This week, a national summit on mental health and social-emotional learning brings educational leaders from across the country to the University of Pittsburgh, drawing on the wisdom of Fred Rogers and Goldie Hawn.
The conference, to be held Oct. 22-24, is sponsored by the Pitt School of Education and the School Superintendents Association and will focus on the mental and social well-being of K-12 students in the post-COVID-19 pandemic situation. is focused on addressing. 150 superintendents and district leaders from across the country are expected to attend.
“I think we need to recognize the fact that these things are part of our learning and are essential,” said Pitt School of Education assistant professor and director of the Tri-State Regional School Research Council. Director Bart Rocco said. “Social-emotional development is part of human development, and we need to build opportunities to make it happen in the classroom,” said the person who helped organize the event.
In addition to loss of learning ability, the psychological toll of the pandemic on children and teens, particularly increased rates of anxiety and depression, has been widely reported.
This event will specifically explore how school leaders can incorporate mental health and social-emotional learning into multi-tier systems of support (MTSS). MTSS is an educational framework based on a multi-layered approach to academic, behavioral, and social-emotional interventions implemented in school districts. Nationally. MTSS is an important strategy to support students with a variety of needs, Rocco said.
“We look at children’s strengths and weaknesses and help them not only grow intellectually in the subject matter they are learning, but also develop their sense of who they are and their place in the world. In school, it is more important that children succeed in learning,” Rocco said.
Rocco said professional development opportunities like the summit are necessary to help educators meet the dynamic and evolving needs of students. Topics such as mental health and social-emotional learning in education have attracted some criticism, but that criticism is misplaced, he said.
“What we’re saying is that we have to create a culture where children come to a learning environment so they feel a sense of belonging and connection to their school and teachers, and that lives on in their families and communities. . It’s all the same,” Rocco said. “We are partners in this. We are not trying to change anyone’s personality. We are committed to having a toolbox to help kids succeed academically and to value our kids.” We’re trying to understand that if you’re doing that, you should use those skills.”
Summit topics include sessions focused on Fred Rogers’ emotional education techniques and how artificial intelligence can be used to promote mental health in the classroom. Speakers will include representatives from Forbes, the Grable Foundation, the Cook Center for Human Connection, Wonder Media, and a video recording of actress Goldie Hawn will be shown at the end.
