In Honor Of Jesse Lewis, A Plan To Deal With Students' Social, Emotional Well-Being
In Honor Of Jesse Lewis, A Plan To Deal With Students' Social, Emotional Well-Being
HARTFORD -- A proposed federal law named after one of the children murdered in the Sandy Hook Elementary School will help teachers provide social and emotional support to their students.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal announced Monday at a press conference that he will introduce this week in Congress the Jesse Lewis Empowering Educators Act which will provide teachers across the country with more training to provide social and emotional learning to their students.
"We know that children learn with their hearts as well as their heads and both parts need educating," Blumenthal said. "Countless studies and common sense show that children who learn to manage their emotions, play and interact positively with their peers, and constructively resolve conflicts are less likely to resort to bullying, physical violence and self-destructive behavior."
Jesse Lewis was one of 20 first graders killed on Dec. 14, 2012 when Adam Lanza shot his way into the Newtown school and eventually killed 26 people.
Police have said that Jesse Lewis may have saved the lives of many of his classmates when he yelled "run" as Lanza paused in his shooting because his Bushmaster rifle jammed. Several students ran out of the classroom and out of the school before Lanza started firing again.
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Following her son's death, Scarlett Lewis founded the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Foundation aimed at helping educators identify students who may feel isolated or bullied. On a chalkboard in their home in the days before he was murdered Jesse Lewis had written "nurturing, healing, love."
Scarlett Lewis said studies show that children who are taught social and emotional learning (SEL) are better adjusted, drop out less frequently and get better grades.
"I have always felt that if the shooter in our case had access to this type of social and emotional support it might not have happened and Jesse would be alive today," Scarlett Lewis said.
The bill would require that some of the $2.35 billion in federal funding used annually for professional development for teachers and school administrators be targeted for social and emotional training for teachers.
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, a co-sponsor of the bill, said this week that the education committee will be debating the Elementary and Secondary School Act and this bill will be part of that.
"The assumption is you teach reading, writing and arithmetic period. But the reality is kids need help with their emotional and social skills as well," Murphy said.
Experts in the field said that studies show that SEL programs make for better schools. There are already some states, such as Washington, in which almost all school districts provide some sort of social and emotional training for teachers to recognize students who may need help.
Dr. Susan Rivers, the deputy director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, said research has shown SEL training improves everything from dropout rates to children's grades.
"If children can't understand their emotions they will not learn properly," Rivers said. "Students turn to teachers when they are angry, upset or lonely and we need to give teachers the training to help those children."
Blumenthal said he believes that some level of SEL training will be available in school districts within five years. He said if necessary he will introduce the Jesse Lewis bill on the floor of the Senate separately from the Elementary and Secondary School Act, which Congress has failed to ratify the past few years.
"This is an opportunity and an obligation for American educators," Blumenthal said. "The curriculum and programs are in place right now. All that is required is funding."
Blumenthal said he learned of Jesse Lewis' heroics while visiting with Scarlett Lewis after the massacre.
"Jesse had emotional intelligence way beyond his years – gifts of empathy, resilience, self-awareness, confidence and compassion, love and hope – which we can instill in students nationwide if teachers are given the right tools and training," Blumenthal said.