Focusing on social and emotional learning, Journey School of Costa Rica is a diverse community, with students coming from over 30 countries and speaking over two dozen native languages. Despite their cultural differences, the school community serves as the foundation for the development of the Journey students. In this multicultural environment, social and emotional learning (SEL) becomes even more critical for establishing a strong foundation. Here’s why SEL is important at Journey:
Community Engagement
SEL skills enable students to effectively engage with others, build positive relationships, and actively contribute to the community. This fosters a sense of belonging, social responsibility, and encourages participation in community initiatives.
Cultural Understanding and Appreciation
Journey School values diversity and promotes cultural understanding and appreciation. SEL helps students develop empathy, respect, and an appreciation for different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. It enhances their ability to communicate and collaborate across diverse groups, fostering inclusive and harmonious community relationships.
Civic Engagement and Leadership
SEL empowers students with the skills and attitudes necessary for active civic engagement and leadership within the community. It cultivates qualities such as empathy, ethical decision-making, and responsible citizenship. Through SEL, students develop the ability to address community issues, advocate for social justice, and contribute to positive change.
Social Resilience
Journey School addresses societal challenges and promotes social resilience. SEL equips students with skills to cope with adversity, manage stress, and bounce back from setbacks. It enhances their ability to problem-solve, navigate conflicts, and promote peaceful resolutions within the community.
Community Well-being
SEL contributes to the overall well-being of the Journey School community. It supports students in developing healthy coping strategies, managing emotions, and fostering positive relationships. By promoting self-care and empathy, SEL helps create a supportive and thriving community environment that prioritizes the mental health and well-being of its members.
Sustainable Community Development
Journey School focuses on sustainable development and environmental stewardship. SEL skills enable students to develop a sense of responsibility towards the environment and contribute to sustainable practices. It nurtures values such as empathy towards nature, responsible decision-making, and collaboration for environmental conservation efforts.
Restorative Justice
At Journey School of Costa Rica, students are gifted with 100% of our trust upon their arrival. They are then educated using SEL to ensure that they are able to retain that trust. When things go amiss, and a student loses trust anyway, the Journey School of Costa Rica response is to refer the student into a Restorative Justice process. What is Restorative Justice? Restorative Justice is the process, through reflection and problem-solving, of empowering a student with the skills to make different, prosocial choices in the future. Why is this important to Journey School of Costa Rica? Restorative Justice.
Focus on Repair and Healing
Restorative justice emphasizes repairing harm and healing relationships rather than solely punishing the wrongdoer. It recognizes that the needs of both the victim and the offender should be addressed, fostering empathy, understanding, and personal growth.
Promotes Responsibility and Accountability: Restorative justice holds individuals accountable for their actions by actively involving them in the process. Offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their behavior, understand the impact on others, and actively participate in finding solutions and making amends.
Builds a Positive School Climate
Restorative justice practices contribute to a positive school climate by promoting respect, empathy, and a sense of belonging among students and staff. It encourages open communication, active listening, and understanding, leading to improved relationships and a more supportive learning environment.
Reduces Recidivism and
Encourages Learning
Traditional disciplinary measures often focus on punishment without addressing the underlying causes of misconduct. Restorative justice, on the other hand, seeks to address the root issues and provide opportunities for personal growth and learning. By addressing the needs and motivations of the individuals involved, restorative practices have shown to reduce recidivism rates and promote positive behavior change.
Inclusive and Equitable Approach
Restorative justice aims to include all affected parties in the decision-making process, ensuring that their voices are heard and their needs are considered. It promotes equity by treating each individual as a unique case, taking into account their circumstances, experiences, and perspectives.
Empowers Students and Builds Skills
cess, encouraging them to develop problem-solving, communication, and conflict resolution skills. It promotes a sense of agency and self-efficacy, helping students become active participants in creating a safe and respectful school community.
It is important to note that restorative justice is not a one-size-fits-all solution and may not be appropriate for all situations. However, its emphasis on repairing harm, fostering responsibility, and building positive relationships aligns with the principles of a supportive and inclusive school environment.
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is crucial in addressing and preventing bullying. Here’s how SEL can help:
- Building Empathy: SEL fosters empathy, helping students understand and share others’ feelings. It creates a positive school culture where students treat peers with kindness and respect.
- Developing Emotional Intelligence: SEL enhances emotional intelligence, enabling students to handle conflicts, resolve issues peacefully, and communicate effectively.
- Promoting Responsible Decision-Making: SEL equips students with ethical decision-making skills, encouraging positive behaviors and safe environments.
- Fostering Positive Relationships: SEL focuses on healthy relationships, cooperation, teamwork, and communication, reducing bullying behavior.
- Enhancing Self-Confidence and Resilience: SEL builds self-confidence and resilience, reducing both bullying engagement and victimization.
- Creating a Supportive School Climate: SEL promotes a supportive, inclusive climate where all students feel safe, respected, and supported.
Bullying is never ignored at Journey.
Students are offered education, and when that is not enough, they are disenrolled.