Celebrating the Emotion Revolution!

The Meeting House is thrilled to be co-sponsoring a symposium at The Churchill School this spring where Dr. Marc Brackett, Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, will be the keynote speaker. The Center is an important place for research and programs related to social and emotional learning. We recently had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with Dr. Robin Stern, Associate Director of the Center, to discuss the Emotion Revolution - a groundbreaking movement that aims to change the climate in high schools and the dialogue surrounding emotional intelligence for our nation's youth.

TMH: So what exactly is the Emotion Revolution?

STERN: This exciting initiative is a partnership between Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation and the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence — our goal is to elevate the national conversation about the importance of creating safe and engaging schools through the adoption of social and emotional learning in our nation’s schools.  We sent out a survey to high school students asking them how they feel currently feel in school and also how they would like to feel at school. We are excited to present the results of this study at the Emotion Revolution Summit at Yale with Lady Gaga and her team at BTWF this week and to shine a light on the role emotions play in young people's learning, decision making, relationships and overall well-being.

TMH: That is very exciting.  Tell us more about the Emotion Revolution work that will continue after the Summit at Yale.

STERN:  Facebook, in partnership with the Yale Center has created an online community that will be revealed at the Summit — for now, we can say that this destination will marry what we heard from youth about how they want to feel in school with educational practices anchored in emotional intelligence — stay tuned for the exciting details! 

TMH: This is great news. We agree whole heartedly given that our mission at the Meeting House is to help children develop their social and emotional selves in ways that will empower them throughout their lives. 

TMH: What is your goal for the Emotion Revolution Summit?

Stern: For the youth to feel that their voices have been heard  — and, that their feelings matter — both the youth who are able to attend the Summit and the youth all over America who are represented at Yale that day

TMH: What is your hope and dream for the field of Emotional Intelligence/SEL for Kids?  

Stern: Our dream is that every child in every school in every town across the nation has the opportunity to learn in an environment that is safe, compassionate, and engaging — this dream for our kids, is really a hope for our nation – because the high school kids of today are our nation’s leaders tomorrow.