Partners in Social Emotional Learning

Children develop their strongest SEL skills through positive relationships with supportive adults.

Mariposa Education and First English Lutheran Preschool & Kindergarten have been partners strengthening relationships between adults and children since 2008. We have a shared understanding of how to develop trust and connection with children, and we share the same vision of building emotional resilience through the ways adults interact with children.

About The mariposa method

The Mariposa Method is a relationship-based approach to social-emotional learning (SEL) that shifts the focus from managing children’s behavior to building adult capacity. At its core is a simple yet powerful belief: children learn SEL skills best through emotionally supportive relationships—not through direct instruction, reward systems, or punishment.

More than a set of tools, the Mariposa Method explains both the why and the how—set clear expectations while responding with compassion—two key ingredients for nurturing emotional growth and connection.

https://www.mariposaeducation.org/

REsources for Parents and caregivers

Mariposa Education programs are available to parents and caregivers. Programs include free mini lessons, so you can see just how effective these strategies are—practical tools you can use right away to support your child’s social-emotional growth; blended courses—structured in a series of learning modules containing self-paced video lessons and exercises, followed by a virtual, 1-hour live session; self-paced online courses, designed so you can move at your own pace, featuring video lessons and exercises in bite-sized modules; AND they also offer individual coaching and consultation to parents. As part of your tuition, you have access to Jenny Barrett (M.Ed.) an early childhood educator, administrator, and parent with three decades of classroom experience. Our former director, Jenny is currently on staff as a consultant, and is at FELP one day a week. https://www.mariposaeducation.org/courses-for-parents

Building resilience together

It's a process that requires teamwork and compassion. We recognize that caregivers, educators, and communities need to establish common ground and community support as they unlearn outdated, unproductive ways of understanding children. The Mariposa Method helps adults work together, reduce stress, and learn how to connect with children in ways that foster emotional resilience. Rather than fixing children’s behavior, the Mariposa Method empowers adults to understand children’s behavior on a deeper level and realize how our stress, language and actions are impacting it, whether we realize it or not. This more holistic method is based on 25+ years of research and professional experience, and meets all nine Harvard criteria for effective SEL training. Through our partnership, parents, teachers and administrators develop a shared language for supporting each other and the children. All FELP teachers and administrators have training in the Mariposa method as part of their professional development. Mariposa Education courses for educators are MSDE approved, and Mariposa partners with Loyola University, an accredited university. Parents are encouraged to participate in Mariposa workshops and the full comprehensive course, when open for enrollment.

Read Jenny’s Blog: https://www.mariposaeducation.org/blog