promoting social and emotional learning.pdf

Guidelines for Educators

MAURICE J. ELIAS

JOSEPH E. ZINS

ROGER P. WEISSBERG

KARIN S. FREY

MARK T. GREENBERG

NORRIS M. HAYNES

RACHAEL KESSLER

MARY E. SCHWAB-STONE

TIMOTHY P. SHRIVER

promoting

social

and

emotional

learning

ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

ALEXANDRIA,VIRGINIA USA

Education

$22.95

Fostering knowledgeable, respon-

sible, and caring students is one

of the most urgent challenges fac-

ing schools, families, and commu-

nities as we enter the 21st century.

Promoting Social and Emotional

Learning provides sound princi-

ples for meeting this challenge.

Students today face unparal-

leled demands. In addition to

achieving academically, they

must learn to work cooperatively,

make responsible decisions about

social and health practices, resist

negative peer and media influ-

ences, contribute constructively

to their family and community,

function in an increasingly diverse society, and acquire the skills,

attitudes, and values necessary to become productive workers

and citizens. A comprehensive, integrated program of social and

emotional education can help students meet these many demands.

The authors draw upon the most recent scientific studies, the

best theories, site visits carried out around the country, and their

own extensive experiences to describe approaches to social and

emotional learning for all levels. Framing the discussion are

39 concise guidelines, as well as many field-inspired examples

for classrooms, schools, and districts. Chapters address how to

develop, implement, and evaluate effective strategies.

Educators who have programs in place will find ways to

strengthen them. Those seeking further direction will find an

abundance of approaches and ideas. Appendixes include a cur-

riculum scope for preschool through grade 12 and an extensive

list of contacts that readers may follow up for firsthand knowl-

edge about effective social and emotional learning programs.

The authors of Promoting Social and Emotional Learning are

members of the Research and Guidelines Work Group of the

Collaborative for the Advancement of Social and Emotional

Learning (CASEL).

promoting

social

and

emotional

learning

Guidelines for Educators

promoting social and emotional learning

ISBN 0-87120-288-

780871 202888

90000

ISBN 0-87120-288-3

Social & Emotional 2/16/05 10:17 AM Page 1

Guidelines for Educators

MAURICE J. ELIAS

JOSEPH E. ZINS

ROGER P. WEISSBERG

KARIN S. FREY

MARK T. GREENBERG

NORRIS M. HAYNES

RACHAEL KESSLER

MARY E. SCHWAB-STONE

TIMOTHY P. SHRIVER

promoting

social

and

emotional

learning

ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

ALEXANDRIA,VIRGINIA USA

Social & Emotional TP 2/16/05 10:19 AM Page 1

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Promoting social and emotional learning : guidelines for educators /

Maurice J. Elias ... [et al.].

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-87120-288-3 (pbk.)

1. Affective education—United States. 2. Social skills—Study

and teaching—United States. 3. Emotions—Study and teaching—

United States. I. Elias, Maurice J.

LB1072.P76 1997

370.15’3—dc21 97-21198

CIP

01 00 99 98 97 5 4 3 2 1

™

Promoting Social and Emotional Learning:

Guidelines for Educators

Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

1. The Need for Social and Emotional Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2. Reflecting on Your Current Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

3. How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

4. Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

5. Creating the Context for Social and Emotional Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

6. Introducing and Sustaining Social and Emotional Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

7. Evaluating the Success of Social and Emotional Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

8. Moving Forward: Assessing Strengths, Priorities, and Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . 117

Epilogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Appendix A: Curriculum Scope for Different Age Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Appendix B: Guidelines for Social and Emotional Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Appendix C: Program Descriptions, Contacts, and Site Visit Information . . . . . . 143

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

About the Authors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Acknowledgments

BOOK THAT HAS NUMEROUS AUTHORS, INCORPO-

rates on-site visits around the United States, and is

based on action research carried out, collectively,

over several decades at dozens of sites and involv-

ing hundreds of thousands of students and thou-

sands of educators easily could have an

acknowledgments section reminiscent of the cred-

its for a Cecil B. DeMille movie. Indeed, each of the

authors of this book has mentors, assistants, and

collaborators.

What we will do is thank those individuals

whose efforts literally made this book possible.

Foremost among these are the Founders and Lead-

ership Team of the Collaborative for the Advance-

ment of Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL):

Maurice Elias, Eileen Rockefeller Growald, Daniel

Goleman, Tom Gullotta, David Sluyter, Linda Lan-

tieri, Mary Schwab-Stone, and Tim Shriver. The

core support staff members of CASEL’s central of-

fice, originally based at Yale (Peggy Nygre n, Char-

lene Voyce) and now housed at the University of

Illinois at Chicago (Sharmistha Bose, Bella Giller,

Carol Bartels Kuster, May Stern) have provided pa-

tient, diligent, and skilled logistical and conceptual

assistance.

We thank all those who consented to be part of

our on-site visits and who provided information

about their programs prior to our deadlines. Con-

tact information for these programs is provided in

Appendix C. Most probably, our on-site visit team

now has more details about more social and emo-

tional learning programs than anyone else. Linda

Bruene-Butler and Lisa Blum conducted most of

the visits, and did so expertly. They also did an out-

standing job organizing the many tapes and writ-

ten materials they obtained. Zephryn Conte also

conducted two on-site visits, and an ace team of

Rutgers undergraduates helped with the tran-

scripts: Debi Ribatsky, Allison Larger, Joanne

Mucerino, and Laura Green. Tom Schuyler, a re-

tired school principal with more than two decades

of experience working with SEL programs, pro-

vided a generous dose of wisdom. Thanks also to

Bob Hanson of National Professional Resources,

who donated copies of videos that depicted pro-

grams we were unable to visit.

Financial support for CASEL from the Fetzer

Institute, the Surdna Foundation, and the Univer-

sity of Illinois at Chicago, among others, facilitated

our conference calls and meetings. Fetzer also pro-

vided the funding for the on-site visits. The Fetzer

Institute also hosted the conference at which mem-

bers of CASEL met with Ron Brandt of ASCD and

John Conyers, Betty Davis, and Harriet Arnold,

long-time ASCD leaders who served as a kind of fo-

cus group discussing this book. Their valuable sug-

gestions helped to shape and ground our thinking.

ASCD has been a true partner in this project.

In addition to the individuals listed above, Mikki

Terry, Agnes Crawford, and Sally Chapman pro-

vided valuable support as they thought about the

book’s follow-up with professional development

institutes and curricular and video projects. Nancy

Modrak, John O’Neil, and Julie Houtz have been

the shepherds of the manuscript, giving gentle and

helpful guidance. The person who has been most

directly involved is Jo Ann Irick Jones, and we can-

not say enough about her tireless work, her tremen-

dous grasp of the basic concept of the manuscript,

and her creative ideas about how to convey those

ideas clearly, both in words and in layout. We also

salute the many others who provided editorial and

production wizardry at ASCD. (What a book

cover!) We look forward to a long ASCD-CASEL

collaboration in the interests of children and the

betterment of schools.

We also want to thank the children, parents,

and educators with whom we have worked, and

who taught us a great deal. We consider ourselves

privileged to be working in the schools, to be able

to watch and learn and contribute to this most criti-

cal aspect of children’s upbringing. The belief that

SEL is the missing piece in children’s academic and

interpersonal success and sound health has fueled

our continuing efforts. We are honored to bring

this work to a vast education audience through the

auspices of ASCD.

Finally, we wish to thank our families. They

have supported our action research, our writing,

our meetings, and all of the work related to bring-

ing this book to its completion. Three families—

those of Maurice Elias, Joe Zins, and Roger

Wei ssbe rg— bore p arti cul ar b urdens du ri ng Dece m-

ber 1996 and January 1997, as the struggle to make

the publication deadline and pull together vast

amounts of materials in a coherent manner grew

more intense, and time grew short. Their patience

and support show their great reservoirs of social

and emotional skills, for which we are grateful.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Preface

URING THE PAST FEW DECADES, SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN

inundated with well-intentioned positive youth de-

velopment efforts to promote students’ compe-

tence and to prevent social and health problems.

Relevant topics have included initiatives in the fol-

lowing areas:

•

AIDS education

•

law-related education

•

career education

•

moral education

•

character education

•

multicultural

education

•

civic education

•

nutrition education

•

delinquency prevention

•

physical injury

prevention

•

dropout prevention

•

positive peer bonding

•

drug education

•

sex education

•

family-life education

•

truancy prevention

•

health education

•

violence prevention

It’s enough to make an educator’s (not to men-

tion a student’s) head spin!

Fostering knowledgeable, responsible, and car-

ing students is an important priority for our na-

tion’s schools, families, and communities. Yet

today’s children face unparalleled demands in

their everyday lives. They must learn to achieve

academically, work cooperatively, make responsi-

ble decisions about social and health practices, re-

sist negative peer and media influences, contribute

constructively to their family and community, inter-

act effectively in an increasingly diverse society,

and acquire the skills, attitudes, and values neces-

sary to become productive workers and citizens.

Although most people agree that it is impor-

tant for schools to provide education that produces

knowledgeable, responsible, and caring students,

there is disagreement about how these outcomes

can be best achieved. Unfortunately, in their efforts

to respond to the needs of students, many schools

have adopted information-oriented, single-issue

programs that lack research evidence to support

their effectiveness. In this book, we draw upon re-

cent scientific studies, the best theories, and the

successful efforts of educators across the nation to

provide guidelines to help school administrators,

teachers, and pupil-services personnel design, im-

plement, and evaluate comprehensive, coordinated

programming to enhance the social and emotional

development of children from preschool through

high school. A growing body of evidence indicates

that systematic, ongoing education to enhance the

social and emotional skills of children provides a

firm foundation for their successful cognitive and

behavioral development.

This book was coauthored by members of the

Research and Guidelines Committee of the Col-

laborative for the Advancement of Social and Emo-

tional Learning (CASEL). As such, it truly

represents our collaborative efforts and demon-

strates how such a joint approach can greatly en-

hance what any one of us could have

vii

accomplished alone. The coauthors include re-

searchers, practitioners, and trainers, and the final

product represents these different perspectives.

CASEL was founded in 1994 to support

schools and families in their efforts to educate

knowledgeable, responsible, and caring young peo-

ple who will become productive workers and con-

tributing citizens in the 21st century. As we are

painfully aware, rates of drug use, violence and de-

linquency, damaging health practices, and poor

school performance are unacceptably high among

youth in spite of several decades of heightened

public awareness about these issues. CASEL’s pur-

pose is to provide a forum for the exchange of vi-

sion, expertise, and ideas regarding effective

solutions to promote positive social, emotional,

and behavioral development.

CASEL is composed of an international net-

work of educators, scientists, and concerned citi-

zens. Its purpose is to encourage and support the

creation of safe, caring learning environments that

build social, cognitive, and emotional skills. We

have the following primary goals:

1. To increase the awareness of educators, train-

ers of school-based professionals, the scientific

community, policymakers, and the public about

the need for, and the effects of, systematic efforts to

promote the social and emotional learning (SEL) of

children and adolescents.

2. To facilitate the implementation, ongoing

evaluation, and refinement of comprehensive so-

cial and emotional education programs, beginning

in preschool and continuing through high school.

Through research, scholarship, networking,

and sharing current information we seek to foster

the effective implementation of theoretically based

and scientifically sound social and emotional edu-

cation programs and strategies. Founded in the be-

lief that a collaborative model benefiting from the

collective wisdom, experience, and contributions

of scientists and educators is the most effective and

promising path to developing beneficial programs,

CASEL helps to identify and coordinate the best

school, family, and community practices across di-

verse prevention, health-promotion, and positive

youth development efforts.

CASEL strives to foster the development of

standards for SEL to assure that well-designed pro-

grams are effectively and ethically implemented by

competent educators who are well selected and

well trained. It seeks to increase opportunities for

educators in all phases of their careers to learn

about programs and receive training in scientifi-

cally tested practices that promote social and emo-

tional development. It educates public

policymakers and government administrators

about approaches that advance SEL. CASEL be-

lieves that the most beneficial SEL efforts are estab-

lished through school-family partnerships where

teachers and parents participate actively in pro-

gram selection, design, implementation, evalu-

ation, and improvement.

The purpose of this book is to address the cru-

cial need among educators for a straightforward

and practical guide to establish quality social and

emotional education programming. These guide-

lines highlight implementation practices that effec-

tively promote SEL among children. As one follow-

up to this book, CASEL is systematically and com-

prehensively conducting an empirical review to

evaluate the quality of SEL programs according to

criteria that will help educators and parents make

informed choices about high-quality curriculums.

Results from this review will be available in 1998.

CASEL currently has four active working com-

mittees: Research and Guidelines, Education and

Training, Communication, and Networking. They

are working to create a library and resource center

on social and emotional education, to develop tech-

nologies that will increase educator access to infor-

mation about social and emotional education, to

conduct diverse research projects to understand

and improve processes through which the best SEL

practices are implemented and institutionalized,

and to forge collaborative relationships with or-

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

viii

ganizations and policymakers committed to en-

couraging families, schools, and communities that

foster knowledgeable, responsible, and caring stu-

dents. These projects illustrate our mission to pro-

mote the exchange of ideas and resources about

SEL and to provide educators, parents, practitio-

ners, and researchers with the best of available

practices and information.

In keeping with our belief in the importance of

collaboration, CASEL invites you, the reader, to

share information about your own program efforts,

and to request information about current develop-

ments and effective practices around the world.

CASEL’s Central Office can be reached at:

CASEL

Department of Psychology (M/C 285)

The University of Illinois at Chicago

1007 W. Harrison St.

Chicago, IL 60607-7137

We also invite you to visit CASEL’s web page

to learn what’s new at CASEL. The web site con-

tains general information about CASEL projects

and events, and information about state-of-the-art

social and emotional educational practices. We

regularly update our web site, so we recommend

that you contact it monthly for current informa-

tion. Our address is:

http://www.cfapress.org/casel/casel.html

A Study Guide for this book is available on

ASCD’s Web at

http://www.ascd.org/StudyGuide/

or by calling ASCD’s 24-hour Fax-on-Demand serv-

ice (from your fax or phone) at 800-405-0342 or 703-

299-8232.

Finally, we have organized a listserv for indi-

viduals interested in the social and emotional de-

velopment of young people. Members will be able

to communicate about important issues in social

and emotional education, post questions, and dis-

cuss their own work in this area. We believe the list-

serv will be a useful tool for sharing ideas and

information and for generating enthusiasm for

high-quality social and emotional learning. You

may subscribe for free to this listserv using the fol-

lowing steps:

1. Send an e-mail message to:

majordomo@cfapress.org

2. In the subject area, type: list

3. In the message area, type: subscribe mcasel

4. Send the message!

We look forward to collaborating with you. We

are eager to learn from you and to support your

efforts.

Roger P. Weissberg

CASEL, Executive Director

Chicago, Illinois

Timothy P. Shriver

CASEL Leadership Team, Chair

Washington, D.C.

Eileen R. Growald

CASEL Founder & Leadership Team, Vice-Chair

San Francisco, California

Preface

The Need for Social and Emotional

Learning

T SOMETIMES SEEMS THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO

improve schooling in America, but each in a differ-

ent way. Some want to strengthen basic skills; oth-

ers, critical thinking. Some want to promote

citizenship or character; others want to warn

against the dangers of drugs and violence. Some

demand more from parents; others accent the role

of community. Some emphasize core values; oth-

ers, the need to respect diversity. All, however, rec-

ognize that schools play an essential role in

preparing our children to become knowledgeable,

responsible, caring adults.

Knowledgeable. Responsible. Caring. Behind

each word lies an educational challenge. For chil-

dren to become

knowledgeable

, they must be ready

and motivated to learn, and capable of integrating

new information into their lives. For children to be-

come

responsible

, they must be able to understand

risks and opportunities, and be motivated to

choose actions and behaviors that serve not only

their own interests but those of others. For children

to become

caring

, they must be able to see beyond

themselves and appreciate the concerns of others;

they must believe that to care is to be part of a com-

munity that is welcoming, nurturing, and con-

cerned about them.

The challenge of raising knowledgeable, re-

sponsible, and caring children is recognized by

nearly everyone. Few realize, however, that

each ele-

ment of this challenge can be enhanced by thoughtful,

sustained, and systematic attention to children’s social

and emotional learning (SEL).

Indeed, experience

and research show that promoting social and emo-

tional development in children is “the missing

piece” in efforts to reach the array of goals associ-

ated with improving schooling in the United

States. There is a rising tide of understanding

among educators that children’s SEL can and

should be promoted in schools (Langdon 1996). Al-

though school personnel see the importance of pro-

grams to enhance students’ social, emotional, and

physical well-being, they also regard prevention

campaigns with skepticism and frustration, be-

cause most have been introduced as disjointed

fads, or a series of “wars” against one problem or

another. Although well intentioned, these efforts

have achieved limited success due to a lack of coor-

dinated strategy (Shriver and Weissberg 1996).

Based on patterns of child development and

on prevention research, a new generation of social

and emotional development programs is being

used in thousands of schools. Today’s educators

have a renewed perspective on what common

sense always suggested: when schools attend sys-

tematically to students’ social and emotional skills,

the academic achievement of children increases,

the incidence of problem behaviors decreases, and

the quality of the relationships surrounding each

child improves. And, students become the produc-

tive, responsible, contributing members of society

that we all want. Perhaps the most important redis-

covery is that working in classrooms and schools

where social and emotional skills are actively pro-

moted is fun and rewarding. As we allow the hu-

manity, decency, and childishness of students (and

ourselves, to some degree) to find a legitimate

place in the learning environment, we rediscover

our reasons for becoming educators.

Thus, social and emotional education is some-

times called the missing piece, that part of the mis-

sion of the school that, while always close to the

thoughts of many teachers, somehow eluded them.

Now, the elusive has become the center, and the op-

portunities to reshape schooling are upon us.

What Is Social and Emotional

Education—And Why Is It

Important?

Social and emotional competence is the ability to

understand, manage, and express the social and

emotional aspects of one’s life in ways that enable

the successful management of life tasks such as

learning, forming relationships, solving everyday

problems, and adapting to the complex demands

of growth and development. It includes self-aware-

ness, control of impulsivity, working cooperatively,

and caring about oneself and others. Social and

emotional learning is the process through which

children and adults develop the skills, attitudes,

and values necessary to acquire social and emo-

tional competence. In

Emotional Intelligence

, Daniel

Goleman (1995) provides much evidence for social

and emotional intelligence as the complex and mul-

tifaceted ability to be effective in all the critical do-

mains of life, including school. But Goleman also

does us the favor of stating the key point simply:

“It’s a different way of being smart.”

In recent years, character education has re-

ceived a great deal of attention, including mention

in President Clinton’s 1997 State of the Union ad-

dress. You might wonder about its relationship to

social and emotional education. Without going into

a lengthy discussion of character education (see

Lickona 1991, 1993a), it is apparent that the best

character education and social and emotional edu-

cation programs share many overlapping goals.

The Character Education Partnership in Alexan-

dria, Virginia, defines character education as “the

long-term process of helping young people de-

velop good character, i.e., knowing, caring about,

and acting upon core ethical values such as fair-

ness, honesty, compassion, responsibility, and re-

spect for self and others.” Whereas many character

education programs promote a set of values and di-

rective approaches that presumably lead to respon-

sible behavior (Brick and Roffman 1993, Lickona

1993b, Lockwood 1993), social and emotional edu-

cation efforts typically have a broader focus. They

place more emphasis on active learning tech-

niques, the generalization of skills across settings,

and the development of social decision-making

and problem-solving skills that can be applied in

many situations. Moreover, social and emotional

education is targeted to help students develop the

attitudes, behaviors, and cognitions to become

“healthy and competent” overall—socially, emo-

tionally, academically, and physically—because of

the close relationship among these domains. And,

as you will see, social and emotional education has

clear outcome criteria, with specific indicators of

impact identified. In sum, both character education

and social and emotional education aspire to teach

our students to be good citizens with positive val-

ues and to interact effectively and behave construc-

tively. The challenge for educators and scientists is

to clarify the set of educational methods that most

successfully contribute to those outcomes.

The social and emotional education of children

may be provided through a variety of diverse ef-

forts such as classroom instruction, extracurricular

activities, a supportive school climate, and involve-

ment in community service. Many schools have en-

tire curriculums devoted to SEL. In classroom-

based programs, educators enhance students’ so-

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

cial and emotional competence through instruction

and structured learning experiences throughout

the day. For example, the New Haven, Connecti-

cut, public schools have outlined the scope of their

K–12 Social Development Project, identifying an ar-

ray of interrelated skills, attitudes, values, and do-

mains of information that lay a foundation for

constructive development and behavior (see

Figure 1.1).

The goals of New Haven’s Social Development

Project are to educate students so that they

•

Acquire a knowledge base plus a set of basic

skills, work habits, and values for a lifetime of

meaningful work.

•

Feel motivated to contribute responsibly and

ethically to their peer group, family, school, and

community.

•

Develop a sense of self-worth and feel effec-

tive as they deal with daily responsibilities and

challenges.

•

Are socially skilled and have positive rela-

tionships with peers and adults.

•

Engage in positive, safe, health-protective be-

havior practices.

To achieve these outcomes, school personnel

collaborate with parents and community members

to provide educational opportunities that (a) en-

hance children’s self-management, problem-solv-

ing, decision-making, and communication skills;

(b) inculcate prosocial values and attitudes about

self, others, and work; and (c) inform students

about health, relationships, and school and commu-

nity responsibilities. Social development activities

promote communication, participation in coopera-

tive groups, emotional self-control and appropriate

expression, and thoughtful and nonviolent prob-

lem resolution. More broadly, these skills, atti-

tudes, and values encourage a reflective, ready-to-

learn approach to all areas of life. In short, they

promote knowledge, responsibility, and caring.

Can People Succeed Without

Social and Emotional Skills?

Is it possible to attain true academic and personal

success without addressing SEL skills? The accu-

mulating evidence suggests the answer is no. Stud-

ies of effective middle schools have shown that the

common denominator among different types of

schools reporting academic success is that they

have a systematic process for promoting children’s

SEL. There are schoolwide mentoring programs,

group guidance and advisory periods, creative

modifications of traditional discipline procedures,

and structured classroom time devoted to social

and emotional skill building, group problem solv-

ing, and team building (Carnegie Council on Ado-

lescent Development 1989). Of course, they have

sound academic programs and competent teachers

and administrators, but other schools have those

features as well. It is the SEL component that distin-

guishes the effective schools.

The importance of SEL for successful academic

learning is further strengthened by new insights

from the field of neuropsychology. Many elements

of learning are relational (or, based on relation-

ships), and social and emotional skills are essential

for the successful development of thinking and

learning activities that are traditionally considered

cognitive (Brendtro, Brokenleg, and Van Bockern

1990; Perry 1996). Processes we had considered

pure “thinking” are now seen as phenomena in

which the cognitive and emotional aspects work

synergistically. Brain studies show, for example,

that memory is coded to specific events and linked

to social and emotional situations, and that the lat-

ter are integral parts of larger units of memory that

make up what we learn and retain, including what

takes place in the classroom. Under conditions of

real or imagined threat or high anxiety, there is a

loss of focus on the learning process and a reduc-

tion in task focus and flexible problem solving. It is

as if the thinking brain is taken over (or “hijacked,”

as Goleman says) by the older limbic brain. Other

The Need for Social and Emotional Learning

IGURE

1.1

AVEN

OCIAL

EVELOPMENT

URRICULUM

COPE

Life Skills Curriculum Scope

Preschool through 12th grade

Skills

Self-Management

Self-monitoring

Self-control

Stress management

Persistence

Emotion-focused coping

Self-reward

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Problem recognition

Feelings awareness

Perspective taking

Realistic and adaptive goal setting

Awareness of adaptive response strategies

Alternative solution thinking

Consequential thinking

Decision making

Planning

Behavioral enactment

Communication

Understanding nonverbal communication

Sending messages

Receiving messages

Matching communication to the situation

Attitudes and Values

About Self

Self-respect

Feeling capable

Honesty

Sense of responsibility

Willingness to grow

Self-acceptance

About Others

Awareness of social norms and values—peer,

family, community, and society

Accepting individual differences

Respecting human dignity

Having concern or compassion for others

Valuing cooperation with others

Motivation to solve interpersonal problems

Motivation to contribute

About Tasks

Willingness to work hard

Motivation to solve practical problems

Motivation to solve academic problems

Recognition of the importance of education

Respect for property

Content

Self/Health

Alcohol and other drug use

Education and prevention of AIDS

and STDs

Growth and development and

teen pregnancy prevention

Nutrition

Exercise

Personal hygiene

Personal safety and first aid

Understanding personal loss

Use of leisure time

Spiritual awareness

Relationships

Understanding relationships

Multicultural awareness

Making friends

Developing positive relationships

with peers of different genders

races and ethnic groups

Bonding to prosocial peers

Understanding family life

Relating to siblings

Relating to parents

Coping with loss

Preparation for marriage and

parenting in later life

Conflict education and violence

prevention

Finding a mentor

School/Community

Attendance education and truancy

and dropout prevention

Accepting and managing

responsibility

Adaptive group participation

Realistic academic goal setting

Developing effective work habits

Making transitions

Environmental responsibility

Community involvement

Career planning

Source:

Weissberg, R.P., A.S. Jackson, and T.P. Shriver. (1993). “Promoting Positive Social Development and Health Practices in Young Ur-

ban Adolescents.” In

Social Decision Making and Life Skills Development: Guidelines for Middle School Educators

, edited by M.J. Elias,

pp. 45–77. Gaithersburg, Md.: Aspen Publications.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

emotion-related factors can be similarly distracting

(Nummela and Rosengren 1986, Perry 1996, Syl-

wester 1995).

Sylwester (1995) highlights ways in which

SEL fosters improved performance in schools (see

Figure 1.2). He points out that

we know emotion is very important to the

educative process because it drives atten-

tion, which drives learning and memory.

We’ve never really understood emotion,

however, and so don’t know how to regulate

it in school—beyond defining too much or

too little of it as misbehavior and relegating

most of it to the arts, PE, recess, and the ex-

tracurricular program. . . . By separating

emotion from logic and reason in the class-

room, we’ve simplified school management

and evaluation, but we’ve also then sepa-

rated two sides of one coin—and lost some-

thing important in the process. It’s

impossible to separate emotion from the

other important activities of life. Don’t try

(pp. 72, 75).

The basic skills of SEL are necessary for stu-

dents to be able to take full advantage of their bio-

logical equipment and social legacy and heritage.

As schools provide the conditions that allow even

the students most at risk of failure to become en-

gaged in the learning process, new possibilities

open up and new life trajectories become available

to students. We know from resilience research that

even in the worst conditions, such as decaying in-

ner cities, we still find some children emerging in

positive ways. Wherever one looks at children who

have remained in school, one will find that SEL

was provided to these children by at least one or

two caring people, often in the schools.

Social and emotional issues are also at the

heart of the problem behaviors that plague many

schools, communities, and families, sapping learn-

ing time, educators’ energy, and children’s hope

and opportunities. Effectively promoting social

and emotional competence is the key to helping

young people become more resistant to the lure of

drugs, teen pregnancy, violent gangs, truancy, and

dropping out of school. Consider, for example, the

current interest in the character education move-

ment, which follows years of attention to the vio-

lence prevention movement, the values education

movement, the citizenship education movement,

and the drug abuse education movement. All of

these movements have common objectives: to help

children acquire the skills, attitudes, values, and ex-

periences that will motivate them to resist destruc-

tive behaviors, make responsible and thoughtful

decisions, and seek out positive opportunities for

growth and learning.

Can any of these movements succeed without

teaching social and emotional skills? Clearly not.

In fact, the programs that lack such instruction are

notoriously ineffective. Among the least successful

IGURE

1.2

RAIN

ESEARCH

AND

OCIAL

AND

MOTIONAL

EARNING

Robert Sylwester outlines six areas in which

emotional and social learning must come to-

gether for the benefit of children and schools:

•

Accepting and controlling our emotions

•

Using metacognitive activities

•

Using activities that promote social interaction

•

Using activities that provide an emotional

context

•

Avoiding intense emotional stress in school

•

Recognizing the relationship between emo-

tions and health

He also points out that the multiple intelli-

gences are socially based and interrelated: “It’s

difficult to think of linguistic, musical, and inter-

personal intelligence out of the context of so-

cial and cooperative activity, and the other four

forms of intelligence are likewise principally so-

cial in normal practice.”.

Source:

Sylwester 1995, pp. 75–77, 117

The Need for Social and Emotional Learning

substance abuse prevention programs are those

that provide students information about the dan-

gers of illicit drug use without helping them under-

stand the social and emotional dimensions of peer

pressure, stress, coping, honesty, and consequential

thinking (Dusenbury and Falco 1997). Indeed, such

information-oriented prevention programs have

sometimes been blamed for

increases

in substance

abuse rates! The truth is, such programs have not

been found effective. But this unfortunate outcome

cannot be any more surprising than, say, the poor

performance of a car with a one-gallon gas tank.

Without adequate fuel, neither will get very far. We

cannot educate children about the reality of drugs

without preparing them for the social and emo-

tional struggles they will confront when exposed

to media images about drug use and to opportuni-

ties to use drugs.

Some existing prevention efforts do incorpo-

rate skills for refusing drugs and other entice-

ments, skills for resisting peer pressure, ways to

focus on one’s goals, techniques for time manage-

ment, and steps for making thoughtful, calm deci-

sions—all of which are important skills that

prevent problem behaviors. But typically these pre-

vention efforts fail to address the missing piece:

feelings that confuse children so that they cannot

and do not learn effectively. Children’s emotions

must be recognized and their importance for learn-

ing accepted. By meeting the challenges implicit in

accomplishing this goal, we can clear the pathways

to competence.

The Significance of Caring

Can children become caring members of a school

community without attention to the social and

emotional dimensions of their lives? Again, the an-

swer seems obvious. Caring is central to the shap-

ing of relationships that are meaningful,

supportive, rewarding, and productive. Caring

happens when children sense that the adults in

their lives think they are important and when they

understand that they will be accepted and re-

spected, regardless of any particular talents they

have. Caring is a product of a community that

deems all of its members to be important, believes

everyone has something to contribute, and ac-

knowledges that everyone counts.

We work better when we care and when we

are cared about, and so do students. Caring is a

spoken or an unspoken part of every interaction

that takes place in classrooms, lunchrooms, hall-

ways, and playgrounds. Children are emotionally

attuned to be on the lookout for caring, or a lack

thereof, and they seek out and thrive in places

where it is present. The more emotionally troubled

the student, the more attuned he or she is to caring

in the school environment.

At-risk kids are most vulnerable for growing

up without caring. It is caring that plays a critical

role in overcoming the narrowness, selfishness,

and mean-spiritedness that too many of our chil-

dren cannot avoid being exposed to, and that re-

places these attitudes with a culture of welcome.

Caring, the value that most Americans seem to

agree is most necessary in adult life, is rooted

in the social and emotional development of

childhood.

Social and Emotional Skills Matter

Beyond the Classroom

If the goal of helping children become knowledge-

able, responsible, and caring is a central element of

social and emotional development and schooling,

then institutions other than schools should be inter-

ested in fostering these qualities as well. Ironically,

social and emotional skills, attitudes, and values

have been embraced most enthusiastically in the

boardrooms of corporate America. Moreover, busi-

nesses of all sizes have come to realize that

produc-

tivity depends on a work force that is socially and

emotionally competent.

Workers who are capable of

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

managing their social and emotional interactions

with colleagues and customers, as well as their

own emotional health, are more effective at im-

proving the bottom line and at making workplaces

more efficient. In light of new knowledge about so-

cial and emotional development, captains of indus-

try and the moms and pops of neighborhood

businesses are rushing to update their techniques

for selecting and training workers, organizing the

work environment, and developing managers and

leaders. They understand that social and emotional

competence may be more important than all of the

institutions attended, degrees earned, test scores

obtained, and even technical knowledge gained.

More focus is being placed on problem solving, re-

flection, perceptive thinking, self-direction, and

motivation for lifelong learning—characteristics

that are useful no matter what the job (Adams and

Hamm 1994). To illustrate this point, Figure 1.3 de-

scribes the skills that employers believe teenagers

should have.

Goleman (1995) provides insights into this

shift of priorities. In contrast to other skills, em-

ployers believe their workers show the greatest

shortage in the social and emotional areas, and

they recognize that businesses are ill-equipped to

train employees in these areas. Thus, young people

must be prepared for the new workplace with

more than the technical and content-specific skills

of traditional schooling. Business has made it clear

that new qualities are being sought in employees.

The accent is on being a flexible thinker, a quick

problem solver, and a team player capable of help-

ing the organization adjust to ever-changing mar-

kets. Employees are expected to have the basic

knowledge necessary to manage the task at hand,

but they are also expected to be able to learn

quickly and regularly on the job, adapt to new de-

mands and environments, collaborate with others,

motivate colleagues, and get along with a variety

of people in different situations. In other words,

working smarter is now the complement to work-

ing harder.

Increasingly, competence in recognizing and

managing emotions and social relationships is seen

as a key ability for success in the workplace and for

effective leadership. Moreover, both health profes-

sionals and workplace managers acknowledge that

the social and emotional status of an individual

may be a substantial factor in determining the per-

son’s capacity to resist disease and even to recover

from illness (and we suspect school nurses would

heartily agree). As educators increasingly recog-

nize the critical role that social and emotional skills

play in fostering productive, healthy workers, state

departments of education have established core

curriculum content standards emphasizing their

development (see Figure 1.4).

IGURE

1.3

HAT

MPLOYERS

ANT

FOR

EENS

1980

U.S. D

EPARTMENT

ABOR

MPLOYMENT

AND

RAINING

DMINISTRATION

ESEARCH

ROJECT

1. L e a r n i n g - t o - l e a r n s k i l l s

2. Listening and oral communication

3. Adaptability: creative thinking and problem

solving, especially in response to barriers/

obstacles

4. Personal management: self-esteem, goal-

setting/self-motivation, personal career develop-

ment/goals—pride in work accomplished

5. Group effectiveness: interpersonal skills, ne-

gotiation, teamwork

6. Organizational effectiveness and leadership:

making a contribution

7. Competence in reading, writing, and compu-

tation

The report notes that the seventh skill, while es-

sential, is no longer sufficient for workplace

competence.

The Need for Social and Emotional Learning

Issues of SEL have also influenced political

writers on democracy and citizenship (Boyer 1990,

Parker 1996). Responsible members of a democ-

racy are constantly challenged by changes in tech-

nology, communication, and cultural

demographics and must filter and integrate large

amounts of information from increasingly sophisti-

cated political operatives, electorate pulse-takers,

and opinion shapers. Parker asserts that civil com-

petencies cannot fully develop with family influ-

ence only, and he calls for civic education in

schools and other settings where children learn

and grow. The skills of reflective problem solving

and decision making, managing one’s emotions,

taking a variety of perspectives, and sustaining en-

ergy and attention toward focused goals are

among many that are called upon at every level,

from pulling the lever in the voting booth to enact-

ing laws in state legislatures, making judicial deci-

sions, and issuing directives from the Oval Office.

And, it takes a similar array of skills to successfully

run a classroom, school, or school district.

How Have Educators Responded to

Calls for SEL?

For educators in U.S. schools, the response to the

renewed awareness about the importance of social

and emotional development has been mixed. In

some circles, this task is still seen as solely the re-

sponsibility of families. The reasoning sounds tra-

ditional: the family should be the place where the

child learns to understand, control, and work

through emotions; social and emotional issues are

essentially private concerns that should be left at

the door when a child enters a school to go about

the business of acquiring academic knowledge.

This thinking has an appealing nostalgia: the

school, like the workplace, was always an environ-

ment where the agenda was not supposed to be in-

terpersonal relationships, but the task at hand.

There is learning to be done—what does this have

to do with “feelings”?

On the other hand, educators have always un-

derstood on a general level the implications of so-

cial and emotional issues for children’s learning

and development. The best teachers have always

been adept at helping children develop socially

and emotionally, and many teachers are naturally

gifted at promoting the skills, attitudes, and values

of competent social and emotional development. It

is easy for most people to recall a teacher who

made students feel capable of managing the chal-

lenges of learning, or who ran the classroom so

IGURE

1.4

XCERPTS

ROM

ORE

URRICULUM

ONTENT

TANDARDS

FOR

ERSEY

1996)

Cross-Content Workplace Readiness

Standards

•

All students will use critical-thinking, decision-

making, and problem-solving skills.

•

All students will demonstrate self-manage-

ment skills.

•

All students will develop career planning and

workplace readiness skills.

Health and Physical Education Standards

•

All students will learn health-promotion and

disease-prevention concepts and health-enhanc-

ing behaviors.

•

All students will learn health-enhancing, per-

sonal, interpersonal, and life skills.

•

All students will learn the physical, mental,

emotional, and social effects of the use and

abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

These standards show the central place of so-

cial and emotional skills in the context of work-

place skills that go across all areas of traditional

academic content, and as the centerpiece of

comprehensive health education. This is a pre-

cursor of future nationwide educational trends.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

that everyone understood the importance of re-

specting one another and resolving problems coop-

eratively. We would venture to say that the vast

majority of readers share with the authors the expe-

rience of having such a teacher or being in such a

school, and that these experiences—and the feel-

ings associated with them—are part of why we are

dedicated to children and to schooling.

Given the growing lack of civility and the re-

lated problems educators see around them, it is not

surprising that they increasingly acknowledge the

importance of addressing social and emotional is-

sues in school. At the same time, some educators

believe they are “doing that already.” Perhaps this

is true. But just as we know instinctively that it

makes sense to identify the most effective practices

to teach a subject such as mathematics, take those

practices and structure them into a sequenced cur-

riculum, and implement that curriculum with

trained professionals during dedicated classroom

time, we must recognize now that the same effort

must be mustered if we are to succeed in the social

and emotional domains. It simply makes sense that

if we are to expect children to be knowledgeable,

responsible, and caring—and to be so despite sig-

nificant obstacles—we must teach social and emo-

tional skills, attitudes, and values with the same

structure and attention that we devote to tradi-

tional subjects. And we must do so in a coordi-

nated, integrated manner.

Parallel arguments in academic areas abound.

For example, all would agree that quantitative

skills, like skills for SEL, develop naturally. But few

would argue that just because quantitative reason-

ing skills develop without formal instruction, there

consequently is no need to offer systematic instruc-

tion in mathematics. Nonetheless, that is precisely

the refrain heard frequently about social and emo-

tional competence: it should be handled intuitively,

it should be gleaned from other subjects, it should

emerge on its own.

In today’s world, and in what we can foresee

as we enter the 21st century, nothing could be fur-

ther from the truth. Reflect for a moment on how

the world has changed in just the past five dec-

ades. Today, most children grow up in urban and

suburban settings in a high-tech, multimedia

world that provides constant stimulation, and

sends largely unregulated messages about material

goods and experiences that few youngsters experi-

ence directly or within their families. Many share a

classroom with students of diverse cultures and

perspectives and various abilities and disabilities.

In this world, millions of good and decent chil-

dren find that school is but one institution among

many influences in their lives. It competes with

peer groups, social service institutions, the media,

the culture of competition, the pressure to con-

form, the need to be different, the tug of religious

ties, the lure of risk, the fear of loneliness, and the

complexities of family relationships in an age on

the move. Youth who grow up in this world are all

of our children. They come from every ethnic, eco-

nomic, social, and geographic corner. Their teach-

ers are accustomed to watching them struggle with

the pressures and challenges of growing up. Learn-

ing at school is but a fragment of these challenges.

For this learning to take place effectively, so that

classroom lessons become life lessons, students

need significant adults and peers in their lives to

work with them as part of a community of learn-

ers. Only in such supportive contexts can they be-

gin to piece together answers to the sometimes

overwhelming social and emotional dilemmas they

face.

In a time when our youth need more support

than ever to master the tasks of development, we

see ironically that the economic and social changes

of the last 40 years of the 20th century have re-

duced those supports (Postman 1996). Many fami-

lies can make ends meet only when both parents

work outside the home—and sometimes at more

than one job. Extended families, which once pro-

vided a child-care safety net, have all but disap-

peared. And close-knit communities, once sources

of caring adults who guided children and served

The Need for Social and Emotional Learning

as role models, are today neighborhoods of

strangers.

Schools have become the one best place where

the concept of surrounding children with meaning-

ful adults and clear behavioral standards can move

from faint hope to a distinct possibility—and per-

haps even a necessity.

In our hearts, we know that the outcomes for

too many children are negative. Those who drop

out, those who go to out-of-district placements,

those who get through school thanks to waivers or

reduced standards, those who are in alternative

schools—all these students are not quite fully vis-

ible to us. We often do not know what becomes of

those who leave our particular class or school or

community. But others know. In every ethnic

group, in every geographic region, in every eco-

nomic bracket, children are letting us know that

the vise grip of growing up in a world that dimin-

ishes the importance of their social and emotional

lives is just too tight.

We will not repeat here the litany of statistics

of social breakdown in the lives of children. Read

your newspapers and magazines. Look at the

stream of books and articles put out by child advo-

cacy agencies. We should no longer need numbers

to make us bemoan current conditions. (For statis-

tics about changes in families and communities,

see Weissberg and Greenberg 1997, U.S. Depart-

ment of Health and Human Services 1996.)

The facts spell out a serious message:

should do more to prepare youngsters for the challenges

of life in our complex and fast-paced world

. In particu-

lar, these facts must be a wake-up call for educa-

tors in every classroom, at every grade level, and

in every school district in the United States:

These

are our children, and we must teach them in ways that

will give them a realistic chance of successfully manag-

ing the challenges of learning, growing, and developing

How Does This Book Contribute to

Efforts to Help Children Learn and

Grow?

This book suggests a practical, well-developed, de-

fensible strategy to help educators answer the

wake-up call. The strategy is to create programs for

comprehensive and coordinated social and emo-

tional learning from preschool through grade 12.

Such efforts will be benchmarked by at least three

main goals:

1. The presence of effective, developmentally

appropriate, formal and informal instruction in so-

cial and emotional skills at every level of school-

ing, provided by well-trained teachers and other

pupil-services personnel.

2. The presence of a supportive and safe school

climate that nurtures the social and emotional de-

velopment of children while including all the key

adults who have a stake in the development of

each child.

3. The presence of actively engaged educators,

parents, and community leaders who create activi-

ties and opportunities before, during, and after the

regular school day that teach and reinforce the atti-

tudes, values, and behaviors of positive family and

school life and, ultimately, of responsible, produc-

tive citizenship.

These three benchmarks should be assessed

along with outcomes in other domains to ensure

that schools are playing their part in giving young

people the best possible chance to become knowl-

edgeable, responsible, and caring adults. Specific

guidelines for reaching these goals and monitoring

these benchmarks are identified in the subsequent

chapters of this book. They describe social and

emotional education efforts that are integrated,

comprehensive, and coordinated—qualities lack-

ing in many of today’s programs (see Figure 1.5).

They lead to students who are ready and moti-

vated to learn, increased academic performance, ac-

tive learning in the classroom and on the

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

SUICIDE

PREVENTION

SUICIDE

PREVENTION

FUTURE

PREVENTION

PROGRAMS

FUTURE

PREVENTION

PROGRAMS

AIDS

EDUCATION

AIDS

EDUCATION

SCHOOL-BASED

DELINQUENCY AND

STRESS PREVENTION

SCHOOL-BASED

DELINQUENCY AND

STRESS PREVENTION

TEEN

PREGNANCY

PREVENTION

TEEN

PREGNANCY

PREVENTION

CHEMICAL

DEPENDENCY

PREVENTION

CHEMICAL

DEPENDENCY

PREVENTION

PREVENTION PROGRAMS WITHOUT

A COMMON FRAMEWORK

PROVIDES SYNERGY

SEL

IGURE

1.5

NTEGRATED

AND

OORDINATED

RAMEWORK

ROVIDES

YNERGY

Source:

Maurice J. Elias

The Need for Social and Emotional Learning

playground, greater respect for diversity, better

preparation for today’s society, and more effective

teachers and administrators.

Why are guidelines needed? Why, in the

crowded schedule of our school day, must we at-

tend systematically to this task as well? We cannot

afford to make social and emotional education a

fad; the work of Howard Gardner (1983), Daniel

Goleman (1995), James Comer (Comer, Haynes,

Joyner, and Ben-Avie 1996), and Carol Gilligan

(1987), among others, tells us why. The skills areas

these writers have identified are the fundamentals

of human learning, work, creativity, and accom-

plishment. Social and emotional development and

the recognition of the relational nature of learning

and change constitute an essential missing piece in

our educational system. Until it is given its proper

place, we cannot expect to see progress in combat-

ing violence, substance abuse, disaffection, intoler-

ance, or the high dropout rate.

This book is rooted in the idea that academic

and social success are not limited to those of good

fortune or privileged upbringing; we can create the

conditions for achievement for all children. Success

does not occur only through large programs; the

necessary conditions are created in families, in indi-

vidual classrooms, and through relationships with

special people in our lives. Here, we provide guide-

lines to foster these conditions in schools, program-

matically and systematically, so that their existence

for all children is left less to chance than is now the

case.

This, then, is a book about how to promote so-

cial and emotional learning in schools—how to

promote knowledgeable, responsible, and caring

children and adults. In our day, the real challenge

of educating is no longer

whether or not

to attend to

the social and emotional life of the learner. The real

challenge is

how

to attend to social and emotional

issues in education. This book suggests a course of

action for the “how” questions. It is a clarion call, a

shofar blast, a wail from a minaret, a church bell

ringing. We ask educators to rethink the ways in

which schools have addressed or failed to address

the development of the whole child, and to do so

with an eye toward models that have demon-

strated success. We ask readers to examine what

goes on in their classrooms, schools, and districts,

to determine how they can respond best to the op-

portunities described in this book.

More than anything, this is a book about com-

mon sense in education, or perhaps the uncommon

sense needed to recognize the missing piece in

schooling: enhancing the social and emotional life

of each student is part of the educational responsi-

bility of adults. We must remember that

the democratic way of life engages the crea-

tive process of seeking ways to extend and

expand the values of democracy. This proc-

ess, however, is not simply an anticipatory

conversation about just anything. Rather, it

is directed toward intelligent and reflective

consideration of problems, events, and is-

sues that arise in the course of our collective

lives (Beane and Apple 1995, p. 16).

An Overview of What Follows

This book reviews the essential elements underly-

ing the effective development, implementation,

and evaluation of SEL programs in a straightfor-

ward, practical, and systematic manner. In the next

chapter we ask you to begin thinking about the so-

cial and emotional education efforts already under

way in your classroom, school, or district. Doing so

will help to make the remaining content more ap-

plicable and meaningful for your specific setting.

The following three chapters present funda-

mental information for social and emotional educa-

tion. Chapter 3 provides a more in-depth

examination of what social and emotional educa-

tion is, as well as a discussion of its place in our

schools. This chapter provides the background in-

formation needed for Chapter 4, which explains

how teachers can help students develop social and

emotional skills in their individual classrooms. In

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Chapter 5, important contextual issues related to

creating an organizational climate supportive of

social and emotional educational programs are

examined.

Chapter 6 gets down to practical issues in-

volved in starting and continuing a program. Chap-

ter 7 outlines ways in which social and emotional

education efforts can be evaluated to determine

whether they are achieving their goals and to pro-

vide guidance regarding changes that may be nec-

essary to make them more effective.

Most of the material in Chapters 3 through 7 is

presented in a series of concise guidelines that de-

scribe the development, implementation, and

evaluation of social and emotional education pro-

grams. The guidelines have a strong scientific basis

and are based on many research investigations and

relevant theory. They represent the combined ex-

pertise of program developers, researchers, train-

ers, and practitioners in this field.

In Chapter 8, the self-reflection process is revis-

ited to provide a starting point for you to get your

social and emotional education program under

way.

This book also includes three appendixes. The

first has a social and emotional education curricu-

lum scope, and the second a list of the guidelines

presented throughout the book. These are followed

by Appendix C, which is a list of programs that em-

phasize comprehensive approaches to social and

emotional education. Under the leadership of

Maurice Elias, CASEL conducted on-site visits to

schools that have implemented each of the pro-

grams included at the beginning of Appendix C. In-

cidentally, we have included examples throughout

the book to give you snapshots of what occurs in

SEL programs. Most of the examples were pro-

vided in response to questions posed by the site

visitors or were developed through observation.

Staff at the other programs listed in Appendix C,

which were not visited, have indicated to CASEL

that they include a strong emphasis on social and

emotional education strategies. You can gain addi-

tional firsthand knowledge about social and emo-

tional education efforts by contacting or visiting

the programs listed.

The Need for Social and Emotional Learning

Reflecting on Your Current Practices

O BEGIN THE PROCESS OF IMPROVING THE

OPPOR-

tunities for social and emotional learning that you

already provide, we invite you to begin thinking

about your classroom, school, or district. We chal-

lenge you to think about what you

are

doing to pro-

mote SEL and what you

could be

doing. This

process will help you begin to think about SEL is-

sues, which will make the rest of the book more

relevant to your particular setting. Further,

whether you are a novice or an experienced hand

at providing SEL instruction, it is important to

regularly reflect on your professional actions and

to develop a thorough understanding of why you

have chosen them.

No matter what your professional position, be

it teacher, principal, or superintendent, we believe

you will find that you and your school or district

are already doing a lot—probably more than you

realize once you begin listing everything. Once

you are finished with this chapter, you will prob-

ably be thinking about how you might improve

what you are doing and what more could be done.

At some point, you may want to engage in this self-

reflection process with a team of colleagues repre-

senting different positions and perspectives. This

collaborative exploration will likely spark informa-

tive discussions and debates about what activities

constitute social and emotional education as well

as creative brainstorming about how to integrate

and coordinate classroom, school, and community

efforts to enhance students’ social and emotional

skills.

To get you started, here are some general ques-

tions to address. You don’t have to answer all of

them now. Some may be more relevant to you than

others, depending on your role in the school or dis-

trict. The questions are structured around the 39

guidelines presented in Chapters 3 through 7 (Ap-

pendix B lists all the guidelines). We encourage

you to initiate this self-reflection process by think-

ing about and discussing some of the issues raised

in this chapter. Doing so will foster a more focused

and critical approach to reading the next five chap-

ters. As you go through this process, we think you

will find it helpful to put your reflections and ideas

in writing so you can refer to them later.

After you and your colleagues review the first

seven chapters, we urge you to reconvene and en-

gage in the more thorough self-assessment offered

in Chapter 8. That chapter’s exercise will help you

identify strengths in current program efforts, iden-

tify priorities for new initiatives and directions,

and develop a plan for your next steps. The notes

we are urging you to keep will stimulate your

thinking about specific steps to take and encourage

you to think about all the practical aspects of begin-

ning your renewed SEL programming efforts.

What Is My School Doing to Foster

Social and Emotional Learning?

I. Identifying Your SEL Goals and Activities

See Chapter 3 and Appendix A for more informa-

tion about this area.

1. What are the SEL goals for your classroom,

school, or district that will help students be-

come knowledgeable, responsible, and caring?

2. Develop a written list of activities going on in

your classroom, school, or district that support

SEL. Think broadly when considering what to

include on the list. For example, include the fol-

lowing: programs to enhance life skills, prob-

lem solving and decision making, positive

youth development, self-esteem, respect for di-

versity, and health; efforts to prevent problems

such as substance abuse, AIDS, pregnancy, and

violence; conflict resolution and discipline ap-

proaches; support services to help students

cope with school transitions, family disrup-

tion, or death; and positive contributory serv-

ice, peer leadership and mediation,

volunteerism, mentoring, character education,

civics and citizenship, or career education.

•

What approaches are you taking to en-

hance the SEL of students in the classroom

(e.g., specific curriculums, variety of fo-

cused activities)?

•

On what theory are you basing these activi-

ties? In other words, why are you engag-

ing in them?

•

What activities outside the classroom, but

within the school context, support SEL

(e.g., extracurricular activities, clubs, play-

ground games)?

•

What community activities support the

school’s SEL efforts?

•

What home activities are taking place that

complement the school’s SEL program?

3. Are these SEL efforts planned, ongoing, sys-

tematic, and developmentally based?

4. Are efforts to prevent problems and promote

positive cognitions, emotions, and behaviors

coordinated with one another, or are they con-

ducted in a piecemeal fashion?

5. To what extent and in what ways do school-

level efforts to enhance students’ social and

emotional skills reinforce classroom-based SEL

instruction and programming?

II. Developing Social and Emotional Skills

Through Classroom Instruction

See Chapter 4 for more information on this area.

1. What approaches do you use to build a safe

and caring classroom community?

2. Are your SEL training approaches grounded in

a comprehensive, theory-based framework

that is developmentally appropriate?

3. What instructional methods (e.g., modeling,

role playing, didactic instruction) are used to

promote SEL?

4. What classroom lessons and follow-up rein-

forcements do you use throughout the day to

improve children’s capacities to express emo-

tions appropriately, make responsible deci-

sions, solve problems effectively, and behave

adaptively?

5. In what ways do you integrate SEL with tradi-

tional academics to enhance learning in both

areas?

6. What specific SEL programming is provided

for children with special needs? Is there coordi-

nation between classroom-based SEL program-

ming and other student support services to

achieve an integrated system of special serv-

ices delivery?

7. How well are staff prepared and supported for

building students’ social and emotional devel-

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

opment? Are training opportunities available

that provide teachers with theoretical knowl-

edge, modeling, practice, on-site coaching, and

follow-up support for providing SEL instruc-

tion? How do administrators (or teachers) and

colleagues collaborate with you to support

your SEL efforts and develop long-range SEL

plans?

III. Creating the Context for SEL Programs

See Chapter 5 for a discussion of this area.

1. How are students and teachers involved in de-

signing, planning, and implementing SEL pro-

gramming? Describe the process used to select

specific SEL activities.

2. In what ways are your SEL efforts coordinated

within the curriculum, across grades, and

throughout schools?

3. Are your school’s SEL programming efforts

aligned with district-level goals and supported

by the administration? How do your school

and district policies support and encourage

SEL efforts?

4. In what way are parents and community mem-

bers involved in SEL in your classroom, school,

or district? How do they support social and

emotional education?

IV. Introducing and Sustaining Social and

Emotional Education

See Chapter 6 for more information on this topic.

1. What is your school’s planning process for se-

lecting SEL programs and activities?

2. What mechanisms and resources exist for

training and supervising staff who implement

SEL programs? Is there a coordinator or plan-

ning committee to ensure that the social and

emotional education efforts are effectively

conducted?

3. How are new SEL initiatives coordinated with

related programs and services that are cur-

rently under way?

4. How are staff, parents, the central office,

and the community informed of new SEL

initiatives?

5. To what extent are resources provided to con-

duct SEL activities?

6. What specific actions are you, your school, or

your district taking to foster the long-term suc-

cess and positive impact of SEL programs?

V. E v a l u a t i n g S E L P r o g r a m E f f o r t s

See Chapter 7 for a discussion of this topic.

1. In what ways are you evaluating SEL efforts to

ensure that you are on the right track?

2. How do you evaluate the program’s effects on

children, staff, parents, and the community?

3. What evidence do you have that you are mak-

ing progress toward reaching your SEL objec-

tives and that the program is succeeding?

4. What uses are made of information about the

extent to which SEL activities are achieving

their goals? In what ways is the information ap-

plied to improve future practice?

There are no preconceived right or wrong an-

swers to these questions. Rather, our intent is to en-

courage you to think about what you are doing

with respect to SEL, and to help you see how broad

the scope of these activities is.

What Comes Next?

Now that you have begun to think about what you

are doing, we bet that you are surprised at how

many relevant efforts are taking place in your class-

room, school, or district. Even though some educa-

tors may not be aware of all the ways in which

Reflecting on Your Current Practices

they are promoting social and emotional develop-

ment, we think that teachers must provide at least

some instruction in this area in order to be effective.

At the same time, you are probably also aware

of various efforts you could be making to foster so-

cial and emotional competence that you are not

pursuing right now. As you proceed through the

book, we will introduce many ideas to help you

think in SEL terms and to understand how to

weave these new ideas effectively into what you

are already doing.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

How Does Social and Emotional Education

Fit in Schools?

T IS THE SECOND WEEK OF THE SEMESTER.

TWENTY

two high school juniors sit in a circle on the floor of

their classroom, desks and chairs pushed to the

sides of the room. They just completed a “Day

Starter” activity in which each student chose a

piece of colored paper and was asked to use it to

express one of the emotions he or she felt coming

into class today. Some students were content to ex-

press their feelings only through their choice of a

particular color or the way they folded or drew

upon the paper. Others verbally shared the mean-

ing of what they did.

Now the teacher puts in the center of the room

a variety of objects brought in by students that rep-

resent something very important in their lives. One

at a time, students choose an item that intrigues

them—a ring, a cupcake, a small box, a stone, a set

of keys, a locket, a picture. They speak briefly

about what attracted them to the object, and then

ask for the story behind it. The student who

brought the item then explains its meaning.

This storytelling creates an interconnected nar-

rative of what youngsters care about in their lives

today. Many stories are about the preciousness of

relationships—with family, with friends, with a

brother, or with a father recently lost to death. Some

are about the passion to create through art, dance,

or theater. Some are about the joy of being part of a

team, or being alone with nature, or the frustra-

tions and dangers of living in their communities.

When it is time for this activity to end, the

teacher asks the students to say a word or phrase

that captures what they are feeling as they prepare

to leave for their next class. Words like “happy,”

“excited,” “peaceful,” “calm,” and “pensive” fill

the air. The teacher thanks the class and, if all stu-

dents didn’t have time to share, says that when

they meet again, the rest of the students will have

their stories heard. Together, the students then re-

store the desks to their original positions.

Creating the Personal-Academic

Connection

To anyone who has been around adolescents, it is

clear that they are generally more focused on them-

selves, their peers, and their outside lives than they

are on the school curriculum. Their strong feelings

compete with the teacher for their attention and,

more often than not, the feelings win. But when

teachers allow those feelings to take a constructive

place in the classroom and then use the concerns of

the students as a bridge to academic assignments,

they are providing the “missing piece” to students’

learning. They are integrating social and emotional

needs with academics. This process allows stu-

dents to personalize and internalize their learning

in ways that high school teachers are most accus-

tomed to seeing from students taking electives,

from “gifted and talented” students, or from those

who are in an academic or vocational track to

which they feel genuine commitment.

Activities like the sharing session described

earlier create new opportunities for teaching and

learning. Depending on the class—English, litera-

ture, history, civics, art, music, family life, biology,

earth science—the teacher who has used such an

activity can link an assignment to the sharing the

students have done or to the words they have used

to describe their feelings. One assignment might in-

volve writing a story, play, video script, or

docudrama about their concerns. Another might in-

volve finding a work of literature that has similar

themes and comparing and contrasting life and fic-

tion. Relationships might be explored, such as

those with peers and parents. Or students might

enjoy looking at the way in which climate and to-

pography influence how people come together and

live, thereby helping adolescents choose where to

spend their college or early adult years. An increas-

ing number of articles in the popular media help

make the biology of everyday life—influencing

emotions, learning, sports performance, and

schooling—interesting and relevant to teenagers.

What Do We Want Our Students

to Achieve?

Most people would agree that social and academic

success and a sense of personal well-being and effi-

cacy that enable students to participate in school,

home, family, workplace, and community life with

skill, thoughtfulness, and integrity are high on the

list of what we want students to achieve. In other

words, we want them to be knowledgeable, respon-

sible, and caring.

How can we increase the odds of

this happening? There are certain

tasks

that stu-

dents need to master along the way, certain

compe-

tencies

needed to accomplish those tasks, and

certain

values

and

attitudes

they need to develop.

Knowledge, skills, values, or attitudes by them-

selves are insufficient; they must all work together,

be nurtured and encouraged, and occur within a

supportive climate.

In the example above, the teacher is creating a

receptive climate for learning that reflects the de-

velopmental stages of the high school students.

Such a climate is urgently needed in the schools.

Media influences, a powerful consumer culture,

and household pressures compete with our hope

that family life will inculcate in children a love of

learning and respect for academic routines, tradi-

tions, and requirements. The teacher in our exam-

ple was tired of swimming upstream, of fighting

the forces of development within the students. By

going with the flow of social and emotional devel-

opment, educators have found that academic as

well as interpersonal success is enhanced. SEL is

indeed the “missing piece” in schooling today, and

we have learned a great deal about it in recent

years.

Applications of Social and

Emotional Skills to Diverse Areas

of Development

“Who ya gonna hang out with on the school yard?”

“C’mon, let’s spray paint the school.”

“I can’t believe you’re worried about school

work. Forget it, and forget class. Come with us.”

“You gotta smoke—everyone else does.”

“Are you gonna listen to what they tell you

about health in those stupid assemblies?”

“How can you listen to that teacher? I’m get-

tin’ myself thrown out, and if you do too, we can

hang out in the office. Here’s what we gotta do . . .”

“I’m gonna punch him out!”

These situations—familiar to anyone who has been

Primary source material for this chapter and the developmental scope

and sequence in Appendix A are Asher and Coie (1990); Bartz (1991);

Berk (1989); Brooks (1981); Copple, Sigel, and Saunders (1979); Damon

and Hart (1988); Dorman and Lipsitz (1984); Eisenberg and Mussen

(1989); Elias (1993); Erikson (1954); Nummela and Rosengren (1986);

Sylwester (1995); and Wood (1994).

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

in a school—place children at personal and inter-

personal crossroads. Are they aware of their con-

flicting feelings as these situations unfold? Are

they able to manage their emotions, whether they

feel threat, anger, temptation, joy, or relief? Can

they understand the perspectives of the others in-

volved? Can they tell which of their peers are their

genuine friends? Do they have an ethical or spiri-

tual framework to guide their decision making? Do

they have the interpersonal skills needed to handle

the situation as they would most like to? Can they

refuse appropriately and assertively? Can they

stall others while they think things through more

carefully? If they try something once, can they stop

if they realize they are uncomfortable or that the

consequences are worse than they expected?

If students are to gather accurate information

from themselves and their environments, make de-

cisions, and follow through with competent action,

then they must possess social and emotional strate-

gies and skills. These “life skills” guide children as

they face situations like those presented above.

Such skills are even more critical as we look ahead

to the time when children become adolescents and

then move on to take adult roles as citizens in a de-

mocracy, with all of the many opportunities and re-

sponsibilities that follow. They will be called upon

often to work in groups and in partnership with

classmates and adults. They inevitably will face all

manner of academic, workplace, and interpersonal

challenges. Their success in navigating the currents

of daily life—both in and out of school—will re-

quire a capacity to think clearly and make deci-

sions under emotionally arousing circumstances.

As children mature, they must learn to assume

greater responsibility for their behavior as adult su-

pervision becomes less direct and intensive. Their

capacity for sound social and emotional judgment

and appropriate personal decision making truly

becomes as important as their basic academic abili-

ties. Kolbe (1985) points out that one’s “inde-

pendent” health decisions are connected to one’s

social relationships and therefore can in no real

sense be viewed as “autonomous.” If a teenager

smokes, her act affects others. If a middle school

student goes off by himself and drinks beer in the

park, or does so with a few friends, there are clear

ramifications for parent-child and other family rela-

tionships. Children’s sleep habits may lead to dis-

tractible or lethargic, inattentive behaviors that

may affect peer and teacher relationships in school.

Violence and prejudice in a classroom or school act

as poisons, tainting academic learning, coloring

personal goals, and creating a climate in which

schooling becomes highly difficult to carry out ef-

fectively. The entire atmosphere becomes un-

healthy, leaving no one untouched. Goleman (1995)

echoes others when he says that success in the

adult world depends on both academic ability and

interpersonal, intrapersonal, or practical intelli-

gence—that is, social and emotional skills (Blythe

and Gardner 1990, Sternberg and Wagner 1986).

For these reasons, it is important to outline

clearly the social and emotional education that chil-

dren need to acquire in the course of their school

years—skills and capacities that schools must im-

part in partnership with parents and the surround-

ing community. Starting now, and continuing

through the next five chapters, we will present key

guidelines for social and emotional education (see

Appendix B for a list of the guidelines). Each guide-

line is followed by a brief rationale as well as dis-

cussion of its implications and applications for

educational practice. You will find examples

throughout the book of various SEL applications;

the examples are numbered to correspond with the

appropriate guideline (e.g., Example 1

is an exam-

ple of Guideline 1; Example 2

is an example of

Guideline 2).

UIDELINE

▼

Educators at all levels need explicit plans to help

students become knowledgeable, responsible, and

caring. Efforts are needed to build and reinforce

skills in four major domains of SEL:

1. Life skills and social competencies

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

2. Health-promotion and problem-prevention

skills

3. Coping skills and social support for transi-

tions and crises

4. Positive, contributory service

Rationale

Learning skills requires ongoing exposure and

practice. Social and emotional skills are similar to

other academic skills in that the initial building

blocks are elaborated upon over time and can be

combined to address increasingly complex situ-

ations that children face. New skills, such as cop-

ing with the greater independence of high school

and learning workplace skills, are built on earlier

foundations. Hence, it is necessary to address these

skills at each key grade level and for each domain

(Weissberg and Greenberg 1997).

1. Life skills and social competencies. These

include

generic

life, health, citizenship, and work-

place skills. Examples include self-control, stress

management, decision making, problem solving,

conflict resolution, appropriate assertiveness, so-

cial skills, listening, self-expression and other com-

munication skills, and skills related to identity and

spiritual development. This last competency in-

cludes such things as knowing how to access one’s

creativity; how to set academic, career, and relation-

ship goals; and how to discover constructive per-

sonal meaning and purpose. These skills are the

foundation of successful social interaction in all

contexts, and shortcomings in these areas diminish

potential accomplishments in academic and other

areas (Elias et al. 1994, Gardner 1993, Goleman

1995).

2. Health-promotion and problem-prevention

skills. These are strategies and behaviors to reduce

the likelihood of experiencing specific problems

such as drug use (including alcohol and tobacco),

violence, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, pre-

mature sexual activity, delinquency, and suicide at-

tempts. These skills complement the life skills

above, but with the addition of context-specific in-

formation related to a particular problem or risk

area (see Figure 1.1 on p. 4 for the New Haven So-

cial Development Curriculum Scope, which offers

an example of a program that combines life skills

and competencies with problem prevention and

risk reduction across several social and health ar-

eas). The National Commission on the Role of the

School and the Community in Improving Adoles-

cent Health

(1990, p. 36) describes a “new kind of

health education” that highlights the importance

of social and emotional skills in efforts to promote

health and prevent problems. This sophisticated,

multifaceted program goes light years beyond pre-

sent lectures about “personal hygiene” or the food

pyramid:

•

It provides honest, relevant information

about disease and injury prevention, family life

and sex education, drug and alcohol abuse, vio-

lence, mental health, and nutrition.

•

It teaches students the skills and strategies

needed to make wise decisions, develop positive

values, generate alternatives, deal with group pres-

sure, work cooperatively, and avoid fights—skills

that are better learned through role playing and

other small-group participatory activities than

through lectures.

•

It includes participation in physical activity

programs that foster lifelong exercise habits.

•

It begins before students are pressured to ex-

periment with risky behaviors and continues

throughout adolescence. It should begin in kinder-

garten and continue in a planned, sequential man-

ner through grade 12.

3. Coping skills and social support for transi-

tions and crises. These skills involve children’s ca-

pacity to deal with stressful life events. The

creation of support systems of caring adults and

peers to help students handle challenging situ-

A collaborative effort between the National Association of State Boards

of Education and the American Medical Association.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

XAMPLE

ELPING

HILDREN

OPE

WITH

IVORCE

Joanne Pedro-Carroll oversees the implementation of the Children of Divorce Project, which operates out of

the Primary Mental Health Project in Rochester, New York, in numerous schools. She points out that while ad-

ministrators are sometimes hesitant to delve into this personal area, parents typically are avid supporters of

this well-researched and acclaimed program. They appreciate the option of having a short-term skill-building and

peer support group for their children. There are structured curriculums for older and younger groups of elemen-

tary-aged students. The structure of this program can be extended to a range of other event-triggered problems.

We work with the feelings of the children: fear that parents will stop loving them, sadness,

misconceptions about why parents divorce, and so on. For younger children, “Tenderheart” is a

doll who takes on the characteristics of a child whose parents are divorced. The children in the

group talk to Tenderheart about their feelings and the difference between problems that are solv-

able and unsolvable by children. For K–3, we aim at correcting misconceptions. We have a board

game that has emotion cards and divorce situations, for example, “Do you think that you can get

your parents together?” The group talks about how to solve the problem.

For grades 4 to 6 we emphasize feelings. We use creative writing. We also help students to

learn problem-solving skills by role playing and considering the consequences of their solutions. A

group of 10-year-olds who felt very isolated started a newsletter. Amanda, who was put in the mid-

dle of a vicious custody battle, wrote a poem for the newsletter and “accidentally” left it on her

mother’s desk. The poem read, “Anger, fear, and worry sometimes turn to fury. And when this hap-

pens, parents must try not to turn to dust with anger, fear, and worry.” The group was very inter-

ested in her feelings. The mom wrote back, and this opened up lines of communication through

leaving notes for each other. The newsletter is used to express feelings of members of the group. It

is also used for thinking through ways to deal with day-to-day problems. The group helped Adam

role play possible ways to discuss with his mom changes in the visitation schedule and what her re-

sponse might be. Eventually he got up the encourage to confront her and it worked out well. The

weekend after it happened he told the group. They were so proud of him that they cheered and

gave him high fives. That day, Adam’s shoulders were back, not sunken, and his head was held high

instead of [his face] being covered by his hair.

Overall goals are the same for each grade: Reduce stress and anxiety, let students know they

have support, develop skills to cope. The kids choose names for their groups. Two are “KICS= Kids

Incorporated in Caring and Sharing” and “The Cosby Group” because they long for a family like

that.

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

ations and circumstances is an important element

of any SEL program. So-called “event-triggered

services”—that is, those initiated upon the occur-

rence of critical life events—need to be available.

These services are designed to

prevent

children

from experiencing severe behavioral or learning

disruptions as a result of events such as parental

separation and divorce or making the transition to

middle school (see the end of Appendix A [p. 133]

for additional examples).

In this domain, students need specialized skills

to help them address the personal and interper-

sonal turmoil and conflict that accompany signifi-

cant life change and loss. Students need to know

how to cope, how to reduce tension, and where to

look for support. This information is best conveyed

through structured programs of conflict resolution,

support groups, and so on, as illustrated in Exam-

ples 1

, 1

and 1

(Johnson and Johnson 1989/

1990; Johnson, Johnson, Dudley, and Burnett 1992;

Pedro-Carroll, Alpert-Gillis, and Cowen 1992; Wol-

chik et al. in press; Zins and Elias 1993). While

these interventions may be coordinated with class-

room-based programming, they are often deliv-

ered individually or in small groups by various

other school personnel.

4. Positive, contributory service. In this do-

main, we recognize that our society is becoming

more complex, interdependent, and diverse. The

demands of citizenship are growing. Our commu-

nities need dedicated leaders and volunteers. From

where will they come? How will they be prepared?

A critical part of the answer includes such school-

based activities as in-class and cross-age tutoring

and mentoring; classroom, school, or community

service; and serving as peer mediators and orien-

ters for new students, “buddies” for studying, and

assistants for students with special needs. Example

speaks to the benefits of service for students of

different ages.

We live in a time of changing social institu-

tions, and the schools have a critical role to play in

preserving children’s sense of belonging and pur-

pose. Students are seeking to feel a sense of posi-

tive relatedness and community, whether as a

complement or an alternative to having strong

religious or family guidance. A key to attaining this

outcome is positive, contributory service (Brandt

1991, González 1991, Lewis 1991).

XAMPLE

OPING

FFECTIVELY

WITH

EACHER

AND

UBSTITUTE

SEL provides students with both individual skills

and skills for solving problems as a group. We

were having a big problem with a class of stu-

dents who were upset about having substitute

teachers while their teacher, who they had

learned to care for and trust, was absent for an ex-

tended period of time because she was receiving

chemotherapy. I was able to go into the class and

work with the children, using the skills we had

learned in “Second Step” [

Authors’ note

: See

also p. 28 for more on Second Step], to help

them share their feelings and then move into

problem solving what THEY could do to make the

situation better. With the help of Jackie (SEL pro-

gram coordinator), the students were able to

make themselves and the new visiting teacher

feel comfortable in the classroom.

The students role-played to see what it felt like to

be the new person in the classroom. The stu-

dents then made sure they welcomed the

teacher and gave small tokens of their apprecia-

tion, thanking the substitute for coming into their

classroom and helping them. They also decided to

reinstitute something they had done with their

teacher: making every Wednesday a time to give

written friendship-grams letters to their teacher

on their class computer.

—Jacqualine Brown,

Seattle Public Schools, Committee for Children,

describing the Second Step program

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Implications and Applications

Success in each of the four domains involves

the coordination of skills in emotion, thinking, and

behavior. Many of these skills are basic to human

functioning, so they begin to appear in rudimen-

tary form in infancy. As children get older, they ap-

ply these skills to increasingly complex situations

and learn to differentiate, label, and integrate

them. Even in adolescence, skill development con-

tinues, primarily through the feedback, reflection,

learning, and growth that result from new experi-

ences.

Helping students develop and coordinate

skills in emotion, cognition, and behavior is a nec-

essary activity at the classroom, school, and, ide-

ally, district levels (Shriver and Weissberg 1996,

Weissberg and Greenberg 1997). In the rest of this

chapter, we highlight the main areas of skill devel-

opment that research so far has identified as impor-

tant and worth addressing in the schools, both

formally and informally. For the sake of clarity, we

next present some starting points for your consid-

eration.

XAMPLE

ESOLVING

ONFLICT

AND

REATING

EACEABLE

ELATIONSHIPS

The Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP) teaches students (and teachers, administrators, and parents)

a process that enables them to find creative solutions to conflicts. This is done by teaching de-escalation and ne-

gotiation skills, but also by structured lessons to increase appreciation of their own and other cultures and ways

to live in a school as a peaceful learning community. In a typical model, older students in a school are the media-

tors for younger ones. Here is a story about the program in action.

With tears streaming down her face, 7-year-old Veronica picks herself up from the asphalt of the

playground and charges toward her friend, Jasmine. “Why’d you trip me?” she screams. “I didn’t

trip you.” “Yes you did, and I’m gonna trip you right back on your face!”

Suddenly, two 5th graders wearing bright blue T-shirts appear. Across the front and back of their

shirts, the word

mediator

is emblazoned. “Excuse me!” says one. “My name is Jessica.” “And I’m

Angel,” says the other. “We’re mediators. Would you like us to help solve this problem?” “I guess

so,” the younger girls say grudgingly. Jessica and Angel first obtain the disputants’ agreement to

some ground rules (including no name-calling and no interrupting), and then the mediators suggest

that they all move to a quieter area of the playground to talk things out.

“You’ll speak first, Veronica,” says Jessica. “But don’t worry Jasmine, you’ll get your chance.

OK, Veronica, tell us what happened.”

Within two minutes, the girls have solved their problem. Jasmine acknowledges that she

tripped Veronica by accident as she was trying to tag her. She says she is sorry. Veronica agrees to

accept the apology and to be Jasmine’s friend again. After being congratulated by Angel and Jessica

for solving their problem, the girls resume their game.

—Lantieri and Patti (1996), RCCP, New York City

See also both the later section on Development in this chapter

(pp. 37–41) and Appendix A, both of which present more detailed,

though not comprehensive, scope and sequence outlines.

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

XAMPLE

OSITIVE

ONTRIBUTORY

ERVICE

FOR

IFFERENT

ROUPS

Positive, contributory service provides benefits at all age levels. Here are some examples:

La Salle Academy’s Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program

Principal Ray Pasi:

On the first day of classes, freshmen are paired up with seniors. The seniors are asked to be-

come a role model and assist the freshmen in making the transition to La Salle. The parents love it because it

helps them to have people take an interest in their children, to help them adjust and give them encouragement.

The seniors feel needed in the school; 210 out of 300 seniors participated in the program.

Student:

The program is great because it gives the freshmen somebody to listen to and give them guidance. I

have to go see my little brother soon because he’s having a little trouble with English, and I’m pretty good at it

and I am going to help him with it.

Student:

My little sister was having trouble with someone who wanted to beat her up. She wanted me to beat

the person up.

Bob Lisi, Freshman Transition Coordinator:

We got both parties together because I knew about it and did a little

conflict resolution.

Student:

Freshmen know where to find the seniors, and the seniors know where to find the freshmen so they

can visit before homeroom. It feels good to make a difference to somebody.

Student:

Some of the kids who couldn’t be bothered or only did it for their resumes now are doing it because

they see its importance.

La Salle’s Senior Service Program

Student:

I went to the day care and worked with 4- and 5-year-olds who didn’t really get a lot of attention at

home. They were neglected. I walked into the classroom, and this little girl grabbed me by the knee and said,

“Do you want to be my brother?” And it was a really great feeling. The last class the teacher let me conduct a

whole lesson, and the kids really looked up to me and it felt good. Then, as I was leaving, the kids gave me a

book that each of the kids had drawn a page for. I’m going to visit them on my next half day because I miss

them.

Fourth grade students from Hazelwood School in Lexington, Kentucky, had these comments about their

Buddy Program:

“I like the buddy program with the 1st grade because I get to read to them. I like to do things for them.”

“I like to stop fights when they start by helping them talk it out.”

“We feel happy because we get to teach them stuff that we know how to do.”

“They help you learn, too. For example, I got to read an ”Arthur" book. My buddy reads to me, and I feel proud

that my buddy can read."

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Emotion. The skills related to becoming emo-

tionally competent begin in infancy. At their sim-

plest, the skills involve recognizing cues from the

faces, postures, and vocal tones of others, followed

by labeling and verbalizing emotions. Gradually,

children expand their vocabulary for feelings and

their ability to link feelings appropriately to an in-

creasing range of situations. It takes only a mo-

ment’s reflection, however, to recognize that

children come to school with a range of emotional

skills and a range of consistency in the use of these

skills. Much of what educators observe about chil-

dren’s emotional awareness and regulation de-

pends also on the skills of memory and language,

and how emotion, events, and their labels become

integrated, coordinated, and recalled. The ability of

children to learn, access, and apply their learning is

interwoven with their emotional skills.

Cognition. To live and learn in a social world,

we need to be able to listen accurately, pay atten-

tion, remember what we hear and learn, and guide

ourselves in thoughtful decision making and prob-

lem solving when facing choices or problematic

situations. More specifically, we need a social deci-

sion-making and problem-solving strategy that in-

cludes the following skills:

•

Understanding signs of one’s own and oth-

ers’ feelings.

•

Accurately labeling and expressing feelings.

•

Identifying one’s goals.

•

Thinking of alternative ways to solve a prob-

lem, especially when planning a solution and mak-

ing a final check for possible obstacles.

•

Thinking about long- and short-term conse-

quences for oneself and others.

•

Reflecting on what happens when carrying

out one’s strategies, and learning for the future.

These cognitive skills foster integration and are

interdependent with skills in the emotional and be-

havioral areas; consequently, they are subject to

any limitations in those areas. We see the effects of

not accomplishing this task in the classroom when

children with great intellectual problem-solving

abilities are not socially successful because of diffi-

culties in dealing with feelings or in carrying out

desired behaviors. Further, carrying out thoughtful

decision making and problem solving under stress

requires an even higher level of ability in these ar-

eas. Example 1

shows problem-solving strategies

from several different programs.

Behavior.

Self-control skills

are necessary to ac-

curately process the information contained in so-

cial encounters, to engage in thoughtful social

decision making, and to be able to approach others

in difficult situations without provoking anger or

annoyance. These skills include the ability follow

directions, calm oneself down when under stress,

manage anger effectively, and communicate clearly

in a respectful and civil manner.

Group participation skills

underlie the exercise of

social responsibility, constructive task-oriented con-

tributions in groups, and the building of meaning-

ful communities. They include the following:

•

Recognizing and eliciting trust, help, and

praise from others.

•

Recognizing others’ perspectives.

•

Choosing friends wisely.

•

Sharing, waiting, and participating in groups

(including cooperative learning groups).

•

Giving and receiving help and criticism.

•

Resisting pressure from peers and the

media to engage in antisocial, illegal, or dangerous

behaviors.

•

Exercising leadership, accepting diversity,

and demonstrating desirable attributes such as

honesty, responsibility, compassion, and caring.

Integration. Although the three skills areas are

presented separately here, they are of course inte-

grated in actuality. Emotional intelligence serves as

the integrative concept, in that competence in so-

cial and emotional functioning is a product of an in-

terrelationship of skills in the emotional, cognitive,

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

XAMPLE

ROBLEM

-S

OLVING

TEPS

SED

IFFERENT

ROGRAMS

Social Decision-Making Skills: A Guide for the Elementary Grades

When children and adults are using their social problem-solving skills, they emphasize eight skill areas:

1. N o t i c i n g s i g n s o f f e e l i n g s .

2. Identifying issues or problems.

3. Determining and selecting goals.

4. Generating alternative solutions.

5. Envisioning possible consequences.

6. Selecting their best solution.

7. Planning and making a final check for obstacles.

8. Noticing what happened, and using the information for future decision making and problem solving.

An instructional and easily prompted version of the social decision-making and problem-solving skills, given the

acronym “FIG TESPN”:

1. F e e l i n g s c u e m e t o p r o b l e m s o l ve .

2. I have a problem.

3. Goals give me a guide.

4. Think of many possible things to do.

5. Envision end results (outcomes) for each option.

6. Select my best solution.

7. Plan the procedure and anticipate pitfalls (roadblocks), practice, and pursue.

8. Notice what happened, and now what?

—Elias and Tobias (1996)

The Second Step Violence Prevention Program

The Second Step Program for 4th and 5th graders offers a five-step process:

1. W h a t i s t h e p r o b l e m ?

2. What are some solutions?

3. For each solution, ask:

•

Is it

safe

•

How might people

feel

•

Is it

fair

•

Will it

work

4. Chose a solution and use it.

5. Is it working? If not, what can I do now?

—Committee for Children (1992)

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

and behavioral areas (Goleman 1995, Mayer and

Salovey 1995). Example 1F shows the key skills

that make up emotional intelligence and cut across

different domains of human functioning. Although

there is value in presenting the skill areas sepa-

rately, particularly as part of the learning process,

we actually apply these skills simultaneously. For

example, when students have just been handed a

surprise quiz, knowing how they feel, managing

these feelings effectively, focusing on the task at

hand, and communicating appropriately afterward

to friends all are part of effective problem solving.

Acquiring an integrated set of skills such as

these often occurs best in an experiential context,

where the skills are learned through practice and

role modeling. These considerations are reflected

in the guidelines that follow.

UIDELINE

▼

Successful efforts to build social and emotional

skills are linked to developmental milestones as

well as the need to help students cope with ongo-

ing life events and local circumstances.

Rationale

Students who are at risk for problems such as

violence, school failure, and substance abuse typi-

cally lack the skills to meet normative developmen-

tal challenges or the special challenges posed by

highly stressful life events. In some cases, the stu-

dents are skilled, but their values or expectations

conflict with those of the school. Although blind

XAMPLE

—

continued

ROBLEM

-S

OLVING

TEPS

SED

IFFERENT

ROGRAMS

The Social Competence Promotion Program for Young Adolescents

The Social Competence Promotion Program for Young Adolescents presents the following six-step social-

information processing framework for solving a wide range of real-life problems. A traffic light poster is used to

display the following sequential, six-step process:

1. S t o p , c a l m d o w n , a n d t h i n k b e fo r e yo u a c t .

2. Say the problem and how you feel.

3. Set a positive goal.

4. Think of lots of solutions.

5. Think ahead to the consequences.

6. Go ahead and try the best plan.

The traffic light links a familiar image to three central, sequential phases of problem solving. The red light—

or “stop” phase—symbolizes stopping to calm down in preparation for problem-solving thinking and action

(step 1); the yellow light—or “thinking” phase—offers a process for identifying problems and evaluating op-

tions for implementation (steps 2 to 5); and the green light—or “go” phase—represents taking action to re-

solve the problem (step 6). Through explicit instruction in the six steps, teachers and students learn a common

language and framework for communicating about problems. Furthermore, the traffic-light poster may be used

as a visual reminder to prompt students to apply problem solving throughout the school (e.g., in the cafeteria,

on the playground) and at home.

—Weissberg, Caplan, Bennetto, and Jackson (1990)

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

conformity to all rules is clearly not an intended

outcome of education, thoughtful reflection about

rules and the interests of oneself and others is de-

sirable. Specifically, social and emotional skills are

necessary to reduce the incidence of what Goleman

(1995) calls “emotional hijacking,” which takes

place when one’s feelings overwhelm the balance

of behavioral and cognitive checks and balances

that are a necessary part of everyday living.

XAMPLE

MOTIONAL

NTELLIGENCE:

KILLS

OCIAL

AND

MOTIONAL

EARNING

Self-Awareness

•

Recognizing and naming one’s emotions.

•

Understanding of the reasons and circumstances for feeling as one does.

Self-Regulation of Emotion

•

Verbalizing and coping with anxiety, anger, and depression.

•

Controlling impulses, aggression, and self-destructive, antisocial behavior.

•

Recognizing strengths in and mobilizing positive feelings about self, school, family, and support networks.

Self-Monitoring and Performance

•

Focusing on tasks at hand.

•

Setting short- and long-term goals.

•

Modifying performance in light of feedback.

•

Mobilizing positive motivation.

•

Activating hope and optimism.

•

Working toward optimal performance states, flow, manage inverted U relationship between anxiety and

performance.

Empathy and Perspective Taking

•

Learning how to increase these, and develop feedback mechanisms to use in everyday life.

•

Becoming a good listener.

•

Increasing empathy and sensitivity to others’ feelings.

•

Understanding others’ perspectives, points of view, feelings.

Social Skills in Handling Relationships

•

Managing emotions in relationships, harmonizing diverse feelings, viewpoints.

•

Expressing emotions effectively.

•

Exercising assertiveness, leadership, persuasion.

•

Working as part of a team/cooperative learning groups.

•

Showing sensitivity to social cues.

•

Exercising social decision-making and problem-solving skills.

•

Responding constructively and in a problem-solving manner to interpersonal obstacles.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Implications and Applications

Guideline 2 has a number of practical implica-

tions. First, learning that is developmentally appro-

priate, as well as brain-friendly and appealing to

diverse learners, uses skill-based, experiential ap-

proaches. These approaches greatly increase stu-

dents’ use of social and emotional skills outside the

classroom. Unfortunately, in many instances, par-

ticularly in high school, fact-oriented and lecture-

based approaches predominate. When students are

in emotionally charged and high-pressure situ-

ations, however, they have trouble accessing infor-

mation and skills learned from such approaches.

We see evidence of this in evaluations of informa-

tion-oriented health education programs (Weiss-

berg and Elias 1993, Weissberg and Greenberg

1997). Guideline 2 suggests that we carefully note

what constitutes sound educational procedure in

this area.

Second, this guideline acknowledges that state

and federal guidelines and mandates for alcohol,

tobacco, steroid, and other drug abuse, AIDS,

health education, violence prevention, and so on,

must be met. However, it also challenges us to ex-

amine their focus on persuading children to avoid

risky behaviors that may lead to dangerous out-

comes. Problem prevention alone is not sufficient

to provide the “missing piece” children need in

their lives. Building the social and emotional skills

required for all endeavors and relationships in

their lives—including the discipline and motiva-

tion to successfully navigate what are literally

nearly two decades of academic hurdles—must be

emphasized.

To be able to teach students, educators must

clearly understand when students will be called on

to use social and emotional skills. Here is a range

of examples:

•

When waiting in a long line, waiting to get

on a computer, or waiting to use a paint set.

•

When being pressured to smoke, to vandal-

ize property, or to speak in a disrespectful way to

students who are members of minority groups.

•

When dealing with the anxiety of taking a

major test like the SAT, preparing to speak in front

of an assembly, playing competitive sports, or

participating in a musical, artistic, or dramatic

performance.

Indeed, it is real-life events that are the best

practice field for learning to use skills that are

called upon under stressful, difficult, rare, and un-

predictable conditions, as Example 2

illustrates.

The Importance of Character,

Values, and Self-Esteem

UIDELINE

▼

SEL programs emphasize the promotion of proso-

cial attitudes and values about self, others, and

work.

Rationale, Implications, and Applications

The Four C’s. Healthy self-esteem develops

when children are given the four C’s: Confidence,

Competencies, Chances, and Caring. Throughout

their school careers, our children need the adults

around them to inspire them with

confidence

that

they can learn, accomplish, and interact success-

fully in a range of situations. They need adults

around them to design experiences that will impart

the

competencies

needed for academic and social

successes, to back up their confidence. They need

adults around them to create

chances

to use their

skills, to learn in the protected and supervised

arena of the school so that they will be less at risk

in the relatively unsupervised and unscripted

world in which they interact.

Would we send students in front of an assem-

bly to do a skit without giving them a sense of con-

fidence, the skills they need, and lots of rehearsal?

No way. How is it, then, that we seem content to

do less to prepare students for the major chal-

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

lenges they face all the time on the stage of life?

This is where the fourth C,

caring

, becomes so im-

portant. Each student needs to feel valued as a

meaningful member of the class and school. What

is particularly important is how we

show

caring to

students so that they are more likely to respond

with caring toward themselves and others.

Character. Thomas Lickona (1991) is one of the

leaders in the character education field. His view

of character, values, and self-esteem shows the in-

herent linkage of these areas. Character is defined

as values in action; values refer to “knowing the

good.” Clearly, in different families, communities,

and cultural groups, there may be varying defini-

tions of what is “good.” Self-esteem is a feeling or

attitude that accompanies believing that one is fol-

lowing the “good” in a given community or val-

ued group. This is why, as Lickona notes, people of

“good character” can be quite different from one

another.

These differences also explain why disaffected

youth seek out peers and other groups that will

validate their actions and serve as a source of self-

esteem. Gangs take on this role for many students

who do not or cannot derive esteem from school or

family. Bullard (1992) notes that schools may en-

courage an allegiance to gangs if they have a nar-

rowly academic or culturally bound definition of

“the good,” particularly when families are not serv-

ing as alternative sources of positive support.

Religious schools have definitions of “the

good” linked to worship and observances that may

not be interchangeable across denominations. Nev-

XAMPLE

RAWING

OMMUNITY

ROVIDE

UPPORT

HEN

CHOOL

RAGEDY

TRIKES

“Over the Christmas vacation, one of our students, a young man named Frank, was killed as a result of injuries

from a car accident. And I thought Social Problem Solving (SPS) was a lifeline for me and also for the students.

It gave us all something to fall back on to face a very difficult situation.

“For me, as the teacher, I was very glad that I had done the background work of establishing group unity and

trust in our sharing circles. We had an opportunity to do that before anything so serious and difficult happened.

When we came back to school, I remember the first morning that we entered the building. It was a Thursday.

And immediately the students and I entered the room and put the chairs in a circle. No one said anything about

it. So, we had a chance to share our feelings, and at that point weren’t processing anything. We were just feel-

ing. We used the circle to work that out.

“I was really surprised those first few days of dealing with Frank’s death that the students relied so much on

having that sharing circle and wanted to share. And these are students that came to us with minimal self-

awareness skills and minimal self-control skills. And actually, as I tried to get the routine back to normal, they

stopped me at one point and said, ‘Wait, Miss Krah. Can we take a vote and see if everybody wants to have a

sharing circle?’ And they did. It seemed like a really good forum for them to deal with what we had to deal with.

“A s t i m e h a s g o n e o n , w e ’ v e h a d s o m e i d e a s c o m e u p f r o m s t u d e n t s a b o u t a l c o h o l - r e l a t e d c a r a c c i d e n t s a n d

what kind of decisions people could or couldn’t make. We used the process a little more to think that through.”

—Marge Krah, Middle School Special Education Teacher

Cape May, New Jersey, Special Services School District

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

ertheless, Lickona (1991) and others point out that

there are common denominators amidst these dif-

ferences, and these are proper topics of concern for

the public schools (Ryan 1995). Lickona cites re-

spect and responsibility as two of the most consen-

sual and important, and caring clearly could be

included, too. From the perspective of SEL, it is vir-

tually impossible to imagine a classroom, school,

community, family, or workplace that can function

in the absence of respect, responsibility, and caring

(among other attributes). Thus, ensuring that chil-

dren have the skills to convey respect and responsi-

bility—and make no mistake about it, there are

many skills involved, it is not simply an “attitude”

or “orientation”—is a valid and necessary part of

basic education (Wynne and Walberg 1986). Fami-

lies may have their own ways of wanting children

to show respect, responsibility, and caring, and

their teaching of these behaviors is essential. How-

ever, schools, workplaces, community organiza-

tions, and social groups also have their own

definitions, and children must be prepared for

these as well. Example 3

outlines one method of

teaching about values and character.

Self-esteem. It should be clear that self-esteem

is generated when students perform valued behav-

iors and are recognized for doing so. For this to

happen, students’ emotional intelligence must be

put to work so that they can accurately perceive

values around them and act in ways that are consis-

tent with those values. Naturally, decisions must

be made locally about what aspects of character

and values will be emphasized, and how. Some

maintain that desirable values are best learned in

the crucible of interaction with positive adults and

peers (Taffel 1996). However, Lickona (1991) and

others believe that it is in students’ interest for

schools to address core values (such as honesty,

fairness, and responsibility) that are likely to be en-

dorsed, and thus encouraged, by most settings.

Providing Developmentally

Appropriate Social and Emotional

Education

It follows from what has been presented thus far

that social and emotional skills cannot be reserved

for periodic instruction; nor can they be expected

to develop in the absence of continuous practice

and opportunities for feedback and improvement.

Therefore, it is necessary that developmentally ap-

propriate instruction be provided in a planned

way throughout children’s time in school.

UIDELINE

▼

It is most beneficial to provide a developmentally

appropriate combination of formal, curriculum-

based instruction with ongoing, informal, and

infused opportunities to develop social and emo-

tional skills from preschool through high school.

Rationale

The interpersonal situations students face in

school require that they make constant choices

about how to behave. Being in a school community

exposes kids to many influences on their choices,

and life events occur that do not follow any pre-

scribed curriculum guides. Social and emotional in-

struction, therefore, must be

anchored

by being

systematic

and

curriculum-based

at each level of

schooling. Such learning provides a forum for skill

building to help address ongoing, developmentally

expected issues. But there is also a need for

flexibil-

ity

to help address unexpected life events in ways

that are minimally disruptive of academic progress

and that sustain healthy, positive relationships

with others. This process occurs through encourag-

ing the informal use of skills and by infusing skill

building into academic activities (Elias and Clabby

1992; Hawkins, Catalano, et al. 1992; Weissberg

and Greenberg 1997).

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

XAMPLE

DDRESS

ALUES

, V

IRTUE

AND

HARACTER

SING

SEL F

RAMEWORK

1. S e l e c t a f o c a l va l u e (character aspect, etc.).

2. Define it via group discussion and by looking at the dictionary definition, especially the derivation of the word.

3. Provide an age-appropriate literature example that explores, addresses, and involves that value. Integrate

this material with your current reading program and areas of emphasis, making relevant assignments. Include

aspects of the value in class and small-group discussions.

4. Help students identify life examples of the value. Several useful approaches include an individual or class

chart in which examples of the value “in action” can be recorded for a given week (or other period of time) or

having a circle or sharing time in which students identify and share times when their behavior involved that

value, might have involved that value, or when they saw that value enacted by others. Interesting discussions

will take place, for example, as to whether “caring” was appropriate or perhaps overdone or not genuine, or

whether “assertiveness” turned into aggressiveness, or whether what seems to be a behavior seen as aggres-

sive in minority students or girls is seen as assertive in majority students or boys.

5. Assign academic projects related to that value that fit with broader learning goals.

Personal: Individual students can set personal goals around the expression of a particular value with their class-

mates, toward other teachers, and so on.

Paired, small-group, class, or schoolwide projects can be assigned, related to a particular reading or series of

readings; can be integrated with a civics unit; or can be applied to life on the playground, on the school bus, in

the lunchroom, the hallways, the classroom, the surrounding school environment, or the community. Paired stu-

dents can be empowered to hand out “Gotcha!” stickers to people seen enacting a focal value in the class-

room or in other areas of the school. Other books can be assigned, and small groups can report on how the

value was expressed differently by different characters. Associated art and music projects can be carried out.

Adolescents often find it quite informative, engaging, and thought-provoking to look for the varied expressions

of values in song lyrics and teen magazines.

Some of the values that schools from varied socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural backgrounds appear to

emphasize include:

caring honor respect

confidence justice responsibility

courtesy kindness reverence

creativity love self-discipline

enthusiasm loyalty service

excellence peacefulness thankfulness

friendliness purposefulness tolerance

helpfulness reflectiveness trustworthiness

honesty reliability truthfulness

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

XAMPLE

ALLE

CADEMY’S

UCCESS

FOR

IFE

ROGRAM:

MBODYING

THE

RINCIPLES

SEL

La Salle Academy, in Providence, Rhode Island, incorporates all four social and emotional learning domains in a

developmentally sensitive manner. The school also includes milestone and event-triggered and crisis programs,

and a combination of curricular and informal, infused opportunities for SEL skill development and recognition.

“Success for Life,” a schoolwide, curriculum-based program, assists students with issues connected to social

and emotional intelligence. Not an “extra,” it is incorporated into classes and activities and linked with La

Salle’s existing goals. These include the nurturing of all aspects of the child: spiritual, intellectual, social, and

emotional. Administrators, teachers, and coaches explicitly incorporate a decision-making approach in their deal-

ings with students.

Underscoring all our educational endeavors, we try to challenge students to consider what choices confront

them, to remember to think before responding, and to choose the best alternative. Given the developmental

levels and needs of adolescence, every attempt is made to infuse the program with the variety and engage-

ment that typify successful secondary school educational strategies. Given the constraints of time and curricu-

lum in the classroom component, only a limited number of “target” lessons may be included during a

particular semester. A decision-making or problem-solving structure, however, can often be used as an instruc-

tional strategy.

Success for Life seeks to strengthen adolescents’ awareness of themselves, their relationships, and situations

in which they make important decisions in their lives. An ultimate goal is to help strengthen self-esteem and

self-respect, as well as attitudes of caring and responsibility toward others. The program includes an interaction

of cognitive, affective, and behavioral components:

•

classroom program

, providing instruction across disciplines on issues of social competence and the in-

telligent management of one’s emotions.

•

schoolwide program

, starting with a daily morning reflection (by students or staff), designed to rein-

force classroom efforts that promote healthy development.

•

Adult Contact Program

for sophomores; a

Freshman Transition Program

(and Coordinator); a

Big

Brother/Big Sister Service Program

for freshmen (and for the upperclass students working the program).

•

Small-group meetings

for students with more serious or chronic behavior problems to help build self-con-

trol and social awareness skills.

•

computer-based education program

for specific types of disciplinary problems (a decision-making model).

•

Career Awareness and Wellness programs

that span four years, while concentrating on the decision-

making, problem-solving focus of the junior year.

•

Theme-based assemblies

for each year, geared to particular competencies and the developmental level

of each group.

•

Senior Service program

, in part to foster post-high school transition.

•

Inclusion of the part-time coaching staff

in the orientation session on the school’s mission, the Success

for Life program, and their practical implications for dealing with student athletes (including the Student Athlete

Contract).

•

Ongoing

parent communication

to keep parents informed of our specific efforts and various

schoolwide

activities

(designed with the help of the parent organization) to enhance parents’ knowledge of program norms

and values.

—Raymond Pasi, Principal, La Salle Academy

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

XAMPLE

—

continued

ALLE

CADEMY’S

UCCESS

FOR

IFE

ROGRAM:

MBODYING

THE

RINCIPLES

SEL

Three Examples of SEL in Action at La Salle

1. Celebrations of Success/Reinforcing School Climate.

Students are issued wallet cards containing the La

Salle Seal and the mission statement and goals:

Goals of Community Behavior

La Salle Academy

Mission:

To c r e a t e a l e a r n i n g c o m m u n i t y w h i ch f o s t e r s a c c e p t a n c e , g e n e r o s i t y, a n d m u t u a l r e s p e c t

OUR COMMON GOALS:

Our interest in the growth of each person urges us toward

Respect for Self

A high regard for the worth of each person

Respect for Others

An interest and concern for one another

Respect for Property

A vested interest in and respect for the property of

La Salle Academy

Art adorns the school entrance. Everyone created a separate panel depicting something that was important

and involved principles he or she had been learning. One was a picture of Respect for the Environment. An-

other was a picture of the school and a picture of the world. All dealt with the main theme of respect. A banner

embodying all three areas of respect hangs in our entrance.

2. Assemblies Linked to SEL Themes by Grade Level.

Excerpt from Memo to all faculty from Leo Butler

about the Sophomore Assembly:

As part of our Success for Life program in social and emotional education, the first of two as-

semblies for sophomores will be held . . .

Mr. Jim Hopkins will address students on the topic of interpersonal understanding and conflict

resolution. He will share with us his experience over the years with peer mediation at Johnston

High School. He will stress the importance of students’ using peer mediation when a dispute oc-

curs, as well as the importance of their eventually becoming involved as peer counselors.

Mr. Hopkins will also speak about appreciating the individuality of each person, by looking for

and respecting the special talents unique to each person.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Implications and Applications

It is common to see discussions of “ages and

stages” of development in children; it is less com-

mon to see such a discussion focused on the details

of what we know about social and emotional skills

development (Consortium on the School-Based

Promotion of Social Competence 1991; Elias et al.

1994; Hawkins, Catalano, et al. 1992). An over-

view of each of the major developmental periods

follows.

Pre-school and early elementary grades (pre-

K to grade 2, ages 3–7). Erikson’s

stages of trust and

autonomy

cover the years from birth to the age of

2 (approximately—the sequence is more reliable

than the specific age boundaries). A successful out-

come of these stages is linked to children receiving

physical and emotional security (Carnegie Task

Force on Meeting the Needs of Young People

1994). Even infants begin to make “if I do this, then

that happens” connections as they learn what they

must do to have their needs met. They learn how

to get people to hold them, feed them, and change

their diapers long before they can ask for such

things directly. From these early experiences, chil-

dren begin to develop a nonverbal sense of how to

get their needs met. They also develop a sense of

how likely they are to be successful in getting what

they want. Later, a sense of self-efficacy emerges

from this early, generalized sense of trust. Their

early verbal behavior also is part of their current

and future ability to make positive connections to

others and get their needs met as they begin to rec-

ognize their capacity to explore and interact with

their environments.

XAMPLE

—

continued

ALLE

CADEMY’S

UCCESS

FOR

IFE

ROGRAM:

MBODYING

THE

RINCIPLES

SEL

3. SEL must be taught formally, as well as infused, and linked to all aspects of education; for this to hap-

pen effectively requires ongoing staff development and curricular leadership.

Letter from Principal Ray Pasi to staff, October 31, 1996

When teaching students some aspect of social and emotional intelligence—whether it’s empa-

thy, some aspect of self-awareness, the importance of delaying gratification, etc.—it is essential

that we are explicit about what we are doing. If we are not, students tend to think we are simply

taking a break from the math or science or foreign language lesson. We should specifically tell

them something to the effect that we are now covering something very important, and explain

what social and emotional skill is being presented. When an assignment or lesson is given with

this focus in mind, tell the students specifically what you want them looking for and considering, in

relation to their own lives. If this is not done directly and explicitly, students will not appreciate the

fact that they are deliberately getting something “extra” as part of a lesson or assignment. They

should leave your class, at the end of the year, appreciating that you dealt on occasion with certain

social and emotional skills that you consider quite important—as well as the academic content of

the course.

Again, it is this combination of explicit instruction across the disciplines, plus our schoolwide

programs, that combine to make our educational program in this area different from others.

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

Preschoolers tend to become less and less im-

pulsive and more likely to follow directions and

rules even when no adult is present—but the range

of variability is huge. Their use of language for self-

regulation is helpful here. Getting along with peers

is fostered by social approach skills, perspective

taking, and empathy. Fears characteristic of the pre-

vious period should diminish; however, it is hard

for young children to hold onto two strong emo-

tions at the same time. As a result, moods can shift

quickly.

Next, the

stage of initiative

brings new require-

ments for social interaction as children encounter

day care, preschool, and school environments.

Children must improve their motor and verbal

control and begin to respond to social rules (in ad-

dition to parental rules). In early childhood, grow-

ing language and cognitive abilities fuel advances

in social decision making and problem solving.

Children can be expected to identify basic feelings,

pick up on a central theme in social situations, be

more aware of how to communicate successfully

with others, consider alternative ways to reach a

goal, and recognize alternative consequences to

their actions.

Language and conceptual skills, needed for

mature social decision making, evolve at this time.

Children acquire terms to help them with key cog-

nitive concepts:

is/is not, and/or, same/different,

all/some.

These words are all about similarities and

differences.

Other

and

else

reflect divergent produc-

tion.

If/then

and

why/because

promote causal infer-

ences.

Where, with whom, when, now/later,

and

before/after

are critical for social understanding and

for specifying events. Preschoolers also get better

at understanding patterns of related occurrences,

and they begin to develop an early sense of what

Rotter (1982) calls an “expectancy” for the useful-

ness of being a good problem solver—something

adults should actively encourage.

Elementary and intermediate grades (grades

3–5; ages 8–10). Elementary school brings increases

in understanding others’ emotional reactions, read-

ing social cues, and understanding others’ verbal

and nonverbal communications. Children are bet-

ter able to help others, share, and feel empathy;

there are more attempts to seek harmony with oth-

ers, such as parents and peers, when there are ten-

sions. Impulsivity declines and angry outbursts

and aggressive behaviors decrease. Sustained, fo-

cused attention and effort emerge along with the

pride at accomplishing goals. Assertiveness can re-

place aggressiveness, with verbal forms occurring

far more often than the physical. Fearfulness de-

creases. Unhappiness, however, can be more sus-

tained and can become more of a source of

concern. Shyness is not typical, and cooperation

with peers should be encouraged.

Cooperation, sustained attention, and harmo-

nizing skills are essential because children enter

the

stage of industry

during what is usually called

middle childhood. School and extracurricular ac-

tivities require children to display more focus and

persistence than in prior stages. The skill of keep-

ing track of their goals and how they are progress-

ing toward them is important if students are to be

able to carry out projects and participate in teams

and performances. The attributes of persistence

and sustained attention also are behind their pen-

chant for collecting things and reading book series

during the latter part of this age period.

Key social and emotional abilities include a

broadening vocabulary to label a range of feelings

in self and others, an improved understanding of

how events relate to one another over time, and a

more accurate sense of perspective. Further, an ex-

panded ability to consider alternative solutions

and consequences, increased planning to achieve

goals, and the beginning of an ability to anticipate

obstacles to one’s plans contribute to interpersonal

and school success.

Middle/junior high school (grades 6–9; ages

11–14). Early adolescence—the middle-school

years—is most obviously a time of intense physical

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

changes. Perhaps most significant are the varying

rates at which these changes occur, both for a given

child and across children. This variation means

that the middle-school child can look like an ele-

mentary-school child or as old as an adult. As chil-

dren see their schoolmates reach various mile-

stones at different times, they inevitably make

comparisons, and all too often see themselves as

deficient.

Nevertheless, it is a myth that adolescence

must be defined as a period of stress, turmoil, and

rebellion. The developmental tasks that early ado-

lescents must work through on their path toward

adulthood can be sources of both exhilaration and

consternation (Carnegie Council on Adolescent De-

velopment 1989, Dorman and Lipsitz 1984).

Adolescents are making a transition from the

stage of industry

to the

stage of identity

. They awaken

to the world of possibility and potential, and they

become more adept at abstract thinking and going

from the specific to the general. They retain a cer-

tain egocentrism, which leads them to believe they

are unique, special, and even invulnerable to harm

(this mind-set, naturally, increases risk-taking be-

havior). At the same time, these youngsters care a

great deal about what the anonymous “they” think.

To help deal with the vast cognitive awakening

they are experiencing, early adolescents often see

things in black and white, good versus bad terms,

leading to the possibilities of exaggeration, denial,

and overgeneralization. At the same time, middle-

school students can be wonderfully idealistic,

thoughtful, and incredibly immature and silly—all

in the space of a typical school morning! Some of

their idealism comes out as increased social con-

cern, fueled by outrage with what is “wrong” in

the world and their emerging realization that what

they do in the present will affect what they do in

the future.

Erikson (1954) noted that a sense of “industri-

ousness” characteristic of early adolescence can be

seen both in a strong orientation to certain tasks

and in a faddish commitment to certain things for

relatively short periods of time. Thus, middle-

school-aged children can become avid collectors or

focus intensely on a particular game or hobby.

These kinds of activities prepare them for the stage

of identity, which extends from preadolescence

into the teen years. Students build on prior experi-

ences to attempt to answer the questions “Who am

I?” and “What can I become?”—questions that take

on an emotional charge and a sense of reality as

children move into formal operational cognitive ca-

pacities. Spiritual development also stirs, as chil-

dren begin to glimpse the possibility of larger

purpose and greater meaning to life. Many relig-

ions contain rituals in early adolescence that guide

students in exploring these questions and mark the

rite of passage into greater responsibility.

Unfortunately, the tendency toward industri-

ousness does not necessarily translate into motiva-

tion related to school achievement. Having the best

baseball card or audiotape collections may be more

than sufficient for some children. Therefore, it is

beneficial to bring students’ own industriousness

into the school and connect it with some area of

academics. By linking school with students’ own ef-

forts to construct an identity, we can guard against

disaffection, underachievement, failure, and drop-

ping out.

Even though peer relationships are increas-

ingly influential during the early adolescent years,

adults must not be lulled into thinking that their in-

fluence as adult role models and guides is in any

way diminished. What is most likely to occur is

that children are more reluctant to admit or ac-

knowledge this influence during the middle-school

years than they might have just a few years earlier.

Accordingly, providing support will often be quite

thankless, and at times frustrating. Nonetheless, it

can be a lifeline for youth who otherwise would de-

rive most of their views from their peers. What

adults can do to stimulate these children’s social

and emotional skills is to create environments

where peers can relate to one another in positive,

reflective, constructive ways, addressing important

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

topics and questions about life in the community,

social issues, the environment, rights and justice,

or diversity.

Indeed, one of the markers of the transition to

adolescence is a growing capacity for reflective-

ness. This capacity includes increased awareness of

sexuality and the ability to articulate “who am I?”

in terms of strengths and weaknesses or prefer-

ences. It also can be seen in a heightened aware-

ness of one’s own and others’ thoughts and

feelings. (It is not unexpected to encounter some

fears about the future, especially about success in

jobs, and parents’ health and well-being.) There is

an interest in learning about one’s own patterns of

handling impulses, stress, difficulties, and so on.

Awareness of these patterns can be taught, and

goal-setting strategies to improve behaviors can be

carried out, though more for short-term than long-

term benefits.

Having arenas where there is a sense of mas-

tery and control is important. Art, hobbies, sports,

games, phone calls, collecting, magazines, music,

clubs, cliques, groups, diaries—all are part of being

unique and special and having something that is

“theirs.” Often the value of these is enhanced

when they are shared with peers. Yet for the stu-

dent lacking social and emotional skills, success in

any of these arenas—and sharing them with

peers—is quite difficult.

High school (grades 10–12; ages 15–17). Ado-

lescents are involved in an ongoing process of con-

solidating and articulating who they are, where

they are going, and what they intend to do. Key ar-

eas for emotional functioning are listening and un-

derstanding; self-expression; honesty; facing

difficulties; trust; being more future-oriented than

past-oriented; compromise; and expressions of lov-

ing, caring, and support.

For many, adolescence is a time of awakening

to the energies, wonderings, and questions that ac-

company spiritual development. Some adolescents

have an intense experience of their “inner life” and

feel that school is irrelevant to their concerns.

Some students have a religious or cultural frame-

work in which to express and explore their broad

questions about life and themselves. Many stu-

dents who lack spiritual guidance may engage in

misguided attempts to seek experiences of “deeper

meaning” and “transcendence of the ordinary.”

Sometimes this search results in what we

might call experimentation—with drugs, cults,

gangs, sexual behavior, leaving school, or living

elsewhere. Adolescents benefit from outlets that al-

low their questions to be heard and answered in

relatively safe ways. SEL programs at the high

school level can meet some of these needs through

opportunities for reflecting on and discussing stu-

dents’ questions and goals, through community

service, and through activities that challenge stu-

dents to discover their courage and stamina and

foster a sense of connection to other individuals

and groups.

Against this backdrop, it is clear that adoles-

cence requires a coordinated set of expectations

about oneself and others and well-integrated social

and emotional skills for handling complex life situ-

ations, especially when under emotional pressure.

What are healthy perspectives for adolescents to

maintain?

•

An appropriate internal locus of control.

•

A realistic sense of which situations will have

positive outcomes.

•

A general tendency to consider multiple alter-

natives, consequences, and plans before acting.

With regard to skills, the following are charac-

teristics of SEL that are desirable for both college

and workplace success:

•

The ability to take the perspective of others

and oneself into account at the same time and

weigh each.

•

The ability to identify a broad range of emo-

tions in oneself and others.

•

The ability to think about different reasons

for why interpersonal events happen.

•

The ability to consider multiple alternatives,

consequences, and plans.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

•

The ability to form contingency plans.

•

The ability to develop flexible responses to

obstacles.

•

The ability to exhibit a range of self-control

and social awareness and group participation skills.

There must be no mistaking the strong link be-

tween poor self-monitoring and the inability to

deal constructively with tension and crises.

Summary

In general, the psychosocial stages are the en-

gines of development, fueled by the emergence of

new emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and integra-

tive capabilities at each level. However, a strong

role is played by the living environment of the

child; by the joint effects of families, school and ex-

tracurricular programs, community and religious-

related activities; and by the opportunities,

challenges, and resources that support students’

mastery of the developmental pathways just out-

lined. Successful efforts to promote social and emo-

tional learning are characterized by coordinated ef-

forts to build students’ skills and to create sound

classroom, school, and district programs that en-

courage students to develop these skills and rein-

force them.

Appendix A includes concrete examples of the

developmental guidance that can be provided for

the key life tasks children need to accomplish at dif-

ferent developmental stages. It focuses on experi-

ences that integrate the various SEL components

that are important for students to achieve, and that

will help build their understanding and commit-

ment to values. It is divided into Personal, Peer,

Family, School-Related, and Community domains

to reflect the influence of socialization on social

and emotional skills development. The chart in-

cludes examples of experiences, opportunities, key

concepts, values, attitudes, and skills drawn from a

wide range of groups that have worked on these

issues. The topics are organized according to task

areas but overall should be seen as integrated

and complementary rather than as separate and

unrelated.

How Does Social and Emotional Education Fit in Schools?

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in

Classrooms

TUDENTS OF THE 1990S DIFFER FROM WHAT MOST

veteran teachers have experienced in the

past. For example, a 3rd grade class can have

readers that are reading from the K to 6th

grade level. Kids are all over—there is not as

tight of a bell curve as there once was. We

have to teach the kids who are in the class-

room, not the kids we want to be there.

Their background should not be judged, but

to realize you have to teach all the kids the

skills they need to be successful in the class-

room—teach the kids where they are. Many

educators today are mourning the loss of stu-

dents they used to have, or would like to

have.

—Kevin Haggerty,

Social Development Research Group

Fostering SEL to enhance knowledge, responsi-

bility, and caring is both a challenging and a highly

rewarding aspect of teaching. Despite the fact that

many preservice teacher education programs pay

scant attention to the importance of social and emo-

tional influences on all learning in the classroom,

increasing numbers of educators have come to rec-

ognize it as a keystone to effective education. A co-

ordinated approach in which teachers receive

necessary training, support, and recognition is

among the essential aspects of a successful educa-

tion program. In this chapter, specific factors that

influence how thoroughly teachers are able to pro-

mote SEL in the classroom are discussed, including

classroom practices that foster SEL, adaptations for

different populations, and conditions that prepare

and sustain a teacher who provides SEL instruction.

How Do Teachers Foster Social

and Emotional Skills, Healthy

Attitudes, and Competent

Behavior?

Although our focus is on SEL, it is increasingly

clear that teaching practices that promote SEL are

intrinsic to good teaching practices in general. We

can see this in the observations of a 4th grade

teacher who took great pains in the first week of

class to help her students become comfortable with

one another and work on common elements of the

classroom routine. She started by exploring the

standards for classroom behavior (e.g., “With your

partner, make a list of things we can do in our class-

room that show respect for others, respect for our-

selves, or respect for our environment.”). The

teacher then pointed out that these standards are

the basis for all class routines; even simple things

like lining up and listening to others speak can be

done in ways that show respect. The entire class

was asked to suggest ways to accomplish different

routines, starting with, “How do you want me to

call for your attention?” As students discussed dif-

ferent methods, they addressed which ones re-

spected people’s feelings, which were fair, and

which enabled everyone to get their work done.

Once students decided on a method, volunteers

demonstrated and the class provided feedback. Fi-

nally, the whole class practiced the routine until it

went smoothly.

During this activity, students got to know one

another better, practiced communication skills, and

developed a sense of responsibility for their behav-

ior. In particular, they became aware of different

perspectives in the classroom.

In the short run, this teacher’s efforts left less

time for academic pursuits than those of another

4th grade teacher who introduced class routines

with brief admonitions or “reminders” of appropri-

ate behavior. One month later, however, the

teacher who had expended time the first week on

these elements spent very little time attending to

basic management issues. Routine events occurred

smoothly with little obvious input from the

teacher. In contrast, the other teacher was still

searching for an efficient mode of operation. This

difference continued through the last observations

in winter. Others have found that over the course

of the school year, teachers who spend valuable

class time on these so-called “nonacademic” pur-

suits end up with considerably more time for teach-

ing academic subjects.

Why is the first teacher’s approach so much

more powerful than simple reminders of class pro-

tocol? None of these class routines is new to 4th

grade students. Both teachers communicated the

expected behavior. But the first teacher introduced

the concept of showing respect. By showing con-

cern for students’ feelings, encouraging a group

spirit, having students play an active role in deter-

mining the protocol, and communicating impor-

tant reasons for having efficient and respectful

routines, this teacher stimulated a sense of belong-

ing and the motivation to cooperate. In the next

section, we explore how teachers at all grade levels

create a sense of respect, caring, and belonging by

attending to students’ social and emotional needs.

Building a Responsive

and Empowering Classroom

Atmosphere

UIDELINE

▼

SEL programs engage students as active partners

in creating a classroom atmosphere where caring,

responsibility, trust, and commitment to learning

can thrive.

Rationale

Adler (1930) proposed that a sense of belong-

ing motivates children to develop their skills and

contribute to the welfare of all. Much of the founda-

tion of SEL is the conscious effort of school person-

nel to increase a sense of belonging or attachment

with the school (e.g., Charney 1992; Lewis, Schaps,

and Watson 1996). Research indicates that educa-

tors who establish firm boundaries, foster warm

personal relationships in the classroom, and enable

students to have an impact on their environment

strengthen students’ attachment to school, their in-

terest in learning, their ability to refrain from self-

destructive behaviors, and their positive behaviors

(Hawkins, Catalano, et al. 1992; Solomon, Watson,

Battistich, Schaps, and Delucchi 1992).

Implications and Applications

Students’ participation in classroom decisions

and responsibilities provides an excellent opportu-

nity for them to experience the satisfaction and re-

sponsibility of influencing their classroom

environment (Glasser 1969). An added benefit is

that students—like educators—are most likely to

act in accordance with group decisions or rules if

they have had some part in forming them (Lewin,

Lippitt, and White 1939).

Some teachers make an explicit link to the U.S.

system of government by creating a “Class Consti-

tution” or “Bill of Rights and Responsibilities”

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

(e.g., Elias and Tobias 1996). In one such session,

the teacher starts out by having students discuss

the classroom goals, teacher and student duties,

and possible problems. He asks students to brain-

storm possible “laws” or guidelines. The students

quickly suggest prohibitions for various problem

behaviors (e.g., “no put-downs,” “no talking be-

hind someone’s back,” “no laughing when some-

body is talking”). The teacher helps students

restate their ideas in general, positive terms, such

as, “Listen respectfully until it is your turn to

speak.”

As the activity continues, students are in-

volved and paying attention until one student

makes a rambling, confused suggestion. Ignoring

the student’s grammatical errors, the teacher clari-

fies the speaker’s intent with a brief paraphrase.

The student looks pleased to have made a contribu-

tion, and the attention of the class returns now that

the suggestion is understood. Students who have

been holding back in order to see how the teacher

responds to student suggestions and gaffes start to

contribute. When a lull occurs, the teacher waits,

giving students time to think. More thoughtful and

creative responses seem to follow.

The teacher makes a concerted effort to avoid

having the brainstorming session become a mind-

less parroting of “the rules.” This class has yet to

suggest any inappropriate rules, so the teacher

says, “How about this: students can leave the class-

room whenever they like”? Students laugh and

yell, “Yeah!” The teacher adds, in a matter of fact

way, his suggestion to the list of ideas. In this way,

he models the nonjudgmental approach necessary

for brainstorming, takes the steam out of silly re-

sponses, and enables students to practice evaluat-

ing and correcting poor ideas.

When the class starts to discuss the importance

of the various suggestions, we see the teacher elicit

a lot of reasoning about the effects of our behavior

on other people’s feelings, well-being, and ability

to learn. He uses a rich vocabulary related to emo-

tions, fairness, and shared goals. He emphasizes

the long-term consequences of various actions, and

asks students to consider how their parents feel

about various behaviors. Eventually, the class ar-

rives at a set of classroom rules or agreements.

Often, the exercise concludes with everyone sign-

ing the list of rules.

Developing a Safe and Caring

Classroom Community

In a safe and caring community of learners, stu-

dents feel they can freely express themselves and

risk making mistakes because they know they will

be accepted no matter what. Teachers create such a

learning community by providing safe, firm

boundaries and modeling respectful, supportive in-

teractions with others. They insist that their stu-

dents also be respectful and supportive of others,

and they provide specific learning experiences that

nurture and serve the community. An emotional at-

tachment to teachers, peers, and school is a vital

link to academic success (Hawkins, Catalano, et al.

1992; Solomon et al. 1992). Educators accomplish

this goal by communicating caring in their teach-

ing and inspiring students to identify with them

and feel hopeful about their ability to learn.

Equally important is fostering students’ abilities to

form and maintain mutually supportive relation-

ships, which serves as a buffer against developing

social, emotional, physical, and academic problems

(Parker and Asher 1993, Rutter 1990). In this way,

the classroom becomes a microcosm of the larger

community, giving students an opportunity to try

out and develop the social skills that elicit caring

and support.

The personal bonds between teachers and stu-

dents influence much of the learning in schools.

When teachers share parts of their personal lives to

illustrate elements of an SEL curriculum, they nour-

ish those bonds and excite student interest in the

lesson. Elementary students in particular love hear-

ing about the teacher’s own childhood experi-

ences. By talking about and demonstrating healthy

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

relationships with friends and family, a teacher in

Kent, Washington, communicated a lot about the

ability of those bonds to weather adversity. She

also made her students feel as though they were

somehow part of a healthy family.

Class Meetings, Sharing Circles, Councils.

Many teachers use class meetings or sharing circles

as tools for building a sense of community (e.g.,

Elias and Tobias 1996, Lewis et al. 1996). These ac-

tivities offer a structured opportunity for each stu-

dent to speak without interruption. Students may

be asked to “check in” by describing how their

week has been, what they think about topics being

explored in lessons, or how they are feeling about

a class, school, or civic event. Often they are asked

to share something about themselves to help other

students get to know them better. Those who do

not wish to respond are “passed” and may contrib-

ute later. Such an activity offers a welcome buffer

at the beginning of the day to help students get

ready to learn, and has been used in both general

and special education settings to start off every

morning and afternoon.

Some teachers pass “talking sticks,” toss

Koosh

™

balls, or have another “Speaker Power”

object to designate the speaker and remind stu-

dents to speak in turn. Turn taking provides a built-

in delay that discourages impulsive responses to

provocative statements. Students are thus more

likely to relate their contribution to the theme of

the meeting rather than build reactively on the pre-

vious comment. More reserved students may be-

come more vocal in this situation because they do

XAMPLE

OOD

ORNING

THE

ESPONSIVE

LASSROOM

The children drift into school in the morning and make their way into the classroom. The teacher stands by the

entrance and welcomes them.

“Good morning, Leah . . . Hi, Andy . . . Morning, William. Morning, Renee. I like your new scarf.”

At morning meeting time, she informs the group, gathered in a wide circle, that she looks forward to see-

ing them and she likes to show this with a “Good Morning.” What is she to think, she asks in a somewhat jok-

ing way, when she says hello and someone says back, “Mmmf,” or “Grrr,” or pulls back—she imitates a turtle

receding into a shell. Giggles. The children enjoy the pantomime. How nice it feels, she tells them in a more se-

rious vein, to hear a hearty round of “Hello” or “Good Morning!” or “Nice Day.” Perhaps we just need some

warm-ups, she suggests?

“Good morning, Eddie.” Eddie smiles and looks around. “What might Eddie say now?” the teacher asks.

“Good morning, Ms. Charney?”

“Yes. I’d like that. Eddie?”

“Good morning,” Eddie manages in a quiet voice.

“Good morning, Justin.”

Justin replies with spirit, “Good morning, Mrs. C.”

“I like that nice strong voice, Justin. I also like hearing my name.”

Then, Justin is asked to greet someone else in the circle, until there is a full round of “Good Mornings”

and every single person in the class has been named. Every student has been greeted, and has named and

greeted another. In this “game,” each child is spoken to, named in a friendly manner, and is responsible for con-

tinuing that manner. The mood of the circle is now awake. “Yes, we are glad to be here. Yes, we are glad to see

each other.” The “Good Morning Game” initiates each morning meeting until there is a spontaneous flow.

—Charney (1992), pp. 3–4

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

not have to fight for a turn. The safety and opportu-

nity for expression provided by this format contrib-

utes to the growth of respect, empathy, and

recognition of shared experience, thereby strength-

ening the sense of community in the classroom.

Using a Comprehensive

Framework for All Content Areas

UIDELINE

▼

Academic and SEL goals are unified by a compre-

hensive, theory-based framework that is develop-

mentally appropriate.

Rationale

Having a consistently used framework is a key

component of effective instruction in any domain,

but in the case of SEL, it is especially important. As

the number of written curriculums, workbooks,

videos, and other materials in the area of SEL mul-

tiplies, teachers, principals, and curriculum coordi-

nators are inundated with diverse approaches and

methods. Often, curriculums cover only specific

problems or issues (e.g., bullying, substance abuse,

sexually transmitted diseases). As a result, teachers

in a single year may work from various curricu-

lums, perhaps picking bits and pieces from each in

an effort to reduce the time commitment. This

smorgasbord approach can lead to confusion for

students and teachers because of the differing ori-

entations of each curriculum. In contrast, the most

effective SEL instruction has a conceptual thread

woven through all topics and classrooms.

There are a variety of frameworks on which to

base SEL teaching. While sharing many features,

models use different unifying themes and strate-

gies such as problem solving, classroom commu-

nity building, social bonding, or emotional

intelligence. Essential to being a reflective educator

is adopting a consistent framework to foster the de-

velopment of social and emotional skills, rather

than a fragmented focus on isolated issues. Effec-

tive SEL teachers provide students with generic

tools (as identified in Chapter 3) that can help

them maintain healthy relationships and make

wise choices. Using consistent language and strate-

gies, the framework is then applied to the specific

developmental issues of concern in a particular

classroom, school, or community.

Implications and Applications

A veteran 6th grade teacher reported the fol-

lowing observations after two years of using the

PAT HS c ur ricu lum ( see A ppend ix C ) in his s ch oo l:

In 6th grade we’re under a lot of pressure to

stress basic academic subjects, and yet at the

same time we’re being held responsible to

cover new curriculums in family life and

sexuality, and drug, alcohol, and violence

prevention. In the past there was no integra-

tion, and the students weren’t well prepared

to handle these topics.

Since our school adopted a consistent prob-

lem-solving model, we have posters of the

model in the classroom and around the

school environment. The teachers at differ-

ent grade levels are teaching these skills, and

we now have a common language to talk

about them. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking

about health, smoking, or sexuality, we and

the kids share a problem-solving approach

to talking about these issues and dilemmas.

Instructional Methods That Enhance

Social and Emotional Learning

UIDELINE

▼

SEL instruction uses a variety of teaching methods

to actively promote multiple domains of intelli-

gence.

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

XAMPLE

ALLS

PEAK

OLUMES

BOUT

SEL

It is difficult to imagine an effective SEL classroom that does not display on its walls the steps, rules, values,

and principles by which it operates. The best are generated by the children. Typically, one finds procedures and

problem-solving steps used by specific programs; here are some “created” wall vignettes:

Respect Rights Responsibility

yourself to be respected to be kind

parents to be safe to be careful

teachers to learn to do my best

friends to hear and be heard to listen quietly and wait my turn

“No Violence”

by Emily, Grade 2

May 1996, Washington

There should not be any Violence at this school. Not even at any other school. We need

to Stop, Choose, and Move on. We need to persevere and not fight. We have to respect other

people’s boundaries. No Violence! Persevere! Be kind to others! Take care of yourself! Keep

persevering!

—From Lynnwood Intermediate School,

Edmonds School District, Lynnwood, Washington:

“Life Skills: Learners Under Construction for a Better Tomorrow”

—a sign posted by Brenda Stingley, Teacher

Pledge to Myself

This day has been given to me fresh and clear

I can either use it or throw it away

I promise myself I shall use this day to its fullest

Realizing it can never come back again

I realize this is my life to use or throw away

I make myself what I am.

Pledge to the Universe

I pledge allegiance to the world

To ch e r i s h e v e r y l i v i n g t h i n g

To c a r e f o r E a r t h , S e a , a n d A i r

With Peace and Freedom everywhere!

—Steve VandeGrind, Teacher

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Rationale

Research makes it clear that various domains

of intelligence are interrelated (Gardner 1983, Syl-

wester 1995). An athlete’s thoughts and feelings

while competing will dramatically affect the level

of physical achievement, a child’s ability to learn

academic material is profoundly affected by emo-

tional state, and social problem solving is a prod-

uct of the integration of emotional intelligence and

analytical cognitive processes (Damasio 1994). Nev-

ertheless, any SEL activity will emphasize some of

these domains over others. Within Gardner’s multi-

ple intelligences framework, for example, SEL is

most closely linked to the intrapersonal and inter-

personal intelligences. SEL can also enrich—and be

enriched—by the other intelligences: verbal, artis-

tic, musical, logical/mathematical, spatial, and

bodily/kinesthetic. By using activities that call on a

variety of intelligences, teachers allow for the

strengths and weaknesses of a broad range of

children.

Implications and Applications

Var ying the m ethod s fo r in tro duci ng S EL les -

sons can be important to engaging the students. A

3rd grade teacher in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, re-

ported that “the class begins to zone out if I always

introduce a lesson on feelings by starting with a

story.” On the other hand, children often look for

XAMPLE

RAMEWORKS

ATTE R

The most potent variable is being clear what the

vision is and what we are going to accomplish,

and having very clear models of change. Just as

public health researchers have identified smok-

ing and a diet high in fat as risk factors for heart

disease, we have identified a set of risk factors

for adolescent health and behavior problems. In

the Social Development Model, we focus on pro-

tective factors to reduce the risk: It’s giving op-

portunities for kids to be involved in prosocial

roles, teaching them the skills they need to be

successful, and providing consistent systems of

recognition and reinforcement for prosocial in-

volvement. This is the foundation of where we

start.

—David Hawkins and Richard Catalano

Social Development Research Group/

Raising Healthy Children

University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

XAMPLE

ONSISTENCY

ATT ER S

Alfie Kohn (1996) provides an example of what

happens when there is incongruity between an

SEL approach and an example of how an ap-

proach was applied during the formal lesson but

not to nonlesson interaction:

In a 3rd grade classroom in New Jer-

sey, I once watched a teacher whose

approach to academic instruction

could be described as a model of stu-

dent-centered discovery and con-

structivist learning. . . . Then the

class meeting began. “Where do

you sit?” she asked the boy—and

then cut him off as he started to an-

swer, chasing him back to his as-

signed seat. The meeting’s purpose

was to discuss a scheduled field trip,

but it consisted mostly of telling stu-

dents what she thought they needed

to know. . . . Students offered sev-

eral suggestions, which were

brushed aside until she got the an-

swer she wanted. . . . At no point

during the meeting had students

been asked to make a decision or

think through an issue or even ad-

dress each other (pp. 91–92).

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

and seek regularity. A 3rd grade teacher in Nash-

ville reported, “The children always want to end

each lesson by making a compliment list; if I forget

they always remind me. It gives a sense of closure

to the topic and ends things on a positive note.”

These two examples indicate that sensitivity to the

interests and needs of one’s class as well as flexibil-

ity of methods are hallmarks of effective SEL in-

struction. By recognizing that the needs of the class

are constantly shifting, teachers are able to fully re-

spond to the teachable moment.

Which instructional techniques a particular

teacher will use to introduce or explore a particular

concept on a given day will depend on a variety of

factors, including the developmental level of the

classroom, the teaching style and strengths of the

instructor, the needs and interests of the students,

and the goals of the lessons. Different methods

commonly used in SEL instruction include:

•

Storytelling and biography

•

Group discussion

•

Rehearsal and practice (role play)

•

Self-awareness and self-regulation

•

Self-reflection and goal setting

•

Artistic expression

•

Play

•

Cooperative and small-group learning

Storytelling and biography. Teachers often use

storytelling or biography to introduce topics to a

class. This indirect approach can be especially effec-

tive when introducing feelings, dilemmas, or situ-

ations that may be sensitive or difficult for

students. For younger students, teachers might be-

gin by reading a children’s book that raises the

topic. If truthful speech is an issue, for example, a

teacher may use a story, myth, or fable about other

children (e.g., “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”) or a

story about his or her own childhood to provide in-

sight and material to which students can react. For

older students, teachers may refer to an aspect of a

story, historical context or figure, or current event.

If the class is struggling with issues regarding eth-

nic or racial conflict, teachers may use literature

and videotaped accounts of movements for equal-

ity and human rights as a way to begin discussions

of issues that are now affecting students. These sto-

ries or videos can be dovetailed with reading, lan-

guage arts, or social studies goals for improved

curriculum integration.

In one elementary classroom, the teacher was

concerned and frustrated with the arguments,

pushing, and shoving that occurred when the class

lined up after recess. She brought in an article from

the newspaper about the tragic death of soccer fans

at a match in which there was a rush to the exit

and people were trampled. She had the children

discuss the feelings of the different people in-

volved and then examined how their own problem

of lining up involved similar issues. Given the

wide availability of high-quality videos on many

social and interpersonal issues, teachers have

many opportunities to enliven lessons and provide

examples of real issues that students are facing

(Elias and Tobias 1996).

Group discussion. Group discussions are a pri-

mary instructional method for SEL programs.

There are a variety of types of discussion that have

different goals and functions. A didactic whole-

class or small-group activity with the teacher im-

parting new information may be followed by

discussion. These are likely to be curriculum-

driven and follow a developmental sequence of

topics. At other times, real social situations will

stimulate group discussions (e.g., a new student ar-

riving, problems with tattling, having wronged

someone, discrimination). Some discussions, fo-

cused on solving a problem, will be structured so

that students (1) adopt the perspectives of all par-

ticipants in the problem, (2) generate solutions,

(3) discuss possible consequences and obstacles,

and (4) perform role plays of viable solutions (see

Chapter 3 for examples of problem-solving mod-

els). Other discussions may focus more on the feel-

ings generated than on solving the problem—for

example, understanding the perspectives of partici-

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

XAMPLE

A C

URRICULUM

-B

ASED

SEL L

ESSON

What does a curriculum-based lesson on SEL look like? A single lesson is like looking at a frame from a movie.

Further, there are many versions, tailored to a program’s age level and theoretical framework. However, some

examples from the PATHS program provide an indication of the most common structure, which involves integra-

tion of emotion, cognition, and behavior:

One lesson that was really successful was Lesson 31. This is about a boy who separates him-

self from his parent at the mall. We discussed how the boy was feeling and how his parents felt.

We made a long list of consequences that the boy could experience as a result of leaving his par-

ent’s side and what steps the parent would have to take to find his or her son. Many children felt

the need to share stories of becoming separated from their parents and the feelings they felt. I en-

joyed the many children’s comments concerning the fear that the parents might feel and expressed

the danger of being alone in our world today (e.g., being kidnapped and possibly never seeing their

parents or friends again).

* * *

The lessons on Best Friends were really interest grabbers for my students. We had been talk-

ing about play writing, and several children were writing plays in small groups. These lessons

brought it all home for them. They quickly caught on to the potential conflicts in the beginning of

the lessons with two friends auditioning for the same part, and their predictions were confirmed as

the lessons went on. They put themselves in the place of the characters. The situations portrayed in

the curriculum are generic enough that the children don’t view the lessons as addressing specific

personal issues that would make them uncomfortable, yet allow for discussion.

* * *

I read “What Do You Say, Dear?” as an introduction to the manners lessons. The children en-

joyed the book a lot, and it helped to focus them on the common polite phrases which were the

subject of the lessons. Many of my students were quick to strike out or call names when they

thought they had been deliberately insulted or bumped, pushed, kicked, or in some cases even

touched or stared at. Many times these actions were unintentional, but the “offending” student

didn’t bother to say “Excuse me” or “I’m sorry.” I found that I was able to get a good idea of who

knew these manners words and who didn’t, so I was better able to plan the succeeding lessons.

The truth, I found, was that most of my students did not know a lot of the appropriate manners re-

sponses when we began, but as we continued with the manners lessons, I began hearing them

start to use these phrases proudly (and with an eye toward me for acknowledgment). Manners

often avert conflicts. Just saying “Excuse me” or ”I’m sorry” can stop a fight from starting.

—Teachers of the PATHS program in Washington

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

pants, providing students with opportunities to

share their emotional reactions, and developing

empathy for the different feelings and perspectives

of the participants.

Rehearsal and practice (role play). A man in

New York City is walking around with a musical

instrument. He approaches a stranger and asks,

“Excuse me, can you tell me the best way to get to

Carnegie Hall?” “Certainly. Practice, practice, prac-

tice.” Humor teaches many lessons. Here, it re-

minds us that when we want children to learn

something and be able to use it, especially in a

stressful situation, we need to provide many re-

hearsal and practice opportunities. In almost every

school, who gets the most practice? Those perform-

ing with the band or chorus, on sports teams, or on

the stage. They come into school early, stay late,

and work on their own on weekends. Why? Be-

cause this is how skills are learned. When students

do not have extensive opportunities to rehearse

and practice valued skills—such as those involved

in being civil to one another, or helping, caring,

and working well in academic groups—we should

not be surprised to see that their behavior does not

meet our expectations.

Rehearsal and practice foster assertiveness, em-

pathy, and socially responsible behavior through

the development of three skills:

•

The ability to understand what another per-

son is likely to be thinking and feeling.

•

Knowledge of what to say or do.

•

The ability to use the appropriate voice tone,

gestures, and expressions that promote construc-

tive communications.

Youngsters unwilling to attempt a new social

behavior are often uncertain of their ability to suc-

cessfully navigate the situation, such as initiating a

conversation, handling conflict with a peer, or de-

scribing their qualifications for a potential job. Re-

hearsal develops both knowledge and confidence

that encourages children to put their skills to real

use. A nonthreatening way to begin is to have stu-

dents practice reading aloud and acting out dia-

logue from assigned books, or to practice telling

jokes, like the Carnegie Hall story or knock-knock

jokes. Only after working for a while with hypo-

thetical situations can most students shift to re-

hearsal and practice with actual situations they are

facing (Elias and Clabby 1992).

Self-awareness and self-regulation. Develop-

ing awareness of one’s own feelings and behavior

is a critical step in development (Greenberg and

Snell 1997). Many SEL programs provide concepts

like “Feelings Fingerprints” and tools like the “An-

ger Thermometer” to assist in the self-monitoring

of feelings (see Example 7

). The next step, of

course, is to balance awareness, expression, and in-

hibition—the domain of self-regulation. Many

things that go on in the classroom influence chil-

dren’s ability in this vital area.

The complexity and sophistication of these

tasks naturally varies with age and experience,

and so do the methods of instruction that support

them. Teachers of primary-grade children encour-

age students to pause and consider how they are

feeling. When getting students seated on the floor,

the teacher asks, “Are you comfortable? See if you

have enough room around you.” “Ask yourself if

you are ready to pay careful attention to the person

who is speaking. Is everyone ready?” A 4th grade

teacher cues self-monitoring and suggests how stu-

dents can regulate their behavior: “Ask yourself if

there is any part you do not understand. If so, you

might need to ask for more information.” A 7th

grade teacher also encourages students to applaud

their successes: “How many people felt they really

used their time wisely? If you didn’t, think about

what you could do to improve next time. If you

did, tell yourself you did a good job.” A high

school football coach instructs players to monitor

their emotional states: “If you are thinking about

punching that guy who has been giving you a

rough time, you are not thinking about the game

and you are not playing your best. You need to rec-

ognize that and get yourself back on track.”

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Tea chers ma y al so d emon strat e s elf-m onito r-

ing by thinking aloud: “I am feeling frustrated be-

cause we have lots to get to and we are running

out of time. I need to calm down and think. I will

take a deep breath. Now what? I can list on the

board everything we need to do and then decide

which ones are really important to do today. That

sounds like a good idea. Where is my marker?” By

verbalizing what otherwise is only an internal dia-

logue, and linking it with the steps of problem solv-

ing, this teacher allows “hidden” cognitive

elements of the problem-solving process to become

visible and understandable to students.

Finally, teachers may give students opportuni-

ties to practice self-regulation by reducing overt su-

pervision of the class for short periods. The teacher

may become involved in a conversation or step out-

side the classroom very briefly, gradually increas-

ing the length of time he or she is out of sight. A

5th/6th grade teacher in Kirkland, Washington,

taught her class to start their work without her. She

worked in her adjoining office for several minutes

after the bell rang. Students were usually working

quietly when she came in. This was simply part of

the routine.

Self-reflection and goal setting. A crucial di-

mension of developing decision-making and prob-

lem-solving skills is the ability to set goals that are

meaningful and appropriate to the individual stu-

dent. Small day-to-day decisions, as well as larger

ones involving career and family, require the abil-

ity to set both short- and long-term goals. With in-

creasing cognitive and social development,

identifying personal goals becomes more impor-

tant and assists students in planning and setting

priorities that lead to personal success and to satis-

fying lives.

Quiet periods for self-reflection are important

to this process. By providing freedom from outside

stimulation or pressure, teachers enable students

to access their own values, priorities, and sense of

purpose. High school students in particular may

find quiet, reflective periods to be sources of re-

freshment and focused attention. Others, especially

younger students, may become fidgety and dis-

tracted during quiet times. Relaxation exercises

and art materials can help these students focus

their attention, and enable them to gradually ex-

tend their periods of concentration.

The types of goals chosen by students will

vary widely depending on the grade and develop-

mental level of the classroom as well as the imme-

diate context. In high school, some goals reflect

student efforts to find a sense of purpose in life.

Others simply reflect the desire to raise one’s grade

in biology class. Using Personal Problem Solving

worksheets and Student Conflict Manager soft-

ware (Elias and Tobias 1996), and by rehearsing

and practicing plans, students learn to think

through all aspects of their goals. They consider

the role of other people—parents, teachers, clergy,

XAMPLE

OUR

NGER

HERMOMETER

Red Hot:

(Livid)

Directions: List your body's cues, sensations, or

actions that let you know you are angry.

Sweaty:

(Angry)

Warm:

(Beginning

to get

angry)

Cool:

(Not

angry)

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

peers, and popular culture—in shaping their per-

sonal goals, and they learn to identify the steps nec-

essary to achieve their goals. Some programs

clearly define a timetable for those steps in “con-

tracts” between teachers and students. This ap-

proach enables students to evaluate progress,

know when additional effort or adjustment of

goals is necessary, and celebrate when goals are

attained.

Artistic expression. Because art often has emo-

tional content, it can enhance student under-

standing of emotions and how to express them in

safe and appropriate ways. Artistic activities are

often an excellent “starter” to gain children’s en-

gagement in a new topic. Elementary students may

work with a palette of colors to symbolize various

emotions. As a transition between analytical and

self-expressive activities, a high school teacher in

Boulder, Colorado, asks students to sculpt clay into

a symbol of how they are feeling. The students de-

cide whether to display their sculpture to class-

mates and describe the feelings that stimulated the

sculpture, or to pass. According to this teacher,

“The freedom to choose one’s level of participation

conveys respect for the students’ right to control

their inner world and provides a sense of security

that fosters self-expression. Particularly for adoles-

cents, this indirect communication of their emo-

tions provides the freedom to explore and express

feelings which they may find uncomfortable to

discuss.”

The dramatic arts form a natural link between

literature, writing, and social and emotional skills.

Working with other students to produce skits,

plays, and musicals fosters expressive communica-

tion skills. At Assumption School in Seattle, the

drama teacher worked closely with classroom

teachers to incorporate rehearsal and SEL-program

practice vignettes into his class. “Since the lessons

focus on accurate communication of emotional

states through voice tone, facial expression, ges-

ture, and posture, it is a great way to develop act-

ing skills and support our school’s social goals at

the same time.” A class at Decatur Elementary in

Washington wrote and staged a “peace opera” us-

ing principles they had learned in their SEL pro-

gram. The teacher assigned students with

problem-solving difficulties the role of characters

who displayed expertise in that area. As rehearsals

progressed, she noticed a particular improvement

in students whose parts required repeated rehears-

al of problem-solving strategies. Rehearsals also

provided a natural, real-world context in which to

work on skills development with students.

Play. Play also has a role in SEL programs, par-

ticularly in secondary school classrooms, where

there is a tendency to view social behavior as a se-

ries of problems or conflicts. Observations of exem-

plary teachers suggest that using play provides a

strong readiness to learn. A high school teacher in

Santa Monica, California, uses games as warm-up

activities. Group juggling requires that each stu-

dent receive a ball from one specific person and

toss it to another specific person. As the game pro-

gresses, more balls are added. Concentration in-

creases and laughter erupts frequently. When

discussing the game afterward, students mention

that having a group goal led to a sense of responsi-

bility to group members—everyone had to be

fully alert to achieve the group goal. The laughter

further added to the sense of closeness among

students.

Cooperative and small-group learning. The

ability to cooperate with others is an important

skill that is likely to become increasingly crucial for

future success. Having students work in well-

structured cooperative learning formats helps de-

velop SEL skills that are particularly important in

today’s team-oriented work environment. How-

ever, the use of cooperative learning methods in

any subject area requires that some component

SEL skills be in place, such as basic self-control,

role taking, and communication skills. Although

many teachers report that using cooperative learn-

ing in SEL lessons is exciting and effective, this is

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

true only when the children are well prepared and

developmentally ready for such lessons.

When teachers prepare students to work

through the disagreements that naturally occur in

team situations, cooperative learning promotes

sharing of ideas and resources, creativity, and a

sense of shared purpose (Johnson and Johnson

1994). Cooperative learning enables students to

practice listening to others, taking others’ points of

view, being sensitive to the needs and concerns of

group members, negotiating and persuading, and

using the generic steps of problem solving.

The instructional approaches presented may

be applied to a wide variety of contexts. Stories,

discussion, and role playing, for example, can be

shared by the entire class. Alternatively, the teacher

may ask students to work in pairs or small groups

for particular activities. The use of paired or small-

group exercises is often useful for building self-con-

fidence and trust. Within large groups, these

small-group configurations give more students an

opportunity to be heard and to actively engage in

conversation and problem solving.

UIDELINE

▼

Repetition and practice are vital to the integration

of cognition, emotion, and behavior.

Rationale

Whether applied to recognition, scientific nota-

tion, irregular verb conjugation, or SEL, repeated

rehearsal using many different instructional mo-

dalities provides benefits (Ladd and Mize 1983,

Mize and Ladd 1990). There is one main difference

between SEL and many academic subjects, how-

ever. While SEL entails the learning of many new

skills, it may also require the unlearning of habit-

ual patterns of thought and behavior. For instance,

students rarely come to class having repeatedly

practiced an incorrect version of the multiplication

table, but they may have become well schooled in

not waiting their turn or not listening carefully to

others.

Implications and Applications

Research on neurological development pro-

vides some insight into the challenges of changing

problem behaviors and their cognitive, emotional,

and interpersonal components. Throughout child-

hood and adolescence, maturation and experience

lead to both the strengthening of some neural con-

nections and the “pruning” of others. Connections

that are unused are lost, while those that are stimu-

lated by frequent behaviors or thought patterns be-

come dominant pathways for nerve impulses

(Edelman 1987). Well-entrenched behavior patterns

are likely to have a rich network of neural connec-

tions throughout the brain. Alternatives to those

patterns will not be able to “compete” on either be-

havioral or physiological levels unless they have

been practiced repeatedly, thereby strengthening

the neural pathways that are necessary for integrat-

ing emotion, cognition, and action.

Promoting the Use of Social and

Emotional Intelligence Throughout

the Day

UIDELINE

▼

Educators can enhance the transfer of SEL from

lesson-based or other formal instruction to every-

day life by using prompting and cuing techniques

throughout all aspects of school life.

Rationale

Young people face many situations that are ex-

tremely challenging emotionally. How many

adults could comfortably deal with having peers

cruelly tease them about their appearance, physical

talents, or mental competence? When individuals

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

feel anxious, angry, or sad, their ability to solve

problems or concentrate on learning diminishes

(Forgas 1994). Students who have shown improve-

ments in their behavior may revert to earlier, more

dominant habits when emotions are strong. When

this happens, it is as if the “thinking brain” in the

frontal cortex is overrun by the more automatic re-

sponses of the subcortical limbic system (Damasio

1994, Goleman 1995, Sylwester 1995). To avert this

occurrence, social and emotional skills must be

strengthened through practice in a wide range of

contexts. Direct facilitation of classroom instruction

may be provided by teachers, school counselors,

psychologists, social workers, or paraprofessionals

trained in SEL. In schools using the family group

model, each adult in the school—including admin-

istrators and staff—works with a small group of

students to provide SEL. But whether or not each

adult has responsibility for a group, all personnel

play an important role in actively encouraging and

reinforcing the use of skills and attitudes they see

displayed. Throughout the day—on the play-

ground, in the halls, in the lunchroom, on field

trips, on the bus, in aftercare programs—every

adult has the opportunity to help students in real-

life situations use what they have learned in the

classroom. Typically, this practice is aided by re-

minders, usually in the form of tangible prompts.

Implications and Applications

Real-life situations during the school day pro-

vide many opportunities to exhibit self-control, ex-

press feelings, or engage in problem solving. By

exploiting teachable moments, teachers provide

support when it is actually needed, enabling stu-

dents to make considered choices about their be-

havior and making it less likely they will be

overrun by strong feelings (Greenberg and Snell

1997). In high school, for example, educators may

target sports programs for teaching social and emo-

tional skills. These are ideal real-life laboratories,

because athletic competition engenders many

emotional highs and lows. The ability to regulate

those emotions is often credited as providing the

“winning edge” (Iso-Ahola and Hatfield 1986), a

significant incentive for students and coaches. Edu-

cators appreciate that the prestige and respect ac-

corded to athletes by their peers often make them

role models for other students. By focusing efforts

on this highly visible group, educators hope to fos-

ter socially responsible behavior for students to

emulate. For example, a program run by the foot-

ball coach and team doctor at Franklin High in Se-

attle makes use of the teachable moments inherent

in sports competition to advance SEL and aca-

demic achievement. In New Brunswick, New Jer-

sey, teaching “Keep Calm” is part of every

after-school and midnight basketball program. SEL

prompting techniques such as modeling, cueing,

coaching, and scaffolding dialogue can be used by

all school personnel (see Example 9

Modeling. Teaching by example, or modeling,

is the most powerful technique that educators em-

ploy, intentionally or otherwise. All aspects of

teacher behavior reflect their social and emotional

relationships, making a powerful statement of val-

ues and expectations. Not surprisingly, students

who observe discrepancies between what is “prac-

ticed” and what is “preached” are most likely to

imitate what they see modeled (Mize and Ladd

1990). Thus, students are unlikely to respond to

others empathically or use problem-solving steps

to resolve conflicts until they see teachers also em-

ploying those skills.

One aspect of modeling that can affect stu-

dents’ willingness to try new skills is the teacher’s

use of humor. “I like to be goofy and remind stu-

dents that it is OK, even fun, to make mistakes or

look a little foolish sometimes,” reports a teacher

in Tacoma, Washington. Seeing a teacher enjoying

himself and at ease when he makes mistakes rein-

forces the idea that mistakes are an essential part

of the learning process and reduces student con-

cerns about looking foolish themselves.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

XAMPLE

SEL

AND

PORTS:

ERFECT

OGETHER

Michael J. Murphy, Athletic Director at La Salle (H.S.) Academy in Providence, Rhode Island, has fully integrated

SEL into all aspects of the athletic program:

Each student athlete receives a booklet that includes Player Guidelines, the Player’s Contract,

and Player’s Goals. The Contract affirms that students will abide by the Guidelines.

The following excerpt is from the introductory letter to the contract, from Michael Murphy:

Every individual in this athletic program must become unified. We must function together,

“One Common Goal.” No contribution is too small; all contributions to these teams are significant.

Everyone is vital to the success of this program.

He introduces the idea of off-season personal and team goals:

The goals are done in a confidential manner. Only the athlete and the Athletic Director ever

view these goals.... During the course of the season, many juniors and seniors are called in to dis-

cuss their goals. The reason we focus on them is due to the proximity in their lives to the change

from high school to college or the workforce. This allows them to see the importance of goal set-

ting in all aspects of life.

We hope, through this program, to teach our students how to prioritize events or circum-

stances in their lives. We aspire to also teach them the value of goal setting and hard work.

Michael notes, “There has been a surprisingly positive amount of support by the student body, and espe-

cially the seniors, about suspensions of athletes who did not follow the guidelines. We are trying to teach more

than just athletics. They are not going to leave this school as a senior and get a job playing volleyball. They are

going to go out in society and function. It’s telling kids that nobody is more important than anyone else no mat-

ter how good an athlete you are. Each athlete is a representative of the school and the community.

“There was an incident during a half-day of school during a walkathon. The kids were allowed to show up

out of dress code, and they walk and get people to sponsor them. Two athletes went out and had a ”power

breakfast" and came back intoxicated. They underwent the (discipline) process and were suspended from

school and athletics. They violated not only school codes but the athletic guidelines as well. This shows that the

rules are enforced no matter who the party is. If you disobey, there are consequences to the actions. It’s not

enough just to sign the contract."

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

XAMPLE

—

continued

SEL

AND

PORTS:

ERFECT

OGETHER

La Salle Academy Athletics

PLAYER’S GOALS

am signing this GOAL SHEET to sig-

nify that I have and will continue to make a committed effort toward reaching “ONE COMMON GOAL” for La

Salle Academy Athletics. I further agree to fulfill my obligation to the team and its members by achieving the

goals listed below.

Signature:

Date:

Sport:

OFF-SEASON GOALS:

PERSONAL GOALS:

TEAM GOALS:

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Cueing and coaching. It is a common error in

social and emotional instruction to assume that, be-

cause the subject matter—everyday actions and

feelings—is so “obvious,” children learn the skills

once they are presented. This misconception is a

key reason why we see less carryover from class-

room to schoolyard, bus, and home life than we

would like. When some of us provide training to

teachers, we offer them a money-back guarantee—

if they ever see children spontaneously carrying

out something from a program after its first presen-

tation in a class or group, they will get their money

back. Teachers ask if we have it backwards—and

we say, “No.” It is the fundamental responsibility

of adults to prompt and cue and coach students to

use the skills to which they have been introduced.

This is the third “C”—Chances—of the four “C’s”

concerning self-esteem presented in Chapter 3.

Teachers and playground supervisors may

have to coach students to think of other perspec-

tives, construct positive solutions to problems,

make a request in an engaging voice tone, or keep

calm when upset. Teachers in Highland Park, New

Jersey, use the prompt, “Listening Position” (face

the speaker, keep your rear end in the seat, and put

your feet on the floor) to help their elementary

school students focus on the teacher, a classmate,

or an assembly speaker. A Florence, South Caro-

lina, principal has her waiting room supplied with

notepads, pencils, and an anger management

poster. The school secretary instructs students to

answer questions on the poster (e.g., Why was I an-

gry? What did I do? What would I do differently?).

According to the principal, students have calmed

down and have often written a constructive solu-

tion to the problem by the time she sees them

(Guzzo 1995). Tangible reminders in the forms of

posters, signs, and bulletin boards are a hallmark

of classrooms where social and emotional skills are

an essential part of the culture.

Scaffolding dialogue. In rushed or chaotic mo-

ments (e.g., dismissal, on the playground) remind-

ers often need to be brief. In more controlled

situations, teachers are sometimes able to engage

in a more prolonged dialogue. In a scaffolding dia-

logue, teachers and administrators rely on ques-

tions that serve as a catalyst for creative thinking

and new insight on the part of the child. The goal

is to enhance the child’s ability to think inde-

pendently and share ideas and feelings with oth-

ers. Here is an example of how one teacher worked

with an 8-year-old girl. The student was in a pee-

vish mood all morning. During an art lesson, she

encountered yet another frustration:

Student:

[Whining, near tears] Look! It’s all

messy! [Showing paper to her teacher.]

Te a c h e r :

[Neutral tone] Oh. How do you feel

about that?

Student:

Frustrated!

Te a c h e r :

You feel frustrated. What can you do

about it?

Student:

[The student uses a gesture indicat-

ing “calm down.”]

Te a c h e r :

That’s one thing you can do. Maybe

there’s something else you could do too.

Student:

I don’t like black.

Te a c h e r :

You don’t like black. OK, what could

you do about that?

Student:

I don’t know.

Te a c h e r :

Hmm, let’s see. You have a problem

and you feel frustrated because you don’t

like black, but you don’t know what to do

about it.

Student:

I want blue.

Te a c h e r :

OK, what could you do if you want

blue?

Student:

Ask for the blue pen.

Te a c h e r :

That’s a good idea. You could ask

Purcell for the blue pen.

Student:

[To Purcell] May I borrow the blue

pen? [Purcell hands the pen to Samantha.]

Thank you. [Student begins to draw again.]

Te a c h e r :

What a very good idea. You asked

Purcell for the pen, and you also thanked

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

him! How do you feel now?

Student:

I feel happy. [She resumes drawing.]

Even without hearing this child’s emotional in-

tonation, it is likely that this exchange required real

patience from the teacher. It might have been

tempting for the teacher to tell the child her draw-

ing was all right or to sit down and draw another

one. Neither alternative would have improved the

child’s mood or demonstrated to the child that she

could create solutions for herself. Instead, the

teacher provided a supportive scaffold for the

child’s newly acquired problem-solving skills, and

the child succeeded in reaching an original resolu-

tion that was internally satisfying. Research indi-

cates that this style of questioning is also important

for developing literacy skills (Heath 1982).

Scaffolding dialogues can be conducted with

the whole class, and can benefit from making use

of relevant SEL lessons. They not only provide an

excellent opportunity for transfer of learning, but

also save the teacher extra time and effort in deal-

ing with difficult situations individually. Children

can accept responsibility for solving problems and

agree to abide by solutions they create for them-

selves. Extended samples of dialogues are part of

the Interpersonal Cognitive Problem-Solving, So-

cial Competence Promotion Program for Young

Adolescents, Social Decision Making and Problem

Solving, Second Step, and PATHS program materi-

als (see Appendix C).

XAMPLE

ROMPTING

ELF

-R

EGULATION

, S

ELF

-C

ONTROL

AND

KILL

RANSFER

A 6th grade boy with a lot of behavior and emotional problems stemming from the 3rd grade (and probably ear-

lier) had spent a lot of time coming to the SPS [Social Problem Solving] Lab once a week. We found that his big-

gest problems happened when he seemed to be in a free atmosphere (e.g., physical education). After speaking

to the phys. ed. teacher I found out that she would, at key times, tell him, “This is the time to use ’Keep Calm.’”

The best was when he was able to catch himself before he’d lose his cool. He’d step into the hallway and use

Keep Calm in order to be able to think about what he really wanted and things he could actually control and do

to reach his goal. He would then come back to the gym and continue playing. Self monitoring . . . AAAHHH—

an educator’s dream!!

Another 6th grader was having a problem with her teacher. She was referred to our Social Problem Solving

Lab to work on solving problems in a better way than verbally lashing out at the teacher and just not trying in

class. After about four months of attending SPS Lab once a week, this girl was not only doing better in class

but also was now actually coaching her friends when they were having problems among one another. In other

words, if her friends started verbally attacking other girls, she would ask them what the real problem was, how

they were feeling about the problem, and what they’d like to see happen. She would then begin to pump them

for solutions, making them think through what would happen with each solution they would give her. She prob-

ably single-handedly kept about five different situations from escalating into something much worse. This girl

also received the health award for trying out the many skills learned in health in different situations, not just in

the health room for a grade.

—Vicki Poedubicky

Health Teacher, Grades 3-6,

Bartle School, Highland Park, New Jersey

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

UIDELINE

▼

The integration of SEL with traditional academics

greatly enhances learning in both areas.

Rationale

Research on brain function shows that learning

takes place in an emotional and behavioral context

(Nummela and Rosengren 1986). To the extent that

students attach academic skills to feelings and ac-

tions that are part of their everyday world, they are

more likely to use those skills in real life. In this

way, the skills and process of SEL enrich the teach-

ing of academic subjects and infuse the curriculum

with interest and challenge. Further, because SEL

programs teach a range of thinking skills, they are

easily connected to other curriculums that promote

skills such as analytical thinking, prediction, syn-

thesis, analogy, and metaphor.

Implications and Applications

Language, literature, and writing. The world’s

great literature deals with themes that are univer-

sal, such as friendship, courage, duty, jealousy,

grief, and loss. And the not-as-great literature stu-

dents also read is similarly imbued with issues of

loyalty; freedom; growing up and growing older;

relating to strangers, family, friends, bosses, and

teachers; and even just plain having fun and foster-

ing imagination and creativity. By asking students

to relate these themes to their own lives, teachers

vividly create a new context of meaning for what

otherwise are likely to be perceived as irrelevant or

“dead” works. Students’ understanding of charac-

ter is also enhanced when they are asked to iden-

tify with the viewpoints of each actor.

XAMPLE

SEL

THE

-E

AGE

One of my 6th grade students defended social

problem solving in a letter to the editor. A parent

had written a letter to the editor expressing

many misconceptions about our schoolwide con-

cept. This student explained not only the benefits

to himself (he happened to be quite small in size

and would use the many skills when dealing with

bullies or on safety patrol) but to his peers. Need-

less to say, when an educator sees his or her stu-

dents applying skills appropriately to situations or

they are able to see the value on an adult level,

you just want to cheer! YESSSS!!!

—Vicki Poedubicky

Health Teacher, Grades 3-6,

Bartle School, Highland Park, New Jersey

XAMPLE

SEL

AND

CADEMICS

A lot of things that kids used to come to school

knowing, the kids today don’t know anymore, so

we have to integrate them into the curriculum

every day. Unless the kids know how to express

their feelings and talk about their problems, they

might not be able to increase their reading

scores, for example. First they are overwhelmed

with emotion, and then they won’t pick up on

what you are teaching. The teachers have to take

as many opportunities as they can to combine

the SEL lessons with reading lessons or other

subjects throughout the day and throughout the

school. If you are with children who don’t have

social and emotional skills, it becomes a disrup-

tive situation. It’s as if we have this huge piece of

furniture in the middle of the room, and we keep

bumping into it. We need to find a way and time

to say, “How can we rearrange the room?”

That’s what SEL programs do.

—Vivian McCloud, Principal

School #29, Rochester, New York

Primary Mental Health Project

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

At the elementary level, teachers can choose

books for paired reading, silent reading, or read-

alouds that contain SEL content and the appropri-

ate developmental reading criteria. Teachers ask

questions for discussion or writing assignments

that encourage empathic identification or use of a

problem-solving strategy (e.g., How would you

feel if this happened to you? What is the little boy’s

problem? How do the other characters feel? What

do you think he will do? What do you think will

happen if he does that? What would you do in this

situation?)

Older students may create plays or videotaped

dramatizations of the book’s events. Another more

advanced skill is to analyze the author’s intentions

in the book: Why was it written? What theme(s)

did the author want to communicate? Thus, teach-

ers at all levels can meet the goals of language arts,

literature, and SEL learning simultaneously.

History, social studies, and current events.

Emotional identification and the analytic reasoning

of problem solving can similarly be used with his-

tory lessons, social studies, and current events,

which can help make the facts more relevant for

students. Almost any historical or current event

can be approached effectively with a problem-

solving model (see the sample worksheet in

Example 19

). In almost all these situations,

difficult decisions had to be made, and there were

often competing needs, attitudes, and values on

different sides of the issue. For example, “Why did

the colonists throw the English tea into Boston

Harbor? What were their goals? Why did they

think that England’s rulers were acting unfairly?

How do you think the colonists felt when they had

dumped the tea? How do you think England’s rul-

ers felt? Do you think the colonists knew what

would happen as a result? Do you think they

picked a good solution?” When these questioning

frameworks follow the same pattern as dialogue

around social and emotional issues, great synergy

is possible.

Using SEL in an integrated curriculum. In a

similar manner, the general problem-solving

model can be used to create an integrated series of

lessons that link many subjects together. For exam-

ple, teachers have created integrated units on ecol-

ogy, using reading, writing, mathematics, biology,

and social studies. The students use problem-

solving models to explore the interrelations among

plants, animals, and water supply in a particular

ecology (e.g., the rain forest), discuss the compet-

XAMPLE

EADING

, W

RITING

AND

ONFLICT

ESOLUTION

Kids want to open up and discuss books that we

are reading, and they follow through in their writ-

ing. The children are anxious to help get the char-

acter out of conflict. Their writings are different

now than before when they were asked how a

character would get out of conflict.

—Elementary School Teacher, RCCP

South Orange-Maplewood, New Jersey

XAMPLE

SEL

AND

ITERATURE

The essence of SEL is in the substance of litera-

ture. In “Encounter”, a Native American boy

speaks of how he lost his land, his customs, his

dreams. Having kids write a passage about how

they would have felt if they were him—integrat-

ing SEL with academics—the social web!!—also

fits in with U.S. history.

—Lorna Dunson

Grade 4 teacher, Cedar Way Elementary School

Mountlake Terrace, Washington

School Development Research Group

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

XAMPLE

OOK

ALKS

Decision-making and problem-solving steps or strategies used in interpersonal situations are fully applicable to

the analysis of all kinds of stories. Here is a format used in Language Arts as part of the Social Decision Making

and Problem Solving Program (Elias and Tobias 1996).

Questions Assigned to Students in Problem Solving Applied to Literature Analysis/Book Talks

1. T h i n k o f a n ev e n t i n t h e s e c t i o n o f t h e b o o k a s s i g n e d . W h e n a n d w h e r e d i d i t h a p p e n ? P u t t h e e v en t i n t o

works as a problem.

2. Who were the people involved in the problem? What were their different feelings and points of view about

the problem? Why did they feel as they did? Try to put their goals into words.

3. For each person or group of people, what are some different decisions or solutions to the problem that he,

she, or they thought of that might help in reaching their goals?

4. For each of these ideas or options, what are all of the things that might happen next? Envision and write

down short- and long-term consequences.

5. What were the final decisions? How were they made? By whom? Why? Do you agree or disagree? Why?

6. How was the solution carried out? What was the plan? What obstacles were met? How well was the prob-

lem solved? What did you read that supports your point of view?

7. Notice what happened and rethink it. What would you have chosen to do? Why?

8. What questions do you have, based on what you read? What questions would you like to be able to ask one

or more of the characters? The author? Why are these questions important to you?

Simplified Book Talk Format for Young Readers

I will write about this character:

My character’s problem is

How did your character get into this problem?

How does the character feel?

What does the character want to happen?

Which questions would you like to ask the character you picked, one of the other characters, or the author?

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

ing demands that come from human populations

living in or near these ecologies, explore students’

hopes or fears about the environment, and con-

sider how to plan ahead to maintain delicate eco-

nomic and ecological balances (e.g., Johnsen and

Bruene-Butler 1993). This can be done in formats

that naturally use students’ multiple intelligences.

By integrating SEL concepts and skills with aca-

demic subjects, teachers enrich the learning of ba-

sic skills by placing them in the vivid context of

social relationships and creative activities. That

context provides memory “prompts” that help stu-

dents use the information at a later time (Sylwester

1995).

Teachers report that the longer they teach so-

cial and emotional skills, the more likely it is for

SEL to be a seamless part of the school day. As one

teacher in Shoreline, Washington, reported,

At first, Second Step seemed like just an-

other add-on, and that’s how I taught it the

first year. I had the usual trouble finding

time to do everything. Now it’s just a basic

part of my school day. The problem-solving

strategies are so applicable to what we think

of as our academic program. They enable

me to do a lot more interesting things and re-

ally challenge the kids’ thinking.

How Is SEL Adapted for Different

Populations?

The skills, attitudes, and opportunities that were

presented in Chapter 3 are needed by everyone in

our society (see Guidelines 1, 2, and 3). These so-

cial and emotional strategies are critical life skills

that promote effective decision making in every-

day interpersonal challenges as well as in aca-

demic performance. At each grade level children

face new developmental challenges that can be

mastered by learning life skills, finding new ways

to manage risk situations, using peer and adult

support for coping, and becoming involved as a

positive contributor to others. This section ad-

dresses issues that may arise when an SEL pro-

gram is implemented in an inclusive classroom.

UIDELINE

▼

The SEL curriculum may have to be adapted for

children with special needs.

Rationale

All classrooms contain learners of widely dif-

ferent levels of accomplishment and need. Given

the movement toward inclusion, the average

teacher faces increasing variability in students’ abil-

ity to control their own behavior and to interact

and communicate with others. Many teachers find

they are highly stressed by the inclusion of chil-

dren who have problems with attention, aggres-

sion, and learning in general. In the inclusive

classroom, the use of SEL programs can be critical

to supporting the development of all children

(Elias and Tobias 1996). Teachers find that building

a cohesive classroom community, focusing on the

development of all students’ social competence,

and providing opportunities for using these skills

in mixed-ability groups can greatly improve the in-

clusive experience (Gager, Kress, and Elias 1996).

Ultimately, it requires less disruption of the aca-

demic program than isolating the misbehaving, im-

pulsive, or immature student (Johnson and

Johnson 1994).

Implications and Applications

A 3rd grade teacher at Hazel Valley Elemen-

tary in Washington State remarked:

One concern we had this year in our class

was a child who was far behind academi-

cally and not working very hard. At first

other students were angry and showed little

compassion; they were basically resentful

and mean to this child. I did a lot of work on

the “Golden Rule” lesson and tried to focus

the children on how to keep thinking about

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

the other guy and how you would feel if this

was you. I began to pair her up with both

older and younger students, and as they be-

gan to have more one-to-one interaction

with her, they showed more compassion and

interest. By focusing on friendship, coopera-

tion, and caring for others, everyone ap-

peared to benefit.

In classrooms composed of children with a

large range of abilities, it may be more challenging

to conduct whole-class SEL lessons. Teachers often

report success in using small-group activities that

give students greater responsibilities, provide

fewer distractions, and allow teachers to connect

with students’ prior knowledge and personal expe-

riences. Work is presented using multisensory in-

structional techniques and includes substantial op-

portunities for practice and repetition. The small-

group strategy works well when it is coupled with

regular sessions that include the whole group (e.g.,

putting on plays, reading stories, holding group

problem-solving meetings).

Even special pull-out groups may include a

mix of abilities. Some programs for children who

are rejected by peers allow other class members to

be guests on a rotating basis. This approach pro-

vides skilled role models and also helps raise the

social status of children who are rejected (Bierman,

Greenberg, and the Conduct Problems Prevention

Research Group 1996). Also, youngsters who are

disruptive may have a lot to offer to their more re-

strained peers.

It is well documented that children with learn-

ing disabilities (Kavale and Forness 1996), lan-

guage disorders (Craig 1993), mild mental delays

(Bramlett, Smith, and Edmonds 1994), neurological

disorders (Moffitt 1993), and hearing loss (Green-

berg and Kusche 1993) often have related difficul-

ties in the areas of social and communicative

competence. They are more likely to show difficul-

ties in effectively reading social cues from others

and managing frustration and other high-intensity

emotions. They are also more likely to be rejected

by peers. For these reasons social and emotional de-

velopment is often specifically outlined as an objec-

tive in their Individualized Educational Plans

(IEPs). Self-contained settings focus on building for

success in the mainstream as well as specialized

settings. SEL programs meet these needs and are

often quite successful in specialized classroom set-

tings (Amish, Gesten, Smith, Clark, et al. 1988,

Greenberg, Kusche, Cook, and Quamma 1995). At-

risk learners, however, require support as they

move between the self-contained classroom and

the mainstreamed classroom, lunchroom, and play-

ground. Consistent use of SEL procedures across

these environments is extremely beneficial.

Children in self-contained classrooms for se-

vere learning and behavior disorders generally pre-

XAMPLE

SEL

AND

NCLUSION

A psychologist in Seattle was planning an SEL

group to focus on the special social needs of

youngsters with cerebral palsy. Other staff mem-

bers were enthusiastic, but cautioned against in-

cluding one youngster with a reputation for

disruption. The psychologist did include this child,

and noticed that some of the more compliant

youngsters looked dismayed to see him in the

group. Feelings of the other children began to

change, however, when it was apparent that the

boy had lots of ideas that were valued by the

leader. His enthusiasm and skill with role playing

made the sessions fun, and encouraged the

more inhibited children to join in. The new re-

spect this boy received from the other children

bolstered his self-confidence and made him

eager to try new social and emotional skills. With

so much attention for his constructive contribu-

tions, disruptive outbursts disappeared. In retro-

spect, the psychologist attributed much of the

group’s success to inclusion of this initially impul-

sive youngster.

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

sent significant challenges. Poor impulse control

and the inability to appropriately regulate emo-

tions contribute to out-of-control, aggressive behav-

ior and poor attention and performance.

Standardized behavior management programs

often are used in such classrooms. What is also nec-

essary are strategies to help children develop the

inner competencies to manage themselves and han-

dle the stresses of a normal classroom environ-

ment. SEL adds skill building in needed cognitive

and emotional competencies. Thus, it is important

to develop a plan that integrates behavioral man-

agement with SEL (Elias and Tobias 1996, Kusche

and Greenberg 1994).

UIDELINE

▼

Coordination between the SEL curriculum and

other services creates an effective and integrated

system of service delivery.

Rationale

For many children with severe behavior disor-

ders, either individual or some type of family ther-

apy or counseling is advisable. SEL programs are

valuable adjuncts to such treatment. When counsel-

ors or therapists are familiar with the skills and

concepts being learned in class, they are able to

draw on those skills during the treatment process.

In those cases where school-based psychologists or

counselors are regularly involved with particular

children, there are advantages to their involvement

in SEL lessons. SEL programs can play a critical

role in the success of full-inclusion programs, even

for students who are severely troubled (Epstein

and Elias 1996).

Implications and Applications

A program by the Conduct Problems Preven-

tion Research Group (1992) illustrates this guide-

line quite well. They have created a series of

services for children and families at different levels

of need and concern. All children in the school re-

ceive SEL programming throughout the elemen-

tary years. Then, children identified as at risk for

behavioral and academic difficulties receive small-

group social skills training, while their parents par-

XAMPLE

DAPTING

SEL

FOR

TUDENTS

WITH

PECIAL

DUCATION

EEDS

The Children’s Institute—a private special educa-

tion school for children with severe emotional,

conduct, and learning difficulties in Livingston,

New Jersey—has been a flagship of the Social

Decision Making and Problem Solving Program

for nearly a decade. Staff members there have

become expert at creating adaptations of les-

sons to their populations. Among their innova-

tions are (1) combinations of classroom-based

lessons with academic infusion and special skill-

building groups; (2) activities that use the com-

puter; (3) uplinks to public school districts for

collaboration in science; and (4) activities that pro-

mote self-reflection and self-regulation through

self-monitoring sheets, sharing circle questions

that ask about their preferences and experi-

ences, and activities like, “Who are you?” as

ways to promote self-understanding as a precur-

sor to building friendship skills. Foremost, how-

ever, is an extensive focus on feelings, building

feelings vocabularies, reading social cues in

others accurately, and self-control skills to avert

“e m o t i o n a l h i j a ck i n g .”

We have got to give these kids skills

for living, and we can’t wait for par-

ents or anyone else to do it. The next

stop for many of these kids is resi-

dential treatment or prison.

—Dr. Bruce Ettinger, Director

The Children’s Institute

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

XAMPLE

TUDENTS

ESIDENTIAL

CHOOL

IEW

SEL

Among the students at North Country School, a residential school in Lake Placid, New York, are some who have

experienced significant losses and other difficulties in their lives. At one of their weekly Town Meetings, stu-

dents commented on what it is about the school that helps them:

I think it is really a great learning experience because it’s not a normal school. We get to get in

touch with nature. We go out and hike on the weekends; we learn how to build fires even when

the wood is wet. On the farm, you get to be with new people because you change chores every

week.

* * *

We get a lot closer to each other. You know if something is wrong with someone else if they’re

quiet and they’re normally not.

* * *

This school isn’t only about just taking out your books and pencils; when I was in public school,

I didn’t do anything on my days off except watch TV and go to movies. We never knew what to do

with ourselves. If some grown-up had said, “Do you want to climb a 4,000-foot mountain?”

I would have said, “You’ve got to be kidding!” But now, it’s different.

* * *

I like that you learn about a lot of different cultures and there’s no real problems racially.

* * *

I keep all of the pictures I draw here.

A teacher summed it up well: “There is a real search for positively identifying the child and what he or she is

good at. We really try to find success for the kids. There is so much communication among the staff about the

kids’ individual needs.”

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

ticipate in parent education and support groups.

The concepts established in the SEL program for

the entire school are transferred and reinforced in

both the child and parent programs. Thus, com-

mon principles and language are used across the

different levels of service.

What Prepares and Sustains

a Teacher in Effective SEL

Instruction?

UIDELINE

▼

Staff development opportunities provide teachers

with theoretical knowledge essential to teaching

social and emotional skills.

Rationale

Taking on an SEL program can seem daunting

at first. With the possible exception of special edu-

cation, teacher training programs often provide in-

adequate training in understanding motivation,

emotions, and social competence. At first, some

teachers are concerned that by taking on a social

and emotional curriculum, they are being asked to

take on the role of a school counselor or psycholo-

gist. It is important to clarify that while classroom

SEL programs can complement specialists’ efforts

to help certain high-risk students, the focus of the

classroom teacher is, in fact, education and healthy

development. The goal of a classroom program is

to help develop personal qualities essential to well-

being and success in school, on the job, and within

families and communities.

Implications and Applications

In the early stages of SEL program implementa-

tion, teachers are given opportunities to learn

about the full scope of the program and the devel-

opmental sequence of instruction from grade to

grade. Such familiarity enables teachers to see the

links between simple self-monitoring, for example,

and mature self-regulation. They are then better

able to set goals and design lessons appropriate to

the developmental qualities of their particular age

group (see Chapter 3). As teachers are able to inte-

grate the overall principles, scope, and sequence of

the program, they can bring more of their own

creativity and spontaneity to this work.

Group facilitation skills likewise are not al-

ways emphasized in preservice education. As a re-

sult, many teachers don’t appreciate the usefulness

of training in the process of group development—

XAMPLE

EFUSING

ROBLEM

EHAVIORS

Tw o b oy s w er e o n t h e i r w ay t o t h e o ff i c e a l l u p -

set. They were going to report each other to the

principal. I asked each of them what their prob-

lem was. Apparently, one boy made fun of the

other by saying he was annoying. The (annoying)

boy’s feelings became hurt because he thought

they were friends. I asked each of them what

they wanted, and they both said to remain

friends. They each came up with ways to remain

friends, one of which was to tell each other

when they would get on each other’s nerves. We

never did make it to the office that day. What is

so very rewarding here is not just that they

parted as friends but that a process/framework

was reinforced by our common language. Also,

if this concept were to follow them, they would

no longer need adults to “coach” them as I did.

They would be able to deal with this situation

themselves.

—Vicki Poedubicky

Health Teacher, Grades 3-6,

Bartle School, Highland Park, New Jersey

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

the stages through which most groups pass as they

grow and reach completion. Teachers learn to help

the class move from strangers who test one an-

other and maintain maximum distance, to a cohe-

sive group of individuals who find emotional

support and empowerment in their connection. Al-

though some groups may reach stages that involve

trust and self-disclosure, others may not progress

beyond becoming respectful acquaintances. Teach-

ers learn to adapt their lesson plans and pace les-

sons appropriately for their groups.

Another example is that training in group dy-

namics emphasizes the importance of closure at

the end of the term. This process assists students in

saying goodbye to their classmates and provides

students with skills that are applicable to many

situations that involve the ending of relationships.

Teachers who are aware of, and responsive to, the

changing classroom relationships are able to pro-

vide the most effective and positive learning expe-

riences for their students.

UIDELINE

▼

Staff development provides modeling and practice

in experiential learning.

Rationale

Effective staff development provides educators

with opportunities to explore and experience their

own social and emotional skills, so they become in-

creasingly effective models for their students. In

teaching students to understand and effectively

manage and negotiate the challenges and opportu-

nities of feelings and social relations, teachers use

not only technique and theory but also ways of re-

lating with students. Coaching and inservice exer-

cises have supported teachers in creating a positive

view of discipline as an act of protection and guid-

ance. Teachers develop skills and attitudes that

help them give students clear feedback about what

is and is not safe and appropriate behavior in dif-

ferent situations. By setting firm boundaries, teach-

ers help students create a classroom increasingly

free of disrespect; as described earlier, clear rules

and standards are used to promote responsibility

in each student. Such a structure promotes a

healthy bonding between student and adult that

motivates young people to learn from their teacher.

Implications and Applications

Those designing training programs in SEL will

find it useful to draw upon the following elements

of caring, openness, and responsiveness:

Caring. Earlier chapters described how caring

is a key part of constructing the relationships that

make learning possible (Noddings 1992). Teachers

demonstrate caring—the respect for and apprecia-

tion of the essential worth of each student—in two

fundamental ways: empathizing with the feelings

and dilemmas of students and protecting students

by providing clear boundaries.

Caring from teachers includes listening for and

validating the value and wisdom of what each stu-

XAMPLE

ASSLE

OGS

FOR

EACHERS

Yo u k n o w a c o n c e p t l i k e s o c i a l p r o b l e m s o l v i n g

works when even other teachers use the skills to

help solve their own personal/professional prob-

lems. One of our teacher associates was having

a professional disagreement with a colleague.

Imagine my reaction when the teacher associate

asked me for a hassle log to fill out and give to

the teacher. I have filled out my share of hassle

logs and have given them to various people. The

motto that hangs in my room is: “Hassle Logs . . .

They’re not just for kids!”

—Vicki Poedubicky

Health Teacher, Grades 3-6,

Bartle School, Highland Park, New Jersey

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

dent is offering instead of listening for only the

“right answer.” With this atmosphere of accep-

tance, the SEL classroom is an ideal setting for

teachers (and students) to discover the value of

mistakes and apparent detours to the learning

process. When the goal is understanding rather

than critical judgment, teachers model an accep-

tance of a range of feelings and ideas, and students

respond with greater sharing.

Firm guidance is the other side of caring in-

cluded in teacher preparation for SEL. Because of

the interactive style of teaching in SEL lessons, stu-

dents have more opportunities to be disruptive

than in a strictly didactic classroom. And because

the goal is to encourage open expression and inde-

pendent thinking, SEL teachers may be particularly

challenged to find a style of providing limits and

structure that prevents chaos without suppressing

any student’s expression (Elias and Tobias 1996).

Openness. Because much of the inspiration

and reinforcement for social and emotional skills

comes through the modeling of the teacher, staff

development opportunities should help teachers

become more open with their students in ways

that feel appropriate for the particular teacher. Like

the teacher earlier in this chapter whose students

loved to hear the ongoing “learning stories” that

emerged from challenges and fiascos with her own

children, many teachers discover a new freedom in

sharing their personal stories and wisdom with stu-

dents. Students delight and learn from the stories

teachers share about their own reactions as chil-

dren or teenagers to the dilemmas students are dis-

cussing now. SEL training provides guidelines for

appropriate self-disclosure, and ongoing collabora-

tion between colleagues allows teachers to check

out a particular story when they are in doubt about

its value for their students. Through the experi-

ences of teaching an SEL curriculum, educators re-

port that they become more comfortable with their

own interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence;

they learn how to express their feelings and when

to contain them.

Teachers demonstrate their openness not only

through what they say but also through how they

listen to their students. Refining their ability to in-

terpret body language and hear the feelings be-

tween and beneath the words, teachers become

increasingly skilled at understanding the whole

child. With experience, teachers find they can listen

with increasing compassion to their students,

knowing that they may bring up feelings that are

initially uncomfortable for themselves and their

students as well. A teacher’s openness can contrib-

ute to a climate of tolerance in which students

more easily learn to distinguish feelings from be-

havior. When negative feelings can be acknow-

ledged in this climate, students more easily learn

to manage them so that they do not lead to destruc-

tive behavior.

At times, students bring up issues and feelings

that are difficult for both students and teachers to

manage. Those may require individualized sup-

port beyond what classroom teachers can be ex-

pected to provide. Staff development can provide

teachers with guidelines and mechanisms for coor-

dinating with other teachers and pupil-services

staff to help their students find the right place and

time to get the professional help they need.

Responsiveness. Another skill teachers de-

velop through training and increased experience in

teaching SEL is being aware of and responsive to

the needs of students at a given moment. Teachers

often adapt or deviate from a lesson plan for a mo-

ment to effectively meet the needs of the class.

Staff development experiences can offer teachers

support in gaining skills that allow them to fully re-

spond to the “teachable moment”: being respon-

sive to the changing needs of the group and its

individuals, becoming increasingly comfortable

sharing and learning from one’s own mistakes,

and being flexible enough to shift gears.

Teac hers repor t th at a s they grow more experi-

enced in working with curriculum materials and

themes, as well as this responsive style of teaching,

they are rewarded by an expanded repertoire, crea-

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

tivity, and imagination, which allow them to invent

new approaches in the moment.

The spirit of spontaneity, flexibility, and respon-

siveness is strengthened by learning experiences

that enable teachers to express their own humor,

playfulness, and creativity. Just like classroom stu-

dents, teachers learn best when they feel comfort-

able, are most creative when they are playing, and

are most engaged when “serious” learning is punc-

tuated with laughter. A successful staff develop-

ment program gives teachers a range of SEL

experiences. This outcome is more than can be ac-

complished in a single session or even a series of

sessions. Ongoing support and coaching provide

opportunities for teachers to gain experience, re-

flect on their teaching practice, and feel a sense of

renewal.

UIDELINE

▼

Staff development activities are visibly and regu-

larly supported by feedback from colleagues, ad-

ministrators, and others.

Rationale

Because teachers are often exploring new terri-

tory when they embark on teaching SEL, most find

it essential to have ongoing support. A supportive

environment is one in which the following are true:

•

Administrators empower teachers by encour-

aging them to have an active voice in decisions

that affect them.

•

Administrators model and encourage clear

communication and a constructive strategy for re-

solving conflicts among the staff.

•

Administrators foster a sense of shared pur-

pose and enjoyment among the staff.

•

Administrators provide active support for

teachers who want to try new approaches.

Implications and Applications

Some administrations have actively promoted

opportunities for teachers to observe other teach-

ers and to co-teach new programs with teachers,

psychologists, or the principal. Ongoing faculty

meetings that foster collaboration among col-

leagues reinforce and refine the capacities and

XAMPLE

NGOING

OMMITMENT AND

XPERT

UPPORT

RODUCE

ENUINE

HANGES

RACTICE

The first year there was a 10-day conference, and

Developmental Studies Center (DSC, the pro-

gram center in California) staff gave training to

the core group. They came to the school for one

week four times the first year. We communi-

cated on the phone all of the time. The following

summer there was a five-day conference to help

the core group train others. The second year the

DSC staff visited again four times for one-week

periods. The following summer there was an-

other five-day conference. The people are always

helpful and are always available.

The staff development uses frequent meet-

ings to try to reflect the way the project operates

in the classroom. The teachers use partner chats,

talk about goals and strategies, and learn about

one another. The teams of primary and secon-

dary teachers share planning time while the kids

go to different specials during the same time

slot. This is done because it is too hard to get

people together outside of school hours.

Originally, we didn’t count on it to change us

as people. We interact differently now with our

own children at home. We have developed a

sense of awareness. We reevaluate why things

do and don’t work. It has developed me [be-

come] a much more reflective person.

—Sheila Koshewa

Child Development Project

Lexington, Kentucky

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

knowledge gained by teachers in introductory

training. Such meetings can include group supervi-

sion from mentor teachers, administrators, or so-

cial services personnel who can help teachers

identify red flags that require further specialized

support or referral, or SEL consultants who pro-

vide ongoing curriculum development and trou-

bleshooting for the faculty. Teachers are also

supported by one-to-one coaching from mentor

teachers or supervisors, and from having the op-

portunity to visit SEL lessons in other classrooms

(see related discussion in Chapter 7).

Teachers value help they get from other teach-

ers more than any other source. Peer coaching is

most successful when teachers have a framework

to use during the coaching process (Nelson, Lott,

and Glenn 1993) or when working in a group (Elias

and Tobias 1996, Summers 1996). Ongoing collabo-

ration and staff development ensures that teachers

have support at their school and that they know

the limits of what they can and cannot provide for

their students’ social and emotional needs, as

noted in Guidelines 12 and 13. In the safe setting of

the SEL classroom, students may reveal emotional

disturbances or traumatic experiences that need to

be addressed outside the classroom. Teachers usu-

ally welcome guidance in identifying these situ-

ations, finding ways to protect students in class,

and obtaining the necessary services for students

who are troubled. Administrative leaders can cre-

ate opportunities for teachers to get to know and

trust support personnel. This effort will help teach-

ers to make the most effective use of the psycholo-

gists, social workers, or deans in their school.

Schools should also have a clear system for dealing

with disclosure of abuse or neglect so that class-

room teachers alone do not carry the burden.

UIDELINE

▼

SEL programs are most effective when teachers and

administrators adopt a long-range perspective.

Rationale

Ongoing teacher support is one aspect of the

long-range perspective needed for effective SEL

programs. For teachers and students alike, the ef-

fects of SEL appear to get stronger the longer a pro-

gram is implemented at a particular setting

(Slavin, Madden, Dolan, Wasik, Ross, Smith, and

Diana 1995). Teacher commitment to a new pro-

gram develops during implementation as teachers

start to see practical benefits. Furthermore, teacher

presentation of a program tends to be relatively su-

perficial until the second or third year, when teach-

ers really make a program their own (Hord,

Rutherford, Huling-Austin, and Hall 1987). Teach-

ers of many SEL programs, for example, com-

monly report that they do not spontaneously use

the techniques with their students, their own fami-

lies, and colleagues until the second year of the

program.

Implications and Applications

Changes in student behavior seem to follow a

similar progression. An elementary principal com-

mented about the changes she observed: “By the

end of the first year, I was hearing a new vocabu-

lary. After two years, both teachers and students

were using the problem-solving strategies more

consistently.” She continued to see improvements,

stating that “the longer students worked with the

strategies and the more they saw their teachers use

them, the more students were able to problem-

solve in ’hot’ situations.”

Like any basic skill, social and emotional skills

develop gradually throughout childhood and

adulthood. And because emotional patterns are

relatively slow to shift, teachers benefit from gen-

tleness and respect when encouraged to develop

these new social and emotional skills. Having real-

istic expectations about timing can buffer discour-

agement in the early phases of implementation.

When teachers feel supported in taking this long-

range view of developing skills and perspectives

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

that go beyond their original training, they often

discover that teaching SEL allows them to experi-

ence ease and effectiveness in fostering the quality

of relationships that allow learning to flourish even

more in the classroom.

Students’ benefits are accompanied by teach-

ers’ benefits. Teachers report that problem-solving

strategies help them deal more effectively with

stresses in both their personal and professional

lives (Caplan, Weissberg, and Shriver 1990). A

teacher in Shoreline, Washington, told interviewers

that explicitly teaching social and emotional skills

made it much easier to deal with late afternoons.

“I used to dread all the little conflicts that pop up

when everyone is tired and needs to rush to the

bus. I sometimes avoided the problems, or quickly

imposed my own solution on them. Neither ap-

proach worked very well. Now that I’ve been

teaching Second Step, it takes much less time and

is less stressful.”

Teachers also report that their growth as car-

ing, open, and responsive teachers spills over into

their relationships with colleagues, families, and

friends. They discover more enjoyment, a greater

sense of effectiveness and reciprocity in their rela-

tionships, and more satisfaction with themselves.

Ultimately, these intrinsic benefits will sustain

teachers.

Summary

Many teachers already use important elements of

SEL. What is less common is a comprehensive

framework that provides coherence and consis-

tency to specific objectives and instructional meth-

ods. Effective teaching requires consideration of

how the class structure, teaching methods, and

class climate will affect both academic and social

and emotional development. Having a specific SEL

program brings unity to these aspects of school life

and frees educators to focus their creative energies

on special projects and adaptations that enrich any

program.

Despite the importance of SEL for all aspects of

student functioning, teacher educators and admin-

istrators have been slow to provide teachers with

training, support, and recognition in this area.

Adopting a new program inevitably requires the

use of some unfamiliar teaching methods; thus,

teaching SEL can be challenging for several rea-

sons. First, educators who wish to create a caring

learning community must “walk the talk” in a way

that may require them to change their way of relat-

ing to others and structuring the classroom. Sec-

ond, the empowering nature of SEL may initially

encourage students’ attempts at disruption, as the

“rules of the classroom” undergo change. Third,

potential growth in students’ SEL skills and teach-

ers’ efforts is impeded to the extent that grade-

level, school, and district colleagues are not joined

in a common effort. Meeting these challenges re-

quires an ongoing commitment from teachers and

administrators, and this is often provided through

networking opportunities (see the list of programs

in Appendix C).

Fortunately, the motivation to make this com-

mitment is strengthened by the intrinsic benefits of

providing SEL instruction. Educators discover pro-

fessional and personal satisfactions as both learn-

ing and social relationships are enhanced in the

classroom. Teachers often find that the theoretical

framework and methods of SEL are intellectually

stimulating for themselves as well as students. Per-

haps most important, teachers derive satisfaction

from addressing the skills that educators believe

are most essential for the citizens of tomorrow. As

just noted, though, teachers are best able to persist

in their commitment when their personal efforts

are embedded within those of their school and a

supportive community.

Developing Social and Emotional Skills in Classrooms

Creating the Context for Social and

Emotional Learning

VERY YOUNG PERSON HAS A DEEP NEED TO

belong. Children with the greatest unmet

needs for relationships are often those most

alienated from adults and peers. Schools and

youth work programs must make a planned

and concerted effort to nourish inviting rela-

tionships in a culture of belonging.

—Brendtro, Brokenleg,

and Van Bockern 1990, p. 69

Social and emotional learning is best taught

and learned in school and classroom environments

in which young people are respected and valued,

and in which they experience a sense of personal

fulfillment and responsibility. Schools and class-

rooms in which adults are nurturing, supportive,

and caring furnish the best contextual opportuni-

ties for SEL programs to be introduced, sustained,

and effectively provided. It is also true that an ap-

proach to SEL that connects with other aspects of

students’ learning and development within and

outside the school setting is likely to be the most

sustainable and effective (Dryfoos 1994).

In this chapter, we discuss six major contextual

factors related to the effective planning, implemen-

tation, and coordination of SEL programs. They in-

clude the classroom and school climate, student

participation and empowerment, program coordi-

nation and integration, school district support,

home and school collaboration, and community in-

volvement and support.

The Importance of Creating a

Supportive Classroom and School

Climate

UIDELINE

▼

A caring, supportive, and challenging classroom

and school climate is most conducive to effective

SEL teaching and learning.

Rationale

How students experience and perceive their

school and classroom climate has been shown to be

significantly related to their psychosocial and aca-

demic development, and to their school adjust-

ment and performance outcomes (Garmezy 1989,

Haynes et al. 1996). A context that is caring, suppor-

tive, and challenging also leads to better SEL

outcomes.

Implications and Applications

The staff of a middle school in a major north-

eastern city reviewed school climate data from a

survey of students and staff. Most students re-

ported feeling a lack of respect and trust between

themselves and their teachers. The teachers were

surprised, as they had reported a high level of

student-teacher respect and trust. Focus groups

involving mixed groups of students and teachers

were organized, and discussions revealed that stu-

dents expected direct and palpable demonstrations

of respect and trust (e.g., students expected teach-

ers to greet them more in the hallways and class-

rooms, and to be more willing to listen to their

concerns and more accepting of their ideas and

points of view).

Subsequently, a “respect and trust” campaign

was developed. It involved posting notices around

the school that identified the school as a place

where teachers and students respect and trust one

another, and where active expressions such as

daily greetings, attentive listening, and responding

to one another’s concerns are the norm. When

school climate surveys were re-administered one

year later, the results showed significant increases

in student, staff, and parent assessments of the lev-

els of respect and trust. There were also many

more palpable demonstrations of the change in the

attitudes and behaviors among and between stu-

dents, staff, and parents.

Numerous examples and consistent research

suggest that in supportive organizational environ-

ments, school staff and classroom teachers help to

create a climate that reflects the following:

• Free and open interaction and dialogue among

and between staff and students.

Students are able to

express their ideas and feelings in an atmosphere

that is nonjudgmental and respectful of their

individuality.

•

High standards of behavior and achievement, in-

cluding the ability to think critically and make informed

judgments about behavior and related consequences.

Students are challenged to be the best they can be.

Staff create opportunities for students to be crea-

tive and innovative, and to engage in active learn-

XAMPLE

TUDENT

, P

ARENT

AND

TAFF

IEWS

OSITIVE

CHOOL

LIMATE

At a New Haven school, a major focus was on improving school and classroom climate and supporting SEL ac-

tivities. After introduction of the program, many students, staff, and parents made positive comments about

the climate of the school (Haynes and Perkins 1996). The following are examples:

Student:

Yo u c a n ’ t f e e l s a fe a r o u n d a n y s c ho o l t h i s y e a r b e c a u s e t h i s w o r l d i s n o t a ve r y g o o d p l a c e t o l i v e

in because a lot of things happen, but I feel safe at this school. Like when we talk to our teach-

ers, and when I play with my friends, and they stay with me, and like we never get hurt or noth-

ing, and if we get hurt, my friends and I help each other.

Parent:

I feel that the school’s climate is wonderful; it’s a nice secure place for children here. You feel

comfortable coming to the school. You feel that the school is not a separate place anymore

where it’s them and us. Now

are

Staff:

When the parents enter the building, they know that we’re always thinking of the welfare of the

youngsters as well as our own. It is important that we have rules and guidelines. The children

have a good sense of how things work. We try to communicate love to them. We don’t stand off

from the children; we try to move to their eye level. We try to talk in a manner in which they can

respond back to us, in a quiet way as opposed to intimidating children to respond back to your

questions.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

ing experiences that allow them to realize their

fullest potential for success as students and as

individuals.

•

Collaboration, cooperation, and constructive

group problem-solving activities.

Students gain signifi-

cant social skills and develop positive attitudes of

altruism, kindness, and respect for others when

given structured opportunities to participate as

members of organized problem-solving teams.

Teachers and staff create opportunities for students

to become engaged in meaningful, creative, and

stimulating activities that enhance their social inter-

active skills and reinforce prosocial values.

•

Equity, fairness, and respect for diversity of race,

culture, ethnicity, social class, religion, gender, ability,

and other factors.

Students come from diverse back-

grounds and expect to be treated fairly and equita-

bly. They expect their teachers, other staff, and

peers to be sensitive to their individuality and to

understand and respect them. Teachers and staff

encourage and support cross-cultural sharing and

competence, and create environments that pro-

mote mutual respect and understanding among

and between adults and students.

•

Supportive, positive learning experiences.

There

is a strong relationship between self-esteem, self-

efficacy, and students’ general behavior and aca-

demic performance in school. Teachers and staff

should provide opportunities for students to expe-

rience success, positive reinforcement, and valida-

tion of their worth as individuals in a challenging

and nurturing environment.

•

Strong connections between adults and students,

and commitment to the mission and goals of the school.

Students adjust and learn best in school and class-

room environments in which they intellectually

and emotionally identify with the adults and the

program. Teachers and staff are cognizant of and

responsive to the special and diverse needs that

students have and are available to listen, advise,

counsel, and provide guidance to them when nec-

essary. There are routines and structures that send

students a clear message: “Welcome. You are

important.”

Information obtained through interviews and

focus groups with students and staff demonstrate

the importance of these dimensions of school and

classroom climate in preparing students and ena-

bling them to confidently and successfully face the

many academic and social challenges in and out-

side of school.

Is Empowering Students the

Latest Bandwagon, or Is It Really

Important?

UIDELINE

▼

Students derive more benefit from SEL programs

that they help to design, plan, and implement.

Rationale

Especially as students enter high school, pro-

grams in which they have meaningful influence

show higher levels of student participation and

deeper commitment. When their suggestions are

sought before a program is fully developed, stu-

dents can often identify barriers that may impede

the program, giving teachers and others a chance

to remove those obstacles. Naturally, one must rec-

ognize that the appropriate degree of involvement

depends on the nature of the endeavor. For exam-

ple, students may have more input and direct in-

volvement in activities designed to improve the

social climate of the school than in matters affect-

ing the design of the academic curriculum. Never-

theless, as described in Chapter 3 and in the quote

that begins this chapter, involvement is a part of be-

ing valued, and children in today’s society need re-

affirmation and a sense of belonging and mastery.

Implications and Applications

To encourage students’ interest and to give

them a sense of shared ownership of the curricu-

Creating the Context for Social and Emotional Learning

lum, a Bronx, New York, school uses the “Myster-

ies Questions” to engage students in refining the

curriculum for their particular needs and interests

(Kessler et al. 1990). Briefly, four or five weeks into

the semester—once the teacher and class have cre-

ated an environment of caring and respectful listen-

ing in which honest self-expression is possible—

the teacher asks students to write about three

topics: mysteries about myself, mysteries about

others, and mysteries about life or the universe.

Mysteries are explained as our worries, wonder-

ings, fears, curiosity, confusions, or excitement.

After a period of quiet reflection to clear their

minds, the students are invited to write their ques-

tions anonymously. The next week the teacher

reads aloud to the students with a tone of respect

and honors their “class mysteries.” After the stu-

dents have heard the questions, they’re given a

copy of the collection, some quiet time to look it

over, and encouragement to notice common

themes that particularly interest them. Students

usually comment that they feel much closer to and

safer with this group now that they know what’s

on their classmates’ minds. In discussions, stu-

XAMPLE

ORNING

EFLECTIONS

At La Salle (H.S.) Academy, each day begins with a Morning Reflection that can come from students or any

staff. The main selection criterion is that the statement reflect the mission of the school. Here is an example:

Ed Sirois, Faculty Member, October 1996

Good Morning, Everyone — Me-You-Us

Me:

Self-respect, self-confidence, self-worth, self-esteem. I have inalienable value, dignity, and

worth simply because I am a human being. Inalienable dignity—no one gives it to me, and no

one can take it away—it just is. And because I value and respect myself, I take my own needs

seriously. Not necessarily my wants and whims, but my needs—physical needs (food, shelter,

clothing, clean air and water, medical services), social and emotional needs (self-control, friend-

ship, acceptance, love), intellectual and spiritual needs (learning, beauty, art, music, character,

prayer, God).

Yo u :

Yo u ’ r e j u s t t h e s a m e a s m e . Yo u h a v e t h e s a m e i n a l i e n a b l e d i g n i t y a n d v a l u e a n d wo r t h . Be c a u s e

I truly respect myself, I respect you. It’s not “hate yourself and love your neighbor”—it’s “love

others as you love yourself."

Us:

All the you’s and all the I’s together, we form an “us,” a community of individuals, each with dig-

nity and value and worth.

To g e t h e r, w e , u s :

A community that has needs and rights that deserve to be acknowledged and protected. Our

building, our grounds, our furniture, our library books, our lockers, our computers—they belong to us.

Me—Respect for Self; You—Respect for others; Us—Respect for the Community and its property.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

dents often comment that they are surprised they

are not alone with their concerns. Sometimes the

teacher invites them to identify one question

they’re really committed to having discussed in

class.

Through this process, students experience the

power of expressing what’s most pressing in their

lives and also the ability to influence the curricu-

lum. They also discover a wealth of wisdom and

depth in their peers that they didn’t anticipate.

And, the teacher discovers a way to learn more

about the students, to adapt the sequence of topics

to respond to the group’s priorities, and to develop

a new lesson plan when students bring up an im-

portant issue that has been left out. Teachers and

staff can engage students in the design and plan-

ning of SEL programs in a number of ways:

1. Use focus group discussions to identify stu-

dent issues and concerns and to get reactions to

specific proposed activities, and then incorporate

students’ input in the design of the program (e.g.,

time and place for SEL activities, format for

presentations).

2. Conduct surveys to identify students’ per-

ceptions of issues, their needs, and their likely re-

sponses to program activities.

3. Obtain students’ input to help guide the

design, development, and implementation of the

program.

4. Talk individually to students about their in-

terests, challenges, and desires, and use that infor-

mation to help select SEL activities.

5. Involve students on SEL planning teams

with staff, parents, and community members.

In schools with site-based decision making, in-

volving students on teams can turn adversarial re-

lationships into collaborations. By making room

for student ideas and thoughts—not student con-

trol—in SEL planning and implementation, teach-

ers and staff provide a sense of empowerment to

students and increase the probability of the pro-

gram’s success.

Why All This Talk About

Coordinating and Integrating SEL

Activities?

UIDELINE

▼

SEL programs and activities that are coordinated

with and integrated into the regular curriculum

and life of the classroom and school are most

likely to have the desired effect on students, and

are also most likely to endure.

Rationale

A major obstacle to SEL program success oc-

curs when the skills taught are not part of the regu-

lar curriculum, but instead are add-ons. In such

cases, SEL activities are perceived as less important

than other content areas, and consequently are not

given as much emphasis. In addition, program

skills, attitudes, and beliefs are not reinforced

throughout the curriculum or throughout the en-

tire educational program, including during after-

school or extracurricular activities. As a result,

there may be far less generalization and mainte-

nance of these skills than is possible with a well-

coordinated, integrated program in which SEL is

on par with academic subjects such as math, Eng-

lish, and reading.

During the planning stages of any SEL pro-

gram, it is important for goals to be clearly defined

and operationalized. These goals can include ways

in which the classroom and school building, as so-

cial units, will be tangibly affected by the program.

In Piscataway, New Jersey, one such goal was a

measurable increase in the ethnic diversity of stu-

dent-selected work groups as a result of a social

problem-solving program. Including goals that call

for the results of an intervention to affect class-

rooms or schools compels the program to include

elements that will create such outcomes (see Chap-

ters 6 and 7).

Creating the Context for Social and Emotional Learning

Implications and Applications

Once SEL goals are specified, relevant activi-

ties are selected that can be implemented reason-

ably well in the contexts for which they are

planned. For example, a peer counseling program

designed to enhance students’ ability to make

healthy decisions and to resist negative peer pres-

sure may be more appropriate for and work better

at the middle and high school levels than in an ele-

mentary school. On the other hand, to accomplish

the same goals at the elementary level, classroom-

based video presentations with discussions may

work best. Also relevant to examine is the individ-

ual school context. The community in which the

school is located (e.g., To what extent does it value

education? Are various educational options avail-

able?); the resources available (e.g., funding); the

cultural and demographic composition of the stu-

dent population (e.g., Is there little or much diver-

sity?); and the short- and long-term goals of the

school and the district influence the choice of SEL

programs.

There are two basic ways in which SEL pro-

grams are introduced to schools. They may be inte-

grated throughout the curriculum, or they may be

presented as specific program activities. In either

case, effective SEL programs are not introduced as

add-on activities but become integrated compo-

XAMPLE

ETTING

UPPORTIVE

NVIRONMENT

FOR

HILDREN

The Child Development Project operates on a schoolwide basis in the elementary grades. It cannot be imple-

mented without strong staff consensus because SEL works more effectively when the entire climate that chil-

dren are exposed to reflects the program’s philosophy and methods. In the words of teachers:

The program builds a sense of community in the classroom so that all the kids fit in and feel a

part of the community. They band together as a class so that you don’t have these children any

more who don’t feel like they belong. Those are usually the kids who don’t make it.

The principles support the way we all want children to learn about living in this world. You’re

not the only person in the world. What you do affects other people. We talk about that a lot en

there are rough spots—how do they feel about those things and what can be done about them?

A child was so withdrawn that he would not speak to anyone. He would not go to the

restroom because he would not raise his hand. He did not want to play with anyone or go to cen-

ters. By the end of the year he had playmates. He would go to centers and initiate play with oth-

ers. He would come and tell me things. I would give him directions, and he would say, “I don’t like

that. How about I do this now and that later instead.” This year he comes by and says, “Hello.” He

speaks to other people. It is amazing to watch him grow from an isolated person to one who con-

tributes daily. The whole class supported the fact that we were going to get everyone involved and

do this together.

—Focus group of teachers

from Hazelwood and Auburndale (Kentucky) Elementary Schools

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

XAMPLE

EINFORCING

OCIAL

ROBLEM

-S

OLVING

TEPS

HROUGH

CADEMIC

NSTRUCTION

AND

EAL

-L

IFE

PPLICATION

The steps used in the Social Decision Making and Problem Solving Program’s formal SEL lessons [outlined in

Example 1E] may be reinforced in many ways. On the following pages, a similar structure is used in academic

coursework [here, historical/current events] and in monitoring personal situations [here, the Personal Problem-

Solving Record, which also has a computerized version].

—Elias and Tobias (1996)

History/Current Events Outline and Personal Problem-Solving Record

Worksheet 5-2. Creating a Newspaper Article

Directions:

Imagine that you are a reporter for

The New York Times

. You have been asked to write an article on

the social studies topic you have just finished studying in class.

Think about some part of the topic as an event or

problem

. Then, use the problem-solving outline to help write

your article. Be sure your article starts with a headline and then answers the following questions:

1. W h a t i s t h e

problem

you are thinking about?

2. What

people

groups

of people are involved?

3. What

feelings

and

goals

does each person or group have?

4. What are some possible

solutions

to achieve each goal?

5. What are some of the

consequences

, both long- and short-term, for each possible solution?

6. What solution was chosen? Do you think a different choice should have been made? If so, why?

7. What could have been done to

improve

the chosen plan?

Summarize

the information on the article and draw some conclusions.

HEADLINE: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Current Events

1. W h a t e v e n t a r e y o u t h i n k i n g a b o u t ? W h e n a n d w h e r e i s i t h a p p e n i n g ? Pu t t h e e v e n t i n t o w o r d s a s a p r o b l e m .

2. What people or groups are involved in the problem? What are their different feelings and points of view

about the problem? Try to put their goals into words.

3. For each group, name some different solutions to the problem that the members think might help them

reach their goals.

4. For each solution, think of all the things that might happen next. Think about short- and long-term conse-

quences.

5. What do you think the final decision should be? How should it be made? By whom? Why?

6. Think of a plan to help you carry out your solution. What could you do to make your solution work?

7. Make a final check. What might happen that could keep your solution from working? Who might disagree

with you? Why? What else could you do?

Creating the Context for Social and Emotional Learning

XAMPLE

A—

continued

EINFORCING

OCIAL

ROBLEM

-S

OLVING

TEPS

HROUGH

CADEMIC

NSTRUCTION

AND

EAL

-L

IFE

PPLICATION

Worksheet 10-6

Personal Problem-Solving Record

Name: _________________________________ Date: ________________________________________

Class: _________________________________ Page No.: _____________________________________

1. I wa s fe e l i n g :

2. My problem was:

3. My goal was:

4. I tried to stop and think of as many solutions as I could, and I thought about their consequences.

Solutions that I thought I might try: If I tried it, these things might happen next:

5. My plan for solving my problem was that I would:

6. After I tried it and rechecked it, I found that it worked:

a. very well b. OK c. not so well d. terribly

7. The next time something like this happens, I might:

Source:

Elias, M.J., and S.E. Tobias. (1996).

Social Problem-Solving: Interventions in the Schools.

New York: Guilford.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

nents of the school improvement plan. All stages in

the process of program adoption—including identi-

fication, review, planning, goal setting, orientation,

implementation, and evaluation—should be con-

ducted collaboratively and should involve staff,

students, and parents as well as community repre-

sentatives. This process is best accomplished if a

representative committee or subcommittee of the

school planning and management team (school im-

provement team) representing all four constituent

groups—staff, students, parents, and community—

is formed and assigned the responsibility of coordi-

nating and shepherding the stages in the adoption

process. It would appear that a combination of

both approaches works best, as one reinforces the

other.

The following example demonstrates how

schools that use programs with a problem-solving

and decision-making orientation have successfully

coordinated and integrated their SEL programs

into the general learning goals of the school:

In elementary, middle, and high schools,

higher-order thinking and problem-solving

skills are interwoven throughout the curricu-

XAMPLE

ROUP

EETINGS

AND

CTIVITIES

EINFORCE

SEL I

NSTRUCTION

In Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, Social Decision Making Clubs are used to build upon and extend classroom-

based SEL instruction. Teachers refer students to the “Club” who need extra practice in developing their inter-

personal and problem-solving skills. At the middle school level, a resource room teacher runs the group as a

class period during the school day, while on the elementary level, teachers are paid to run before- or after-

school Clubs. Teachers make Clubs fun by having kids bring their problems to the Club and creating a real group

effort to come up with solutions. Then, the kids check back with one another to see how their solutions are go-

ing. In one of many success stories, a mildly autistic boy attended the Club as part of a social problem solving-

based school-home program to keep him from being placed out of district. He is now counted as one of the

district’s college graduates.

In another example, children who have trouble making friends meet once weekly for six to eight times

with Guidance Counselor Marge Delaney in a North Brunswick, New Jersey, elementary school for a

“Lunchtime Group.” At the group, students watch episodes from the acclaimed “Talking with TJ” video series

and carry out the program activities to build their teamwork and conflict resolution skills (cf. Elias and Tobias

1996). The groups are not at all stigmatizing. They are fun, and the students prefer them to the torture of sitting

through lunch and recess without the skills to interact effectively.

Finally, an interview with a student at North Country School, Lake Placid, New York, highlights how group

decision making is applied to a charitable cause:

We save money from Wednesday lunches by just having soup, and we donate it to people

with real problems. The people who decide where it goes are a representative from each house

and each level. They discuss who to give the money to that year. Last year we gave it to an AIDS re-

search foundation and to “The Hunger.”

The kids’ name for a group that distributes food to those in need.

Creating the Context for Social and Emotional Learning

XAMPLE

NNOVATIVE

TUDENT

UPPORT

ERVICES

THAT

EINFORCE

SEL

After a while, principals recognize that some students need an additional service beyond what formal class-

room SEL lessons provide, one that is flexible enough to deal with real-life issues as they happen. Using a vari-

ety of programs, they have created variations on a problem-solving room (e.g., a crisis room) as preventive or

remedial parts of school discipline systems. Here are some examples:

The Solution Room:

“A s a f e t y n e t f o r k i d s i s b e i n g a b l e t o g o t h e r e w h e n t h e y a r e i n t r o u b l e t o w o r k o u t t h e i r

problems. Kids even come to the room on their own—they are taking responsibility and want to fix up what

they have done wrong.”

The Reading Room:

“The Reading Room is run by the principal every day as part of her commitment to devel-

oping relationships with students who have problems regulating their behavior. Because students often come

to the room upset, children read first to distract them, calm themselves down, and get them ready to problem

solve. They are required to stay in the room for three recess periods, so that they will feel the weight of the

problem. The time also allows the principal to develop a rapport with the students who need her help the

most.”

The Thinking Corner:

“Books on social skills are available for students to read and reflect on. A 3rd grade boy

about to fight goes into the Thinking Room and reads the book,

I’m Always in Trouble

(developed by the Raising

Healthy Children program). He tells Carol (a staff member visiting the room) that the book says how to “use

my words and not my fists.” Next he takes Carol though the book to show the points that he thought were im-

portant. Then he returns to his group—he was able to manage his mood!”

Social Problem-Solving (SPS) Computer Lab:

“Kids go to the SPS Lab when they are referred by a teacher

or counselor or if they want a place to work out trouble they have gotten into or to think about a problem or de-

cision in their life. Using the Student Conflict Manager/Personal Problem-Solving Guide computer program,

they go through the same SPS steps as they are learning in class. They make an action plan, and we do some

role playing. For tougher problems or more resistant kids, we spend time first on feelings, using drawing mate-

rials as well as the computer.”

Other variations include the “Problem-Solving Lunch” and the Problem-Solving Room at the Children’s Institute

(where out-of-control children with severe social and emotional problems can go to use the social problem-solv-

ing method to understand what happened to them, manage their strong feelings, solve whatever problems

have been created, and plan to keep out of similar trouble in the future). At the Primary Mental Health Project,

Child Associates who usually see children as part of the program also take on kids in crisis, to give them some-

one to talk to who is not involved. Some Associates go to classrooms first thing in the morning after kids have

been disruptive the prior day, to check in and help them get off to a good start. Common features include hav-

ing students stay for more than one visit and having adults other than teachers (such as college students,

aides, trained volunteers) work with the students (except those with pre-existing SEL deficits).

—Based on interviews with those implementing the Social Development Program/Raising Healthy Children in

Washington, the Social Decision Making and Problem Solving Program in New Jersey, and the Primary Mental

Health Project in New York.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

lum. Students are taught how to monitor

their thinking, and how they make choices

in solving academic problems in various sub-

ject areas such as math, science, and lan-

guage arts. Students are then taught to

transfer the skills they learn and employ

them in solving academic problems and solv-

ing social problems. This transfer of learning

is supplemented and reinforced through spe-

cially designed social problem-solving

group activities, including different types of

cooperative learning. Teachers also receive

training in teaching higher-order and critical

thinking skills and in helping students trans-

fer these skills to social situations.

Students are given assignments to use their

critical-thinking and problem-solving skills

in social situations within and outside of the

school setting. They record notes about the

situations in which they problem solve, and

are asked to describe the critical thinking

and problem-solving skills they use to solve

the social dilemmas they face. They report

back to class on their experiences and re-

ceive feedback from their teachers and peers.

The link between academic learning and SEL is

one of the more important aspects of coordinating

and integrating SEL into the life of the school. Pro-

grams should be selected that can be implemented

in ways that enhance students’ overall perform-

ance in school, including their academic achieve-

ment. Time devoted to SEL programs may in fact

reinforce and enhance academic learning, and

therefore should not be perceived as detracting

from academic attention and focus. The reverse is

also true. Academic focus is not perceived as un-

dermining or negating the importance of SEL, but

as embracing, reinforcing, and validating it. The ex-

tent to which this reciprocity and synergy is

achieved has much to do with how well SEL pro-

grams are conceptualized, coordinated, and inte-

grated with academic activities.

SEL activities and information that are fully in-

tegrated into regular classroom activities are

taught primarily during the regular school day.

Other SEL activities that are very much a part of

the school improvement plan, although not taught

as part of regular classroom lessons, add important

learning experiences. These instructions are pre-

sented at special periods during the school day, or

before or after school hours. After-school programs

or class field trips offer opportunities to both intro-

duce and reinforce SEL skills and to experiment

with methods (such as adventure-based learning

exercises) not suited to the classroom or school

yard. In these settings, students may also have the

opportunity to practice SEL skills with a different

group of peers or with mixed ages that broaden

their experience and confidence in SEL applica-

tions. Evening programs that bring together par-

ents and students are also effective ways to

reinforce SEL instruction. The goals and objectives

of these after-school activities should be clearly ar-

ticulated and in agreement with the goals of the

school improvement plan. As much as possible, the

most effective after-school SEL activities are linked

to in-school activities so that students are able to

connect them with the important learning that oc-

curs during regular school hours.

Aligning with District Goals

UIDELINE

▼

SEL programs that are most clearly aligned with

district goals and that have the support of the dis-

trict administration are most likely to succeed.

Rationale

Although it is desirable for schools to have

some autonomy in identifying and developing SEL

programs, it is also important for the programs

they select to be consistent with district goals, poli-

cies, and overall school improvement strategies. In-

creasingly, state core curriculum standards also

must be consulted (see Figure 1.4 in Chapter 1).

Such alignments reduce the probability of political,

legal, and ethical conflicts, while increasing the

probability of central office support.

Creating the Context for Social and Emotional Learning

Implications and Applications

When planning to introduce an SEL program

to a school, it is a good idea for the staff to check

with the central office to see what, if any, SEL initia-

tives are planned for the district or exist in other

schools in the district. Likewise, staff should inves-

tigate any new state or federal initiatives (e.g., Safe

and Drug Free Schools). Local policy guidelines

relevant to SEL programs also need to be exam-

ined. This information guides decisions about

which programs to select or modify and how

best to prepare and engage students, parents, and

the community in planning and introducing a

program.

Not surprisingly, the more aligned an SEL pro-

gram is with district goals, the more likely the pro-

gram is to receive needed resources. For example,

many districts support nonviolent conflict resolu-

tion programs but may not identify nonviolent con-

flict resolution among its priorities for a given year.

There may be no funding available for special

speakers, staff development, and materials to sup-

port a conflict resolution program, especially one

that is integrated with classroom procedures. On

the other hand, a “tele-mentoring” program may

fit better with a district’s goals, and though it may

require installation of more computers, purchase of

expensive software, special training, and allocation

of additional computer time beyond the regular

school day, the central office may be more suppor-

tive of this program. Of course, costly programs

that require significant expenditures, though in

line with the district’s goals, may not be supported

XAMPLE

ISTRICTWIDE

UPPORT

TRENGTHENS

SEL P

ROGRAMS

In the School Development Program, participating schools learn a process for school management and reform,

but the specific actions and steps are left to the school teams to define. Each of the schools must develop a

plan, and the process of developing this plan helps the staff realize their school’s critical needs. We structure

our training and meetings so that each site can learn about other schools’ programs and activities. Doing so en-

courages freedom and flexibility among participants to make decisions based on what is best for a particular

school. We want them to have the kinds of experiences that will enable them to get started once we give them

the tools.

—Lystra Richardson, School Development Program

Each school must send representatives to a workshop. The first week is a “101" training experience explaining

what the program is and how to try things out at home. Usually schools send the principal. In February, the

”102" training occurs. That is when we talk about the process—how did it work and how did it feel? The schools

will send other people, like school psychologists, parents, community members, board members, or mental

health professionals, depending on their needs. The school teams are from 10 to 15 different areas. The teams,

representing a diversity of experience, are put into adult learning teams. We use the week to share ideas, solve

problems together, and experience consensus, collaboration, and enthusiasm. Participants concentrate on

teaching the community, students, parents, and school staff when they get back home. We do a lot of follow-

up: post-training discussions, retreats, site visits to other districts, and special kick-off events. We also have a

Web page and a video series and send out a newsletter three to four times a year to share the schools’ stories.

—Valerie Maholmes

School Development Program

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

due to limited funds.

The alignment of an SEL program with the

school district’s policies, goals, and priorities is im-

portant also from the perspective of longevity and

survival. The more aligned the SEL program is

with the district’s priorities, the more likely it is to

be sustained during times of budget and program

cuts, and during staff reassignments and turnover.

How is SEL alignment achieved? First, review

district goals in the areas of student academic and

psychosocial development, and select programs

that at least do not contradict or conflict with those

goals. Second, develop program goals that match

or complement district goals. Third, in implement-

ing SEL programs, draw upon training resources

provided by the central office, including staff devel-

opment and student development opportunities.

The Role of Home and School

Collaboration

UIDELINE

▼

When home and school collaborate closely to

implement SEL programs, students gain more and

the SEL program’s effects are most enduring and

pervasive.

Rationale

The most important part of a young person’s

community is the family. There is strong evidence

to suggest that when home and school collaborate,

programs tend to have many more positive out-

comes that last for longer periods of time (Haynes

and Comer 1996, Walberg 1984). Students are more

likely to adopt positive standards if the standards

of school, home, and community are clear and con-

sistent (Gottfredson, Gottfredson, and Hybl 1993;

Hawkins, Catalano, et al. 1992). Therefore, many

educators have discovered the benefits of bringing

family members into the process of social and emo-

tional skill building with family homework assign-

ments, letters describing current topics, invitations

to observe class lessons, and actual instruction on

how parents can use the techniques with their chil-

dren. The impact is even greater if the same frame-

work is used by family members, daycare

providers, clergy, local police officers, and recrea-

tional supervisors.

Implications and Applications

Parents and guardians are often eager and

willing to participate in efforts which they perceive

to be in their children’s best interests. In selecting,

introducing, and implementing SEL programs, par-

ents and guardians should be informed of program

goals and program components as well as how

these elements are to be implemented. There

XAMPLE

ARENTS’

IGHT

In Kentucky, a visit to the Child Development Pro-

ject (CDP) showed us how the project incorpo-

rates parent involvement through workshops.

Tickets are donated from a local show and given

away to parents who attend. On Family Science

Nights interactive displays in every classroom,

developed by the children, engage their parents’

interest. Another example is Read Aloud Nights.

A CDP book is chosen, and after it is read to the

whole group, there is a dialogue between the

kids and parents in small groups. After one of

these nights, a dad told his child’s 4th grade

teacher that he “had not been read to in 20

years.” Mary Beth Lykins gives her kindergarten

students a take-home activity: “Ask your parents,

What is the story of how I got my name?” She

sends home a worksheet, and then each child

presents his or her story to the class. The class

applauds after each one.

Creating the Context for Social and Emotional Learning

should also be clearly defined roles for parents. In-

volving parents in supportive roles, as well as mak-

ing them active participants in planning and

implementing some SEL activities, is often helpful

in bridging the gap that sometimes exists between

the expectations of home and the demands of

school (Meadows 1993). Specifically, parents and

guardians may

•

Serve with staff and students as members of

planning and management teams to help identify,

select, and develop SEL programs.

•

Actively participate in programs designed to

encourage parents and students to work together

on specific projects.

•

Serve as instructors or co-instructors with

teachers and other parents for specific SEL curricu-

lar components and activities.

•

Provide logistical and material support in the

form of fund-raising efforts and other material con-

tributions that make SEL activities possible.

•

Mentor individual students or groups of

students.

•

Act as SEL liaisons to community groups and

agencies, representing the interests of the school

and students, and gaining community support for

SEL activities through creating newsletters and

sponsoring SEL-related events.

Second Step, a popular prevention program, in-

cludes take-home videotapes about the curriculum

that can be circulated among families. They demon-

strate the program elements their children are

learning at school and show how the principles

can be used by parents at home. Teachers have

been enthusiastic about this method of communi-

cating with families who may not typically attend

curriculum nights (Ramsey and Beland, 1996).

Evening programs that bring together students

and parents are also effective methods for expand-

ing and reinforcing SEL instruction. The middle

school at Crossroads School for the Arts and Sci-

ences in Santa Monica, California, invites parents

for a “Life Skills Evening” early in the semester.

Parents meet with their child’s teacher for some in-

troductory remarks about the curriculum and

methodology, and are then given an opportunity to

experience some of the same SEL methods their

children participate in. The teacher takes them

through a playful warm-up exercise designed to

help them feel comfortable and attentive. Then,

they sample an approach their children are experi-

encing: a sharing circle. Parents are asked: “What

do you find challenging about raising an 8th

grader, and what do you find is working well for

you?” They are given the right to pass, just as their

children are in their classrooms. Parents appreciate

being able to both speak about and listen to an-

swers to such questions—and learn that the same

is true for their children in SEL activities.

An added benefit of parent outreach is that it

reduces parental opposition that sometimes arises

when parents are not aware of the content of SEL

programs. A program with devoutly religious par-

ents and educators showed that some had negative

reactions to specific lesson titles; their reservations

disappeared when they read the entire lesson. One

parent, for example, was concerned by a lesson ti-

tled “Self-Talk.” The lesson instructs students to

gather their resources in challenging circumstances

by telling themselves, “Calm down. I can handle

this.” After reading the lesson, the parent com-

mented that he actually agreed with everything in

the lesson. “As a religious person, I would take it

one step further in our school, and suggest that

children think of relevant scripture for inspira-

tion.” Many parents are gratified to learn that SEL

programs encourage students to consider family

rules and expectations when evaluating possible

solutions to a problem. The way SEL programs im-

prove academic learning is also of interest to most

parents (see Guideline 10).

Overall, benefits accrue when parents let their

children know through words and actions that

they support an SEL program. In addition, the

home and school connection is strengthened

through the careful planning of SEL activities that

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

students can practice at home with siblings and

parents. The Social Development Research Project

fosters this aspect by having a Home-School Coor-

dinator in its Seattle sites, serving as a bridge be-

tween parents and teachers and between

classroom SEL lessons and desired home follow-

through.

The Value of Securing Community

Involvement and Support

UIDELINE

▼

Adequate community involvement in and support

for SEL programs enhances their effects.

Rationale

The school is part of the community in which

it is located and should be connected to the rest of

the community in meaningful and helpful ways. It

is widely acknowledged that community involve-

ment in, and support for, SEL programs is essential

for these programs to be maximally successful. The

actions of the school are enhanced when it engages

the wider community in its work of educating and

developing the community’s children.

Implications and Applications

A fundamental premise of the School Develop-

ment Program and the “Comer Process” is that

schools must have some organized link to the rest

of the community. Ideally, these links include a par-

ent-teacher organization, a school improvement

team that includes representation from the wider

community, a representative on the school board, a

mental health team to address both normative and

event-triggered social and emotional issues, and

membership on a communitywide steering com-

mittee. These various linkages provide the synergy

necessary to ensure that SEL programs reflect the

skills, attitudes, and values that are priorities in the

community. Other means to engage the commu-

nity include school newsletters and newspapers,

mailed notices, public service announcements in

the media, public testimonies at meetings and pub-

lic hearings, and openness to visits from commu-

nity members.

The community can be involved in supporting

the school’s SEL program in several ways:

•

Community agencies, businesses, and organi-

zations can provide opportunities for students to

participate in community-based projects in which

students learn and develop civic responsibility and

altruistic attitudes in providing service to others.

•

Organizations can make financial and other

material resources available in sponsorship or sup-

port of SEL programs.

•

Community organizations may provide

guest presenters to give special talks and lectures,

and have mentors work with students and staff on

SEL projects.

•

Individuals in the community may volunteer

time to assist with or complement the implementa-

tion of SEL activities.

The Peacebuilders Program, based in Tucson,

Arizona, arranges with the local news station to

have a two- to three-minute spot each week to pub-

licly congratulate the district’s “Peacebuilders of

the Week.” Also, the local cable access station pub-

lishes their names, and local papers regularly cover

program activities. For decades, the Primary Men-

tal Health Project has used volunteers from the

communities in its hundreds of sites to serve as tu-

tors and companions to young elementary-school

students at risk for poor socialization and aca-

demic skills. Efforts at whole-community involve-

ment can be assisted by including adult

stakeholders in training opportunities. Daycare

providers, volunteer coaches, recreation workers,

police officers, and parents have been trained in

the same social problem-solving approach that is

used in schools in Somerville, Summit, and

Berkeley Heights, New Jersey.

Creating the Context for Social and Emotional Learning

Summary

Schools are not mere buildings. They are contexts

that impart important socialization messages to

children. If they are inviting, empowering, nurtur-

ing, and competence-enhancing, then the students

in them will see themselves as important and be-

lieve that their future matters. But that isn’t suffi-

cient. Students also need the social and emotional

skills to handle the challenges of learning and liv-

ing in modern society. When SEL programs impart

those skills in a context that’s supportive, in which

SEL programs are well coordinated and integrated

into the academic and social life of the school, stu-

dents understand that these skills matter and can

help them in all facets of life. The approach to SEL

selection, planning, and implementation should be

informed by the awareness that student empower-

ment, school district support, home and school col-

laboration, and community support and involve-

ment increase the durability, longevity, and prob-

ability of success for school programs in general

and SEL programs in particular.

XAMPLE

UILDING

OUR

UTURE

OGETHER:

ENIOR

ITIZENS

ILL

MOTIONAL

OID

Dr. John Conyers, Superintendent of Community Consolidated School District #15, serving eight municipalities

in Northwestern Cook County (Illinois), encourages a number of initiatives in his schools that build social and

emotional learning. But perhaps the most special of these involves senior citizens.

Senior Exchange

gives residents over age 55 an opportunity to help the schools while also

earning money to pay the portion of their property tax that supports District 15. . . . They work in

computer labs, resource centers, lunchrooms, school offices, and classrooms. . . . More than one

participant has told us that the opportunity to contribute has “saved my life.”

The

Generations Exchange

program finds more informal ways to bring senior citizens into the schools.

A “Foster Grandparents program,” says Conyers, links unrelated children and seniors in a simulated grandpar-

ent-grandchild relationship.” The idea came up when, on a Grandparents’ Day, educators realized how few

grandparents the students had contact with. “Over the years,” Conyers continues, “this program has proven to

be a wonderful experience of love, sharing, and compassion for both kids and seniors.”

Other programs, like

Computer Friends

, have direct academic benefits. During a computer project involv-

ing a simulated trek on the Oregon Trail, students wondered why their senior volunteer was giving them so

many detailed suggestions. “One boy turned to her and demanded, “How do you know so much?” “My great-

grandmother was on the Oregon Trail. . . . I have her letters about experiences during the trip.” Later she

shared the letters with the students.

—cf. Conyers (1996)

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Introducing and Sustaining Social and

Emotional Education

UTTING IT ALL TOGETHER IS THE PROBLEM, NOT

pioneering it. The technology and skills for

teaching SEL are there. It’s just a matter of

implementing them.

—A. Dirk Hightower

Primary Mental Health Project

Rochester, New York

Starting a new program—whether it is a lan-

guage program, science program, or SEL pro-

gram—can be exciting, but it is also difficult. The

same is true when we change some procedures

and approaches from those traditionally used in

our classroom or school. We wonder, what exactly

is this “innovation” supposed to look like? How

will the students react? How will I or the other peo-

ple carrying it out feel about it? How will it fit with

other things being done?

There are many ways to think about these

questions. We have tried, throughout this book, to

give real, tangible examples, based on recent feed-

back and experiences, to help readers get a sense of

the look and feel of social and emotional skill-

building activities. And in Appendix C, we provide

contact information about sites that readers can

call and visit if they want to talk with people who

are actively implementing high-quality SEL pro-

grams or if they want to see them in action.

In this chapter, we present the most important

considerations in carrying out SEL programs in

three stages: selecting and piloting a program, ex-

panding the program, and creating conditions that

ensure long-term success.

Later we also describe

roadblocks and obstacles at each of these stages,

along with specific examples of how to overcome

them.

Selecting and Starting a Pilot

Program

UIDELINE

▼

In selecting a specific SEL program, educators

must consider identified local needs, goals, inter-

ests, and mandates; staff skills; preexisting efforts;

the nature of instructional procedures; the quality

of materials; the developmental appropriateness of

the program; and its respect for diversity.

Through CASEL, resource materials and, where available, video re-

sources may be obtained that provide examples of programs in action or

of techniques being used.

We ha ve f oc us ed o n inf orm at io n de ri ve d from p ro gr ams t hat h av e dem -

onstrated their effects through research, and especially those operating

for at least several years outside of a demonstration project context. For

specific, detailed elaboration on the ideas in this chapter, see Huberman

and Miles (1984); Lippit et al. (1985); Hord et al. (1987); Zins (1992); Elias

and Clabby (1992); Hawkins, Catalano, et al. (1993); Consortium on the

School-Based Promotion of Social Competence (1994); McElhaney (1995);

and Miller, Brodine, and Miller (1996).

Rationale

You should feel comfortable asking certain

questions about SEL approaches, whether they are

procedures for use in individual classrooms such

as The Responsive Classroom, programs targeted

for specific grade levels such as PATHS, or school-

wide models such as the Child Development Pro-

ject. It will be increasingly necessary to ask these

questions because we anticipate a growing number

of slickly packaged, well-marketed efforts at build-

ing students’ “emotional intelligence.” Most of

these will be untested and provide inadequate

guidance for clear implementation. Such programs

are unlikely to endure or to produce genuine and

generalizable skills gains, especially for students

who are disadvantaged and may have learning

difficulties.

Implications and Applications

With the considerations just noted in mind,

here is a set of questions to help guide your pro-

gram selection:

•

What is out there, and how does it match up

with what you already do, needs you have identi-

fied, your goals, and staff skills needed to carry it

out? Any program carried out only during a desig-

nated “program time” is unlikely to have long-last-

ing or far-reaching effects.

•

How does the program or approach assume

children learn and change? A theoretical frame-

work gives educators a way of addressing particu-

lar situations and needs not explicitly addressed

by the program materials.

•

How well targeted is it to the appropriate de-

velopmental period(s)? Although it may seem obvi-

ous that SEL efforts are more likely to be successful

when characterized by instruction that is appropri-

ate to students’ developmental levels, too many

programs overlook this consideration.

•

What is the quality of the materials? The

most effective materials are clear, up-to-date, en-

gaging, user-friendly, fun, and adequate in supply

or accessibility.

•

How does the program address diversity, in-

cluding cultural and learning differences? Diver-

sity requires explicit consideration because of the

increasing heterogeneity of today’s classrooms. A

diverse SEL program is one that is sensitive, rele-

vant, appropriate, and responsive with regard not

only to cultural matters, but also the ethnicity, gen-

der, physical challenges, and socioeconomics of stu-

dents served, as well as of the faculty and staff

carrying out the program. Its procedures go be-

yond awareness to include an embracing and ap-

preciation of differences (Banks 1992; Gager, Kress,

and Elias 1996).

A special word should be said about preexist-

ing SEL efforts. The most potent are current class-

room and school rules and discipline systems.

Others include the health/family life education

curriculum and any other SEL programs in place

(or those recently tried and discarded). These are

all powerful forms of SEL instruction. Their impli-

cations for selecting new SEL programs and plan-

ning their implementation must be given extensive

thought. There is no evidence of an SEL program

that has endured where it has not “fit” within its

school or district, even if piloted successfully on a

short-term, limited basis.

UIDELINE

▼

SEL activities and programs are best introduced as

pilot programs.

Rationale

Getting started is exciting, but it is also hard,

even when enthusiasm and inspiration are our al-

lies. A pilot program allows a school to start small.

Veteran principal Tom Schuyler of New Jersey says

it best: “If a pilot works out well, great! You now

can continue into a larger program. If the pilot

doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean the entire SEL idea

has to be thrown out. After all, it is just a pilot.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Who would expect a great success the first time

out? We can learn from a pilot, and then we can pi-

lot again.” Tom also points out that a pilot allows

implementers to place less pressure on themselves.

They have some room for miscues, false starts, and

finding their style.

Implications and Applications

Piloting doesn’t mean just getting started. Plan-

ning is essential, because the seeds of future SEL ef-

forts are being sown by what one does in the

present. Veterans of successful pilots recommend

the following:

•

Be focused

on the positives, on what you have

to gain from doing this activity and the benefits

that your efforts can bring to the children you care

about so much.

•

Be clear

about what you want to do. Articu-

late a set of goals that are specific, reasonable, and

measurable, using indicators that make sense to

you and your colleagues.

• Be prepared.

Don’t jump into this effort lightly.

Make sure you have the needed resources (finan-

cial and otherwise), that you have done your home-

work in planning for this effort, and that everyone

who needs to be on board is, in fact, on board.

Clearly, an increasing amount of preparation is

needed as one’s efforts involve a larger number of

classrooms or schools.

•

Be predictable.

The importance of regularity

and predictability for students cannot be overesti-

mated. Students tend to feel most comfortable

when there is a regularly scheduled and adhered-

to time for SEL activities. During periods in which

no formal instruction is planned, students benefit

from regular reviews of SEL principles so they

know that SEL ideas and skills still apply and are

relevant to their behavior.

• Be integrative

and link the SEL effort with

other subject areas, including at least one basic aca-

demic subject. This effort will help ensure that SEL

is not perceived as an add-on.

• Be ready to reinforce.

Plan ways for specific ac-

tivities or lessons to get extended and reinforced

beyond their specific presentation. To enhance gen-

eralization, incorporate strategies to change the en-

vironment in which children function so that the

culture encourages and rewards the use of new

skills and promotes their generalization; this out-

come is much more likely to happen with efforts

that occur during all or much of the school year.

Beyond these guidelines, there is great consen-

sus that it is advantageous to have access to tangi-

ble examples of successful efforts at building SEL

skills. Throughout this book and in Appendix C,

we have tried to provide as many of these as possi-

ble. In this section, the applications are largely

cross-references to earlier examples. While far from

exhaustive, they provide starting and comparison

points for examining the ever-increasing volume of

materials being produced in this area.

Expanding the Pilot Program

Once you have shepherded a pilot project through

its initial run-through, you may well want to re-

peat what you have done, just to get a better sense

of it, improve it further, or tailor it to some popula-

tion that you feel could have learned more.

This stage is one that relatively few programs

reach. There are many reasons for this reality, in-

cluding changes in key personnel, shifts in district

goals, and failures to keep programs responsive to

changing student, educator, and community needs.

Time and again, program expansion has appeared

easier than it actually is. Difficulties at this stage

may sabotage a promising beginning. Therefore,

the guidelines for this section are strong statements

designed to prevent truly promising efforts from

self-destructing.

Introducing and Sustaining Social and Emotional Education

UIDELINE

▼

Professional development and supervision are im-

portant at all levels.

Rationale

Preparation and ongoing support for carrying

out the program are best provided by well-

prepared instructors who receive high-quality

supervision and engage in ongoing staff develop-

ment (e.g., coaching, supervision, mentoring, col-

laboration, planning). Of special importance is

professional development in the area of providing

a safe environment in which children can express

their feelings. Administrators must be prepared to

understand the program at all levels: to provide

support, coaching, and supervision; to participate

in planning; and to seek out appropriate outside

guidance for the program.

UIDELINE

▼

Be clear about your planning process and your

view of how programs expand successfully in your

setting.

Rationale

Expanding the program is easier when it is

guided by a clear approach to planning, implemen-

tation, management, and evaluation based on an

underlying theory or model of change, and when

adequate and ongoing administrative support is

available. Identifying expectations and responsibili-

ties for everyone involved, from parents and teach-

ers’ aides to the superintendent and other

administrators to community members is impor-

tant. The school board has a role as program sup-

porter and, perhaps, funds provider; cultivating its

support should be a proactive task. Calhoun (1993)

provides an excellent overview of an action re-

search model that teachers, principals, or district

administrators can use to plan, monitor, and con-

tinuously improve SEL efforts (see also Elias and

Clabby 1992, Kelly 1987, Kusche and Greenberg

1994).

UIDELINE

▼

An SEL program or approach that addresses a

wide range of life skills and problem prevention ar-

eas tends to have the most impact.

Rationale

For a program to take hold beyond the pilot

stage, it must be linked with an array of skills, con-

cerns, and specific topics that educators believe stu-

dents must master. An SEL approach that serves as

an umbrella for related issues within a common

framework is most likely to be seen as useful and

therefore accepted more broadly. Comprehensive

SEL efforts

•

Integrate and incorporate cognitive, affective,

and behavioral skills.

•

Reflect a coherent set of attitudes and values

applicable to a variety of situations.

•

Address

specific

topics, such as alcohol, to-

bacco, drugs, violence, and AIDS.

•

Address

generic

topics, such as problem

solving, social skills, stress management, and

communication skills.

UIDELINE

▼

Allow the necessary time and support for the pro-

gram to strengthen and grow.

Rationale

People tend to rush into implementation or to

try to share materials or in other ways cut corners

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

XAMPLE

MPORTANCE

NGOING

ROFESSIONAL

EVELOPMENT

AND

UPPORT:

DVICE

FROM

EADERS

ITE

-V

ISITED

ROGRAMS

The teachers are quick to say that the students’ problems are from the parents—but they really have to realize

that they make such a difference in just being a good teacher to these kids—it is almost like being a surrogate

parent. We want to make sure the teachers are teaching in the very best ways with the very best skills in order

to effectively build that protective environment for kids. That protective environment can prevent those things

leading to delinquency and drop out.

—Kevin Haggerty

Social Development Research Group

An SEL program like PMHP [Primary Mental Health Program] is a constant growth cycle for everyone involved.

Yo u c o n s t a n t l y h av e t o n u r tu r e a n d v a l i d a t e . I f yo u d o n ’ t d o t h a t , t h e e f f e c t i v e n e s s w i l l s l i p a w a y.

—William Haffey

Monroe County, New York,

Board of Cooperative Services

Primary Mental Health Program

The challenge of institutionalizing SEL programs in the schools is that there is the problem of adult learners,

where it is difficult for them to immediately embrace the new teaching methods of SEL. The administration has

to motivate the whole staff over a long period of time. They have to talk with the teachers, [show] that it is a de-

velopmental process to take some risks and let down some control in the classroom.

—Darlene DeMattia, Principal

Watsessing School, Bloomfield, New Jersey,

Social Decision Making and Problem Solving

An SEL program needs to grow with the changes of the society around it. It is good to provide ongoing educa-

tion in order to promote constant development. It is not necessary to change the program, but the people in-

volved in implementing the program need to adjust to new problems that develop. You have to keep

progressing.

—Karen Bachelder, Executive Director

Committee for Children

Seattle, Washington

Introducing and Sustaining Social and Emotional Education

as a program expands. These actions are the

equivalent of withholding water from a newly sod-

ded lawn. For programs to take hold, a few condi-

tions are essential:

•

Sufficient time must be allocated to deliver

the program on a consistent and frequent basis and

to coordinate efforts.

•

Adequate materials must be available.

•

Organizational support must be provided.

•

The teaching of the program must cover all

or much of the school year.

•

Implementation must span multiple years

without gaps in instruction.

UIDELINE

▼

Systematically involving students who are receiv-

ing special education helps build a cohesive pro-

gram climate and increases generalization of

learned skills to situations students encounter in

daily living.

XAMPLE

AVIN G

EGARD

FOR

NE’S

ROFESSIONAL

NTEGRITY

On the wall in a staff lounge in a Jewish Day

School where SEL is taught:

Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua taught: The

dignity of your student should be as

precious to you as your own. The dig-

nity of your colleague should be as

precious to you as your reverence for

your teacher. The reverence for your

teacher should be as great as your

reverence for God.

—Pirke Avot, “Ethics of the Fathers,”

Chapter 4, Verse 15

This wisdom dates back many centuries and

shows that from a high regard for one’s own pro-

fessional integrity, benefits flow to one’s col-

leagues, mentors, and students—and to oneself.

XAMPLE

RINCIPLES

UIDE

SEL P

ROGRAM

EVELOPMENT

James Kelly’s (1987) social-ecological approach

has been used by many schools to implement

programs to improve students’ social and emo-

tional well-being. Here are Kelly’s principles to

guide program development:

1. People, settings, and events are resources for

program development.

2. Resources must be identified and carefully

used.

3. Emphasize the activating qualities of people,

settings, and events.

4. Coping and adaptation are the dominant

means of growth and change.

5. Systemic events and processes must be

understood.

6. Consider how people and settings are in dy-

namic interaction.

7. Assess people, settings, and events over time.

8. Programs succeed as relationships are

formed.

9. Attend to any side effects of establishing a

program.

10. Program development is a flexible, improvisa-

tional process.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Rationale

A classroom or a school is a community. When

individuals are excluded, intentionally or not, the

community is diminished. On the other hand,

when ways can be found to involve all members

of a community, everyone gains. In essence, the

group’s “emotional quotient”—its EQ—rises

dramatically.

Students who are disadvantaged are the least

well equipped to navigate and somehow reconcile

loopholes and gaps in the instruction they receive.

Continuity is important. Therefore, SEL should be

provided consistently to students in special educa-

tion, either in inclusive or self-contained class-

rooms, as is most appropriate. Where needed,

additional skill development opportunities can be

provided (see Guidelines 11 and 12).

Relevance for Long-Term

Implementation

How long is “long-term implementation” of a par-

ticular program? The answer is something less

than a lifetime but greater than two or three years.

It is well recognized that once an innovation is in-

troduced, it typically requires 18 months to three

years (depending on the innovation’s complexity)

for all parties to understand, adapt, and own it

(Hord, Rutherford, Huling-Austin, and Hall 1987).

The following guidelines apply in particular to

creating enduring efforts to promote SEL. They

build on successful attainment of the guidelines

presented up to this point. But the concept here is

dynamic, rather than static. What a program is ac-

complishing, what its goals are, and what exactly

the program needs to consist of are matters that

merit frequent reconsideration, in what we call

a spirit of continuous improvement.

Sometimes this

means that an innovation can no longer be modi-

fied sufficiently to reach desired goals. In that case,

another innovation may be needed.

UIDELINE

▼

To foster long-term commitment, it is helpful to

have a designated program coordinator, social de-

velopment facilitator, or a social and emotional de-

velopment committee. Committees typically are

responsible for seeing that the various activities

needed to effectively meet program goals are car-

ried out. They monitor SEL-related efforts inside

and outside the school.

UIDELINE

▼

Long-lasting SEL programs are highly visible and

recognized. These programs “act proud” and are

not “snuck in” or carried out on unofficially “bor-

rowed” time. They do not act in opposition to

school or district goals, but rather are integral to

these goals.

UIDELINE

▼

Effective SEL approaches use portfolios, exhibi-

tions, fairs, group presentations, and print and

electronic media both inside and outside of school

to invite participation and encourage the involve-

ment and commitment of the larger community. By

using a variety of approaches, SEL programs ex-

tend the reach of the program beyond formal

school and classroom settings, and reach out to

bring others in.

UIDELINE

▼

The longer a program is in place, the more it will

have to be adapted to changing circumstances. Im-

plementation must be monitored and the program’s

outcomes evaluated regularly.

Introducing and Sustaining Social and Emotional Education

Rationale, Implications, and Applications

for Guidelines 30–33

In the school, coordination requires that SEL ef-

forts be linked explicitly to any school health/fam-

ily life education program; to special services,

whether for at-risk or classified youngsters; and to

any relevant local, state, and federal policies (such

as Family Life Education, Safe and Drug Free

Schools and Communities, or Workplace Readi-

ness legislation). An individual or group needs to

have clear responsibility and authority for ensur-

ing that this coordination takes place.

Another responsibility includes any gradual

but systematic plans to expand SEL efforts and in-

form others about them, an activity associated with

program longevity. Typically, this endeavor first in-

volves sharing and discussion within a grade level,

then with adjacent grade levels, next with other

schools, and finally at the district level. At the

same time, parallel discussions are held with par-

ents and the community to ensure that they under-

stand the nature of the social and emotional

learning that is occurring. The key concept is that

XAMPLE

ESPONSIBILITIES

OCIAL

EVELOPMENT

OORDINATOR

At the Children’s Institute—a private school in Livingston, New Jersey, that specializes in working with students

who are emotionally disturbed and display conduct disordered behavior—the role of Social Development Coor-

dinator was created to bring together SEL efforts in the school. These included Social Decision Making and

Problem Solving, Skillstreaming, a problem solving/crisis intervention room, infusion of social decision making

into academics, and social skills groups run by the social work staff. The Coordinator provided this summary of

her role:

1. O r g a n i ze a n d i m p l e m e n t s t r u c t u r a l framework of the schoolwide program:

•

convene, organize Social Development

•

maintain chart of skills being worked on across

Committee classes

•

schedule and chair staff sharing meetings

•

maintain lesson binders

•

coordinate and share classroom schedules

•

encourage schoolwide use of posters with

terminology

2. Train new and current staff members:

•

orientation and follow-up

•

advanced SPS workshops and collaborations

•

learn from one another

3. Extend the program into the children’s homes:

•

parent workshops

•

learn-a-thon

•

information booklets

•

Children’s Institute Social Development newspapers

•

host a Social Development Day (staff, students)

4. Motivate staff:

•

minimize paperwork

•

implement program in existing curriculum areas

•

keep exciting materials available

•

get them involved

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

of a gradual but systematic sharing of information

and opportunities to become involved in the effort.

It includes providing tangible examples of SEL ac-

tivities and applications for school personnel,

school board members, parents, and other commu-

nity members to see. Increasingly, print and elec-

tronic newsletters and Web sites will contribute to

these efforts.

A retired school principal in New Jersey with

nearly two decades of experience implementing so-

cial and emotional learning programs was initially

resistant to any kind of program evaluation. He

eventually embraced it, stating that we have an

ethical responsibility to be clear about the indica-

tors we believe will reflect the impact of programs,

expected implementation actions, and boundaries,

past which program tampering, bending, and ero-

sion will undermine its integrity. He believes that

these considerations are as vital for the individual

classroom teacher as they are for grade-level, build-

XAMPLE

NSTITUTIONALIZING

SEL P

ROGRAMS

Many programs focus exclusively on academic achievement. We attempt first to create a school climate that

permits parents and staff to support the overall development of all children in a way that makes academic

achievement and desirable social behavior at an acceptable level both possible and expected. We believe that

such an approach has a much greater potential for improving students’ chances of achieving school success, de-

creasing their likelihood of being involved in problem behaviors, and increasing their chances for life success.

The School Development Program is not a “quick fix,” nor is it an “add on.” It is not just another new activ-

ity to be carried out along with the other experiments and activities already under way in a school. It is a nine-

element process model—three mechanisms, three operations, three guiding principles—that takes significant

time, commitment, and energy to implement. It is a different way of conceptualizing and working in schools

and completely replaces traditional organization and management. All of the activities in a school are managed

through the school development process. And most important, the SDP produces desirable outcomes only af-

ter a cooperative and collaborative spirit exists throughout a school.

—James Comer

School Development Program

New Haven, Connecticut

There is another issue—time. People want to see change within a two- to three-year period because that is

how long board members at the top hold their positions. Administrators should have a much longer perspec-

tive. It might actually take seven to ten years to integrate programs.

—A. Dirk Hightower, Director

Primary Mental Health Project

Yo u c a n h av e t h e b e s t p r o g r a m i n t h e wo r l d , b u t i f t e a c hers cannot teach it well, then what do you have? There

is a need for constant revision, and the capacity as an organization to do so involves ongoing expense and com-

mitment to better the program. You must support it, revise it, and pay attention to ongoing quality, to evaluate

and change the program. People overestimate the simplicity of this.

—Karen Bachelder, Executive Director

Committee for Children

Seattle, Washington

Introducing and Sustaining Social and Emotional Education

ing, or districtwide program implementation. (See

Chapter 7 for a full discussion of the importance of

evaluation.)

Anticipating and Overcoming

Obstacles and Roadblocks

That same New Jersey principal, like so many effec-

tive administrators and teachers, spoke of the need

to “always have your antennae out there, so you

can find out about the early signs of trouble. You

also need people whom you can trust who will let

you know what is really going on.” To formalize

this concern, we introduce Guideline 34.

UIDELINE

▼

Persistence and commitment are essential to over-

coming obstacles that may hinder start-up of the

SEL program and snarl the implementation. Be-

cause problem solving involves the modeling of the

skills that educators are trying to teach students,

the process of resolving issues contributes greatly

to the effectiveness of SEL efforts.

Rationale

There is no innovation without bumps in the

road. Likewise, there is no learning without a bit of

challenge and struggle. All of the programs drawn

upon in this book have been modified in the light

of experience. Programs are always adapted to fit

local conditions—usually in response to a particu-

lar problem or shortcoming.

Nevertheless, the process of encountering and

handling these difficulties can be daunting. One

might be tempted to wonder if the cure is actually

worse than the sickness. Keep in mind that you

will not be the first to travel this challenging road.

To the extent possible, we provide here a bit of a

road map to help you see the twists and turns and

roadblocks likely to appear on your journey. For

this purpose, we draw upon a list of obstacles from

two recent surveys of practitioners of SEL pro-

grams, both of which are available elsewhere for

more in-depth study. The first (Elias 1993) included

teachers, administrators, school psychologists,

guidance counselors, special educators, parent edu-

cators, and mental health professionals with years

of experience implementing SEL programs. The

second was the result of a series of ethnographic

on-site visits of established SEL programs, carried

out by three on-site visitors and a support team at

Rutgers University from September to December

1996 (Elias, Bruene-Butler, Blum, and Schuyler

1997; Appendix C lists the programs visited).

Many concerns about carrying out SEL activi-

ties were raised. Some questions were of a skepti-

cal nature; others reflected hesitation about taking

on this type of work. Some questions addressed nu-

ances in instruction or program administration;

others reflected the need to constantly refine and

improve procedures for reaching the students most

at-risk of failure. In all cases, the message was

clear: Once one is committed to the idea that

schools must provide, as part of their mission, the

conditions that will promote knowledgeable, re-

sponsible, and caring children—with the social and

emotional intelligence needed to fill a variety of

critical life roles—then addressing obstacles be-

comes a question of not “if” but “how.”

Implications and Applications

The guidelines, of course, have been devel-

oped to anticipate many obstacles. Anticipate, how-

ever, does not mean, eliminate. In walking the path

to implementing long-term efforts for building stu-

dents’ social and emotional skills, we will inevita-

bly encounter rough weather, bumpy roads, and

confusing signs. The obstacles and roadblocks that

one is likely to encounter, however, have been

fairly well mapped and can be organized into sev-

eral categories. Within each, we have grouped the

main concerns that emerged in the two surveys.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

100

1. Those concerns most likely to arise, espe-

cially in the beginning, and which most SEL pro-

grams have dealt with effectively.

•

“This is no different from character educa-

tion. Why do we need this?”

•

“Won’t this take time away from important

academics?”

•

“Schools shouldn’t be doing this.”

•

“We already have plenty of programs in self-

esteem, drug prevention, smoking prevention, and

more. We don’t need anything else.”

•

“How does SEL fit in with block scheduling?”

•

“We need decent materials, and they are too

expensive; we will have to cut back or share.”

•

“I would rather not do this; this is what

school psychologists, counselors, or therapists do.”

•

“This will take time away from activities that

will boost test scores.”

The key to dealing with these obstacles is to ad-

dress them openly but intelligently. These make up

the most basic set of concerns, and numerous teach-

ers and administrators have worked past them.

None is insurmountable. For example, SEL clearly

complements academics; the thousands of educa-

tors who implement SEL in the school are neither

crazed nor professionally suicidal. They work in

public and private schools and are cognizant of the

need to have children develop their intellectual

skills. Intelligent preparation means that those em-

barking on SEL efforts need to have contact with

those who have been through the stormy weather

and survived. How did they do it? The closer their

situation is to yours, the more comfortable you

can feel with the solutions. But do not try to pilot

without addressing these obstacles, or you invite

sabotage.

2. The questions that seemed difficult or most

feared at the beginning, but that rarely emerge in

reality and, when they do, can be handled with

minimal difficulty.

•

“This is a way of inculcating the child with

new-age values.”

•

“Teaching values belongs in the home.”

•

“We shouldn’t devote time to building self-

esteem.”

•

“This will compromise family privacy.”

•

“This cannot work because of increasing

numbers of students exhibiting aggression, unkind-

ness, and other troublesome behavior patterns.”

•

“Some kids just will not get it—then what

will we do?”

•

“There is a lack of parent follow-up at home

to support in-school learning, so it cannot work.”

•

“What do I do when a student brings up sen-

sitive personal or family material in a classroom or

group discussion?”

Here, the words of Franklin Roosevelt and

Harry Truman are useful: “We have nothing to fear

but fear itself” and “The buck stops here.” Fear of

these obstacles has paralyzed many educators. SEL

must work in the context of shared values and be

visibly focused on the goals of promoting chil-

dren’s social and emotional skills, ensuring healthy

development, and preparing students for life as

family and community members, active citizens,

and productive members of workplaces—includ-

ing the school. Educators must work toward these

goals. There is room for dialogue about how to do

so. Beginning a pilot program and making modifi-

cations often provide a concrete, action-oriented fo-

cus for such dialogues.

Here again, intelligent preparation will help.

SEL loses ground whenever any poorly con-

structed and inadequately implemented program

without a theoretical and empirical base is carried

out and fails. The bandwagon for building emo-

tional intelligence is still gathering momentum,

and much of the force behind it is economic. The

SEL programs in this book hold family values and

privacy in a cherished position (but not an isolated

one); they are committed, in Robert Slavin’s terms,

to find “success for all”; and they recognize that in

certain circumstances SEL will need to be taught ef-

fectively without active home collaboration. Sadly,

for some students home collaboration is not even

Introducing and Sustaining Social and Emotional Education

101

an option. When the subject is SEL, not reaching a

student means that the student is at high risk for

dangerous interpersonal consequences. In a spirit

of continuous improvement, there must be a com-

mitment to using the problem-solving skills of SEL

to address these obstacles if and when they occur.

Others have done so successfully. Sometimes dan-

gerous curves are not so bad when one drives

slowly, uses caution, and chooses a safe and well-

maintained vehicle.

3. Questions or comments that pose the great-

est problems and require continuous commit-

ment to overcome include the following:

•

Unrealistic expectations—for the time

needed for student skill development; for institu-

tionalizing SEL; for the existence of a magic bullet

or inoculationist approach; for the need to adapt to

ongoing change in students, staff, the community,

and therefore in SEL efforts.

•

Turnover in both teaching staff and admini-

stration, and concerns about how to continue to

train everyone who needs to be trained, especially

after the initial kickoff.

•

Fears that the program won’t continue when

external support is withdrawn or the political

winds change.

•

The current mandated curriculum exceeds

classroom time.

•

Problems with current staff development

models, how to provide ongoing support to imple-

menters, lack of educator training in areas of pre-

vention and SEL.

•

Rushing to judgment about a program, cut-

ting corners, not documenting.

These complex issues are the lot of those com-

mitted to building students’ social and emotional

skills. The best solution is to network with other

implementers and mutually solve problems. Al-

though these are not problems for which “set” solu-

tions can be reached,

they are not uncommon for

anyone working with a comprehensive or schoolwide

program.

Once education becomes explicitly inter-

dependent across grade levels and buildings, obsta-

cles become magnified, and good emotional regula-

tion, self-calming, stress management, and creative

problem-solving skills—the skills we want our chil-

dren to develop—become essential. In many SEL

training programs, these issues would be treated

as part of “advanced” training. Indeed, they may

look a bit difficult. Once you have gotten far

enough down the road to encounter them, you are

likely to have accumulated the savvy to navigate

past them.

Summary

As you embark on the implementation process, it

is important to remember that you are not the first

classroom, school, or district to make this journey.

Learn from other implementation sites. Implemen-

tation issues tend to be similar across different pro-

grams, so there are a wide variety of sites to

consult. Appendix C contains a list of some that are

willing to be contacted. CASEL maintains a cumu-

lative database of new programs and sites as well

as those that no longer function actively. Look for a

site that is geographically close and that has goals

and implementation conditions similar to your

own.

During these difficult times, it may be helpful

to draw on the perspective of a school that

adopted the SEL-related school theme “To Be or

Not To Be.” Staff and students emphasized having

the courage to pursue cherished goals for oneself

and others and the competence to do so effectively.

The school’s motto embodied this theme: “If I am

not for me, who will be? If I am for myself alone,

what am I? And if not now, when?” This wisdom

from the ancient sage, Hillel, and the idea of cour-

age emphasized as a goal can help propel us past

barriers large and small. We must have the courage

and commitment to work continuously and act to

meet the developmental needs of all children.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

102

Evaluating the Success of Social and

Emotional Learning

HETHER YOUR SEL PROGRAM INVOLVES ONE CLASS-

room or several schools, you must determine from

the start how you will evaluate the program. When

the program is carefully planned, evaluation typi-

cally isn’t a problem, but schools that are directed

to set up programs on short notice may, in their

haste to show they have a program, neglect to plan

for evaluation. Nevertheless, the public will want

to know how the program is working. Public con-

cern about accountability is growing; everyone rec-

ognizes that resources are too limited to apply to

programs that do not produce good results. You

must carefully specify the outcomes you want from

your activities, and then examine the relationship

between the desired outcomes and those actually

attained. By making needed adjustments along the

way, you can be confident the program really is

effective.

Evaluation begins when a program is initially

being developed, with identification of goals and

methods for documenting program activities. It

continues as long as the program is in use. Each of

the authors of this book has had the experience of

being asked to help evaluate an SEL program as it

was winding down because the school needed an

evaluation report. This sort of evaluation rarely re-

sults in learning how to maximize what a program

can do to benefit children (Linney and Wanders-

man 1996). Rather, evaluation begins with a com-

mitment to being reflective.

The Reflective Educator

More and more educators are embracing the idea

of the “reflective educator” (Brubacher, Case, and

Reagan 1994) or the “scientist practitioner” (Bar-

low, Hayes, and Nelson 1984). Reflective educators

carefully examine their own and others’ profes-

sional practice, and engage in school-based action

research with fellow “researcher-teachers” (Cal-

houn 1993, Johnson 1993). Essentially, what this

means is that if we want to improve our profes-

sional practices, we must think carefully about

what is taking place in a given situation, correctly

identify the options available through an analytical

process, and make conscious choices about how to

act. “Reflective educators are constantly testing the

assumptions and inferences they have made about

their work as teachers” (Brubacher et al. 1994, p.

131). As educators, we are required to make numer-

ous decisions every day about how to act. Our

skills in simultaneously reflecting, analyzing situ-

ations, making judgments, and acting determine

how successfully we handle the challenges associ-

ated with educating young people.

Many studies have found educators to be more

reactive than reflective, however (Brubacher et al.

1994). Our experience is that educators and schools

caught up in a reactive cycle rarely escape and

seem to always be playing what a New Jersey prin-

cipal colorfully calls “catch-up,” “putting out

103

fires,” and “being on roller skates trying to plug up

leaks in the dike.” These are not the reasons why

most of us went into the education field. Reflective

practice and a commitment to knowing genuinely

and continuously the effects of our actions can

break the reactive cycle.

Most effective educators take pride in being

able to justify their decisions and actions in the

classroom—that is, providing solid and defensible

reasons for their course of action (Calhoun 1993,

Hamm 1989). Such reasons are based on well-

conceived frameworks (as discussed in Chapter 4),

ideas from research, and the collective experience

of the teachers in that school or district. Indeed,

evaluation data from a school’s SEL program can

provide focused direction about the next appropri-

ate course of action. Efforts to improve SEL and

other aspects of schooling will benefit from our

adopting reflective approaches to professional

practice.

Creating a Culture That Supports

Reflection and Inquiry

Chapter 5 emphasized the importance of school

culture in promoting SEL. Similarly, this culture

also significantly influences the value placed on re-

flection and inquiry (Zins, Travis, and Freppon

1997). Schools that exemplify a culture of inquiry

have teachers, administrators, and others who col-

laboratively seek to better understand and thereby

improve the educational experience (Brubacher et

al. 1994, Johnson 1993). In such settings, ideas such

as SEL are emphasized, and the evaluation of pro-

grams is considered important.

Administrative support is a key to estab-

lishing such a culture. Words must be backed up

by actions. Administrators must encourage teach-

ers to trust, to be intellectually curious, to share, to

raise questions, to be open to challenge, to provide

mutual support, and to express doubt—and they

must give teachers the time to do so, and ample

freedom to try new actions based on these efforts.

Administrators should also model such behaviors

themselves. Establishing and maintaining produc-

tive working relationships is critical if educators

are to examine current practices, modify them as

necessary, and discard less effective ones. Unfortu-

nately, the organizational structure of most schools

tends to keep staff isolated from one another,

which in turn limits their opportunities for mutual

support, reflection, and collaboration.

There are a number of ways for schools to en-

courage collegial support. Most involve changing

school culture and organizational structures so that

more interactions occur within and across grades

and schools. Approaches that give teachers oppor-

tunities to discuss, think about, and try new prac-

tices allow them to enter new roles like peer coach

or teacher researcher, or use new organizational

structures like decision-making teams or site-based

management (Lieberman 1995). For example, peer

support groups involve having a small number of

professionals with similar areas of interest meet

regularly to learn from one another, solve prob-

lems, and provide support for professional devel-

opment activities. An atmosphere of trust and

support is established so that members help one

another with professional problems, learn new

ideas, and deal with stress, isolation, and burnout

(Zins, Maher, Murphy, and Wess 1988). They like-

wise promote a culture of inquiry and reflective

practice. Consequently, these teachers “are never

satisfied that they have all the answers. By continu-

ally seeking new information, participants con-

stantly challenge their own practices and

assumptions. In the process, new dilemmas surface

and teachers initiate a new cycle of planning, act-

ing, observing, and reflecting” (Ross, Bondy, and

Kyle 1993, p. 337).

A culture that supports reflection and inquiry

doesn’t necessarily require new resources; it re-

quires staff and administration to look at the cur-

rent resources in a new light and redirect them to

meet new goals.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

104

First Steps

Where do we begin?

It is this question that paralyzes

many educators and keeps them from taking the

first step in deciding how to evaluate their SEL pro-

grams. Educators are very familiar with estab-

lishing immediate and long-term objectives for

academic programs and can use this knowledge to

help them do the same for SEL programs, which

do have specific long-term goals, such as the devel-

opment of citizens who are productive, knowledge-

able, responsible, caring, contributing, nonviolent,

and healthy members of society. It is usually neces-

sary, however, to focus on intermediate objectives,

such as learning skills for social problem solving,

conflict resolution, self-control, and respect for oth-

ers, to document that an SEL program is on the

right track. By so doing, we learn ways to modify

the procedures as the program continues, as even

the best program will likely need some fine-tuning

to meet the needs of the community.

UIDELINE

▼

SEL programs have clear implementation criteria

and are monitored to ensure that the programs are

carried out as planned.

Rationale

After an SEL program has been selected, the

next step is to monitor the implementation process

to track how it is actually carried out: Is the SEL

program really being taught? By how many teach-

ers? In how many schools? Are nonteaching staff

using SEL program strategies? All of us are famil-

iar with well-designed programs that never begin

or that, once started, look a lot different than every-

one thought they would.

The next question is whether instruction is be-

ing carried out in the manner planned. Too often,

we have observed, people conclude that a program

is not working, when in fact its shortcomings stem

from how the program is being presented by teach-

ers and other staff. Too often, the effective instruc-

tional methods described in Chapter 4 are omitted

or deemphasized in the interests of time.

There are many legitimate reasons why teach-

ers may make significant changes in program con-

tent; however, when carefully planned activities

are modified to such an extent that they no longer

resemble the original program, the goals and objec-

tives of the program should be reexamined to see if

they are still relevant.

Implications and Applications

Instead of dropping programs when they do

not meet expectations, it might be preferable to in-

vestigate

why.

For instance, we may find that pro-

gram activities are unclear, teachers are uncom-

fortable with the teaching methods, insufficient

time has been allotted, or insufficient supervision

or coaching has been provided. The program itself

may not be at fault.

When program implementation is separated

into the following steps, it can be made quite man-

ageable: (a) identify the core elements of the in-

structional program and (b) develop a mechanism

for determining that they are being carried out cor-

rectly. To illustrate, a specific lesson on using self-

control as an alternative to aggression may consist

of the following steps (McGinnis and Goldstein

1984, p. 145):

1. Stop and count to 10.

2. Think of how your body feels.

3. Think about your choices:

a. Walk away for now.

b. Do a relaxation exercise.

c. Write about how you feel.

d. Talk to someone about it.

4. Act out your best choice.

A teacher could easily check off these steps as

they are taught. As a result, we would have some

evidence that these specific skills were covered. If

one or more steps are skipped, we can determine

Evaluating the Success of Social and Emotional Learning

105

whether additional needs like time, resources,

training, or support teachers might help. A similar

approach can be used with other skills. Relatedly,

notations can be made to indicate the extent to

which students appear to have

learned

the skills be-

ing taught.

On a broader level, a questionnaire can be con-

structed regarding the overall implementation

process. For example, one form used as a vehicle

for reflecting on social problem-solving instruction

follows this outline (Elias and Tobias 1996):

•

What reactions did students have to this ses-

sion (for whom was it most/least effective)?

•

What were the most effective or favorable as-

pects of this session?

•

What were the least effective or favorable as-

pects of this session?

•

Describe implementation issues that required

your attention.

•

List the points that need to be followed up in

the next class meeting.

•

What are some suggested changes in this les-

son/activity for the future?

Such information is gathered after each activ-

ity or instructional unit. Outcomes of programs

can be assessed meaningfully once we know what

instruction was provided, and its nuances.

UIDELINE

▼

Effective SEL programs are monitored and evalu-

ated regularly using systematic procedures and

multiple indicators.

Rationale

Evaluation must be seen as an essential compo-

nent of the program, not an add-on. It is most help-

ful when it proceeds in a step-by-step manner.

Therefore, after documenting that the planned SEL

activities took place, the next step is to determine

their effects or outcomes. Contrary to the fears of

some, the purpose here is not to assess an individ-

ual teacher’s competence or personal performance.

Rather, the intent is to answer questions about SEL

instructional outcomes based on more than just in-

tuition and anecdotal reports.

Implications and Applications

In conducting an evaluation of your SEL pro-

gram, a number of questions can be raised (which

of course may vary depending on whether you are

a teacher, principal, or superintendent):

•

What are the goals for SEL in my classroom,

school, or district? Are they clearly specified?

•

What evidence do we have that we are mak-

ing progress toward reaching our SEL goals?

•

In what way are parents involved in SEL in

my classroom, school, or district?

•

Are lessons presented with enthusiasm and

clarity?

•

How does the teacher model the skills out-

side the lesson?

More specifically, teachers may want to know

how well individual students are mastering spe-

cific knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Or they may

want to know whether students are applying what

they learn in the classroom in other settings, such

as hallways, assemblies, and the playground.

For a principal, it may be important to know

what is being done outside the classroom to pro-

mote SEL, such as in clubs, on the playground, and

through sports. How well are staff prepared for

building students’ SEL? Is there adequate adminis-

trative support for teachers? Superintendents may

ask how SEL efforts are coordinated within the cur-

riculum, across grades, and across schools, or

about the long-term effects of SEL activities. They

will also want to examine school policies and state

curriculum standards to see how they are compat-

ible with and supportive of the program. And they

will want to know if the SEL efforts are comprehen-

sive, coordinated, and integrated (characteristics as-

sociated with effectiveness, as noted in Chapters 3

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

106

and 4). Each of these issues illustrates, from differ-

ent perspectives, how to determine whether a pro-

gram is working.

An example of a user-friendly approach that

addresses the issues raised above was developed

by Linney and Wandersman (1991) in their Preven-

tion Plus III model. Their manual describes the pro-

cedures to follow in a straightforward manner. Ex-

ample 36

illustrates the four steps using a pro-

gram directed toward the development of peer and

social relationships. As you can see, the systematic

process outlined helped ensure that important pro-

gram components were examined.

XAMPLE

REVENTION

LUS

III M

ODEL

Step 1. Identify Goals and Desired Outcomes

A. What are the primary goals of the program?

Example: Learning to choose friends, develop peer leadership skills, deal with conflict among friends, rec-

ognize and accept alternatives to aggression and violence.

B. What groups were you trying to reach?

Example:

All students in middle/junior high school.

C. What outcomes were desired or what did you hope to accomplish?

Example: Increased interpersonal interactions, greater confidence in one’s decision-making skills, more

prosocial caring behaviors, and less interpersonal conflict.

Step 2. Assess What Was Done During the Program

A. What activities were planned?

Example:

Role-playing exercises involving asking a friend to go to a football game.

B. When was the program actually implemented and who were the participants?

Example:

Taught during the group guidance period at the beginning of each day during the third and fourth

weeks of the first quarter.

C. How did participants evaluate the activities?

Example: Reported that the exercise was realistic and easy to follow.

D. What feedback can be used to improve the program for the future?

Example: More time should be devoted to the activity so other situations can be discussed.

Step 3. Assess Immediate Effects of the Program

Describe what changes have occurred based on the desired outcomes, evidence that the outcome was accom-

plished (using before and after scores), and amount of change.

Example:

Students mastered the eight steps of the role-playing activity with an average of 95 percent

accuracy.

Step 4. Assess Ultimate Program Effects

Describe whether the ultimate goals and outcomes have been attained.

Example:

Student logs indicated that there was an increase since the second week of school until the pre-

sent in the average number of student interactions outside the school from 1.3 to 1.8 per week.

Evaluating the Success of Social and Emotional Learning

107

UIDELINE

▼

SEL programs have clear outcome criteria with

specific indicators of impact identified and out-

come information gathered from multiple sources.

Rationale

Vagu e go als a re ne arly impo ss ib le to qua ntif y

(or to reach). When outcome criteria are specified

clearly, however, it is usually easy to determine

whether they have been attained. Because a major

focus of SEL is the application of skills in a variety

of settings, it is important to gather outcome data

from different people and contexts.

Assessing the effects of SEL can be challenging,

involving as they do unaccustomed outcomes such

as social problem solving, interpersonal interac-

tions, and cooperation. Moreover, these skills are

to be demonstrated in the real world in various set-

tings. Changes in student behavior must be ob-

served and factors affecting their learning

examined. Usually, observable results don’t appear

for quite some time, as research consistently indi-

cates that, despite our impatience, it usually takes

two to three years for a curriculum innovation to

begin to be implemented in a reliably impactful

manner (Hord et al. 1987).

Implications and Applications

As noted earlier, outcome evaluation begins by

clarifying the goals of a program. What do we

want students to get from the SEL instruction? The

most effective programs specify cognitive, affec-

tive, and behavioral skills, attitudes, and values

that they want students to attain. As you will recall

from Chapter 3, essential components of a compre-

hensive SEL program include an awareness of feel-

ings (self-control, knowing the relationship

between feelings and reactions); decision making

(problem awareness, planning, considering conse-

quences); character (honesty, motivation, persist-

ence); management of feelings (anger manage-

ment, self-calming); self-concept (feeling likable,

self-confidence); communications (listening, follow-

ing directions); group dynamics (peer resistance,

leadership skills); and relationship skills (sensitiv-

ity to others, caring). The ultimate success might

be defined as helping students become productive,

contributing, nonviolent, healthy citizens. They are

involved community members, effective workers,

responsible family members, and lifelong learners

who exhibit intrapersonal intelligence, generosity,

mastery, belonging, and independence.

You will also want to examine the school cli-

mate (discussed in Chapter 5) to ensure that it is a

safe and caring environment where children trust

their peers and teachers. As these goals become

clearly identified, specific, and measurable, they

will be more useful. A detailed listing of SEL Cur-

riculum, Instructional, Implementation, and Evalu-

ation Issues is shown in Example 37

Information about the program can be gath-

ered from a number of relevant constituencies. For

example, using the approach used to assess social

problem solving, information about implementa-

tion could be obtained by observers or implemen-

ters (teachers). We have asked students for their

opinions about activities (e.g., whether they liked

them, what was best about them, what should be

changed, whether they use the skills learned in the

lessons, etc.), and likewise have surveyed parents

for their reactions to our programs. Such informa-

tion about consumer satisfaction gathered from

multiple sources is important because research in-

dicates that participants are less likely to use a pro-

gram they do not like, regardless of its potential

effectiveness (Reimers, Wacker, and Koeppl 1987).

In addition, this information tells how skills

learned in the programs are applied in multiple set-

tings with other people. This is often called the

“spread of effects” or generalization—critical be-

cause we cannot teach skills for every circumstance

in which students might find themselves.

Effective methods of measuring SEL outcomes

can be found in many different sources, including

Alessi (1988), Elias and Tobias (1996), Furlong and

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

108

XAMPLE

TRUCTURAL

LEMENTS

OCIAL

AND

MOTIONAL

EARNING

ROGRAMS

Curriculum and Instructional Issues

•

Theory-based:

A clear theoretical framework guides program strategies and practices.

•

Developmental:

The SEL instructional methods and content provided are developmentally appropriate for the

ages and grades at which the program is delivered.

•

Culturally appropriate:

These programs foster appreciation of diversity and respect for the demands of grow-

ing up in a pluralistic society. They are sensitive, relevant, and responsive with regard to the ethnic, gender, and

socioeconomic composition of students served as well as of faculty and staff delivering the instruction and

services.

•

Comprehensive:

The most beneficial programs integrate and incorporate cognitive, affective, and behavioral

skills (e.g., problem-solving, stress-management, decision-making, and communication skills), and convey

prosocial attitudes and values applicable to a variety of specific topics such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, AIDS,

violence, nutrition, peer and family relationships, coping with transitions and crises, performance at school, and

community service. These programs address specific factors that place children at risk for developing maladap-

tive behaviors and that serve to buffer them from negative influences; support children’s total development and

empowerment; provide a balance between preventing children from risk factors that may lead to negative

behaviors, and giving them access to protective factors that enhance their ability to resist these negative

influences.

•

Integrated:

They are immersed and reinforced within the general curriculum, complementing other existing

subject areas, including some basic academic subjects as well as health or family-life education; in other

words, SEL becomes an integral part of the school’s program and not an add on, and the programs are pro-

vided over multiple years.

•

Coordinated:

These programs involve partnerships among students, parents, educators, and community

members; linkage to comprehensive school health program and special services; and connections with other

SEL programs within and outside the school. In addition, classroom instruction and activities are connected to

other school-community SEL efforts as well as to local, state, and federal policies for drug, AIDS, and health

education.

•

Active instructional techniques:

Educators use skill-based, experiential, or cognitive approaches to engage

learners through methods such as modeling, role-playing, performance feedback, dialoguing, positive reinforce-

ment, portfolios, expressive arts, play, community-building skills, exhibitions, projects, and individual goal set-

ting (opportunities for practice). Application of skills in the real-world of the playground, lunchroom, and

neighborhood are central. Peer leadership components are included, especially at the upper grades.

•

Generalization:

SEL strategies emphasize environmental change so that a culture is created that encourages

and rewards the use of new skills and promotes their generalization. Part of this effort involves evaluating the

nature of norms for responding to misbehavior, victimization, and related violations of school rules, and the de-

gree to which these are shared by school staff, parents, and students.

—Based primarily on Consortium on the School-Based Promotion of Social Competence (1994)

Evaluating the Success of Social and Emotional Learning

109

XAMPLE

—

continued

TRUCTURAL

LEMENTS

OCIAL

AND

MOTIONAL

EARNING

ROGRAMS

•

Supportive Climate:

They create a climate where it is safe and possible for children to bond (feel trust, connec-

tion, even affection) with their teachers and classmates and where their vulnerability is protected.

•

Materials:

The instructional and training aids are clear, up-to-date, engaging, user-friendly, and fun.

Implementation and Evaluation Issues

•

Program selection:

Particular approaches to SEL and specific SEL programs are selected based on identified

local needs, concerns, interests, skills, and preexisting efforts.

•

Planning and management:

Program efforts are guided by a clear planning, implementation, and manage-

ment plan based on an underlying theory or model of change. Adequate and ongoing administrative support is

available.

•

Contexts:

They involve key environments of children and occur within an organizational, community, and fam-

ily culture that is supportive. They include after-school and extracurricular initiatives such as peer leadership and

mediation that are coordinated with other instruction.

•

Personnel roles:

There are clear roles and explicit responsibilities for teachers, special services staff, parents,

principals, superintendents, and even school board members.

•

Preparation and ongoing support:

Programming is provided by well-prepared instructors who receive high-

quality supervision and engage in ongoing staff development (e.g., coaching, supervision, mentoring, collabora-

tion, planning). This element emphasizes the development of knowledge to enable them to provide a safe

environment in which children can express their feelings. In addition, it prepares administrators to understand

the program; provide support, coaching, and supervision; and participate in planning.

•

Resources and time:

Sufficient time is allocated to deliver the program on a consistent and frequent basis

and to coordinate efforts. Adequate materials are available. Organizational support is provided. Programming

covers all or much of the school year and occurs across multiple years (e.g., pre-K–12). A school-level program

phase-in period usually takes three to five years for full implementation.

•

Evaluation:

These efforts are monitored and evaluated regularly using systematic procedures and multiple

sources for ongoing program development, assurance of integrity, and identification of indicators of impact on

specific outcomes. They articulate clear implementation, process, and outcome criteria. Evaluation summaries

give examples of indicators of success and provide anecdotes of positive effects on students, school staff, par-

ents, and the community.

•

Dissemination:

SEL efforts are shared and discussed within a grade level, with adjacent grade levels, with

other schools, within the district, and with parents and the community to ensure that individuals within these

groups understand what SEL is occurring and are encouraged to contribute to its success.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

110

Smith (1994), and the Skillstreaming series (Gold-

stein, Sprafkin, Gershaw, and Klein 1980; McGinnis

and Goldstein 1984). Measures also may be con-

structed locally based on the specific needs of your

setting (see Examples 37B and 37C). In deciding on

measures and the evaluation process, do not over-

look the potential contributions of your school psy-

chologist, guidance counselor, social worker, nurse,

and other noninstructional staff members. Some

have particular expertise in SEL and would wel-

come the opportunity to contribute to SEL efforts.

UIDELINE

▼

To maximize the benefits of the evaluation process,

SEL efforts are shared and discussed within a

grade level, with adjacent grade levels, with other

schools in the district, and with parents and the

community to ensure that members of these groups

understand and contribute to the social and emo-

tional learning that is taking place.

Rationale

Everyone who participates directly or indi-

rectly in the SEL program has a stake in learning

about the effectiveness of these efforts. Armed with

such information, they are much more likely to con-

tinue their support and involvement, and therefore

expend the energy necessary to keep the program

operating.

XAMPLE

A P

RINCIPAL’S

VALUATI ON

RITERIA

AND

BSERVATIONS

Many SEL programs are extensively evaluated, and many have formal and informal tools that can be widely

used. At the individual building level, principals like Darlene Mattia of Bloomfield (New Jersey) use a variety of

salient indicators to monitor the impact of SEL programs like Social Decision Making and Problem Solving:

I’m not spending all my time dealing with uncomfortable situations, but instead spend more

time working on improving the school, improving communications with parents by explaining what

the child is doing in SEL, and teaching them the program’s language. Detention used to contain 20

kids before the program; now there are about 2. It used to take 15 to 20 minutes to calm everyone

down enough after lunch to start class. Now, any bickering stops once they walk in the door. My

Peer Peacemakers tell me there are fewer physical fights, not as many arguments, and the stu-

dents are more calm.

I can see a difference in self-esteem. Children aren’t easily able to fall to peer pressure. They

aren’t afraid to speak out. There is better behavior at home. Children understand the common lan-

guage and the expectations [confirmed through objective testing in program concepts, content,

and strategies]. The students use it every day in situations not just at school but on the playground

and at home with siblings. They try to live up to it, and though they may not always do it, you can

tell they are trying. They feel a sense of responsibility. They feel a sense of community and pride for

the school, the teachers, and the other students. They even use it to help out the teachers. A

teacher reported to me, “I was getting upset and one of the kids told ME to ’Keep Calm.’ It does

come back to you!”

Evaluating the Success of Social and Emotional Learning

111

XAMPLE

TUDENT

NECDOTES

BOUT

ROGRAM

FFECTS

Student anecdotes tell evaluators a great deal about children’s understanding of SEL programs and the use to

which they put their learning. Here are examples from site visits:

Primary Project has made me aware of a button that I have. When you press that button feel-

ings are released. Others just leak out. Through Primary Project I have learned how to deal with

these feelings, and I know that when I am with my Primary Project teacher I can push that button.

* * *

I’ve wanted to get revenge on kids because they pick on me because I have ADHD. I would go

to Primary Project and talk about things, and the next time that someone would pick on me I would

tell someone instead of wanting to beat them up. I have so many friends now since I have been in

Primary Project.

—Elementary students

Primary Mental Health Project

Rochester, New York

I wish every grade had Morning Meetings (MM), but I also feel that if junior high doesn’t have

MM, that having MM over the years is really going to help me through the day. It teaches you how

to act around people and how to meet new people. Once you have had MM for a few years, you

don’t need MM to guide you along. You can start a conversation with someone, start a game of tic

tac toe. MM’s are great, and I would love to have them in junior high, but I feel that I really don’t

need it because it’s just, like, shown me the way.

* * *

MM and group activities really help socially and to meet new people, but for me, it helped me

to know people. There are some kids in my class who have just been there, sitting in a corner since

kindergarten, and all of a sudden, I’m working with them and solving a problem and it’s like,

“Wow! I never knew you were nice.”

* * *

If something really good happens to you, it is a time to share. It is the one part of the day that I

know I have attention. I might go home and try to talk to my dad, and I won’t have his full attention,

but at MM, everyone is looking at me and everyone wants to hear, and the teachers make sure of

that.

* * *

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

112

Implications and Applications

Program evaluation information is best shared

across a variety of implementers, so that appropri-

ate links with other SEL programs in and outside

the school are maintained. Evaluation results keep

classrooms connected to one another, to other

school-community SEL efforts, and to local, state,

and federal requirements. Consequently, SEL will

be seen more as an essential component of the

overall curriculum rather than as an add-on.

UIDELINE

▼

The results of SEL program evaluations are used to

refine programs and make decisions about their fu-

ture course.

Rationale

SEL program evaluation is not an end in itself.

And, as we have stressed elsewhere in this book,

SEL programs are not static. Rather, they must con-

tinually evolve in light of changing student popula-

tions and effective instructional practices. In

addition, they must change to meet new demands

(Who would have guessed in the early 1980s that

AIDS or violence would become major concerns of

schools and communities in the 1990s?). The model

of the reflective, scientific practitioner suggests that

we need to use evaluation data to refine programs

and make decisions about their future.

Implications and Applications

Admittedly, evaluating your programs will

take considerable time, and there can be some anxi-

ety associated with the process because of the un-

certainty about the outcomes. As emphasized

earlier, however, evaluation is an essential compo-

nent of all educational programs and of reflective,

scientific practice. Evaluation shouldn’t simply tell

you a program is effective or ineffective; it should

help you identify specific ways of improving what

XAMPLE

—

continued

TUDENT

NECDOTES

BOUT

ROGRAM

FFECTS

I think it helps everything. If you are socially happy, then everything is sort of happy for you. If

you don’t know anyone, it probably will affect your schoolwork and your family at home. But if you

have a good MM and you are happy and you get that good sharing attention, it really lifts your spir-

its. You are nicer to everyone around you, you concentrate on your schoolwork, you are nicer to

your family. I think being happy helps everything.

—5th and 6th graders

Responsive Classroom

Washington, D.C.

My brother went into my locker, and I wanted to hit him because I was mad. I used Keep

Calm, and I was OK.

—3rd grader

Social Decision Making and Problem Solving

Bloomfield, New Jersey

Evaluating the Success of Social and Emotional Learning

113

you are doing. Are there aspects of the program

that should be maintained, modified, or elimi-

nated? Without evaluative information, judgments

about program operation are subjective and possi-

bly misinformed. When this happens, the results

usually are harmful to children.

Another overlooked aspect of program evalu-

ation is an analysis of cost-effectiveness and cost-

benefits (Weissberg and Greenberg 1997). Not only

might you want to consider examining the relative

costs of different programs to solve the same prob-

lem (e.g., compare two social skills curriculums in

terms of personnel, time, material costs, and out-

comes), but perhaps more important, the alterna-

tive of offering no program to address the issues

(e.g., What is the cost to the school, as well as to so-

ciety, of unwanted teen pregnancy?). The implica-

tions of such information can be significant.

Summary

To evaluate or not to evaluate: that is often seen as

the question. But here, we have presented the case

that evaluating SEL activities is essential. We have

no choice. Information about program operation

XAMPLE

EACHERS

EFLECT

HAT

HEY

AVE

ONE

MPROVE

SEL A

CTIVITIES

Te a ch e r s o f t h e PAT H S p r o g r a m i n Wa s h i n g t o n m o n i t o r t h e i m p a c t o f t h e i r l e s s o n s a n d s h a r e t h i s w i t h o t h e r

teachers, as well as share recommendations for changes they have made or will make:

The biographies were great. I turned the one on Harriet Tubman into an entire unit, which was

a valuable learning experience for all of us. As an extension to the lesson on Maya Lin and the Viet-

nam Memorial, I read my class a picture book called

Talking Walls,

by Margy Burs Knight, which is

about famous walls around the world, such as the Vietnam Memorial, the Great Wall of China, and

the Western Wall in Jerusalem. We learned about these famous walls from around the world and

then created a wall in our own classrooms that was special to us.

Tw o a c t i v i t i e s I d i d t o e x t e n d l e s s o n s w e r e a n I F e e l C a l m B o o k a n d a Fr i e n d s h i p M o b i l e . Fo r

the book, students completed the sentence, “I feel calm when . . . ” and drew an illustration. The

Friendship Mobile showed a picture of the student with pictures of his or her friends at home, at

school, and in the community.

Now that I have taught the 3rd grade curriculum for one year, I am going to make some

changes in what lessons I teach where. First, I am going to teach lessons 40 on up more toward

the beginning of the school year because they deal with goal setting. I included a mini-lesson on

Time Management with the lesson on turning in your homework. We talked about activities that

take away from their homework (i.e., baseball practice/games, parents’ activities). I did a little graph

with the hours listed between when they got out of school and when they went to bed. We esti-

mated how long homework would take if they worked on it a little each night, and how many days

it would take to complete it. We also discussed using their time effectively during class time. Per-

sonally, I loved the lesson on getting your homework turned in on time.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

114

from the perspective of the teacher, principal, ad-

ministrator, parent, and program recipients must

be gathered from the time of initial conceptualiza-

tion. The results are used throughout the life of the

program to monitor its delivery and its outcomes,

and to determine whether it should be maintained,

altered, or discontinued. In addition, school cli-

mate is critical in supporting SEL programs and es-

tablishing a culture that values inquiry and reflec-

tion, keystones to effective program operation and

evaluation. With all of this knowledge in hand, we

are best equipped to make student-centered and

outcome-oriented decisions about programs’ fu-

ture directions.

XAMPLE

ONDING

CHOOL

ELPS

REVENT

RUG

BUSE

IGH

-R

ISK

TUDENTS

Many teachers feel that parents are the influence and do not realize the powerful and protective factor of the

school in the child’s life. Our evaluation showed these findings: Students who are the children of drug addicts

had an equal amount of bonding to both the parents and school, but they looked forward to going to school

more than kids of drug-free parents and liked school more, but they didn’t do as well—they looked to school as

an escape. That strong protective role of liking school later showed results in whether the kids would go on to

drinking and smoking.

—Kevin Haggerty

Social Development Research Group

Evaluating the Success of Social and Emotional Learning

115

Moving Forward: Assessing Strengths,

Priorities, and Next Steps

S YOU CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN

SEL

programming efforts, do not be surprised if a mix-

ture of exhilaration and dread accompanies the

start of your work, whether you’re launching a

new program or modifying current efforts. In our

experience, once you are moving forward with a

high-quality SEL program, the reaction of the chil-

dren and your own enjoyment of the process will

help keep you engaged in these activities. To get

you started, we have included the following:

•

A structured series of questions linked to recom-

mendations for practice.

These questions will help

you and your colleagues examine in depth your

current efforts to provide high-quality social and

emotional education for your students. By looking

at what you are already doing at the classroom,

school, or district levels, you can identify areas of

strength in your SEL efforts, as well as areas in

need of improvement. The next step involves care-

ful planning, with the goal of setting priorities that

reflect and sustain your strengths and then gradu-

ally add components that will make your SEL pro-

gram more comprehensive.

•

A list of school sites that are willing to be con-

tacted or visited.

By visiting these schools you can

see SEL programs in action and talk to those actu-

ally involved in implementing them. This activity

is perhaps your most important source of assis-

tance in carrying out an effective self-assessment,

since we all tend to work best with guidance from

colleagues. The experienced SEL practitioners at

these sites—some of which are in their second dec-

ade of SEL work, while others are relative newcom-

ers with only a couple of years’ experience—can

provide rationales, implications, and implementa-

tion details useful beyond the specifics of their pro-

grams. They can also share informative “war

stories” about how, in the face of obstacles, they

have persisted and adapted to establish meaning-

ful social and emotional education for their stu-

dents. Appendix C presents a list of these sites.

Note, too, that many programs have video re-

sources that supplement the written materials.

A Challenge to Examine and

Enhance SEL Practices

Now that you have gone through the guidelines

for social and emotional education, we encourage

you to revisit your own SEL efforts. First, you may

want to return to the series of self-reflection ques-

tions raised in Chapter 2 and the responses you

wrote. We hope that the information provided in

Chapters 3 through 7 has stimulated you to de-

velop fresh insights as you think about your SEL

goals; your SEL activities at the classroom, school,

and district level; implementation considerations;

or program evaluation needs. In this chapter we

build on the questions in Chapter 2, the 39 guide-

117

lines, and recommendations for effective practice

offered by other sources (e.g., Consortium on the

School-Based Promotion of Social Competence

1994, Westchester County Task Force on Social

Competence Promotion Instruction 1990) to assist

you in moving forward with your own SEL efforts.

Read this chapter at a quiet time, with a note-

book or computer to record your observations, and

a soothing beverage to sip while you reflect. You

are about to look at an overview of the key ele-

ments that should be considered in comprehensive

SEL program development, implementation, and

evaluation—a comprehensiveness that is an aspira-

tion, more than an observed or expected reality in

any particular program. We caution you not to be-

come overwhelmed by what has been described,

but rather to dream about what could be, and to

then realistically plan

what you can do

in a spirit of

continuous improvement. Consider also how this

process can be used by an SEL planning and man-

agement team or a grade-level meeting to lay the

foundation for successful SEL programming.

Key Considerations for Planning,

Implementing, and Evaluating SEL

Programs

Educators who are committed to implementing

high-quality SEL programs examine critically the

programs they currently offer, build from their

strengths, and weed out less effective aspects. As

you will recall, in Chapter 2 we asked you to list all

the activities going on in your classroom, school, or

district that support SEL. Typically, we have found

that schools implement a diverse array of discrete

programs focusing on drug education, violence

prevention, sex education, character education,

health education, and so on. We propose that you

build upon the strengths and efforts already in

place in a coordinated, integrated fashion that

makes more instructionally efficient use of pre-

cious school time, while eliminating less effective

activities that are not as likely to develop students

who are knowledgeable, responsible, and caring.

Often, what is needed is not more time or resources, but

a refocusing of what we are doing already, and a realloca-

tion of available resources.

Questions to Address in

Establishing High-Quality SEL

Programs

As you may recall from Chapter 7, the Consortium

on the School-Based Promotion of Social Compe-

tence (1994) outlined key elements of SEL pro-

grams to aid both the planning and evaluation of

SEL programs. These elements are summarized in

Figure 8.1 so you can easily refer to them while

reading this chapter.

Do not be dismayed if you perceive gaps be-

tween your current efforts and the elements high-

lighted in Figure 8.1 The list includes features of

programs with long-term implementation histo-

ries, resulting from a number of years of focused ef-

fort, problem solving in the spirit of continuous

improvement, and good fortune!

Now, how do you take the concepts presented

and think through their implications? We have

found it most useful to proceed by asking our-

selves a series of questions within a problem-

solving framework. The questions in this section

are for your use in revisiting your SEL efforts

based on the self-reflection you did in Chapter 2

and while reading the remainder of the book.

These questions are designed to stimulate and sup-

port constructive, systematic planning. As you go

through the questions, remember, this is not a final

exam! In fact, do not feel compelled to answer all

of these questions at one time or even during one

year. Our goal is to raise issues and concerns that

you and your colleagues will want to revisit from

time to time as you design, implement, evaluate,

and institutionalize your SEL efforts.

By the way, we anticipate that most educators

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

118

will feel that they have satisfactory answers to

many of these questions. That’s OK! In our collec-

tive experience, efforts with which we once were

satisfied became open to questions as we learned

more about SEL, saw more examples of the work

in action, and looked more carefully to see how

well all students’ SEL needs were being met. In

the spirit of continuous improvement, you are

likely to find, as we have, that even the best SEL

programs, classrooms, and schools are not beyond

examination.

In reality, however, we often find that educa-

tors don’t know the answers to these questions.

That is also OK, because educators are typically

given few tools to help them examine this critical

area of social and emotional education with the

care that they examine a language or a science pro-

gram. This book is designed to serve as a corrective

measure. Indeed, readers may well find that their

self-reflection will lead to asking colleagues to re-

flect and then share aloud what they are actually

doing. Finally, you will note that some of our ques-

tions could easily be placed under different head-

ings or in a different sequence. Even though the

problem-solving steps are listed sequentially, the

process is fluid rather than prescribed.

1. Describe your needs, goals, and current

practices. The best place to start is to examine your

local needs, your SEL goals, and the efforts now be-

ing made to develop students’ knowledge, respon-

sibility, and caring. Here are some key questions to

think about:

•

Goals.

What are the goals of your social and

emotional education programming efforts? Do

they emphasize the enhancement of students’

knowledge, responsibility, and caring? What other

behavioral outcomes do they address? Are they

clearly articulated, specific, and measurable?

•

Organization.

How is your program organ-

ized? Does it provide sequenced, developmentally

appropriate instruction in skills, values, and infor-

mation at each grade level?

•

Instruction.

How does SEL instruction actu-

ally take place? Does it emphasize interrelated cog-

nitive, affective, and behavioral skills as well as

prosocial values and attitudes toward self, others,

and tasks?

•

Theory.

Would you best describe your SEL ac-

tivities as based on explicit theories of instruction

and behavior change or more as a nonintegrated

potpourri of games and exercises?

•

Clarity.

Have you adopted and implemented

programs with clear goals and objectives? Are your

lesson plans or approaches sufficiently structured

and detailed?

•

Tra n s fer o f s kill s .

In what ways are students ex-

IGURE

8.1

LEMENTS

SEL P

ROGRAMS

Curriculum and Instructional Issues

•

Built on clear theoretical framework

•

Culturally and developmentally appropriate

•

Uses a comprehensive approach with cogni-

tive, affective, and behavioral dimensions

•

Integrated within general curriculum

•

Involves a coordinated partnership

•

Active instructional techniques used

•

Promotes generalization

•

Creates a supportive climate

•

Includes engaging instructional materials

Implementation and Evaluation Issues

•

Program selected based on needs

•

Guided by planning and management frame-

work

•

Focuses on key environments

•

Clear roles for personnel

•

Adequate preparation and ongoing support

provided

•

Sufficient resources and time allocated

•

Systematically monitored and evaluated

•

Disseminated to relevant constituents

Source:

Consortium on the School-Based Promo-

tion of Social Competence (1994)

Moving Forward: Assessing Strengths, Priorities, and Next Steps

119

plicitly taught to apply acquired skills to real-life

situations?

• Social and health component.

Does your pro-

gram include modules that present accurate and

relevant social and health information (e.g., to-

bacco, AIDS) that build on core skills and values

instruction?

•

Integrated curriculum.

How are your SEL prac-

tices integrated into other academic subjects and

school activities—especially those that focus on

social development, health, and the discipline

system?

•

Climate changes.

How do you expect your SEL

efforts to affect the classroom and school climate?

•

Parent education.

Does your program have a

parent-education component that supports the

goals and objectives of classroom instruction?

•

Community involvement.

How are various

community groups, organizations, businesses, sen-

ior citizens, and so on, involved with your efforts

to promote students’ SEL?

•

Sensitivity.

Are your SEL program materials

attractive, up-to-date, and easy to use? Are your

program materials and content culturally sensitive?

•

Enjoyment.

Do students and teachers enjoy

your program and perceive it to be beneficial?

•

State mandates.

Does your SEL programming

meet instructional mandates already established

by the state?

2. What are your options? When assessing pro-

grams to meet the needs and goals described

above, examine them critically, measuring them

against the characteristics in Figure 8.1. Here are

some important questions to consider:

•

Preparation.

What process was used to investi-

gate possible programs and approaches to use in

your district? What implementers have been con-

tacted regarding their experiences? What sites

have been visited?

•

Knowledge.

How recently have you obtained

reviews of the latest SEL initiatives from central

sources such as CASEL or ASCD?

•

Expertise.

Do you have established relation-

ships with program developers, distributors, exter-

nal consultants, or master teachers with the capac-

ity to provide excellent introductory training to

large numbers of implementing teachers?

Figure 8.2 presents questions and issues consid-

ered by the Westchester County Task Force on So-

cial Competence Promotion Instruction (1990) in

evaluating the quality of SEL programs.

3. Getting started. Now that you have done

the preliminary work and are ready to begin, it is

essential to consider what specific practices will be

implemented, including current ones that will be

maintained, modified, and eliminated. Here are

some questions to consider:

•

Interaction.

Is your program structured to af-

fect positively how implementing teachers and

staff communicate and interact throughout the day

with students? What opportunities do teachers cre-

ate for students to practice newly acquired skills

and to reinforce them for effective skill application?

•

Administrators.

To what extent and in what

ways do administrators show leadership, commit-

ment, and involvement in fostering high-quality

SEL in your school? What recommendations could

you offer them about how they could do even

more to foster high-quality programming?

•

Support staff.

Are support staff (e.g., psycholo-

gists, counselors, secretaries, lunchroom monitors)

meaningfully involved in promoting or reinforcing

skills and attitudes taught in classroom lessons?

•

Preparation time.

How much preparation time

is required for teachers to teach lessons effectively?

Do they have ample time and support to do the

best possible job?

•

Diversity.

How do you effectively adapt your

SEL program lessons and activities to meet the edu-

cational and social needs of students of diverse

family backgrounds and ability levels? If you have

adopted a nationally available program, how have

you modified it to meet the needs of your school

with regard to socioeconomic levels, cultural diver-

sity, and at-risk/special education students?

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

120

XAMPLE

8.2

ROGRAM

EVIEW

ORKSHEET

Name of Program:

Name of Reviewer:

Basic facts about the program:

Grade levels for which the program was designed: _________________________________________________

Ye a r d ev e l o p e d o r r e v i s e d : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Cost of program materials per class: ______________________________________________________________

Ordering address and telephone: _________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Is training required before purchasing the program? ________________________________________________

What skills are taught or reinforced in the program?

sensitivity to others awareness of self and others

how to self-monitor awareness of adaptive response strategies

evaluation productive thinking

self-control stress management

self-reward consequential thinking

emotion-focused coping decision making

problem awareness persistence

feelings awareness planning

realistic and adaptive goal setting other:

What attitudes or attributes are taught or reinforced in the program?

accepting individual differences having motivation to contribute

being willing to work hard having values that are prosocial

honesty feeling capable and positive toward self

willingness to take care of oneself feeling likable

working cooperatively with others feeling respect for self and others

being motivated to solve problems having concern or compassion for others

being aware of values

(circle) personal, family, community, societal

other:

Moving Forward: Assessing Strengths, Priorities, and Next Steps

121

XAMPLE

8.2—

continued

ROGRAM

EVIEW

ORKSHEET

What content is taught in the program?

What are the unit titles? ________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

List topics covered in the following areas (see scope)

Self Care: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Peers: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Family: _______________________________________________________________________________________

School: _______________________________________________________________________________________

Community: ___________________________________________________________________________________

What are the features of the program?

Is the content accurate and up-to-date? ___________________________________________________________

Is there a clear developmental sequence for each grade level?________________________________________

Are the activities and materials developmentally appropriate for the given grade? _______________________

How are the materials culturally sensitive? ________________________________________________________

Is the material attractive and easy to understand?___________________________________________________

What instructional methods are used? (circle)

audiotapes outside activities workbooks

brainstorming posters worksheets

community service rehearsal and practice other:

cooperative learning role play

direct instruction scripts

guest speakers simulations

modeling videotapes

How easy will the program be to implement?

At the classroom level:

How long is each lesson? _______________________________________________________________________

How many lessons per grade? ___________________________________________________________________

Are all the materials provided?

If not, what additional materials are needed? _____________________

How much preparation time will be needed per lesson? _____________________________________________

Will the program mesh with existing programming? ________________________________________________

Are materials included to evaluate student performance? ____________________________________________

What are the parent involvement activities? _______________________________________________________

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

122

XAMPLE

8.2—

continued

ROGRAM

EVIEW

ORKSHEET

At the school level:

Who teaches the program to students?____________________________________________________________

Are additional staff required to implement the program? ____________________________________________

How much specialization training is needed? _______________________________________________________

Can training be purchased?

Cost: ___________________________________________________

Will the program developers train school systems trainers? __________________________________________

Cost: _________________________________________________________________________________________

What type of follow-up support is needed? ________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Is evaluation or monitoring of teaching integrity part of the program?

______________________________________________________________________________________________

How effective has the program proven to be?

Has a study been conducted? ___________________________________________________________________

What was the population for the study? ___________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

What was the impact on skills? __________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

What was the impact on behavior? _______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Has the curriculum been used in more than one type of setting? _____________________________________

Describe: _____________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Overall rating of the program:

Poor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Outstanding

Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the program:

Strengths: Weaknesses:

Comments:

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Source: Westchester County Task Force on Social Competence Promotion Instruction (1990)

Moving Forward: Assessing Strengths, Priorities, and Next Steps

123

•

Ongoing support.

Do you provide on-site

coaching and ongoing consultation and problem-

solving support to implementing teachers and

other staff, so that sound instruction is ensured

and programs may be adapted to meet school or

district needs?

•

Long-term support.

Is there a planning team

and administrative support at the school level

and an organizational structure at the district level

to nurture long-term efforts to implement and

institutionalize high-quality social and emotional

education?

4. Is it working? Once the program is in opera-

tion, it is important to closely monitor what is oc-

curring as well as to evaluate the attainment of

goals. This should take place in ways that allow

useful information to be shared with those who are

carrying out the program and those who are re-

sponsible for modifying the program to better

reach its goals for more and more students. Here

are some questions to consider:

•

Student evaluations.

Are those SEL programs,

activities, and procedures brought into the school

supported by well-designed evaluations that have

documented positive effects on students’ skills, atti-

tudes, and behaviors?

•

Systemwide process evaluations.

What are the

procedures for monitoring how SEL efforts are be-

ing carried out in classrooms, at specific grade lev-

els, or across buildings and in the district as a

whole?

•

Systematic tracking.

How do you keep track of

the program’s effects on student behavior? How

systematic are these procedures? How might they

be improved?

•

Feedback.

What assessments are in place to

measure “consumer satisfaction” as reflected in the

feedback of staff, students, and parents involved in

SEL activities? How are these efforts reflected in

the overall school climate?

•

Usability.

Is your program sufficiently inten-

sive at each grade level to produce changes in atti-

tude and behavior, but flexible and adaptable

enough so that it is feasible to implement?

•

Cost.

How expensive is the SEL program-

ming to implement in the initial year and in sub-

sequent years? Are there sufficient resources to

cover this expense? How do the costs compare to

the benefits?

5. Letting others know about the program.

The results of the evaluation should be communi-

cated to relevant constituents first, and then it is

beneficial if they can be shared with other inter-

ested parties. Here are some questions to consider:

•

Parents and community.

How are parents and

community members informed about the program?

•

Evaluation results.

Are evaluation results

shared with the school board, teachers and staff,

parents, the community?

•

Visibility.

Are program activities and prod-

ucts visible enough so that parents and community

groups can see what is happening in addition to

learning about the official evaluation results?

•

Use of evaluations.

What use is made of the

evaluation information within individual class-

rooms, the school, and the district?

Caution: Bumps Ahead!

The road to social and emotional learning is not

likely to be a smooth one. All the programs de-

scribed in this book have been modified in the

light of experience, usually for the better. Again,

we remind you to seek support from others who

have been through or are currently going through

this process. Why do it on your own? Others have

valuable experiences that they can share so that

every step does not have to be a trial-and-error

learning experience—at the expense of children

and staff. Because they have been there, they can

provide moral support and encouragement when

you need it the most. Reach out to others; you’ll be

glad you did.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

124

Epilogue

HROUGHOUT THIS BOOK, WE HAVE PRESENTED

numerous examples of social and emotional learn-

ing in action, drawn from educators all over the

United States. What you might not know is that we

had enough material from these individuals to fill

several more books. Several sites that we could not

include also have a great deal to contribute. Be in-

spired by these individuals and their accomplish-

ments, and have the courage to know that you can

achieve similar goals! They, like you, care about

children’s intellectual development. And they, like

you, want children to emerge from school into

adulthood as knowledgeable, responsible, and car-

ing members of society. Perhaps their pathways

took them more systematically into the area of so-

cial and emotional education than yours did up to

now. But the road is not closed to you; through this

book, the ongoing work of CASEL, and the living

examples in the program sites, advances in social

and emotional education can be widely shared and

realistically carried out. CASEL is committed to col-

laborating with educators who want to explore:

(a) what SEL practices are most educationally re-

sponsible and scientifically respectable, (b) what ex-

isting SEL curriculum and training materials are

worth considering for adoption and implementa-

tion, and (c) which schools are implementing high-

quality programs that you might contact to learn

more about such models.

As we enter the 21st century, successful teach-

ers and schools must go beyond the basics to help

their students become contributing, productive citi-

zens. The metaphor of “emotional intelligence”

should not be taken literally, but rather to denote

the reality that learning requires the engagement of

all aspects of what makes us human. Social and

emotional education is not nonacademic; rather, it

integrates subject matter, cognition, emotion, and

behavior using active learning techniques in ways

that must become a standard part of schooling.

This integration leads to learning that extends be-

yond the classroom, that is internalized by stu-

dents and becomes part of them, rather than

something they take on simply to pass a test. SEL

is the missing piece of our education system, as

one can see by visiting sites where SEL is well

implemented.

In Chapter 1, we noted that educators working

to prepare students for the challenges that await

them require a new vision of what it means to be

educated. Children need to grow into adults who

are smart in many ways: in short, they need to be-

come

knowledgeable, responsible, and caring.

The U.S.

Declaration of Independence, a model throughout

the world for its statements about democracy, free-

dom, and our common humanity, identifies three

inalienable human rights: life, liberty, and the pur-

suit of happiness. To exercise these rights in a de-

mocracy requires the knowledge to understand

and find one’s role in the challenges and joys of

125

life, the responsibility to safeguard and administer

the machinery of our liberty, and the caring—for

others and for oneself in relationship with others—

that leads to lasting happiness.

Regardless of the specific words you might pre-

fer, we hope you share our recognition that we can-

not be satisfied to focus only on the transmission

of knowledge. Our educational system, with its

many resources and incredible and dedicated tal-

ent, will make extraordinary strides as we recog-

nize the social and emotional components that are

the keystones of learning. The words of the Decla-

ration of Independence can then be a contract

among our schools, our families, and our commu-

nities—a contract that guarantees the well-being of

all our children.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

126

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132

Appendix A: Curriculum Scope for Different Age Groups

Preschool/Early

Elementary

(K–2) School

Elementary/Intermediate Middle School High School

Personal

Emotion

•

Can appropriately express and

manage fear, helplessness,

anger, affection, excitement,

enthusiasm, and disappointment

•

Can differentiate and label

negative and positive emotions

in self and others

•

Increasing tolerance for

frustration

•

Expressing feelings in positive

ways

•

Controlling own anger

•

Labeling observed emotions

•

Harmonizing of others’ feelings

•

Self-aware and self-critical

•

Harmonizing of own feelings

All areas should be approached

as integrative:

•

Listening and oral

communication

•

Competence in reading,

writing, and computation

•

Learning to learn skills

•

Personal management: self-

esteem, goal-setting/self-

motivation

•

Personal and moral

evaluations of self, actions,

behaviors

•

Beginning to focus on the

future

•

Exploring meaning of one’s

life, life in general,

transcendence

•

Taking care of self, recognizing

consequences of risky

behaviors (sexual activity, drug

use), protecting self from

negative consequences

•

Harmonizing of own and

others’ feelings

•

Adaptability: creative thinking

and problem solving, especially

in response to barriers/obstacles

•

Earning and budgeting money

•

Planning a career and

preparing for adult role

•

Personal career

development/goals—pride in

work accomplished

Cognition

•

Beginning to take a reflective

perspective—role taking—what

is the other seeing? What is the

other feeling? What is the other

thinking? What is the other

intending? What is the other

like?

•

Generating alternative

possibilities for interpersonal

actions

•

Emphasis on attention-

sustaining skills, recall and

linkage of material, verbalization

of coping and problem-solving

strategies used

•

Knowing about healthy foods

and exercising

•

Times when cooperation,

planning are seen; at times,

shows knowledge that there is

more than one way to solve a

problem

•

Setting goals, anticipating

consequences, working to

overcome obstacles

•

Focusing on strengths of self

and others

•

Ability to think through

problem situations and

anticipate occurrences

•

Recognizing the importance of

alcohol and other drug abuse

and prevention

•

Establishing norms for health

•

Setting realistic short-term

goals

•

Seeing both sides of issues,

disputes, arguments

•

Comparing abilities to others,

self, or normative standards;

abilities considered in light of

others’ reactions

•

Acknowledging the

importance of self-statements

and self-rewards

Appendix A

133

Preschool/Early

Elementary

(K–2) School

Elementary/Intermediate Middle School High School

Behavior

•

Learning self-management

(e.g., when waiting one’s turn;

when entering and leaving

classrooms at the start and end

of the day and other transition

times; when working on

something in a group or alone)

•

Learning social norms about

appearance (e.g., washing face

or hair, brushing teeth)

•

Recognizing dangers to health

and safety (e.g., crossing street,

electrical sockets, pills that look

like candy)

•

Being physically healthy—

adequate nutrition; screenings

to identify visual, hearing,

language problems

•

Understanding safety issues

such as interviewing people at

the door when home alone;

saying no to strangers on the

phone or in person

•

Managing time

•

Showing respect for others

•

Can ask for, give, and receive

help

•

Negotiating disputes,

deescalating conflicts

•

Admitting mistakes,

apologizing when appropriate

•

Initiating own activities

•

Emerging leadership skills

Integration

•

Integrating feeling and

thinking with language,

replacing or complementing that

which can be expressed only in

action, image, or affectivity

•

Differentiating the emotions,

needs, and feelings of different

people in different contexts—if

not spontaneously, then in

response to adult prompting

and assistance

•

Recognizing and resisting

inappropriate touching, sexual

behaviors

•

Ability to calm self down

when upset and to verbalize

what happened and how one is

feeling differently

•

Encouraging perspective

taking and empathic

identification with others

•

Learning strategies for coping

with, communicating about, and

managing strong feelings

•

Being aware of sexual factors,

recognizing and accepting body

changes, recognizing and

resisting inappropriate sexual

behaviors

•

Developing skills for analyzing

stressful social situations,

identifying feelings, goals,

carrying out request and refusal

skills

Key concepts honesty, fairness, trust, hope,

confidence, keeping promises,

empathy

initiative, purpose, goals, justice,

fairness, friendship, equity,

dependability, pride, creativity

democracy, pioneering,

importance of the environment

(spaceship Earth, earth as

habitat, ecological environment,

global interdependence,

ecosystems), perfection and

imperfection, prejudice,

freedom, citizenship, liberty,

home, industriousness,

continuity, competence

relationships, healthy

relationships, fidelity, intimacy,

love, responsibility,

commitment, respect, love and

loss, caring, knowledge, growth,

human commonalities,

work/workplace, emotional

intelligence, spirituality, ideas,

inventions, identity, self-

awareness

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

134

Preschool/Early

Elementary

(K–2) School

Elementary/Intermediate Middle School High School

Peers/social

•

Being a member of a group:

sharing, listening, taking turns,

cooperating, negotiating

disputes, being considerate and

helpful

•

Initiating interactions

•

Can resolve conflict without

fighting; compromising

•

Understands justifiable self-

defense

•

Empathetic toward peers:

showing emotional distress

when others are suffering;

developing a sense of helping

rather than hurting or

neglecting; respecting rather

than belittling, and supporting

and protecting rather than

dominating others; awareness

of the thoughts, feelings, and

experiences of others

(perspective taking)

•

Listening carefully

•

Conducting a reciprocal

conversation

•

Using tone of voice, eye

contact, posture, and language

appropriate to peers (and adults)

•

Skills for making friends,

entering peer groups—can

judge peers’ feelings, thoughts,

plans, actions

•

Learning to include and

exclude others

•

Expanding peer groups

•

Friendships based on mutual

trust and assistance

•

Shows altruistic behavior

among friends

•

Becoming assertive, self-

calming, cooperative

•

Learning to cope with peer

pressure to conform (e.g., dress)

•

Learning to set boundaries, to

deal with secrets

•

Dealing positively with

rejection

•

Choosing friends thoughtfully

but aware of group norms,

popular trends

•

Developing peer leadership

skills

•

Dealing with conflict among

friends

•

Recognizing and accepting

alternatives to aggression and

violence

•

Belonging is recognized as

very important

•

Effective behavior in peer

groups

•

Peer leadership/responsible

membership

•

Using request and refusal skills

•

Initiating and maintaining

cross-gender friends and

romantic relationships

•

Understanding responsible

behavior at social events

•

Dealing with drinking and

driving

Appendix A

135

Preschool/Early

Elementary

(K–2) School

Elementary/Intermediate Middle School High School

Family

•

Being a family member: being

considerate and helpful,

expressing caring, and

developing capacity for intimacy

•

Making contributions at

home—chores, responsibilities

•

Relating to siblings—sharing,

taking turns, initiating

interactions, negotiating

disputes, helping, caring

•

Internalizing values modeled in

family

•

Self-confident and trusting—

what they can expect from

adults; believe that they are

important; that their needs and

wishes matter; that they can

succeed; that they can trust

their care givers; that adults can

be helpful

•

Intellectually inquisitive—like

to explore their home and the

world around them

•

Homes (and communities)

free from violence

•

Home life includes consistent,

stimulating contact with caring

adults

•

Understanding different family

forms and structures

•

Cooperating around household

tasks

•

Acknowledging compliments

•

Valuing own uniqueness as

individual and as family

contributor

•

Sustaining positive

interactions with parents and

other adult relatives, friends

•

Showing affection, negative

feelings appropriately

•

Being close, establishing

intimacy and boundaries

•

Accepting failure/difficulty and

continuing effort

•

Recognizing conflict between

parents’ and peers’ values (e.g.,

dress, importance of

achievement)

•

Learning about stages in

adults’ and parents’ lives

•

Valuing of rituals

•

Becoming independent

•

Talking with parents about

daily activities, learning self-

disclosure skills

•

Preparing for parenting, family

responsibilities

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

136

Preschool/Early

Elementary

(K–2) School

Elementary/Intermediate Middle School High School

School-related

Reasonable

expectations

•

Paying attention to teachers

•

Understanding similarities and

differences (e.g., skin color,

physical disabilities)

•

Working to the best of one’s

ability

•

Using words effectively,

especially for feelings

•

Cooperating

•

Responding positively to

approval

•

Thinking out loud, asking

questions

•

Expressing self in art, music

games, dramatic play

•

Likes starting more than

finishing

•

Deriving security in repetition,

routines

•

Able to articulate likes and

dislikes, has clear sense of

strengths, areas of mastery, can

articulate these, and has

opportunities to engage in these

•

Exploring the environment

•

Self-confident and trusting—

what they can expect from

adults in the school; believing

that they are important; that

their needs and wishes matter;

that they can succeed; that they

can trust adults in school; that

adults in school can be helpful

•

Setting academic goals,

planning study time, completing

assignments

•

Learning to work on teams

•

Accepting similarities and

differences (e.g., appearance,

ability levels)

•

Cooperating, helping—

especially younger children

•

Bouncing back from mistakes

•

Able to work hard on projects

•

Beginning, carrying through

on, and completing tasks

•

Good problem solving

•

Forgiving after anger

•

Generally truthful

•

Showing pride in

accomplishments

•

Can calm down after being

upset, losing one’s temper, or

crying

•

Able to follow directions for

school tasks, routines

•

Carrying out commitments to

classmates, teachers

•

Showing appropriate

helpfulness

•

Knowing how to ask for help

•

Refusing negative peer

pressure

•

Will best accept modified rules

•

Enjoys novelty over repetition

•

Can learn planning and

management skills to complete

school requirements

•

Making a realistic academic

plan, recognizing personal

strengths, persisting to achieve

goals in spite of setbacks

•

Planning a career/post-high

school pathways

•

Group effectiveness:

interpersonal skills, negotiation,

teamwork

•

Organizational effectiveness

and leadership—making a

contribution to classroom and

school

Appendix A

137

Preschool/Early

Elementary

(K–2) School

Elementary/Intermediate Middle School High School

Appropriate

Environment

•

Clear classroom, school rules

•

Opportunities for responsibility

in the classroom

•

Authority clear, fair, deserving

of respect

•

Frequent teacher redirection

•

Classrooms and school-related

locations free from violence and

threat

•

School life includes consistent,

stimulating contact with caring

adults

•

Opportunities to comfort peer

or classmate in distress, help

new persons feel

accepted/included

•

Being in groups, group

activities

•

Making/using effective group

rules

•

Participating in story-based

learning

•

Opportunities to negotiate

•

Time for laughter, occasional

silliness

•

Minimizing lecture-mode of

instruction

•

Varying types of student

products (deemphasize written

reports)

•

Opportunities to participate in

setting policy

•

Clear expectations about

truancy, substance use, violent

behavior

•

Opportunities for setting,

reviewing personal

norms/standards

•

Group/academic/

extracurricular memberships

•

Guidance/structures for goal

setting, future planning, post-

school transition

•

Opportunities for participating

in school service and other

nonacademic involvement

•

Being a role model for younger

students

Community

•

Curiosity about how and why

things happen

•

Recognizing a pluralistic

society (e.g., aware of holidays,

customs, cultural groups)

•

Accepting responsibility for

the environment

•

Participating in community

events (e.g., religious

observances, recycling)

•

Joining groups outside the

school

•

Learning about, accepting

cultural, community differences

•

Helping people in need

•

Understanding and accepting

differences in one’s community

•

Identifying and resisting

negative group influences

•

Developing involvements in

community projects

•

Apprenticing/training for

leadership roles

•

Contributing to community

service or environmental

projects

•

Accepting responsibility for

the environment

•

Understanding elements of

employment

•

Understanding issues of

government

Events Triggering

Preventive

Services

•

Coping with divorce

•

Dealing with death in the

family

•

Becoming a big brother or big

sister

•

Dealing with family moves

•

Coping with divorce

•

Dealing with death in the

family

•

Becoming a big brother or big

sister

•

Dealing with family moves

•

Coping with divorce

•

Dealing with death in the

family

•

Dealing with a classmate’s

drug use or delinquent behavior

•

Coping with divorce

•

Dealing with death in the

family

•

Dealing with a classmate’s

drug use or delinquent behavior,

injury or death due to violence,

pregnancy, suicide, HIV/AIDS

•

Transition from high school to

workplace, college, living away

from home

138

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Appendix B: Guidelines for Social and

Emotional Education

Guideline 1. Educators at all levels need explicit

plans to help students become knowledgeable, re-

sponsible, and caring. Efforts are needed to build

and reinforce skills in four major domains of SEL:

1. Life skills and social competencies

2. Health-promotion and problem-prevention

skills

3. Coping skills and social support for transi-

tions and crises

4. Positive, contributory service

Guideline 2. Successful efforts to build social and

emotional skills are linked to developmental mile-

stones as well as the need to help students cope

with ongoing life events and local circumstances.

Guideline 3. SEL programs emphasize the promo-

tion of prosocial attitudes and values about self,

others, and work.

Guideline 4. It is most beneficial to provide a de-

velopmentally appropriate combination of formal,

curriculum-based instruction with ongoing, infor-

mal, and infused opportunities to develop social

and emotional skills from preschool through high

school.

Guideline 5. SEL programs engage students as ac-

tive partners in creating a classroom atmosphere

where caring, responsibility, trust, and commit-

ment to learning can thrive.

Guideline 6. Academic and SEL goals are unified

by a comprehensive, theory-based framework that

is developmentally appropriate.

Guideline 7. SEL instruction uses a variety of

teaching methods to actively promote multiple do-

mains of intelligence.

Guideline 8. Repetition and practice are vital to

the integration of cognition, emotion, and behavior.

Guideline 9. Educators can enhance the transfer of

SEL from lesson-based or other formal instruction

to everyday life by using prompting and cuing

techniques in all aspects of school life.

Guideline 10. The integration of SEL with tradi-

tional academics greatly enhances learning in both

areas.

Guideline 11. The SEL curriculum may have to be

adapted for children with special needs.

Guideline 12. Coordination between the SEL cur-

riculum and other services creates an effective and

integrated system of service delivery.

Guideline 13. Staff development opportunities pro-

vide teachers with theoretical knowledge essential

to teaching social and emotional skills.

Guideline 14. Staff development provides model-

ing and practice in experiential learning.

Guideline 15. Staff development activities are vis-

ibly and regularly supported by feedback from col-

leagues, administrators, and others.

139

Guideline 16. SEL programs are most effective

when teachers and administrators adopt a long-

range perspective.

Guideline 17. A caring, supportive, and challeng-

ing classroom and school climate is most condu-

cive to effective SEL teaching and learning.

Guideline 18. Students derive more benefit from

SEL programs that they help to design, plan, and

implement.

Guideline 19. SEL programs and activities that are

coordinated with and integrated into the regular

curriculum and life of the classroom and school are

most likely to have the desired effect on students,

and are also most likely to endure.

Guideline 20. SEL programs that are most clearly

aligned with district goals and that have the sup-

port of the district administration are most likely to

succeed.

Guideline 21. When home and school collaborate

closely to implement SEL programs, students gain

more and the SEL program’s effects are most en-

during and pervasive.

Guideline 22. Adequate community involvement

in and support for SEL programs enhances their

effects.

Guideline 23. In selecting a specific SEL program,

educators must consider identified local needs,

goals, interests, and mandates; staff skills; preexist-

ing efforts; the nature of instructional procedures;

the quality of materials; the developmental appro-

priateness of the program; and its respect for

diversity.

Guideline 24. SEL activities and programs are best

introduced as pilot programs.

Guideline 25. Professional development and su-

pervision are important at all levels.

Guideline 26. Be clear about your planning proc-

ess and your view of how programs expand suc-

cessfully in your setting.

Guideline 27. An SEL program or approach that

addresses a wide range of life skills and problem

prevention areas tends to have the most impact.

Guideline 28. Allow the necessary time and sup-

port for the program to strengthen and grow.

Guideline 29. Systematically involving students

who are receiving special education helps build a

cohesive program climate and increases generaliza-

tion of learned skills to situations students encoun-

ter in daily living.

Guideline 30. To foster long-term commitment, it

is helpful to have a designated program coordina-

tor, social development facilitator, or a social and

emotional development committee. Committees

typically are responsible for seeing that the various

activities needed to effectively meet program goals

are carried out. They monitor SEL-related efforts

inside and outside the school.

Guideline 31. Long-lasting SEL programs are

highly visible and recognized. These programs

“act proud” and are not “snuck in” or carried out

on unofficially “borrowed” time. They do not act

in opposition to school or district goals, but rather

are integral to these goals.

Guideline 32. Effective SEL approaches use portfo-

lios, exhibitions, fairs, group presentations, and

print and electronic media both inside and outside

of school to invite participation and encourage the

involvement and commitment of the larger com-

munity. By using a variety of approaches, SEL pro-

grams extend the reach of the program beyond

formal school and classroom settings, and reach

out to bring others in.

Guideline 33. The longer a program is in place, the

more it will have to be adapted to changing circum-

stances. Implementation must be monitored and

the program’s outcomes evaluated regularly.

Guideline 34. Persistence and commitment are es-

sential to overcoming obstacles that may hinder

start-up of the SEL program and snarl the imple-

mentation. Because problem solving involves the

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

140

modeling of the skills that educators are trying to

teach students, the process of resolving issues con-

tributes greatly to the effectiveness of SEL efforts.

Guideline 35. SEL programs have clear implemen-

tation criteria and are monitored to ensure that the

programs are carried out as planned.

Guideline 36. Effective SEL programs are moni-

tored and evaluated regularly using systematic pro-

cedures and multiple indicators.

Guideline 37. SEL programs have clear outcome

criteria with specific indicators of impact identified

and outcome information gathered from multiple

sources.

Guideline 38. To maximize the benefits of the

evaluation process, SEL efforts are shared and dis-

cussed within a grade level, with adjacent grade

levels, with other schools in the district, and with

parents and the community to ensure that mem-

bers of these groups understand and contribute to

the social and emotional learning that is taking

place.

Guideline 39. The results of SEL program evalu-

ation efforts are used to refine programs and make

decisions about their future course.

Appendix B

141

Appendix C: Program Descriptions, Contacts,

and Site Visit Information

HERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT

a social and emotional skills-building approach or

program than by talking to those actually teaching

the program or by seeing it in action. CASEL has

identified a number of groups who are working in

the area of social and emotional education, and it

maintains a clearinghouse, resource library, and

World Wi de We b s ite to pro vi de i nf orma tion an d

networking for those interested in information, pro-

gram materials, training, or consultation.

The following section presents a sampling of

programs active at the time of this writing. These

were identified by CASEL and the Prevention

Clearinghouse of the National Mental Health Asso-

ciation as having empirical support for their effec-

tiveness, sites in varying locations, and a

willingness to respond to contacts and host visits

from those wishing to see programs in action, ex-

plore how they work, and learn how to get them

started. In each case, there is a contact for more de-

tailed information. Site visits were made by Linda

Bruene-Butler, Lisa Blum, and Zephryn Conte be-

tween September and December 1996.

Programs That Participated in Site Visits

Child Development Project (CDP)

Developmental Studies Center,

2000 Embarcadero, Suite 305

Oakland, CA 94606-5300.

Contact persons: Eric Schaps, Marilyn Watson

Phone: (510) 533-0213, 800-666-7270

Fax: (510) 464-3670

CDP works with elementary schools to help

them become “caring communities of learners” or

places where children care about learning and care

about one another. The program emphasizes the in-

tegrated intellectual, ethical, and social develop-

ment of children, recognizing that the three areas

of development are interrelated and together affect

children’s success in school. By deliberately incor-

porating these domains of development into the

program design, CDP aims to deepen children’s

commitment to being kind, helpful, responsible,

and respectful of others, as well as foster motiva-

tion for learning and development of higher-order

cognitive skills. The program’s multifaceted ap-

proach includes cooperative learning, a problem-

solving approach to discipline and classroom

management, classroom and schoolwide commu-

nity building, and family involvement. The pro-

gram is supported by staff development and

extensive curricular and professional materials

from the Developmental Studies Center in Oak-

land, California.

Sites: Flagship schools are located in Louisville,

Kentucky; White Plains, New York; and Cupertino,

California.

School visited: Hazelwood Elementary School, Jef-

ferson County Public Schools, 1325 Bluegrass Ave.,

Louisville, KY 40215. Site visit contacts: Brenda

143

Logan, Principal; Sheila Koshewa, Project Coordi-

nator of CDP

North Country School

P.O. Box 187

Lake Placid, NY 12946-0187

Contact person: Frank Wallace, Head

Phone: (518) 523-9329

Fax: (518) 523-4858

A residential school in Lake Placid, New York,

North Country provides a family-oriented environ-

ment dedicated to the development of the whole

child. In a rural setting, featuring a working farm,

students learn the social, emotional, and intellec-

tual skills needed for a full and complete life of re-

flection, interaction, and contribution. Some

students have had difficulties adjusting to peer,

community, or family life in their home settings.

Thus, North Country provides an environment in

which children learn to accept themselves and di-

verse others, as well. The school accepts elemen-

tary and middle school-aged students.

School visited: North Country School, P.O. Box

187, Lake Placid, NY 12946-0187. Site visit contact:

Frank Wallace

PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking

Strategies) Program

Prevention Research Center

Pennsylvania State University

Henderson Building South

University Park, PA 16802

Contact person: Mark Greenberg

Phone: (814) 863-0241

Fax: (814) 863-7963

We b: h tt p: //we ber. u.w ashington.edu/~paths/

Publisher: Developmental Research and Programs

1-800-736-2630

PATHS is a curriculum-based program. Chil-

dren learn to recognize, express, and manage emo-

tions; stop and think; use verbal thought; and learn

words to help mediate understanding of self and

others, social problem-solving skills, and language

skills for self-control. Training, staff, and logistical

support are provided by the PATHS Research

Group at the University of Washington. Special ma-

terials are available for children with hearing im-

pairments. The program focuses on all elementary

grades.

Sites: Flagship sites are in the Seattle, Washington,

area; rural Pennsylvania; and Nashville, Tennessee.

School visited: Hazel Valley Elementary School,

Highline School District 401, 402 SW 132nd St.,

Burien, WA 98146. Site visit contact: Barbara Wal-

ton, Principal

Primary Mental Health Project, Inc. (PMHP)

575 Mount Hope Ave.

Rochester, New York 14620-2290

Contact Person: A. Dirk Hightower

Phone: (716) 273-5957

Fax: (716) 232-6350

PMHP, Inc., features several different pro-

grams. The oldest and most widespread is called

PMHP, in which young elementary school-aged

students showing early signs of risk, due to social

isolation, aggression, or academic failure, are

paired with Child Associates who meet with them

once a week to help build a positive relationship

and SEL skills. Social problem-solving programs,

including ENHANCE for preschool and kindergar-

ten, build critical thinking skills. The Children of

Divorce Program is a school-based, curriculum-

based short-term intervention for children under-

going this stressful life event. It has received

research validation and extensive national acclaim.

Focal age groups are preschool through elementary.

Sites: Flagships sites are found throughout New

York State; there are more than 500 implementa-

tion sites throughout the United States and its

territories.

Schools visited:

Dudley Primary School, 211 Hamilton Rd., Fair-

port, NY 14450. Site visit contact: Paul Earnst,

Principal

Rochester City School #29, 88 Kirkland Rd., Roches-

ter, NY 14611

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

144

Site visit contact: Ms. Vivian McCloud, Principal

Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP)

RCCP National Center

163 Third Ave., #103

New York, NY 10003

Contact person: Linda Lantieri, Director, Resolving

Conflict Creatively Program National Center

Phone: (212) 387-0225

Fax: (212) 387-0510

E-mail: ESRRCCP@aol.com

RCCP, an initiative of Educators for Social Re-

sponsibility, provides teachers with in-depth train-

ing, curriculums, and staff development and

support; establishes peer mediation programs; of-

fers parent workshops; and conducts leadership

training for school administrators. The goal is to

show students they have many choices besides pas-

sivity or aggression for dealing with conflict, to

give them the skills needed to make those choices

in the real world, to increase their appreciation of

their own and other cultures, and to show them

they can play a more powerful role in creating a

more peaceful world. It operates at all grade levels,

with an elementary- and middle-school focus.

Sites: Flagship schools can be found throughout

the New York City area and in South Orange-

Maplewood, New Jersey; additional sites exist

throughout the United States.

Schools visited: Maplewood Middle School, Jeffer-

son Elementary School, Clinton Elementary

School. Write to: Board of Education, 525 Academy

St., Maplewood, NJ 07040. Site visit contacts:

Zephryn Conte, RCCP Site Coordinator; Mary Ed-

wards, RCCP District Liaison

The Responsive Classroom

Northeast Foundation for Children

71 Montague City Rd.

Greenfield, MA 01301

Contact person: Chip Wood

Phone: 800-360-6332; (413) 772-2066

Fax: (413) 772-2097

E-mail: nefc@crocker.com

The Responsive Classroom is an approach to

integrating the teaching of academic skills and so-

cial skills as part of everyday school life. The pro-

gram translates vision and beliefs into sound

practices. These practices provide a classroom

structure within which academic and social learn-

ing flourish. The practices grow out of teachers’

daily work with children and include Morning

Meeting, Classroom Organization, Rules and Logi-

cal Consequences, Choice Time, Guided Discovery,

and Assessment and Reporting to Parents. Obser-

vation and research show that these practices boost

self-esteem, promote prosocial behavior, and re-

duce problem behaviors in urban, suburban, and

rural schools. Our aim is to nurture inquisitive,

competent and industrious students who will use

their skills to add to the positive resources of the

world. The Responsive Classroom is a way of

thinking about teaching and interacting with chil-

dren. Although management techniques and skills

are taught, it is not just a set of steps or recipes. It is

an all-encompassing approach to teaching, learn-

ing, and living.

Sites: Charlemont, Massachusetts; Cincinnati,

Ohio; Cortland, New York; Dover, New Hamp-

shire; Fitchburg, Massachusetts; Springfield, Massa-

chusetts; and Washington, D.C.

School visited: Horace Mann Elementary School,

45th & Newark Sts., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016.

Site visit contact: Sheila Ford, Principal

School Development Program (SDP)

Yale Child St udy Cen ter

55 College St., Dept. A

New Haven, CT 06510

Contact person: Edward Joyner

Phone: (203) 737-1020

Fax: (203) 737-1023

The SDP involves a systemic process that tar-

gets an entire school for change. It includes (a) a

school planning and management team, which is a

management policy group with representatives

from the teaching staff, support staff, parent

Appendix C

145

groups, and administrators; (b) a mental health

team comprised of child development and mental

health specialists in the school whose function in-

cludes addressing school climate concerns, as well

as individual student and teacher problems and is-

sues; and (c) a parent program that involves par-

ents in every facet of school life, including active

daily participation in school activities, policy and

management issues, and general school support.

The SDP introduces (a) a comprehensive school

plan that establishes the social and academic goals

and activities of the school; (b) staff development

activities designed to address the objectives out-

lined in the plan; and (c) monitoring and assess-

ment of program processes and outcomes to

inform program modifications.

Sites: Flagship sites are in New Haven, Connecti-

cut; Washington, D.C.; New York State; and Nash-

ville, Tennessee.

School visited: Board of Education, New Haven

Public Schools, 54 Meadows St., New Haven, CT

06510. Site visit contact persons: Valerie Maholmes,

Ph.D., Coordinator for SDP, New Haven; Lystra

Richardson, Coordinator, New Haven Public

Schools

Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum

The Committee for Children

2203 Airport Way South, Suite 500

Seattle, WA, 98134-2027

Contact persons: Barbara Guzzo, Karen Bachelder

Phone: 800-634-4449; (206) 343-1223

Fax: (206) 343-1445

Second Step is a social and emotional skills cur-

riculum that teaches children to change the atti-

tudes and behaviors that contribute to violence.

Through multimedia lesson presentations, class-

room discussion, role play, and schoolwide rein-

forcement, children develop emotional

understanding, empathy, impulse control, problem-

solving, and anger-management skills. A Family

Guide to Second Step is a companion program that

teaches parents of Second Step students to practice

and reinforce prosocial behavior at the home. Cur-

riculums, videos, training for professionals, imple-

mentation support, and research and evaluation

are provided by Committee for Children. The pro-

gram is directed to students, teachers, and parents

of children from preschool to 9th grade.

Sites: Flagships sites are available throughout the

United States and Canada. Implementation has

taken place across North America and in seven for-

eign countries.

Schools visited: Kimball Elementary, 3200 23rd

Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98144. Site visit contacts:

Theresa Escobar, School Counselor; Barbara

Guzzo, Committee for Children.

Whitworth Elementary, 5215 46th Ave. South, Seat-

tle, WA 98118. Site visit contacts: Susan McCloskey,

Principal; Barbara Guzzo, Committee for Children.

Social Decision Making and Problem Solving

Department of Psychology

Rutgers University, Livingston Campus

New Brunswick, NJ 08903

Primary Contact Person: Maurice Elias

Phone: (732) 445-2444

Fax: (732) 445-0036

For Training of Trainers, National Dissemination:

SPS Unit

240 Stelton Rd.

Piscataway, NJ 08854-3248

Contact persons: Linda Bruene-Butler, Lisa Blum

Phone: (732) 235-4939

Fax: (732) 235-5115

For Video/Media/Computer-Technology Applications:

Psychological Enterprises, Inc.

165 Washington St.

Morristown, NJ 07960

Contact Person: Steven Tobias

Phone: (973) 829-6806

Fax: (973) 829-6802

Social Decision Making and Problem Solving is

a curriculum-based framework for promoting stu-

dents’ social competence and life skills and pre-

venting violence, substance abuse, and related

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

146

problem behaviors. Focal skills include how to un-

derstand social situations, one’s feelings, and the

perspectives of those involved; calm down when

upset or under pressure; create personally mean-

ingful and prosocial goals; consider alternatives

and consequences to ways of reaching goals; mak-

ing and enacting effective plans; and overcoming

personal and interpersonal obstacles. Main curricu-

lum foci are Readiness Skills (self-control, social

awareness, and group participation), Social Deci-

sion Making Strategy Skills, and Application Skills

(infusion into academics, interpersonal situations).

There are curriculum materials, and parent and

training manuals. Extensive applications are made

to self-contained classrooms and include special

education students. Video- (“Talking with TJ”) and

computer-based applications are a current focus. It

operates from pre-K to 12th grade, with a focus on

elementary and middle school.

Sites: Flagship schools include those site visited

and The Children’s Institute in Livingston, New

Jersey; Chester, New Jersey Township; St. Charles,

Illinois School District; Astor Home for Children,

New York; Westchester County, New York; and

sites in Arizona, Washington, Texas, New York,

New Jersey, USA; Australia; India; and Israel.

Schools visited:

Watsessing School, 71 Prospect St., Bloomfield, NJ

07003. Site visit contact: Darlene Mattia, Principal

Berkeley Heights, New Jersey Public Schools, 345

Plainfield Ave., Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922. Site

visit contact: Mrs. Joan London, Assistant Superin-

tendent

Bartle School, Mansfield Ave., Highland Park, NJ

08904. Site visit contact: Dr. Frank Fehn, Principal

Cape May Special Services School District, Crest

Haven Rd., Cape May Courthouse, NJ 08201. Site

visit contact: Karalee Corson, Director

Social Development Research Group (SDRG)

Raising Healthy Children Program

9732 3rd Ave., NE

Suite #401

Seattle, WA 98115

Contact persons: Kevin Haggerty and Lois

Meryman

Phone: (206) 543-3188; 685-3854

Fax: (206) 543-4507

E-mail: haggerty@u.washington.edu

Raising Healthy Children, a project funded by

the National Institute on Drug Abuse, seeks to re-

duce known risk factors for later problem behav-

iors while increasing protective factors among

elementary school-aged students. The interven-

tions focus on three critical socializing units—the

school, family, and peer group. Intervention strate-

gies include staff development, parenting pro-

grams and home visits for families, and social

skills development for students. The strategies are

designed to increase bonding between students

and their school and parents; teach skills to parents

and teachers to increase academic success and re-

duce problem behaviors; and reinforce positive

norms. These strategies have been shown by ear-

lier SDRG research to reduce children’s risk for

later health and behavior problems. Preliminary

analysis of RHC data reveal statistically significant

differences between program and comparison stu-

dents in their growth in social competency over a

two-year period. Evaluation efforts will continue

to further our understanding of how to effectively

promote children’s development as healthy com-

munity members.

Schools visited:

Cedar Way Elementary School, 22222 39th Ave.

West, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043-5252. Site visit

contact: Jeanne Smart, Principal

Lynnwood Intermediate. 18638 44th Ave. West,

Lynnwood, WA 98037-4605. Site visit contact: Mar-

cie Nashem, Principal

Mountlake Terrace Elementary School, 22001 52nd

Ave. West, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043-3399. Site

visit contact: Pat Mourtada, Principal

Hazelwood Elementary School, 3300 204th St. SW,

Lynnwood, WA 98036-6899. Site visit contact: Jane

Wes tergaa rd -Nim ocks , Pr incipa l

Appendix C

147

Success for Life

La Salle Academy

612 Academy Ave.

Providence, RI 02908

Contact person: Ray Hebel, Academic Dean

Phone: (401) 351-7750

Fax: (401) 444-1782

Developer: Raymond Pasi, Ph.D.

Phone: (703) 358-5400

Fax: (703) 358-5409

Success for Life is the name La Salle Academy

gives to its schoolwide and curriculum-infused

program in social and emotional education. Stu-

dent needs in this domain are met through a wide

variety of established and new school initiatives.

La Salle’s Goals of Community Behavior were cre-

ated by the joint efforts of the principal, faculty,

and student representatives, and function as the

overall guideline for acceptable behavior. Other

school programs range from a Big Brother/Big Sis-

ter program and Athlete Goal Sheets to a daily

morning reflection. These programs are comple-

mented by social and emotional lessons, which are

explicitly taught in every academic discipline sev-

eral times a year. Specific themes and related skills

serve as the guidelines for what is covered in each

grade. The program is unique in its blending of

specific schoolwide programs with social/emo-

tional infusion into every subject.

School visited: La Salle Academy, 612 Academy

Ave., Providence, RI 02908. Site visit contact:

Raymond Pasi

Acclaimed SEL Programs in Schools Not

Visited

Limited time made it impossible to site visit more

than a representative sampling of outstanding SEL

program models. Below, we list selected programs

in CASEL’s database that were not visited. How-

ever, each of these models has ongoing programs

that may be visited through arrangements with the

contact person.

Facing History and Ourselves

National Office

16 Hurd Rd.

Brookline, MA 02146-6919

Contact person: Margo Stern Strom

Phone: (617) 232-1595

Fax: (617) 232-0281

Facing History and Ourselves is a national edu-

cation and teacher training organization whose

mission is to engage students of diverse back-

grounds in an examination of racism, prejudice,

and antisemitism in order to promote the develop-

ment of a more humane and informed citizenry. By

studying the historical development and lessons of

the Holocaust and other examples of genocide, stu-

dents explore the connection between history and

current events and the choices they confront in

their own lives.

Sites: In addition to the National Office in Massa-

chusetts, Regional Centers are maintained in Chi-

cago, Illinois; Memphis, Tennessee; New York,

New York; Los Angeles, California; and San Fran-

cisco, California.

Going for the Goal (GOAL)

The Life Skills Center

West Virginia Commonwealth University

800 W. Franklin St.

Richmond, VA 32384-2018

Contact persons: Steven Danish, Alice Westerberg

Phone: (804) 828-4384

Fax: (804) 828-0239

GOAL is a 10-session, 10-hour program taught

to middle school students by well-trained high

school students, both in and after school. The skills

taught are how to identify positive life goals, the

process of goal attainment, social problem solving,

identifying health-compromising and goal-

diverting behaviors, identifying health- and goal-

promoting behaviors, and how to seek social

support. There are printed Leaders Manuals and

Student Activity Guides.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

148

Sites: Connecticut, New York, Georgia, Michigan,

Virginia, Massachusetts, California, USA; Australia

and New Zealand

Growing Healthy

National Center for Health Education (NCHE)

72 Spring St., Suite 208

New York, NY 10012-4019

Contact person: Urvi R. Dalal, MPH

Phone: (212) 334-9470, ext. 25

Fax: (212) 334-9845

Growing Healthy is a school-based comprehen-

sive health education curriculum designed to meet

the needs of students in kindergarten through 6th

grade. Its lessons are planned and sequential with

varied activities that address not only the physical,

but also the social and emotional aspects of health.

The curriculum is designed to help children con-

front today’s pressing health issues such as sub-

stance use; HIV/AIDS; teen pregnancy; and

violence, injury, and abuse. The program includes

role play, small-group exercises, cooperative and

experimental activities, as well as videos, 3-D ana-

tomical models, games, cassettes, and optional

computer software. Unlike single-topic curricu-

lums, in 43 to 51 lessons per grade level, Growing

Healthy enables students to adopt proactive atti-

tudes and behaviors by giving them the life skills

they need.

Sites: Through the NCHE office, program facilita-

tors can be contacted for specific information in the

following states: Arizona, Arkansas, California,

Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa,

Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Mon-

tana, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, Ten-

nessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

“I Can Problem Solve” (ICPS)

Allegheny University

Broad and Vine Sts.

Philadelphia, PA 19102

Contact person: Myrna Shure, Ph.D.

(Developer/Author)

Phone: (215) 762-7205

Fax: (215) 762-8625

The award-winning ICPS program teaches chil-

dren (pre-K to 6th grade) thinking skills that they

can use to resolve or prevent problems between

themselves and other people. Extensive research

has proven children as young as four can learn

these thinking skills. Children are guided to think

for themselves (how, not what to think), to evalu-

ate their own ideas and to try out their own solu-

tions. There are three basic elements to training:

basic skills, problem-solving skills, and program

framework. Basic skills include: problem-solving

vocabulary and dialogue techniques, identification

of feelings, and seeing others’ points of view. Prob-

lem-solving skills focus on considering multiple so-

lutions, consequences of these solutions, and

determining best solution. The framework of the

program consists of teaching lessons several times

a week. Lessons are in game form and sequentially

build on one another; concepts are reviewed and

practiced. Children learn to apply skills to real-life

situations. (Companion award-winning parent pro-

gram:

Raising a Thinking Child

book and workbook.)

Sites: Throughout United States and abroad

The Mysteries Program

Institute for Social and Emotional Learning

3833 N. 57th St.

Boulder, CO 80301

Contact person: Rachael Kessler

Phone: (303) 581-0331

Fax: (303) 581-0295

Mysteries provides training and materials that

give adolescent students the tools to learn to toler-

ate and enjoy human diversity; to develop compas-

sion, responsibility, and empowerment; to capture

the ability to play; to express joy and love; and to

feel connected to community. Neglected dimen-

sions of intelligence are emphasized: sensitivity to

self and other, intuition, imagination, body wis-

dom, and spirituality. A Passages Program pre-

pares educators to address social and emotional

Appendix C

149

issues related to teenage transitions into, during,

and after high school.

Sites: Flagship sites are in New York and Califor-

nia.

Positive Adolescent Choices Training (PACT)

School of Professional Psychology, Ellis Institute

Wright State University

9 N. Edwin Moses Blvd.

Dayton, OH 45407

Contact persons: Janeece Warfield, Betty R. Yung

Phone: (937) 775-4300

Fax: (937) 775-4323

PACT is a school-based skill development pro-

gram designed to prevent violence among African-

American and other high-risk youth. The program

trains youth in three social skills (giving negative

feedback, receiving negative feedback, and negotia-

tion), anger management, and violence risk educa-

tion. Videotapes and program manuals can be

purchased for program implementation, and train-

ing for group leaders may be arranged. Observa-

tions may be arranged in the PACT middle school

site.

Site: A comprehensive observation site is set up in

a Dayton, Ohio, middle school.

Preschool Stress Relief Project (PSSRP)

Wholistic Stress Control Institute

2545 Benjamin E. Mays Dr., SW

Atlanta, GA 30311

Contact person: Gloria Elder

Phone: (404) 755-0068

Fax: (404) 755-4333

PSSRP is a substance abuse prevention and

mental health program developed to provide train-

ing, consultation, and educational resources in

stress management to Head Start, day care, and

public school teachers. The project’s goal is to en-

able teachers to instruct preschoolers and elemen-

tary school students living in high-risk environ-

ments to develop positive coping skills for reduc-

ing and managing stress in their lives. The project

provides workshops for parents on stress reduc-

tion techniques for families as well. Educational

materials include curriculum, videos, puppets,

posters, songs, stickers, coloring book, and parent

workbook. Training services are also available.

Sites: Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, New Jersey,

Ohio, and Washington

Project OZ, Inc.

502 S. Morris Ave.

Bloomington, IL 61701

Contact person: Mike Dobbins

Phone: (309) 827-0377

Fax: (309) 829-8877

E-mail: OZ@dave-world.net

Project OZ has created several curriculum-

based programs for special education and general

education students. Special prevention modules

have been created for substance abuse in grades K-

12, and violence prevention for grades 4-7.

Sites: Baltimore City, Maryland; Region 5, Chicago;

Decatur, Illinois; and Branson, Missouri

Reach Out To Schools: Social Competency

Program

The Stone Center, Wellesley College

106 Central St.

Wellesley, MA 02181-8268

Contact person: Pamela Seigle

Phone: (617) 283-2847

Fax: (617) 283-3646

Reach Out to Schools is a comprehensive multi-

year program for grades K-5. A yearlong curricu-

lum contains 40 lessons in three competency areas:

creating a cooperative classroom environment,

building self-esteem and positive relationships,

and solving interpersonal problems. Lessons are

conducted twice each week in an “Open Circle”

format. Workshops are provide to parents as well.

Sites: Flagships sites are located throughout Massa-

chusetts: Boston, Easton, Framingham, Franklin,

Holbrook, Hopkinson, Medfield, Natick, Ran-

dolph, Sherborn, Wayland, Wellesley, Westwood,

and Weymouth.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

150

The Social Competence Program for Young

Adolescents (SCPP-YA)

Department of Psychology (M/C 285)

University of Illinois-Chicago

1007 W. Harrison St.

Chicago IL 60607-7137

Contact person: Roger Weissberg

Phone: (312) 413-1012

Fax: (312) 355-0559

SCPP-YA is a middle school prevention pro-

gram that teaches students cognitive, behavioral,

and affective skills and encourages them to apply

these skills in dealing with daily challenges, prob-

lems, and decisions. It has been a core element of

New Haven’s systemwide, K through 12 social de-

velopment curriculum instruction since 1989. The

45-session SCPP-YA has 3 modules. The first mod-

ule includes 27 lessons of intensive instruction in

social problem-solving (SPS) skills. These founda-

tional lessons are followed by two 9-session pro-

grams that teach students to apply SPS skills to the

prevention of substance abuse and high-risk sexual

behavior. To foster the application and generaliza-

tion of SPS concepts and skills to daily life, teach-

ers are trained to model problem solving to

students in situations other than formal classroom

lessons, and to guide and encourage students to

try out problem-solving strategies in school, at

home, and in the community. Research evaluations

indicate positive program effects on students’ prob-

lem-solving and stress-management skills, proso-

cial attitudes about conflict, social behavior, and

alcohol use.

Sites: The flagship site is the New Haven, Connecti-

cut, Public Schools.

Success for All Program (SFA)

Johns Hopkins University

3503 N. Charles St.

Baltimore, MD 21218

Contact person: Barbara Coppersmith

Phone: 1-800-548-4998

Fax: (410) 516-8890

SFA is a schoolwide restructuring program for

students in grades pre-K to 5. It organizes re-

sources to focus on prevention and early interven-

tion so that every student will succeed in reading

throughout the elementary grades. Components in-

clude tutors, eight-week assessments, cooperative

learning, reading and writing programs, family

support and staff support teams, and a full-time

site facilitator.

Sites: Elementary schools in the following states

are among those that can be visited: Arizona, Cali-

fornia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland,

Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina,

Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia,

and West Virginia.

Te en ag e H e a l t h Te a ch in g M o d u l e s ( TH TM )

Center for School Health Programs

Education Development Center, Inc.

55 Chapel St.

Newton, MA 02158

Contact Person: Christine Blaber

Phone: (617) 969-7100

Fax: (617) 244-3436

E-mail: cb[email protected]g

To see the program in the classroom, contact:

Frances (“Kika”) Brown

Health/Physical Education Teacher

30845 Ashwood Dr.

Granger, IN 46530

(219) 295-4700

THTM is a successful, nationally used, and in-

dependently evaluated comprehensive school

health curriculum for grades 6 through 12. It pro-

vides adolescents with the knowledge, skills, and

understanding necessary to act in ways that en-

hance their immediate and long-term health. The

evaluation of THTM concluded that the curricu-

lum produced positive effects on students’ health

knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported behaviors.

As a comprehensive health curriculum, THTM ad-

dresses topics as diverse as disease prevention and

control, nutrition and fitness, injury and violence

prevention, mental and emotional health, and

healthy relationships.

Appendix C

151

Index

Abuse or neglect issues, 72.

See also

At-risk children

Academic success and SEL, 3–6, 12, 61, 85, 88

Adapting SEL

for different populations, 64–68

in response to problems, 97–102

Administrators

long-range perspective, 72–73

professional development, 68–73

response to calls for SEL, 8–10

support for SEL program, 94, 104, 120

support for teachers, 71–72, 94, 104

Adolescents

developmental milestones, 38–41

healthy perspectives for, 40–41

personal-academic connection, 19–20

skills employers want for teens,

AIDS prevention programs.

See

Prevention programs

“Anger Thermometer,” 52,

Arizona, 89

Artistic expression, 54

Assumption School, Seattle, Washington, 54

At-risk children

caring and, 6

consistency in SEL procedures and, 65, 97

importance of school to,

115

linking SEL with developmental milestones, 29–31

SEL and, 5

Auburndale School, Kentucky,

Av ot , P ir ke ,

Bachelder, Karen,

Bartle School, Highland Park, New Jersey, 59,

Behavioral skills, 27–29

Behavior problems

defusing problem behaviors,

preventing, 5, 6, 66–68

rehearsal and practice of skills and, 55

SEL and, 5, 6

Berkeley Heights, New Jersey,

, 89

Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, 44–45

Bloomfield, New Jersey,

111

113

Book Talks,

Boulder, Colorado, 54

Boundary setting, 69, 70

Bronx, New York, 78

Brown, Jacqualine, 24

Buddy Program,

Businesses

SEL and, 6–8

skills employers want for teens,

California, 54,

, 88

Cape May, New Jersey,

Caring

in the classroom, 45–47

importance of, 6, 31, 32, 33, 125

modeling of, 69–70

school climate and, 108

Catalano, Richard,

CDP.

See

Child Development Project

Cedar Way Elementary School, Mountlake Terrace,

Wash in gt on, 62

Challenging of students, 76–77

Character

addressing in an SEL framework, 31–33,

, 108

definition, 32–33

Character education

definition, 2

goals of, 2, 5

overlap with SEL, 2, 5, 31–33,

Character Education Partnership, 2

Page numbers in italics refer to pages that contain figures and boxed

examples.

153

Child development

emotion and, 27

linking SEL to, 33–41, 92

overview of, 37–41

Child Development Project,

, 80,

, 92

Children of Divorce Project,

Children’s Institute,

Citizenship, 8

Class Constitution, 44–45

Class meetings, 46–47

Classroom climate.

See also

School climate

creating a supportive environment, 44–47,

, 120

effects of unhealthy, 21

elements of supportive, 76–77

establishing rules, 43–45

importance of, 75–77

Closure, 69

Cognitive skills and SEL, 3–5, 27

Colorado, 54

Comer, James, 12,

“Comer Process,” 89

Committee for Children,

Communication skills, 22, 108

Communities, changes in, 9–10

Community involvement

in evaluation process, 111

in supporting SEL, 3, 10, 89–90, 97, 120

keeping the community informed, 97, 124

Community service, 24,

, 89

Computer Friends program,

Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, 66–68

Confidence, 31, 108

Connecticut, 3,

, 76

Consequential thinking, 6

Consistency

at-risk children and, 65, 97

importance of,

Consortium on the School-Based Promotion of Social

Competence, 109, 118,

119

Contextual factors for SEL.

See also

Classroom climate;

School climate

aligning with district goals, 85–87

community involvement and support, 3, 10, 89–90,

97, 120

coordinating and integrating SEL, 79–85

empowering students, 77–79

home and school collaboration, 3, 10, 87–89, 97,

109

supportive environment, 75–77,

110

Contracts for goal setting, 54,

57–58

Conyers, John,

Cook County, Illinois,

Cooperative and small-group learning, 54–55, 65

Coping skills and support for transitions and crises,

22–24

Cost issues, 114, 124

Councils, 46–47

Counseling, SEL as adjunct to, 66–68

Crossroads School for the Arts and Sciences, Santa

Monica, California, 88

Cueing and coaching, 59

Cultural sensitivity,

109

, 120

Current events, integrating SEL, 62

Curriculum

for different age groups,

133–138

integrating SEL, 61–64, 93,

109

key SEL program elements,

109–110

119

“Day Starter” activity, 19

Decatur Elementary, Washington, 54

Decision making, 6, 27, 108

Decision-making teams, 104

Declaration of Independence, 125–126

Delaney, Marge,

DeMattia, Darlene,

Democracy, 8, 125–126

Developmental milestones

linking SEL with, 29–31, 33–41, 92,

109

overview of, 37–41

Developmental Studies Center,

Displays,

, 59, 97

Districts, aligning goals with, 85–87

Diversity, 92,

109

, 120

Divorce,

Dramatic arts, 54

Drug abuse prevention programs.

See

Prevention

programs

DSC.

See

Developmental Studies Center

Dunson, Lorna,

Educational challenges, 1

Educators.

See

Administrators; Reflective educator

concept; Teachers

Elementary school children, developmental milestones,

37–38

Emotion

child development and, 27

cognition and, 3–5, 27

Emotional attachment, 44, 45

“Emotional hijacking,” 30, 66

Emotional Intelligence

, 2

Emotional intelligence

as integrative concept, 27–29

definition, 2

key skills,

Emotional quotient, 97

(

continued

)

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

154

Empathy,

See also

Caring

Employment

SEL and, 6–8

skills employers want for teens,

Empowering students, 77–79

Ettinger, Bruce,

Evaluating SEL programs

applying evaluation results, 113–114

considerations for, 118

cost-effectiveness and cost-benefits, 114, 124

creating a culture for, 104–105

current practices, 15–18, 119–120

curriculum and instructional issues,

111–112

119

implementation and evaluation issues,

110

119

importance of, 114–115

key SEL program elements,

109–110

119

monitoring and evaluating systematically, 106–107

outcome criteria, 108–111

participation in, 111–113

program implementation, 100, 105–106, 124

Program Review Worksheet,

121–123

questions to address, 106, 118–124

reflective educator concept, 103–104

student anecdotes about program effects,

112–113

Event-triggered services, 22–24

Examples

1A, Helping Children Cope with Divorce,

1B, Coping Effectively with an Ill Teacher and Her

Substitute,

1C, Resolving Conflict and Creating Peaceable

Relationships,

1D, Positive Contributory Service for Different Age

Groups,

1E, Problem-Solving Steps Used by Different

Programs,

28–29

1F, Emotional Intelligence: Key Skills in Social and

Emotional Learning,

2A, Drawing on Community to Provide Support

When School Tragedy Strikes,

3A, How to Address Values, Virtue, and Character

Using an SEL Framework,

4A, La Salle Academy’s Success for Life Program:

Embodying the Principles of SEL,

35–37

5A, Good Morning in the Responsive Classroom,

5B, Walls Speak Volumes About SEL,

6A, Frameworks Matter,

6B, Consistency Matters,

7A, A Curriculum-Based SEL Lesson,

7B, Your Anger Thermometer,

9A, SEL and Sports: Perfect Together,

57–58

9B, Prompting Self-Regulation, Self-Control, and Skill

Transf er,

9C, SEL on the Op-Ed Page,

10A, SEL and Academics,

10B, Reading, Writing, and Conflict Resolution,

10C, SEL and Literature,

10D, Book Talks,

11A, SEL and Inclusion,

11B, Adapting SEL for Students with Special Needs,

11C, How Students at a Residential School View SEL,

12A, Defusing Problem Behaviors,

14A, Hassle Logs for Teachers,

15A, Ongoing Commitment and Expert Support

Produce Genuine Changes in Practice,

17A, Student, Parent and Staff Views of Positive

School Climate,

17B, Morning Reflections,

18A, Setting Up a Supportive Environment for All

Children,

19A, Reinforcing Social Problem-Solving Steps

Through Academic Instruction and Real-Life

Application,

81–82

19B, Group Meetings and Activities to Reinforce SEL

Instruction,

19C, Innovative Student Support Services That

Reinforce

SEL,

20A, Districtwide Support Strengthens SEL Programs,

21A, Parents’ Night,

22A, Building Our Future Together: Senior Citizens

Fill an Emotional Void,

25A, The Importance of Ongoing Professional

Development and Support: Advice from Leaders

of Site-Visited Programs,

25B, Having Regard for One’s Professional Integrity,

26A, Principles to Guide SEL Program Development,

30A, The Responsibilities of a Social Development

Coordinator,

31A, Institutionalizing SEL Programs,

36A, Prevention Plus III Model,

107

37A, Key Structural Elements of Social and Emotional

Learning Programs,

109–110

37B, A Principal’s Evaluation Criteria and

Observations,

111

37C, Student Anecdotes About Program Effects,

112–113

38A, Teachers Reflect on What They Have Done to

Improve SEL Activities,

114

39A, Bonding to School Helps Prevent Drug Abuse in

High-Risk Students, 115

(

continued

)

Index

155

Families.

See also

Parental involvement

changes in, 9–10

home and school collaboration, 3, 10, 87–89, 97,

109

responsibility for SEL learning, 8, 33

Family Life Education programs, 92, 98

Family Science Nights,

Family therapy, SEL as adjunct to, 66–68

“Feelings Fingerprints,” 52

“FIG TESPN” problem-solving steps,

Florence, South Carolina, 59

Foster Grandparents program,

Four C’s, 31–32

Framework for SEL,

, 47,

, 73, 92, 94,

109

Franklin High School, Seattle, Washington, 56

Friendship Mobile,

114

Gangs, 32

Gardner, Howard, 12

Generalization,

109

Generations Exchange program,

Gilligan, Carol, 12

Goals

for SEL programs, 10–12

identifying your program goals, 16, 20, 119–120

Goal-setting skills, 6, 53–54

Goleman, Daniel, 2, 3, 7, 12, 21, 30

Good Morning Game,

Group discussions, 50–52

Group dynamics

facilitation skills, 68–69

group participation skills, 27, 108

small-group learning, 54–55, 65

Guidelines, 10–12, 139–141

Guideline 1, 21–29

Guideline 2, 29–31

Guideline 3, 31–33

Guideline 4, 33–41

Guideline 5, 44–47, 48

Guideline 6, 47, 49

Guideline 7, 47–55

Guideline 8, 55

Guideline 9, 55–60, 61

Guideline 10, 61–64

Guideline 11, 64–66, 67

Guideline 12, 66–68

Guideline 13, 68–69

Guideline 14, 69–71

Guideline 15, 71–72

Guideline 16, 72–73

Guideline 17, 75–77, 78

Guideline 18, 77–79, 80

Guideline 19, 79–85

Guideline 20, 85–87

Guideline 21, 87–89

Guideline 22, 89

Guideline 23, 91–92

Guideline 24, 92–93

Guideline 25, 94–96

Guideline 26, 94, 96

Guideline 27, 94

Guideline 28, 94, 96

Guideline 29, 96–97

Guideline 30, 97–100

Guideline 31, 97–100

Guideline 32, 97–100

Guideline 33, 97–100

Guideline 34, 100–102

Guideline 35, 105–106

Guideline 36, 106–107

Guideline 37, 108–113

Guideline 38, 111, 113

Guideline 39, 113–114, 115

Haffey, William,

Haggerty, Kevin, 43,

115

Hassle Logs,

Hawkins, David,

Hazel Valley Elementary, Washington, 64–65

Hazelwood School, Lexington, Kentucky,

Health.

See also

Prevention programs

component of SEL programs, 22, 120

effects of “independent” decisions, 21

information-oriented programs, 6, 31

linking SEL to health programs, 98

social and emotional status and, 7

Hearing loss and social development, 65

Highland Park, New Jersey, 59,

High school, developmental milestones, 40–41.

See also

Adolescents

Hightower, A. Dirk, 91,

History, integrating SEL, 62

Humor, 52, 56, 71

IEPs.

See

Individualized Educational Plans

I Feel Calm Book,

114

Illinois,

I’m Always in Trouble

Implementing SEL programs.

See also

Pilot programs

anticipating and overcoming obstacles, 100–102

considerations for, 92,

110

, 118,

119

, 120–124

long-term, 97–100

questionnaire for, 106

Inclusion

adapting SEL to, 64–68

as element of pilot programs, 96–97

Individualized Educational Plans, 65

Information sharing, 97–100,

110

, 124

Instruction

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

156

issues of,

109–110

119

methods of, 47–55

Integrating SEL

cognition, behavior, and emotion, 27–29

into curriculum, 61–64, 92, 93,

109

into schools, 19–41

Interpersonal Cognitive Problem-Solving, 60

“Keep Calm,” 56,

111

113

Kelly, James,

Kent, Washington, 46

Kentucky,

Knight, Margy Burs,

114

Kohn, Alfie,

Koshewa, Sheila,

Krah, Marge,

Lake Placid, New York,

Language disorders and social development, 65

La Salle Academy, Providence, Rhode Island

athletic program,

57–58

Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program,

Morning Reflections,

Senior Service Program,

Success for Life Program,

35–37

Learning disabilities and social development, 65

Lexington, Kentucky,

Lickona, Thomas, 32–33

Life skills and social competencies, 22, 94

“Life Skills Evening,” 88

Lisi, Bob,

“Listening Position,” 59

Literature, 61–62,

“Lunchtime Group,”

Lykins, Mary Beth,

Lynnwood Intermediate School, Lynnwood,

Wash in gt on,

Maholmes, Valerie,

Management of feelings, 52–53, 108

Mattia, Darlene,

111

McCloud, Vivian,

Media promotion of SEL, 97

Memory, 3

Mental delays and social development, 65

Mental health team, 89

Mentor teachers, 72

Middle school, developmental milestones, 38–39

Modeling, 56, 69–70

Monroe County, New York,

Morning Meetings,

112–113

Morning Reflections,

Mountlake Terrace, Washington,

Multiple intelligences

instructional methods for SEL and, 47–55

social basis of,

, 64

Murphy, Michael J.,

“Mysteries Questions,” 78–79

Nashville, Tennessee, 50

National Commission on the Role of the School and the

Community in Improving Adolescent Health, 22

Networking, 73

Neurological disorders and social development, 61

New Brunswick, New Jersey, 56

New Haven, Connecticut, 3,

, 76

New Jersey,

49,

56, 59,

, 79,

, 89,

99,

111

113

Newsletters, 99

New York,

, 78, 91,

112

North Brunswick, New Jersey,

North Country School, Lake Placid, New York,

Openness, 70, 76

Outcome criteria, 108–111

Overview, 12–13, 117–124

Parental involvement

home and school collaboration, 3, 10, 87–89, 97–98,

109

in evaluation process, 111, 124

parents’ responsibility for SEL, 8, 33

Parent education, 68, 120

Parents’ Night,

Parent-teacher organization, 89

Pasi, Raymond,

PAT HS p rogr am, 47 ,

, 60, 92,

114

Peacebuilders Program, Tucson, Arizona, 89

Pedro-Carroll, Joanne,

Peer coaching of teachers, 72

Peer counseling program, 80

Peer pressure, 6

Pennsylvania, 49

Personal Problem Solving Record, 53,

81–82

Pilot programs

anticipating and overcoming obstacles, 100–102

elements of successful, 92–93

expanding, 93–97, 98–100

guiding principles,

inclusion and, 96–97

life skills and problem prevention, 94

long-term implementation, 97–100

monitoring and evaluating, 97, 105–106, 124

professional development and, 94,

selecting and starting, 91–93,

110

selection criteria, 92

“spirit of continuous improvement,” 97

(

continued

)

Index

157

Piscataway, New Jersey, 79

Play, 54, 71

Poedubicky, Vicki,

Posters,

, 59

Preschool children, developmental milestones, 37–38

Prevention Plus III model, 107

Prevention programs

attitude toward, 1

framework for,

, 47, 94

health-promotion and problem prevention skills, 22

ineffectiveness of, 1, 6, 31

information-oriented, 6, 31

Primary Mental Health Project,

, 89, 91,

95, 112

Problem solving

applied to establishing high-quality SEL programs,

118, 119–124

applied to literature,

long-range perspective and, 72–73

Personal Problem Solving Record, 53,

81–82

strategies for, 27,

28–29

student defense of social problem solving,

using teachable moments, 55–59, 70

“Problem-Solving Lunch,”

Problem-Solving Room,

Professional development, 68–72, 94–95

Professional integrity,

Program descriptions and contacts, 143–151

Program Review Worksheet,

121–123

Prompting and cuing, 55–60

Providence, Rhode Island,

35–37

57–58

Public service, 24,

, 89

Quality of materials, 92,

110

Questionnaire for implementation process, 106

Raising Healthy Children program,

RCCP.

See

Resolving Conflict Creatively Program

Read Aloud Nights,

Reading Room,

Reflecting on current practices, 15–18, 119–120

Reflective educator concept, 103–104

Rehearsal and practice, 52, 55

Reinforcement, 93

Relationship skills,

, 108

Religious issues, 32, 88

Researcher-teacher concept, 103

Resilience, 5

Resolving Conflict Creatively Program,

Respect, 33, 75–76

“Respect and trust” campaign, 76

Responsibility, 33, 125

Responsive Classroom, 92,

112–113

Responsiveness, 70–71

Rhode Island,

35–37

57–58

Richardson, Lystra,

Rochester, New York,

, 91,

112

Role play, 52

Rutgers University, 100

Safe and Drug Free Schools, 86, 99

Scaffolding dialogue, 59–60

School #29, Rochester, New York,

School board, 89, 94,

110

School climate.

See also

Classroom climate

creating a supportive environment,

, 120

elements of supportive, 76–77

importance of supportive, 10, 20, 75–77

inclusion and, 96–97

reflective, 104

student, parent, and staff views of positive,

School Development Program,

, 89

School Development Research Group,

School improvement plan, 83, 85

School improvement strategies, 85

School improvement team, 89

School role in SEL, 8–10

School tragedies,

Schuyler, Tom, 92

Scientist practitioner concept, 103

Seattle, Washington,

, 54, 56,

, 89,

Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum,

, 60,

64, 73, 88

SEL.

See

Social and emotional learning

Self-awareness,

, 52–53, 108

Self-concept, 108

Self-control

element of SEL, 108

prompting,

skills, 27,

steps of, 105

Self-esteem, 31–33, 77,

111

Self-reflection, 53–54

Self-regulation,

, 52–53,

Senior citizens,

Senior Exchange program,

Sense of belonging, 44, 47, 75,

Service projects, 24,

, 89

Sharing circles,

, 46–47, 88

Shoreline, Washington, 64, 73

Signs,

, 59

Sirois, Ed, 78

Site-based management, 104

Site visit information, 143–151

Skillstreaming series, 111

Slavin, Robert, 101

(

continued

)

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

158

Small-group learning, 54–55, 65

Social and emotional development committee, 97

Social and emotional learning

as “the missing piece” of education, 1–2, 6, 20, 125

definition, 2

goals of, 2, 10–12

importance of, 2–6

Social Competence Promotion Program for Young

Adolescents,

, 60

Social Decision Making and Problem Solving, 60,

81–82

111

113

Social Decision Making Clubs,

Social Decision-Making Skills: A Guide for the

Elementary Grades,

Social development coordinator,

97–98

Social Development Project, 3,

Social Development Research Group/Raising Health

Children,

, 89,

Social Problem Solving,

Social services, SEL as adjunct to, 66–68

Social studies, integrating SEL, 62

Solution Room,

Somerville, New Jersey, 89

South Carolina, 59

South Orange-Maplewood, New Jersey,

Speaker designations, 46–47

Special needs students

adapting SEL for, 64–68

inclusion as element of pilot programs, 96–97

Special services, SEL as adjunct to, 66–68, 98

Sports programs, 56,

SPS.

See

Social Problem Solving

Staff development.

See

Professional development

State and federal initiatives, aligning SEL programs with,

86, 98, 120

Stingley, Brenda,

Storytelling and biography, 50, 70

Stress

benefits of SEL for teachers, 73

thinking under, 3–5, 27, 56

Student Conflict Manager/Personal Problem-Solving

Guide

computer program, 53,

Substance abuse prevention programs, 6, 22.

See also

Prevention programs

Substitute teachers,

Success for Life program,

35–37

Summit, New Jersey, 89

Supportive environment

creating a supportive environment, 45–47,

, 120

elements of, 76–77

for teachers, 71–72, 104

importance of, 10, 20, 75–77,

110

Support services,

Support staff, 72, 120

Sylwester, Robert, 5

Tacoma, Wa shin gto n, 56

Ta l k i n g Wall s

114

“Talking with TJ” video series,

Teachable mom ent s, 55–59, 70

Teach er s

long-range perspective, 72–73

professional development, 68–72, 94–95

response to calls for SEL, 8–10

supportive environment for, 71–72, 104

Teacher- studen t bond, 45– 46 , 69, 7 7

Teach er-studen t contra ct s, 5 4

Tenne sse e, 5 0

Thinking Corner,

Time management, 6,

114

Tyro ne , Pe nnsylva nia , 49

Valu es

addressing in an SEL framework,

definition, 32

importance of, 31–33

VandeGri nd, Ste ve ,

Wall d is pl ay s,

, 59, 97

Wash in gt on , 46 ,

, 54, 56,

, 64–65, 73, 89,

Wash in gt on , DC ,

112–113

Wats essi ng S cho ol, Blo omf ield , Ne w Je rs ey,

Web s ite s, 9 9

Wes tc hest er Cou nt y Tas k Fo rce o n So ci al C ompe te nc e

Promotion Instruction, 120

Writing, 61,

(

continued

)

Index

159

About the Authors

Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology

at Rutgers University and codeveloper of the So-

cial Decision Making and Problem Solving Project.

This project received the 1988 Lela Rowland Pre-

vention Award from the National Mental Health

Association, is approved by the Program Effective-

ness Panel of the National Diffusion Network as a

federally validated prevention program, and, most

recently, has been named as a Model Program by

the National Educational Goals Panel. Dr. Elias is

also cofounder of the Consortium on the School-

Based Promotion of Social Competence, a member

of the Leadership Team of the Collaborative for the

Advancement of Social and Emotional Learning

(CASEL), and serves as adviser to the Rutgers-

based Consortium on Emotional Intelligence in the

Workplace, funded by the Fetzer Institute and co-

chaired by Dan Goleman. With Dr. John Clabby, he

has written a practical guide for parents, educa-

tors, and mental health professionals,

Teach Your

Child Decision Making

(Doubleday, 1986). Dr. Elias’s

other books include

Social Decision Making Skills: A

Curriculum Guide for the Elementary Grades

(Author),

Problem Solving/Decision Making for Social

and Academic Success: A School-Based Approach

(Na-

tional Education Association Professional Library),

Building Social Problem Solving Skills: Guidelines from

a School-Based Program

(Jossey-Bass),

Social Decision

Making and Life Skills Development: Guidelines for

Middle School Educators

(Aspen),

Promoting Student

Success Through Group Intervention

(Haworth), and

Social Problem Solving Interventions in the Schools

(Guilford). Dr. Elias is married and the father of

two children. He may be reached at the Depart-

ment of Psychology, Rutgers University, Livingston

Campus, New Brunswick, NJ 08903. Phone: (732)

445-2444; fax: (732) 445-0036; e-mail:

[email protected].

Joseph E. Zins, Ed.D., is Professor in the College of

Education at the University of Cincinnati and a

consulting psychologist with the Beechwood, Ken-

tucky, Independent Schools. A licensed psycholo-

gist, he has twenty-five years of applied experience

with public schools, a community mental health

center, a pediatric hospital, and other organiza-

tions. Professor Zins has authored more than a hun-

dred scholarly publications, including eight books

on consultation, prevention, and the delivery of

psychological services in schools. Among his books

are

Helping Students Succeed in the Regular Class-

room: A Guide for Developing Intervention Assistance

Programs

Handbook of Consultation Services for Chil-

dren

Promoting Student Success Through Group Inter-

ventions

, and

Psychoeducational Interventions in the

Schools: Methods and Procedures for Enhancing Stu-

dent Competence

. He also is Editor of the multidisci-

plinary

Journal of Educational and Psychological

Consultation

and has been a member of numerous

editorial boards. In addition to being a member of

the Collaborative for the Advancement of Social

161

and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and the Consor-

tium on the School-Based Promotion of Social

Competence, Dr. Zins is a Fellow of the American

Psychological Association and past secretary of the

National Association of School Psychologists. Pro-

fessor Zins may be contacted at 339 Teachers Col-

lege, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

45221-0002. Phone: (513) 556-3341; fax: (513) 556-

1581; e-mail: joseph.zins@uc.edu.

Roger P. Weissberg, Ph.D., is Professor and Direc-

tor of Graduate Studies for the Psychology Depart-

ment at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).

He is Executive Director of the Collaborative for

the Advancement of Social and Emotional Learn-

ing (CASEL). He directs an NIMH-funded Predoc-

toral and Postdoctoral Prevention Research

Training Program in Urban Children’s Mental

Health and AIDS Prevention at UIC, and also

holds an appointment with the Mid-Atlantic Labo-

ratory for Student Success funded by the Office of

Educational Research and Improvement of the U.S.

Department of Education. Professor Weissberg has

published about one hundred articles and chapters

focusing on preventive interventions with children

and adolescents, and has coauthored nine curricu-

lums on school-based programs to promote social

competence and prevent problem behaviors includ-

ing drug use, high-risk sexual behaviors, and ag-

gression. Three recent books that he coedited are

Healthy Children 2010: Enhancing Children’s Wellness

Healthy Children 2010: Establishing Preventive Serv-

ices

, and

Children and Youth: Interdisciplinary Perspec-

tives

(Sage 1997). Professor Weissberg was the

Research Director for the Primary Mental Health

Project from 1980 to 1982. He was a Professor in

the Psychology Department at Yale University be-

tween 1982 and 1992, where he collaborated with

the New Haven Public School System to establish

the New Haven’s Kindergarten through grade 12

Social Development Project. He has been the Presi-

dent of the American Psychological Association’s

Society for Community Research and Action. He is

a recipient of the William T. Grant Foundation’s

five-year Faculty Scholars Award in Children’s

Mental Health, the Connecticut Psychological Asso-

ciation’s 1992 Award for Distinguished Psychologi-

cal Contribution in the Public Interest, and the

National Mental Health Association’s 1992 Lela

Rowland Prevention Award. He may be contacted

at Department of Psychology (M/C 285), The Uni-

versity of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W. Harrison St.,

Chicago, IL 60607-7137. Phone: (312) 355-0640;

fax: (312) 355-0559; e-mail: rpw@uic.edu.

Karin Frey, Ph.D., is Research Associate Professor

of Educational Psychology at the University of

Washington and the Director of Research and

Evaluation at the Committee for Committee for

Children. Her research focuses on children’s social

and emotional development. Her basic research,

looking at mastery motivation, emotional expres-

sion, and peer interaction in school settings, has

been published in leading journals of child devel-

opment. Her applied research documents the im-

pact of a social-competence program on teachers

and students over a period of several years. Dr.

Frey has also worked in hospitals and clinics, pro-

viding social-emotional support and skill training

to groups of children with special needs. She may

be contacted at Committee for Children, 2203 Air-

port Way South, Seattle, WA 98134. Phone: (206)

343-1223; fax: (206) 343-1445; e-mail:

karinf@ u.washington.edu.

Mark T. Greenberg, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychol-

ogy at Pennsylvania State University. He is the

coauthor of several books including

Promoting So-

cial and Emotional Development in Deaf Children: The

PATHS Project

(1993),

The PATHS Curriculum

(1995),

and

Attachment in the Preschool Years: Theory, Re-

search and Intervention

(1990). He was the Principal

Investigator of the Seattle site of the Fast Track Pre-

vention Program. He continutes to direct the

PATHS Curriculum Project. His primary interest is

the prevention of child psychopathology through

the development of prevention programs that pro-

mote healthy emotion regulation and social compe-

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

162

tence in all children. His work on the PATHS Cur-

riculum is used in schools in Europe, Australia,

Canada, as well as in the United States. He may be

contacted at Prevention Research Center, Pennsyl-

vania State University, Henderson Building South,

University Park, PA 16802. Phone: (814) 863-0241;

fax: (814) 863-7963;

We b: h tt p: //w eb er. u. washington.edu/~paths/.

Norris M. Haynes, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of

Psychology, Education, and Child Development at

the Yale Child Study Center and Research Director

of the School Development Program (SDP). Dr.

Haynes contributes significantly to the SDP’s train-

ing and dissemination activities. Dr. Haynes has

taught at the elementary and high school levels.

He has been a professor at Howard University and

adjunct professor at several other universities. He

is the recipient of many honors and awards, includ-

ing recognition as a Fellow of the American Psycho-

logical Association, Outstanding Young Man of

America, citation in several Who’s Who publica-

tions, The Crispus Attucks Award for Educational

Leadership, Fulbright Scholarship, and the first

Howard University Graduate School Distinguished

Alumnus Award in 1994. Dr. Haynes is the author

of many articles, book chapters, and a recent book

titled

Critical Issues in Educating African-American

Children

. He is also the author of

Promoting Motiva-

tion, Learning and Achievement Among Urban Middle

and High School Students

(in press). Dr. Haynes is

also coeditor of

Rallying the Whole Village: The

Comer Process for Reforming Education

(1996), pub-

lished by Teachers College Press, and coeditor of

another book to be published by Teachers College

Press titled:

Child by Child, Adult by Adult, and

School by School

. He may be contacted at Yale Child

Study Center, 230 S. Frontage Rd., New Haven, CT

06520-7900. Phone: (203) 785-2548; fax: (203) 785-

3359; e-mail: [email protected].

Rachael Kessler is Director of the Institute for So-

cial & Emotional Learning. She provides profes-

sional and curriculum development for schools

and individual educators through consultation, in-

service training, and workshops. As first chair of

the Department of Human Development at Cross-

roads School in Santa Monica, California, Kessler

pioneered one of the first curriculums to integrate

emotional, social, and spiritual capacities with aca-

demic learning. Her curriculums include “rites of

passage” for adolescents: students are provided a

school-based structure for expressing their yearn-

ing for meaning, purpose, and connection and are

offered guidance and validation to constructively

navigate their deep internal and external changes.

Kessler’s publications include:

The Mysteries Source-

book, A Teachers’ Guide;

“Honoring Young Voices: A

Vision for Education (video); ”The Mysteries Pro-

gram: Educating Adolescents for Today’s World";

“The Teaching Presence”; and “The ’Senior Pas-

sage’ Course” in Crossroads: The Quest for Con-

temporary Rites of Passage." She may be reached

at the Institute for Social & Emotional Learning,

3833 N. 57th St., Boulder, CO 80301-3017. Phone:

(303) 581-0331; fax: (303) 581-0295; e-mail:

[email protected].

Mary E. Schwab-Stone, M.D., is a child psychia-

trist with training in epidemiology. Her research

has been guided by an interest in the relationship

between the social environment and psychological

adjustment in childhood, with a particular empha-

sis on children growing up in situations of social

and economic disadvantage. In recent years this in-

terest has become focused specifically on school-

based programs for the prevention of

psychological difficulties and the promotion of

healthy development in children in urban settings.

She has collaborated with the New Haven Public

Schools as a program consultant, and heads the

Yale-based team responsible for evaluation of their

social development and prevention programming.

She has served as a clinical consultant to the Spe-

cial Education Program in the New Haven Schools

for a number of years. After graduating from Har-

vard University, she earned her M.D. at Dartmouth

Medical School. She did residency training in adult

About the Authors

163

and child psychiatry at the Massachusetts Mental

Health Center in Boston. After clinical training she

was on the staff at McLean Hospital in Belmont,

Massachusetts, and did part-time psychiatric prac-

tice. In 1984, she decided to pursue more actively a

longstanding interest in child psychiatric research

by undertaking a research training fellowship in

child psychiatry and epidemiology at Columbia

College of Physicians and Surgeons. She moved to

New Haven in 1986 where she is currently Harris

Associate Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Yale

Child Study Center. She served as Acting Director

of the Collaborative for the Advancement of Social

and Emotional Learning (CASEL) until October

1996 and continues to serve on the CASEL Leader-

ship Team. She may be contacted at Yale Child

Study Center, 230 S. Frontage Rd., New Haven, CT

06520-7900. Phone: (203) 785-2546; fax: (203) 785-

6106; e-mail: mary[email protected].

Timothy P. Shriver, Ph.D., is President and Chief

Executive Officer of Special Olympics Interna-

tional, and Chair of the Leadership Team of the

Collaborative for the Advancement of Social and

Emotional Learning (CASEL). Prior to joining Spe-

cial Olympics, Shriver was the Supervisor of the

New Haven, Connecticut, Public Schools’ Social

Development Project, a comprehensive, K-12, pri-

mary prevention effort involving students, parents,

teachers, administrators, community leaders, and

scholars. The Project, which he launched in 1987, is

designed to prevent substance abuse, violence, and

teen pregnancy. In 1994, he helped launch CASEL,

a national organization to promote effective school-

based prevention programming. In that role, he

continues to advocate for effective primary preven-

tion programming in schools nationwide. Shriver

has written extensively on these issues and has

coauthored several publications including, “Pro-

moting Positive Social Development and Health

Practices in Young Urban Adolescents,” “Involve-

ment in Multiple Program Behaviors of Young Ur-

ban Adolescents,” “No Safe Haven: A Study of

Violence Exposure in an Urban Community,” and

“No New Wars.” He may be contacted at Special

Olympics International, Inc., 1325 G St., NW, Suite

500, Washington, DC 20005. Phone: (202) 628-3630,

ext. 235; fax: (202) 628-0067; e-mail:

[email protected]m.

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

164