In the 2nd year of pandemic, schools are facing tremendous challenges. On top of the logistical and academic issues… or maybe even more foundational: Emotions. The data on mental health of the pandemic is staggering – in the next 12 months, educators & systems will face a level of emotional complexity they’re almost completely unprepared to handle.

Many are already or soon in face-to-face teaching... but instead of thinking of "back to school" in person, how do we move FORWARD... and support students, teachers, parents, administrators with the social emotional skills to navigate this time of transition?

Today is #SELDAY and we're talking about social emotional learning -- and preparing for the emotional complexities on the road ahead. 

Panelists

Bassem Nasir is an Education Specialist at UNICEF HQ team in NY team responsible for driving the work on skills and social emotional learning in the Education team supporting regional and country offices in implementing their work including the development of several skills conceptual and programmatic frameworks.  Bassem has over 19  years of extensive leadership experience in education, youth development, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and corporate responsibility having worked with a broad range of multilateral organizations, corporations, NGOs, governments, and academic institutions. At the International Youth Foundation (IYF), Bassem served as the Director of Programs leading a portfolio of youth empowerment, employability, and life skills related programs. At Intel Corporation, Bassem served as the MENA Regional Education Manager driving the company’s corporate responsibility programs in the region working with Ministries of Education and Higher Education, as well as universities, to enhance quality of education through technology.

Ruth Whiteside - after twenty years in teaching and school leadership, it's time to follow my passion. Coaching and mentoring teachers as they grapple with the increasingly complex needs of children in today's world is key to improving teacher recruitment, retention and resilience. If we get that bit right, we get it right for our pupils. I work in collaboration with CEL&T - Children Experiencing Loss and Trauma - to provide training focusing on how early trauma affects brain development, leading to a range of issues in later life. This, of course, has huge implications for those children in schools who are SEND and/or ‘disadvantaged’.

Dr. Priyanka Tibrewala is a Six Seconds Certified EQ Coach & Assessor, a Parent Coach, and Medical Physician based in Mumbai, India. She deeply believes in the power of the Mind and Possibility. She helps her clients gain Clarity, Confidence, & Productivity through powerful 1-1 Coaching engagements, workshops & trainings. She has a deep passion for Parenting and loves to help parents and children develop a strong connection

Soundhari Balaguru, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and independent consultant with over 15 years experience supporting schools. As former founding Director of Social-Emotional Learning & Mental Health at ChangeMakers Academy (CMA), a diverse K-8 in Vallejo, CA, she worked to imagine education with SEL, culturally affirming practices and Restorative Justice. 'Dr. Soundhari' believes that schools should center relationships, validate and affirm their students identities, and support students and adults in growing and learning from their mistakes. Her passion has always been to collaborate with schools to meet the needs of the whole child - to promote what is therapeutic, even if it's not therapy - so that every student can meet their full potential.

Macarena Arribas, CEO and founder of MAB Perú (www.mablovers.com), an education community working with kids from urban and rural areas of Peru through technology and in person programs. MAB offers one of the only complete online curricula in Latin America, with more than 20,000 online resources to meet the national educational standards in Peru. Through the platform and other social programs MAB is reducing social, educational and technological gaps for kids all around Peru.

Joshua Freedman, MCC; cofounder and CEO, The Six Seconds EQ Network, working since 1997 toward a world with more emotional intelligence (EQ). Josh's goal is for everyone to make friends with their feelings... and to use emotions to step toward a future that works for all of us. He is a Master Certified Coach and author of the international best-seller, At the Heart of Leadership, and five other books on EQ in business, for families, and in schools. Six Seconds' tools & methods are used in over 200 countries... from developing business leaders at FedEx (6sec.org/fedex) to growing courageous leaders from the future of the planet in Kenya (6sec.org/wmf) to partnering with UNICEF to bring EQ to millions of children for free (6sec.org/popup)... we’re working toward a billion people practicing EQ.