Character Education
Character Education & Crew
SELS character education goal is to help students develop positive core beliefs and skills about who they are and how they can effectively engage with the world. This initially starts with understanding how their behaviors and actions impact others, and more specifically the appropriate behaviors and actions for all social and academic situations. As students learn and grow, the focus shifts more to how they can positively impact their own lives, their crew, and their communities (both local and global).
To accomplish this, SELS staff focus on two components of character education: 1) social/relational traits; and 2) HOWs (Habits of Work). Using the acronym SIERRA (see below), students are consistently exposured to learning opportunities and strategies to develop these traits: every classroom has them displayed and teaches them daily; assignments have character learning targets and traits are tracked; students are recognized in various ways for demonstrating excellent character, both social-relational and with HOWs; and character expectations are maintained and consistent across all learning spaces and all staffing assignments.
At SELS, all classrooms are referred to as “crews” in reference to the Outward Bound slogan “We are Crew, not Passengers, strengthened by consequential acts of service to others.” These concepts of togetherness, active engagement, and service are fundamental to our philosophical foundations and school practices. Students also circle up at the beginning of each day in what is called Crew. This time is to build connections, develop specific character ideas and strategies, and enjoy each other in ways beyond being just classmates. In middle school, students design and facilitate these meetings, thereby building additional character and life skills.
Three students show off their art projects completed as part of Nature Week.
Teachers engage in professional development on an in-service day to hone their skills.
SIERRA Norms
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S – Strength: I can stand up for myself and others, and persevere through difficult situations. -
I – Integrity: I can do the right thing even when no one is watching. -
E – Empathy: I can listen to others and have an understanding of their feelings, abilities, and situations. -
R – Respect: I can treat myself, others, and property well. -
R – Responsibility: I can organize myself, accomplish tasks, and honor SELS’ values and culture. -
A – Adventure: I can take physical and emotional risks.
Habits of Work "HOWs"
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S – Strength: I can do my best even when challenged. -
I – Integrity: I can produce quality work that is my own. -
E – Empathy: I can offer and receive academic suggestions in an honest and thoughtful manner. -
R – Respect: I can honor crew learning time. -
R – Responsibility: I can be organized, efficient, and prepared in all my work. -
A – Adventure: I can take academic risks.
SELS Diversity Statement
Sierra Expeditionary Learning School supports and embraces diversity in all its forms, including differences in ethnicity, cultural and religious heritage, sexual orientation, socio – economic background, geographic origin and family structure. We strive to provide our students with a rich, inclusive, expeditionary learning experience that reflects the environment in which we live and to foster a safe atmosphere where every member of the community is respected and multiple viewpoints can be peacefully expressed. SELS actively seeks to achieve diversity in all aspects of school life, including the composition of our student body, faculty, curriculum, administration, and board of directors. We believe this commitment to diversity will help our children successfully navigate the changing world they will one day inherit.
SELS’s commitment to social justice promotes inclusion and equitable learning environments. Social justice provides fair and equal access to educational opportunities for all students; it encompasses a heart for sensitivity, a head for critical thinking, and a hand in social change. The SELS expeditionary learning educational approach accommodates a broad spectrum of learners and aims to achieve greater equity in academic achievement for all students.
