional skill development on themselves and youth and reflect on the application of the five social emotional skills in their own lives.
- Describe what a positive, supportive, and engaging culture looks, sounds, and feels like and practice ways to foster this.
- Identify opportunities for “teachable moments” to reinforce social emotional skills.
- Develop one to two ways to integrate social emotional learning into an existing program schedule.
We all have good days and bad days where our emotions run wild – especially in 2020! This workshop will provide you and your staff with a comprehensive tool-kit of concrete proactive and corrective behavior management strategies you can implement the next day.
Topics Covered:
- Review of essential proactive techniques to avoid negative behaviors, and corrective behavior management strategies to de-escalate a situation once negative behavior has occurred.
- Additional strategies to add to the resource toolbox
- Practice and application
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Utilize a resource toolbox of strategies including; M.E.S.S, Disregard & Divert, G.E.T P.A.S.T, DDADA, and Positive Reinforcement.
- Incorporate behavior management strategies into existing program structure.
Workshop locations
For the 2020-21 school year, on-site trainings have been postponed.
All workshops will be in a live, virtual format, approximately 60-90 minutes.
inquiries
Get in touch! We would love to talk to
you about holding a workshop for your
school or organization.
Partner Projects
Working Together to Help Kids Soar
Social emotional learning can be integrated into any type of program activity—during the school day or in afterschool programs. We help organizations implement and build capacity for social emotional learning initiatives that are high-quality and high impact. We work closely with districts, schools, nonprofits, and community based organizations to create comprehensive initiatives through a proven instructional model, social emotional learning platform, and powerful professional development. In every Partner Project we share our expertise and resources to guide you step-by-step through design, implementation, and sustainability.
Partner Project engagements are typically two to three years in length. Throughout each phase we work in partnership with you to determine how to integrate social emotional learning into your culture, work with teachers individually and in groups to incorporate new practices, and weave social emotional learning into daily interactions with students.
Services Included:
- Planning and Design: Readiness assessment, consultation, project design and scope of work.
- Professional Development: Engaging training sessions to ensure competency, confidence, and success.
- Implementation Resources: Multi-day kick off, coaching, online resource center, and consultation to operationalize components and practices.
- Evidence-Based Curriculum and Materials: Time-tested, practical, and easy-to-use materials applicable for new educators as well as those with extensive teaching experience.
- Quality and Effectiveness: Tools to monitor implementation and ongoing quality, as well as resources for assessing how the initiative is achieving intended results.
Project Phases
An Environment Where Kids and Learning Thrive
Supportive and engaging staff serve as relatable role models, provide mentorship, inspiration, and a broader view of what’s possible. Staff are intentional about developing healthy and supportive relationships with kids, as well as modeling respect and kindness in their interactions with peers. The environment is high energy and positive, creating a place where kids feel valued and have a deep sense of purpose and belonging.
A Culture of Social Emotional Learning:
- Encourages kids to become the best version of themselves
- Creates a community where everyone is valued
- Makes learning fun!
Extensive Professional Development
At the core of our approach lies adult social emotional skills and practices. Once adults comprehend and internalize these skills on an individual level, they are then able to transfer their skills and knowledge in their capacity as educators and mentors. A multi‐day workshop, Letting Your WINGS Out, serves as a kick off and lays the foundation for the project. Then, additional web based sessions provide opportunity to delve deeper into key concepts, skill building, and application.
Sample Topics:
- Teaching the WINGS Way
- Fostering a Sense of Belonging
- Creating a Culture of Continuous Improvement
- Practicing Positive Behavior Management Strategies
Curriculum Rooted in Five Core Competencies
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Management
- Social Awareness
- Responsible Decision-Making
- Relationship Skills
Sequential learning objectives provide opportunity to develop all five core competencies through practice, reflection, and positive reinforcement. Students learn about themselves and others through group activities and discussions while developing the capacity for empathy and respect.
Measuring Program Quality and Effectiveness
- Quality and Fidelity Assessments
- Teacher and Student Climate Surveys
- Competency Assessments
Project Pricing
Each project is unique and pricing varies based on the number of sites
and overall project scope.
Partner Project Inquiries
The first step in bringing WINGS to your school or organization is to send us
a Partner Project Inquiry. Please note that at this time priority
consideration will be given to multi-year initiatives.
Social Emotional Learning Resources
Sharing What Works
Our goal at WINGS is to help kids become the most well-rounded individuals they can be. We are happy to share a few of our favorite techniques and resources with you!
Recommended Resources
Soar with Wings equips educators with FREE social emotional learning digital resources and standards-aligned learning activities and lessons for students in grades K-5. Practical solutions that can be woven into any aspect of the school day or program time. Soar with Wings is made in partnership with Discovery Education and sponsored by the Allstate Foundation.
Our Ready, Set, Soar social emotional learning kit was designed especially for caregivers, educators, youth development leaders, and others who want to incorporate social emotional learning into kids’ daily lives. (Psst! It works on adults, too!)
Our Emotional Alphabet poster is ready for download! Print it out, hang it up, and use it as a tool to help kids name how they feel. Looks good in the classroom and on the fridge!
- Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman is the best selling, groundbreaking book that offers insight (based on neuroscience and psychology) into our “two minds” — the rational and the emotional — and how they together shape our life.
- The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book by Bradberry, Greaves, & Lencioni brings to live the psychology of Goleman’s research to show us how understanding and utilizing emotional intelligence can be the key to exceeding our goals and achieving our fullest potential.
- Emotionally Intelligent Parenting: How to Raise a Self-Disciplined, Responsible, Socially Skilled Child by Elias, Tobias, & Friedlander is an easy read that illustrates how to improve your child’s social emotional learning skills. The authors call for a new Golden Rule: Do unto your children as you would have other people do unto your children.
- How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough explores why some children succeed in life while others do not. Tough argues that qualities that matter more have to do with character: skills like perseverance, curiosity, optimism, and self-control.
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.
Self-Management
- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
- No David! by David Shannon
Self-Awareness
- The Way I feel by Janan Cain
- I’m Gonna Like Me by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell
Social Awareness
- Does a Seal Smile? by Fred Ehrlich
- Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Responsible Decision-Making
- Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
- The Worst Day of My Life Ever! by Julia Cook
Relationship Skills
- Zach Apologizes by Williams Mulcahy
- My Mouth is a Volcano! by Julia Cook
Organizations We’ve Served
- Advocating Young Minds, Canada
- Big Brothers, Big Sisters, WY
- BOOST Greenville, SC
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove, CA
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, GA
- Centers for Success, MI
- Charleston County School District, SC
- Des Moines School District, IO
- Detroit SAY Play, MI
- Douglas County Schools, CO
- Georgia Afterschool & Youth Development, GA
- Georgia Department of Education, GA
- Greenville County School District, SC
- Holy Innocents Episcopal School, GA
- Horizons Atlanta, GA
- Kids on Point, SC
- Illinois Afterschool Network, IL
- Laurens County School District 55, SC
- Neighborhood Focus, SC
- Oxford Circle Christian Development Association, PA
- Playmates Preschools and Child Development Centers, WV
- Pomona Unified School District, CA
- Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, NV
- The ASK Program, WY
- The PRACTICE Program, WY
- United Way of Greater Chattanooga, TN
- Westmark School, CA
- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, WI
- Wyoming Afterschool Alliance, WY
- Wyoming Department of Education, WY
- YDRC Summer Learning Insititute, MI
- YMCA Greenville, SC
- Youth Policy Institute, CA