Social-Emotional Connections

SEL is the process through which children and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

Hausner students learn how to interact with both their peers and adults through role-play and loosely structured interactions. They learn to negotiate, compromise, and develop relationships based on trust, both within the classroom, on the playground, and beyond. We strongly support settings where students lead their own learning by sharing their personal experiences and reflections with their peers.

Lower School

In our lower school, we teach our students how to name and identify different emotions. We use the Zone of Regulation approach to teach emotional regulation, impulse control, and the ability to read social cues. Through a variety of programs and experiences such as Responsive Classroom, mindfulness, guided imagery, breathing, role-playing, and more, we give students the tools to become active listeners, resolve conflicts, and be kind to one another.

Upper School

In our upper school, we implement new SEL approaches during students’ Advisory classes. Programs include open-session, mindfulness, team building activities, coaching, empathy building, and one-on-one emotional support. 

Themes covered in Advisory classes include:

• Self-awareness, social awareness, and perspective-taking

• Respect and self-control

• Relational aggression and bullying

• Healthy body image 

• Social media

Our School Counselor 

In partnership with teachers, the school counselor guides Communication Lab lessons and Social Skills classes. Students role-play social situations, and develop pragmatic language tools and non-verbal language needed to navigate social complexities.