以爱育人：王府全体教职工共启社会情感学习新篇章

Are students quietly carrying emotional and psychological burdens throughout their school day? Conflicts with peers, tension during group work, and exam-related anxiety often lead to emotional withdrawal and self-doubt. Research shows that up to 70% of learning decline stems from non-academic factors—underscoring the urgent need to strengthen students’ social-emotional skills.

Addressing this critical challenge in education, Beijing Royal School proudly hosted a schoolwide professional development training on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) on June 19 and 20, 2025. The two-day workshop, titled "Understanding and Applying SEL in Schools," was led by distinguished trainer Dr. Bhawana Shrestha, an expert in SEL and teacher well-being.Dr. Shrestha currently serves as a Research Fellow at the Academy of Future Education, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, where she leads initiatives that integrate SEL into transnational education systems. With over a decade of experience working with international organizations and schools across China and abroad, her expertise brought deep insight and clarity to this milestone event.

The first day focused on laying the groundwork for SEL by exploring core concepts and integration strategies across school levels. Sessions included:

· Creating a Culture of SEL: From Vision to Practice

· Introducing CASEL: SEL in the Primary Classroom

· Emotions & Empathy: Play-Based SEL Strategies

· Daily SEL Routines

· Cross-Divisional Dialogue: What SEL Looks Like Across Ages

· SEL and College & Career Readiness and Extracurricular Activities

· Fostering Student Voice and Self-Awareness in Teens

· Classroom Management Through an SEL Lens

These sessions were thoughtfully designed to support faculty and leadership from the primary, middle, and high school divisions. They were interactive, dialogue-driven, and encouraged reflection on real-life classroom practices.

A special highlight of the training was our first cross-divisional panel discussion on Social-Emotional Learning. This panel brought together representatives from different school divisions to share insights, experiences, and promising practices around SEL implementation.

The second day emphasized implementation and sustainable integration across the entire school community. Sessions explored:

· SEL in the Dorms: Supporting Students Beyond the Classroom

· Restorative Practices and Conflict Resolution in Middle & High School

· Embedding SEL in Homeroom and Subject Classes

· Behavior as Communication: SEL and Student Support Strategies

· Using Data to Monitor SEL Impact

· Building SEL-Aligned Assessments and Feedback Systems

· Collaborative Reflection and Division SEL Action Planning

Faculty, dormitory staff, counselors, and school leaders participated in cross-functional workshops, reinforcing the idea that SEL is not just a program, but a shared practice embedded in every aspect of student life.

These two powerful days of learning marked a significant step forward in BRS’s mission to build a safe, inclusive, and emotionally intelligent school culture. Moving forward, we will begin embedding SEL practices into all areas of teaching, learning, and student life.

For our students, this means more opportunities to grow in self-awareness, resilience, empathy, and decision-making.

For our parents, it reflects our deep commitment to nurturing the whole child—not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well.

Together, we are laying the foundation for a more connected, compassionate, and future-ready learning environment.