Yale University Center for Emotional Intelligence Director Addresses District Staff
Marc Brackett, Ph.D., the Founding Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Professor at the Yale School of Medicine at Yale University visited the Middle School of Plainville on April 24th, to provide an interactive presentation to district faculty members and administrators about his systemic, evidence based approach to social and emotional learning program known as “RULER.” RULER stands for Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions.
During the two hour presentation, Dr. Brackett emphasized that having students and teachers understand their feelings can have a positive effect on learning. He explained that RULER is a life skill and approach that is applicable to adults and children alike, and in an educational setting, to enhance teaching and learning. Dr. Brackett further explained that the concept is to embed the RULER principles into the way that school leaders lead, teachers teach, and students learn. Dr. Brackett noted that he is working with 164 school districts throughout Connecticut.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Maureen Brummett indicated that she learned the tenets of Dr. Brackett’s RULER system during a Yale Summer Leadership Conference that included a series of districts from Connecticut. Dr. Brummett noted, “What struck me was that when children and adults deal effectively with their emotions, it has a positive impact on learning and school climate.” During the district’s Convocation program at the start of the school year in September, RULER was presented to faculty members. In addition to that initial introduction to the RULER system, Dr. Brummett felt that hearing the information from Dr. Brackett himself would be very meaningful to district administrators and teachers. “Staff members who attended the presentation by Dr. Brackett have told me that they are ready to learn more about RULER and what it can do for their students and school,” noted Brummett. Administrators and teachers at Linden Street School have been trained and are implementing RULER currently. Administrators and teachers at the Middle School of Plainville will be next to be trained and implement RULER. From there, the system will be expanded to include the additional schools in Plainville.