Boston Beyond

Supporting the whole child, the whole day

The Partnerships for Social & Emotional Learning Initiative is a national research initiative that aligns elementary schools and after school partners in supporting social and emotional learning throughout the day. Boston is one of six cities participating in this multi-year initiative funded by the Wallace Foundation.

The goal of the partnership is to create seamless, high-quality learning experiences that help students develop a strong sense of self, think critically, form constructive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

Why social & emotional learning?

We know from research and practical experience that strong social and emotional learning skills are a prerequisite for success in school and in life. Children need opportunities to learn and practice these skills in all of the spaces where they learn, work, and play.

Adults need opportunities to develop their own social-emotional repertoire too. When educators attend to their own social-emotional learning, they are better equipped to create supportive learning environments for children and to infuse their teaching with practices that build students’ skills.

Through the Partnerships for Social & Emotional Learning Initiative, Boston is investing in the social and emotional development of young people and adults across the whole day.

How it works

The initiative operates at both the site and system level, supporting stronger partnerships among individual schools and their partners and between the school district and Boston Beyond’s after school network.

In Phase 1, seven elementary schools and their community partners are working on improving how they develop three sets of skills:

• Interpersonal skills to support healthy social relationships
• Intrapersonal skills to support the development of a positive sense of self
• Applied skills to support problem solving and decision making