Programs in Action

• Audio and Video Segments
• School and District Case Studies
• Educator Comments about Programs

Audio & Video Segments about SEL teaching in the classroom

• Center for Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning web site includes a series of video clips on building relationships and creating supportive environments, teaching social and emotional skills, and using PBIS to address challenging behaviors.
• The George Lucas Educational Foundation web site has a series of 10+ short videos demonstrating SEL in practice, in different classroom around the country. See for yourself what a difference SEL can make (Click on Video Library on the home page, and then select “Emotional Intelligence” from the topic list to see all the listings). A social and emotional learning DVD is also available from Edutopia that includes classroom segments, as well as general information on SEL in schools.
• Project ExSEL video of a SEL class at the NYC Manhatten New School. Our thanks go to The Manhattan New School, PS 290 in New York City, where this class was filmed
• Audio SEL: What and Why in 15 Minutes: This SEL audio intro includes interviews with teachers, faculty, and students so you can hear firsthand how these individuals have used SEL in their lives and how SEL has improved their school communities.

School and District Case Studies

We've compiled brief summaries and more extensive case studies of SEL programming in a variety of schools and districts. If you would like to share your own school's story, please send it to casel@uic.edu.

• BriarCliff Middle School, NY (pdf): This New York Times article (05-12-07) describes one school's approach to meeting the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of its students using a program that encourages flexible thinking, taking responsible risks, managing impulsivity, and developing social skills and moral values.
• Cossitt Elementary School, IL (pdf): This case study describes Cossit's decade-plus SEL journey to assess its SEL needs, create a vision of change, select a program, and then sustain and expand their SEL initiative. The article also describes several critical implementation factors, decisions, and learning experiences along the way.
• Needham Public Schools, MA (pdf): This Educational Leadership article describes the SEL approach adopted by these schools in 2000, and the subsequent steps taken by the schools to facilitate greater behavioral impacts by finding ways to help students use and strengthen SEL skills throughout the day.
• New Haven Public Schools (pdf): This case study describes a districtwide, K-12, SEL initiative in New Haven, CT from its readiness, planning, and initial implementation phases to its current state 20-plus years later. The case study also describes how the district has sustained and expanded the initiative over time, as well as turning points and challenges in their journey.
• Hudson Public Schools, MA (pdf): This brief case example describes what Hudson, MA has done to become a model of integrated SEL programming, and some of the beneficial changes that have resulted from its efforts.
• Lexington Elementary, Monroe, LA (pdf): This brief case example describes how one school has used SEL to create more supportive learning environments that in turn significantly improved academic performance and reduced disciplinary issues.
• CASEL Collaborating Sites: CASEL works closely with a number of IL schools on their SEL programming. This section includes short summaries of what these schools have done.

Educator Comments about SEL Programs

Below are some comments educators shared with CASEL about how they promote SEL, and the value of SEL for their students and schools.

Comments about the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) program at a 2004 PATHS conference:

• "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 Kosovo 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 Worke, 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

Our school has been implementing the Tribes Learning Communities Process for the past few years. The changes for the students and staff have been significant. The Tribes Process is based on building a safe and caring culture within school, a community where all are valued and can thrive. The benefits of working together over the past years on this process are reaping excellent results. Our staff has drawn closer, sharing common goals, philosophy and direction. At a time of year when other schools are complaining of dissention, our school continues to maintain a positive and caring climate, working together in in collaboration and respect. Visitors comment frequently on the joy and positive climate they sense in our school. Students have developed long term bonds through their K-6 Tribes, actively practicing the social skills introduced. Students have begun to be more independent in solving conflict as they are trained in the conflict resolution process and as they feel safe in their community. Our Living Skills students (students with developmental disabilities) are included and valued in ever increasing ways as their peers help them grow and develop. This story would be several pages long if I wrote all the individual stories relating to how Tribes has changed our school. I will be grateful forever that I was able to be a part of this process. My only regret was that I didn’t have this training and knowledge earlier in my career.
Eileen Johnson, Teacher, Wyoming

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