May 2004

Feature:

SEL MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN 2003-04

A major activity of CASEL is our interactions with educational leaders across the country who share our mission of establishing social and emotional learning (SEL) as an essential element of education from preschool to high school. With the current school year drawing to a close, we asked some of them to share their thoughts about ways in which their focus on SEL has made a difference for individual students, classrooms, and schools.

Several of the people we interviewed mentioned work they have done with specific SEL programs. All the programs mentioned here are "Select SEL" programs identified in our 2003 program review Safe and Sound: An Educational Leader's Guide to Evidence-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs. The 22 Select SEL programs are noteworthy for their coverage of SEL content, research evidence of effectiveness, and staff development support.

At the Second International PATHS Interactive Learning Conference, May 13-14, 2004 , attended by CASEL staff, the air was filled with enthusiastic sharing of student and school staff experiences with PATHS. Some of the comments we heard:

"In our town there is a lot of recent poverty, and the students have many complex feelings about it. To be able to name and express those feelings safely, and know others have the same feelings, is a surprise and huge source of comfort for these children."
"For our kids with attention deficit difficulties, it is so empowering to them to know they can manage their feelings and make a plan for what to do."
"We adapted PATHS for our high school students, focusing on the problem-solving pieces, because in our state exams, there is a lot of problem solving. We are also teaching test-anxiety calming techniques. And our scores are going up!"
"We have our high school students co-teach the PATHS lessons to the younger ones. It really deepens the older students' understanding and builds community in our K-12 school."

Developing social and emotional competencies is one of our school-wide goals. We've been using the "I Can Problem Solve" program to teach problem-solving skills, and we're adding other competencies such as how to manage anger. We're also involving parents in understanding what it means to be socially and emotionally competent and suggesting ways they can help to strengthen their children's skills at home. As a result, we're seeing changes in the way kids relate to each other on the playground, particularly those who have been having problems. We're beginning to see how they stop and think and use more positive, constructive language.

— Ruth Cross, Principal, Mill St. Elementary School, Naperville , IL

I've been working with groups of fourth graders in elementary schools on ways to make school a kinder place. One of my groups decided they wanted to do a service-learning project to welcome a new family in the community from Kosevo who had a child in their class. No one in the family spoke English. The kids wanted to give the family a welcome dinner. They talked about the kinds of foods that would be appropriate, organized a bake sale, and raised $65. Then they did the grocery shopping and hand-delivered two boxes of food to the family. Although none of the family members spoke English, everyone communicated through smiles and gestures. The children were just on a high after that. They knew they'd made a positive difference in people's lives.

— Cindy Castagna, trainer for Lions-Quest programs and school counselor,
Whitewater , WI

Eight years ago I became the principal of a brand-new K-5 school in a fast-growing community. I had already used the Open Circle program in my previous school, and I knew how effective it was in building a positive school community. When I interviewed for the job, I said a condition of my employment was that I could bring Open Circle to the new school. Now the entire school staff has been trained in the program. We're all using the same vocabulary and problem-solving strategies in a consistent approach. The Open Circle program and the emphasis on social and emotional learning is probably the most important thing we do in our school because it makes it possible for us to teach academics effectively. Open Circle and SEL are a way to help children feel safe and secure at school. We see children all the time doing active listening, helping each other, and using the steps of problem solving. Because they've learned how to solve their own problems, all kinds of problems have diminished. Our children are polite and kind to each other. It changes the whole dynamic. All of this gives teachers more time for academics because they don't have to deal with problems and conflicts.

— Jane Hyman, Principal, Jefferson School , Franklin , MA

This has been an exceptionally good year in a middle school I work with. My staff and I have done staff training there in both the fall and spring that highlights changes in school climate. Our goal was to get everyone on the same page, using a common language. As part of this, we developed a school-wide SEL plan with the principal. We made it clear we would offer things to enhance and complement what they were already doing but at the same time help the entire staff to focus on the goal of changing the school's climate and culture. As a result, the school adopted a new approach to discipline and expectations for student behavior. We've dealt with conflict resolution, anger management, relationship building, gang membership, and ways to motivate kids and engage them in learning. During the year more and more teachers have been sharing this information with their students and incorporating it into activities they use during advisory periods, including lessons we've developed with activities such as discussion prompts and ideas for journal entries. The school has its own decision-making council that makes recommendations on new programs, and that group has strongly supported our work. Now everybody shares a common framework, and it's no longer a hodge podge of isolated programs.

— Karen Smith, Middle School Coordinator for Safe and Drug-Free Schools,
Alief Independent School District, Houston, TX

We've been working closely with CASEL for several years, and we regard our SEL program as a way to promote children's mental health and well-being. We work with children in small groups, teaching them social skills and ways to develop and maintain friendships. As a result of this work, we're seeing fewer office referrals among these students compared with previous years. Also, children who used to be shy and withdrawn are getting along better with the other students and feeling better about themselves. You can really see them blossom. Many of these are kids who at the beginning of the school year stayed to themselves. They didn't have friends, and other kids avoided them. Now they have friends, and they're interacting well with others. We do annual pre- and post-testing, and the results indicate that the program is working. Some teachers who have been trained in our program are so enthusiastic about it that they're recruiting others to be trained, too.

— Edwin Johnson, Clinical Social Worker, Beethoven School , Chicago , IL

I've taught third grade for ten years, and our school's emphasis on social and emotional learning through the Child Development Project has made a profound difference for me and my students. We start every day with a morning meeting. It's a time for community building and giving students an opportunity to share something in their lives in or out of school. These conversations have laid a foundation for positive relationships. At first I found this approach giving up some control and allowing students more autonomy personally challenging, but through our school's programs, I've learned to take these risks. When we started the program I was a fairly new teacher. I was still trying to get a handle on classroom management as it was, but I've been so pleased with the results. Adding SEL has made a huge difference in my teaching and is a big part of who I am as a teacher today.

— Lynn Surin, Teacher, Cossitt School , La Grange , IL

Have a story you'd like to share about how SEL has made a difference? We'd love to hear it! Please send your stories to CASEL's Kay Ragozzino at krago@uic.edu.