SELEQUITY™ – The Future

SEL and equity have been compartmentalized by their respective known and perceived elements for many years. However, students and educators are facing new challenges that traditional education won’t solve. To meet the needs of all students, and empower educators to create meaningful relationships and connections, we are going to have to reimagine the classroom. 

SELEQUITY™ looks at social emotional health, fairness, empathy, and compassion for all humanity through an equity lens. It reinforces the development of feelings, emotions, mindsets, and dispositions of people, both individually and collectively, to provide opportunities for all to grow and thrive, regardless of their circumstances. The principles of JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, inclusion) and SEL (social emotional learning) are necessary for the holistic development of students and educators. 

Think of SELEQUITY™ like a garden. A garden may include many different plant species that all begin as a seed. The seed has a mission and a purpose, and it must be nurtured intentionally to grow and fulfill its ultimate potential. The conditions that enable one plant to grow —such as the amount of sunlight, environment and soil, water, and humidity—, might not provide the proper support for another plant to blossom. It is critical to understand the needs of each individual plant to enable the plant to grow and thrive. 

The seed represents traditional SEL and the conditions and support that nurtures the growth of that seed represent equity. Both are necessary for a garden to flourish and provide the nutrition that sustains a healthy life. Students and educators are like plants in a garden, they are very diverse, and have different challenges and needs that must be addressed to allow them to bloom. SEL and equity are interrelated and mutually dependent, and are vital for learning to take place. 

SEL provides the structure to help students and educators become more self-aware of themselves and others, to be socially and emotionally responsible, to make healthy decisions, and build positive relationships. Equity values the importance of diverse perspectives and relationships, justice in all areas of life, and inclusive access to opportunities and resources for everyone. 

SELEQUITY™ can be experienced in many forms, including culturally-relevant and impactful curriculum, training, innovation, school and organizational culture and climate, and support. JEDI  and SEL are necessary for the overall wellbeing of students and educators. 

7 Mindsets believe that equity must be a core ingredient to effectively deliver social emotional learning curriculum, training, and support. It must be infused into everything and is the very fabric of who we are. 

“To have what we’ve never had, we must do what we’ve never done.”