Social-Emotional Learning with Ms. Grace

Hello! My name is Grace Miller, and I’m the  Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Interventionist at the Bethlehem Center. Since August of this year, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to connect with students in our Read to Lead Academy on a deeper level. My hope is that through the SEL program, we can give our  Beth students the tools they need to be socially and emotionally mature as they move into adulthood.

My job at the Beth is to oversee students who need additional support.  I provide individual check-ins on Mondays and four emotional-education groups on Thursdays.  It’s not unusual for there to be at least one or two kids who enter our building completely distraught. If a child is overwhelmed, upset, confused, or just needs a break from all of the chaos, my job is to provide a place for them to process their thoughts and feelings in safe and healthy ways. 

Since I started seeing these students, the Read to Lead staff has seen improvement in kids who’ve been stereotyped as “problem” children in the past. What our SEL program has proven and is continuing to prove is that teaching a child certain methods that positively impact his or her emotional and social growth, will lead to a dramatic difference in his or her behavior.

During emotional-education groups, I focus on SEL skills and principles. This semester, two groups are currently focusing on learning what emotions are and how to appropriately express them to others. The other two groups are learning how to manage and regulate their emotions. One benefit from these groups is that we not only get to teach children essential social-emotional life skills, but the kids are also learning what it means to support each other. 

In the four short months of being in this position, it has been so rewarding to witness the students learning and applying these methods. Even when they are upset, they are learning that in the end, things will be okay.  The heart of the SEL program is to help our students learn that even if they can’t control their circumstances, they can control their responses and futures. 

Volunteer Highlight: Ms. Bertha

The Bethlehem Center is where I spent most of my time doing co-op hours. These hours helped me meet professional office status for my degree. I didn’t know that there was such a loving and impactful group of individuals that care for the community close to where I live! The people working at the Beth inspire me to give back to my community as well. 

Coming to the Bethlehem Center was not something that I had planned originally. I was looking for a place to volunteer and God placed me in the perfect setting. I wanted to volunteer at a place that helps uplift the children and families in my community and that’s exactly what the Beth does!

I worked at the Beth nearly every morning with my preceptor. We focused on a project called Faith & Finances which will help people in the community improve their relationship with God, money, and others. I also answered phone calls and greeted residents looking for services. On occasion, I visited these residents and helped them get rides to the grocery store, taught them how to crochet, and assisted with educational and gardening needs.