What is Whole-Hearted Learning?
Whole-Hearted Learning (WHL) is aimed to intentionally educate students and families in the area of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) with God’s Word of grace and truth as our foundation. In the context of this foundation, WHL is learning about emotions/growing in awareness of emotions, managing emotions, promoting empathy for others, learning relational skills, setting and achieving goals, making responsible decisions, and using mishaps and using failures as opportunities for growth. Whole-Hearted Learning is an integral part of being a beloved child of God, and we invite you to join us in the conversation and process.
Despite the recent rise in SEL curriculum and terminology awareness, SEL is not something new under the sun. It’s been an integral part of God’s creating us in body, mind, and spirit and His intent for us to live in community from the beginning.
He replied, “Your must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. Matthew 22:37-39
What are the components of SEL/WHL?
The five components of social-emotional learning are:
self-awareness, recognizing thoughts and feelings (& being able to lift these feelings in prayer to God), and how their feelings relate to behavior —also identifying their own strengths and limits-recognizing their uniqueness as God’s child and other’s uniqueness in the body of Christ
self-management helps children lift their emotions to God, control their emotions thoughts, and behaviors with the power of the Holy Spirit
social awareness, this helps children understand and relate to other people’s feelings, and learn what behaviors are OK/God-pleasing and not OK/God-pleasing in different situations
relationship skills, these include communication, cooperation, and conflict-resolution skills, in the light of God’s word
responsible decision-making, these help children find positive, godly solutions to problems and make healthy, safe choices with integrity
Whole-Hearted Learning is spiritually rooted and biblically-based.
We are called to guard our hearts:
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23
Just as our hearts are important, so are the hearts of our students. Together, as parents and educators, we work to cultivate Whole-Hearted Learning in our children.
Reflection Question
As a teacher, how can you help cultivate Whole-Hearted Learning in your students?
As you venture into what is termed “social and emotional learning, how can you use God’s Word to guard and guide your life?
