Social-Emotional Learning: At-Home Connection

Hello Richfield Families! 

Over the past few weeks, we have seen the passion in our RHS students on such a wide range of topics. We are SO grateful to see how much our students care about the world around them. We have seen students organize a walkout in solidarity against racial injustice, participate in classroom activities created by the RHS Green Team in celebration of Earth Day, and learn how to be a more welcoming school community by our LGBTQIA+ students. We know the world will be a better place because of our students! 

In this week’s SEL lesson, we break it down a little. We look at the idea of empathy and recognize that our day-to-day interactions are so important. How we treat those around us on a smaller scale is just as important as our large-scale actions.

Students will learn about the following “Empathy Busters:”

• Quickly trying to solve a problem rather than just listening
• Giving unsolicited advice to someone in need of simply comforting
• Dismissing feelings, minimizing what someone is telling you
• Sarcasm - we all know there is a time and place for sarcasm, and using it in place of empathy can quickly lead to hurt feelings

Where in the home can empathy be strengthened? As caregivers, are there ways to model more listening to our teenagers? Are there small bits of time in the week we can pause to hear the stress they are under or their worries for the world?

We are so grateful that you all are teaching your children to be kind citizens and focused on making this community a better place for all.

Your RHS School Social Workers,

Marisa Zimmerman and Jill Carlton