What Is SOAR?
What Is “SEL” and Why Is It Important?
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), also known as Emotional Intelligence is about understanding one’s self and others. It includes skills such as:
- Awareness of our emotions
- Managing our emotions and our interactions with others
- Establishing and maintaining positive relationships with others
- Making responsible decisions
Why is SEL important? The better question might be, “In what ways is ‘SEL’ NOT important?”
Our emotions influence absolutely everything about how we experience life; the emotional center of the brain is the first region to receive and process all incoming information. That means…
Every element of information entering our brain first runs through the filter of our emotions. It continues to boggle our minds why society, and especially the field of education, systematically disregard the importance of “emotions.”
Meanwhile, as humans, we are built to be social creatures. Therefore, our relationships with others are extremely critical to our survival. In fact, in cases of extreme hunger and harsh conditions, people with strong social connections are known to fare much better.
For this reason, it’s no surprise that there is a high correlation between students with strong social-emotional skills and performance in school.
Won’t my child “learn this on their own?”
Modern day students are more connected than previous generations, but this “digital connection” is very different. With less and less face-to-face, in-person communication, students are perceiving others’ communications without the added benefit of observing facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.
Furthermore, the “invisibility” of this communication is depriving adults the opportunity to coach/mentor children through navigating various communication patterns and situations.
This all means that students are “on their own” to process their (and others’) emotions.
Therefore, Emotional Intelligence is like the “Wild West” of well-being, and leads to a very fearful, self-centered, low-empathy disposition.
But, it doesn’t have to be that way! Through acknowledging our childrens’ feelings and helping them name them and understand them, we can help them positively interact with the world while experiencing joy and success. Ultimately, this leads to building strong, positive, and healthy relationships
A study by Loyola University and the University of Illinois found that students who learn Social-Emotion skills, consistently out-perform those without SEL training. Furthermore, students learning SEL report significantly improved attitudes and behavior.
How Can You Help Your Student?
Simple. Give your student to the power of the SOAR® Social-Emotional Learning App. For over two decades, students across the globe have discovered the power, benefits, and ease of SOAR®. Finally, navigating human interactions and relationships is far less scary and no longer overwhelming. Students can find success in school, extracurriculars, at home, and even the workplace, replacing confusion and anxiety with confidence and joy.
SOAR® Student App
The app is presented as a self-guided course.
The Online App Includes:
✓ Interactive content/games, providing immediate feedback
✓ “How-to” videos, illustrating strategies
✓ Fully narrated slides, for reading support
✓ Quizzes/assessments, to ensure understanding of material
✓ Badges & certificates awarded for achievements
✓ Easy access from any computer or mobile device
What Do We Teach? (Table of Contents)
The SOAR SEL Curriculum is organized into the following framework:
(S)elf: Developing awareness of self: strengths and limitations, identifying/understanding emotions, and managing emotions, stress, and anxiety, to become a strong and confident individual.
(O)thers: Developing social awareness of others’ perspectives and emotions, while also appreciating diverse backgrounds and cultures to become empathetic towards others.
(A)lign: Developing the skills to build positive relationships through communicating, negotiating conflict, and supporting others (while also reducing bullying).
(R)esponsibility: Developing the skills to make decisions for positive impacts on self and others, while also considering the role of ethics and professionalism in the real world.
Lessons
(S)elf
1. Who Am I?
2. How Do I Feel?
3. How Do I Think?
4. How to Build the “Right Attitude”
5. How to Manage Emotions
6. How to Manage Stress & Anxiety
7. How to Set Goals
8. How to Get Organized
(O)thers
9. How Do Others Think & Feel?
10. Diversity! Not division
(A)lign
11. Different Types of Relationships
12. How to Communicate & Build Relationships
13. How to Handle Relationship Challenges
14. Are You an Ally or a Bully?
(R)esponsibility
15. How to Make Decisions
16. Responsibility in the Real World
What Grades/Subjects Use This Curriculum?
The SOAR® Social-Emotional Curriculum is designed to cover CORE social-emotional skills that apply across age-levels. The content is written with an easy-going yet professional tone; it is accessible to middle-school students, yet relevant to adults.
Regardless if students are in 6th grade or a senior in college, the types of social-emotional skills are all the same. Therefore, the strategies in the SOAR® Curriculum are appropriate for:
- Upper elementary*
- Middle school
- High school
- College
*Some skills are not age-appropriate for mastery at younger levels. (We still recommend exposing students to these skills at lower levels.)
SOAR® has masterfully identified the essential, 80/20 SEL skills that create strong, competent, and supportive individuals. Plus, when students focus on the most essential skills, they also develop mastery, which leads to years of successful learning outcomes in school and even into the workplace.
The SOAR® Guarantee
We Guarantee 100% Satisfaction!
We are so confident in the power of our program, that we offer a 100% money-back guarantee!
Our #1 goal is to make the lives of teachers, parents, and students easier!