kid-grit

What We Learned Along the Way...

What We Learned Along the Way

As a company, in the combined 30+ years of working with youth, we have navigated through the times of “Morals & Ethics”, “Character-Education”, “Youth Development”, “Life-Skills” and more recently, since 1994, the next variation of research has become very popular. Coined by CASEL, it’s called “Social-Emotional Learning” (SEL).

One constant throughout the years for both my partner, Julia Gabor, and I, that has never wavered is the fact that any one approach does not fit every student. Furthermore, we believe that “educators” hold the creative key to learning and youth development but maybe not in the way you think.

If you are reading this, you probably already know that traditional instruction over the last 50 years must change. Credentialing programs need to support educators with easy to implement ways of building relationships with students and thinking outside the box when they receive mandated texts/curriculum. We need to support the educator into a teaching and learning process based on curiosity and excitement that flows both ways between the educator and the student.

At kid-grit, we believe that to create this change, the differentiator is in the approach. Our research partners at the Claremont Evaluation Center, as well as our own personal research has uncovered that the kid-grit approach to social and emotional learning is so very closely aligned with “Human-Centered” education.

Human-Centered Education (HCE) respects the intrinsic value of the whole person and their well-being and focuses on cultivating those qualities that can be described as human, including curiosity, care, compassion, relationship and responsibility.

If you know about our curriculum, you know that…the kid-grit fundamental approach to learning focuses on five modules of the human condition: four of them being Mind, Body, Connection/Community, and Digital Consciousness aspects of both the student and the educator. The 5th module is a mastery of learning component or culminating event within our curriculum that provides a gateway to 21st Century Learning incorporating the 4C’s: Curiosity, Creativity, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking. Our curriculum is layered and there is even a social science alignment.

In our four-plus years of designing, training, coaching, and in some instances, facilitating this comprehensive, mindful curriculum, we are even more committed to these statements:

  • WE MUST START WITH THE EDUCATOR.
  • WE MUST INVEST IN THE HEARTS OF EDUCATORS.
  • WE MUST CONNECT OR RECONNECT THE EDUCATOR WITH THEIR PURPOSE AND THEIR WHY.
  • WE MUST INSPIRE, INTRODUCE, SUPPORT, AND DEVELOP SEL CONCEPTS WITHIN THE EDUCATOR FIRST.

Philosophically, kid-grit believes “Human-Centered” education involves training to the human condition with an emphasis on Emotional IQ and the development of self-awareness. Practically, we work with educators through professional development focused on the heart.

“THERE MUST BE MORE CONNECTION BEFORE CONTENT”

Concurrently, we have developed PK- 12th grade curriculum that encourages and promotes not only social and emotional development but also evokes and inspires curiosity in students as well as teaches youth to consider the human condition.

When combined, the results can be almost magical and then the evidence and data are now confirming a new way to connect and facilitate deeper learning.

Embedded in the kid-grit approach are standards we have 100% conviction in. They are as follows:

  • We will NOT sell curriculum without training and professional development for all educators, including teachers and program/front-line staff.
  • We implore a commitment to on-going professional development and coaching (when curriculum is purchased) to ensure fidelity of facilitation and support positive outcomes.
  • Our dedication and support services to our partners is a critical priority for everyone at kid-grit. We are dedicated to listen and learn about our partners because everyone’s SEL needs could and will be different.
  • We want to build long-term partnerships in SEL whether it be a school district, individual school, out-of-school time provider, or community-based-organization. We seek mutual investment in the commitment to SEL.

This is how we approach the SEL work:

The purpose…

  • To partner with administrations on organizational SEL initiatives.
  • To inspire and support educators, program/front-line staff through kid-grit professional development workshops and training.
  • To provide curriculum, training & coaching of facilitators to insure fidelity.

Here are the intended outcomes of the kid-grit SEL work…

  • Students are introduced to a Human-Centered and holistic approach to education becoming curious learners.
  • Teacher’s rediscover and engage with “Human-Centered” learning techniques to reach and connect with youth on a new level.
  • Administrators embrace/commit to inspiring and supporting their staff holistically therefore energizing or reconnecting to their own personal why and purpose.

We have gained clarity over the years designing curriculum and developing professional development workshops to over 25+ states, 100,000 students, and over 10,000+ educators across the country and we feel like SHOUTING FROM MOUNTAIN TOPS that human-centered education is what our mission has been all-along.

If you are reading this and feel the same way about changing or disrupting the pedagogy of traditional education instruction, then JOIN US! We are ready to disrupt a model that has clearly been unsuccessful over the past five decades. We are ready, are you?

Jeff Jordan Julia Gabor Alaska kid-grit

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