Social-emotional Learning
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is an area of focus at Oak Knoll. Here you can learn more on how we apply our principals to our every day practices.
🌱 Growth Mindset at Oak Knoll
Utilizing the long-standing work of Dr. Carol Dweck, students at Oak Knoll are taught about the differences between a Fixed and a Growth Mindset. They are encouraged to cultivate a Growth Mindset, which is the belief that human abilities like intelligence can grow and change with time, effort, practice, and perseverance. Research shows that a Growth Mindset is associated with many positive outcomes, including increased academic risk-taking, higher self-esteem, resilience, and higher overall achievement. Exemplary scholars apply a Growth Mindset to everything they do. They work hard and are not dissuaded by temporary setbacks or failures, but rather see challenges as an opportunity to learn.
📺 SEL ON KNOL
Tool Time Tuesday
Every Tuesday during the first half of the year, Mrs. Scott (our School Counselor) goes on KNOL (our daily morning news show) and teaches Otters about our TOOL BOX. These tools are something you have with you everyday, and Ms. Scott helps students learn when to use them and why.
Brain Time Tuesdays
During the second half of the year, Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Ryan (our School Psychologist) teach the Oak Knoll students about their brain and how to have a growth mindset.
Mood Meter Mondays
Each Monday on KNOL our school community learns about a new emotional vocabulary word. As a school community we use the Mood Meter from RULER to help students recognize, label, and manage their emotions.
🧘 Supporting Emotional Regulation
PAL Studio
The PAL Studio (Play and Learn) is run by our school Teacher on Special Assignment, Mrs. Lopez. PALS is a K-5 program that acts as a bridge between social-emotional theory and classroom reality. Utilizing a workshop model of a mini-lesson, open-ended play, and reflection, PALS approaches play with the same intentionality as core academic instruction. It builds social skills, peer relationships, and provides coaching on conflict resolution.
🏆 Received a Kent Award in 2026!
Calming Corners
In our TK-2 classrooms, we have calming corners for students who need to take a short break, under the supervision of their classroom teacher. Students may take a few minutes if they need a little time to calm down in a quiet corner inside their classroom.
Brave Room
Our 3rd-5th grade students may use a special place on our campus called the Brave Room. Located within our office, this room offers students a space where they can take a pass from their classroom for a 5-minute regulation break. Students sign in with an iPad and fill out an exit ticket reflecting on their strategies. Our data shows that offering students just 5 minutes to regulate produces remarkable results!
📅 Classroom Counseling Lessons
All students participate in classroom counseling lessons designed to support their social, emotional, and academic growth. Lessons are aligned with district goals and are rooted in evidence-based social-emotional learning practices, including the Second Step curriculum and Kimochis.
Throughout the year, students explore topics such as emotion recognition and management, empathy, problem-solving, friendship skills, growth mindset, self-regulation, responsible decision-making, and developing positive learning habits. Lessons may include discussions, literature, interactive activities, role-playing, and skill-building exercises that help students apply these concepts in their daily lives.
The counseling program works in partnership with teachers and families to promote a positive school climate and provide students with practical tools for success both in and out of the classroom.
🌍 School-Wide Practices
Restorative Practices
Building Community
If your child has come home and is talking about community circle time, this is one of the restorative practice activities. Classes use this time to connect, take polls, and problem-solve around classroom and playground issues.
RULER Program and Class Charter
Your children will make a Class Charter at the start of the year with their classmates and teacher. The Charter is part of the RULER program from the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, helping students:
- Understand the value of emotions
- Build skills of emotional intelligence
- Create and maintain a positive school climate
Problem Solving
All yard duty staff and teachers use restorative language to support students in problem-solving in a fair way, discussing issues using non-judgmental observations, feelings, and needs. This ensures students are treated fairly and without bias, leading to thought-provoking dialogues.
Embracing Our Differences Month
One full month during the school year, all of Oak Knoll will learn about individuals who are differently-abled and specific differences or disabilities that some people face. We believe knowledge of these differences helps build empathy, which is extremely important for our students to develop as part of their journey to become valued friends.
Education is key to creating the welcoming, inclusive climate we want at Oak Knoll. We use the month to educate students that despite a disability, there are a multitude of things differently-abled students can still do—they just might do it differently! Past areas of focus have been Cerebral Palsy, Hearing differences, Vision differences, Tourette's Syndrome, ADHD, Dyslexia, and more.
Both Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Ryan help coordinate this month and visit each classroom. Students also attend assemblies, watch puppet shows, and view videos on KNOL.
🏆 This program received a Kent Award in 2018!