St. Paul’s Introduces RULER Program to Encourage Social Emotional Learning

At St. Paul’s, we aim to implement social emotional learning into everyday life for our students. As part of our recent strategic initiatives, we are introducing a new program, RULER, to pre-k through eighth grade students this year. Developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning. It’s also an acronym for the skills of emotional intelligence:

Recognizing emotions

Understanding emotions

Labeling emotions

Expressing emotions

Regulating emotions.

Research from the field of emotion science finds that children who understand and manage their feelings make more responsible decisions, have stronger relationships, and perform better in school.

After learning and practicing emotional intelligence skills as a faculty and staff, we are now teaching and modeling these skills in the classroom. Throughout the fall, teachers will integrate routines that build emotional awareness, such as creating a class Charter and checking in on the Mood Meter. Teachers will also lead lessons that help students understand emotion concepts such as community building, self-awareness, and conflict resolution.

We are encouraging St. Paul’s parents to become active partners in the program so social emotional learning can continue at home. Parents will receive more information in the coming days regarding RULER education events.

When schools and families partner around these goals, students feel supported and reap the benefits. We look forward to learning and growing together this year.