Honoring Student Development With C.A.R.E.S.

Fly Five C.A.R.E.S. About Student Success

The C.A.R.E.S. competencies are at the core of the Fly Five SEL curriculum and feature the skills that students need as they progress through developmental stages. These competencies and age- appropriate skills place educators on solid instructional ground and help them set learning goals that foster academic, social, and emotional success at every age and stage of development.

As the school year begins, and throughout the year, educators have the opportunity to get to know what makes their students unique as individuals. This understanding shapes the classroom—not only by building a sense of community—but also by allowing educators to recognize how they can intentionally offer students the foundation they need to learn and grow. To help set this foundation, Fly Five guides the practice of developmentally appropriate skills that progress with students. These skills are highlighted within our C.A.R.E.S. competencies.

Three Ways to Bring C.A.R.E.S. to Life in the Classroom

With C.A.R.E.S., educators can integrate SEL throughout the day in many different ways. Consider what the following strategies would look like in your classroom.

Have class discussions about SEL skills.
Talk to students about how assertiveness skills can help them to persevere through challenges, big and small. Have students come up with a list of challenges they might face throughout the day and have them reflect on how assertiveness can help them overcome these obstacles.

Celebrate when students demonstrate SEL skills.
Tell students that you are proud of them when they display responsibility skills such as turning in assignments on time, taking care of their classroom, or problem-solving to reach a positive outcome. Explicitly point out the competency they are displaying, and get them excited about demonstrating new skills.

Model SEL skills.
As students share their interests, culture, perspectives, and experiences with the class, model empathy, showing students that this is a classroom where everyone is welcome and accepted.

By integrating C.A.R.E.S. into the classroom, educators are transforming what we know about student development into actionable opportunities for students to practice the skills they need to be competent, engaged learners.

Meaningful learning takes place when we honor students’ experiences, identities, and developmental journeys. When we do this, it is possible to meet students where they are and push them to grow—all while setting realistic expectations. Remember to explore the C.A.R.E.S. competencies with your students throughout the year and support them as they discover and build important lifelong skills.