Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) develops the skills to recognise and manage emotions, demonstrate caring and concern for others, establish positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and handle challenging situations effectively. These capabilities in turn benefit all learning and will impact capacity for well-being and happiness within the individual. Good Counsel College explicitly teaches SEL with students from Year 7 – 10, undertaking one lesson per fortnight.
In recent years, the college has also initiated a senior Personal Development program for students in Year 11 & 12. SEL & PD programs are implemented with a year-specific focus and are intergrated at camps, retreats and year level meetings.
Circle solutions is an integral method of delivering many of the topics. Circles provide a structured framework for group interaction, one that enables students to think reflectively and creatively, talk together about important issues, grow to have an understanding about themselves and others, and over time to develop knowledge and skills they can ‘put into practice’.
The Cairns Catholic Education website provides further information about SEL, including the SEL Policy and SEL brochure for parents.
A general overview for each year level includes:
YEAR 7
- Transition into the College – orientation and developing friendships
- Positive study habits
- Building resilience – positive self-talk
- Cyber safety – safe on-line procedures
- Respecting diversity
- Daniel Morcombe Program – keeping yourself and others safe
- Preventing bullying
- Conflict resolution
- Coping with peer pressure
YEAR 8
- Developing and maintaining friendships
- Study skills and time management techniques
- Developing communication skills
- Building resilience – techniques and strategies to assist
- The use of positive self-talk and enhancing self esteem
- Cyber safety awareness
- Daniel Morcombe Program – keeping self and others safe.
- Bullying – No Way!
- Techniques to deal with stress and to deal with emotions
YEAR 9
- Relationships – how to maintain and develop healthy relationships
- Planning and time management – positive study techniques
- Communication in relationships
- Reading people’s emotions
- Cyber safety and awareness
- Developing cooperative skills
- Techniques to deal with conflict and assist with anger management
- Social etiquette and preparing for part-time employment
- Protective behaviours
Year 10
* During the SEL time, students are completing a Certificate One in Employment
Year 11 PD
- Goals setting and study techniques for Senior School
- Recognising and maintaining healthy, respectful relationship
- Strategies to deal with challenging relationships
- Respecting and embracing diversity
- Exploring career pathways
- Leadership
- Leadership at Good Counsel College
- Making mature decisions in social settings
- Senior studies information
Year 12 PD
- Making change
- Goal setting and self-assessment
- Embracing diversity
- Senior studies information
- Preparing for life after school
- Moving out of home – rental rights, hidden costs
- Budgeting
- Finance
- Superannuation
- Preparing for external exams
- Being a responsible and safe young adult
