November 2003

Do you know of any examples of exemplary programs for social and emotional curriculums?

CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning) has deemed numerous programs exemplary; many schools in the United States and other countries have implemented three of them. Although each school approaches its chosen program differently, all of the programs emphasize the link between social and emotional learning and academics.

Caring School Community

Fifty U.S. schools currently use the K-6 program Caring School Community ( www.devstu.org ), and an additional 55 schools will implement the program soon. The program helps elementary schools become "caring communities of learners" by using the following approaches:

• Class meetings in which students and their teacher discuss issues, plan, and make decisions that affect classroom climate. In the meetings, students establish norms of behavior and find solutions to common social problems.
• A cross-age "buddies" program that pairs older and younger students for academic and recreational activities to foster a schoolwide atmosphere of trust.
• Family involvement activities, which provide opportunities for students and their families to share ideas and experiences about what the students are learning at school academically, socially, and ethically.
• Innovative whole-school, community-building activities that involve students, parents, and staff in building a caring, inclusive environment.

Professional development for Caring School Community includes program materials, a one- or two-day on-site workshop for teachers, and a three-day training-of-trainers institute for school teams that include at least one teacher, one administrator, and one parent. On-site follow-up support services include classroom demonstrations and advanced workshops.

In research studies involving 5,000 White, African American, and Latino students in grades K-6, students participating in the Caring School Community program improved in a wide range of areas. Their motivation level increased by 5 percent, whereas students' motivation level in the control group increased by only 1 percent. Prosocial motivation increased 10 percent among Caring School Community students compared with 4 percent in control groups. And teachers reported that students involved in the Caring School Community program engaged in more prosocial and problem-solving behaviors than did students in comparison schools (Solomon, Battistich, Watson, Schaps, & Lewis, 2000).

Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies

Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) is currently used in approximately 250 schools in the United States ( www.channing-bete.com ). Through 30-45 lessons each school year, this K-6 program develops students' emotional awareness, self-control, interpersonal problem-solving skills, and peer relationships. During classroom lessons and throughout the day, students

• Identify and describe a wide range of feelings.
• Calm themselves through breathing techniques.
• Learn to understand others' perspectives by using an 11-step model to solve problems (Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, 1999; Greenberg & Kusche, 1998).
• Listen, organize, plan, pay attention, and set academic goals.

PATHS hosts a 2-day on-site professional development workshop and optional on-site follow-up support services, which include classroom observation, advanced training and consultation on program planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Well-designed evaluation studies have demonstrated positive behavioral effects for deaf and other special-needs students. Deaf students in 11 self-contained PATHS classrooms achieved a 6 percent increase in reading comprehension test scores compared with an increase of 3 percent among students in control groups. These PATHS students also experienced a 7 percent increase in their level of positive emotional adjustment compared with a 3 percent decrease in the control group (Greenberg & Kusche, 1998). White and African American students from low to middle socioeconomic backgrounds who were enrolled in PATHS regular education classrooms demonstrated less aggressive and hyperactive behavior than did students in control groups. Observers of these students also noted that, compared with students in control groups, PATHS students followed rules better, expressed their emotions more appropriately, and stayed on task more often (Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, 1999).

Skills, Opportunities, and Recognition

Through schoolwide initiatives that strengthen teacher instructional practices and increase family involvement, the Skills, Opportunities, and Recognition (SOAR) program provides K-6 students with opportunities to apply prosocial skills, such as regulating emotions, listening and sharing, respecting others, cooperating in learning teams, and solving problems ( www.channing-bete.com ). These initiatives foster strong bonds with peers, teachers, and families.

Instructional staff members attend a mandatory 3-day, on-site professional development workshop focusing on

• Implementing proactive classroom management strategies.
• Designing lesson plans to motivate students.
• Monitoring and assessing student learning and mastery.
• Using an eight-step model for teaching social and emotional skills that includes modeling, role playing, and independent practice.
• Training for parents includes sessions on
• Communicating clear standards to students.
• Offering students meaningful ways to contribute to family life.
• Creating a positive learning environment at home.
• Strengthening factors to protect students from drug use.

Well-designed evaluation studies have found that, compared with students in control groups, students who participated in SOAR had better school achievement as indicated by better grades and fewer retentions in grade by age 18. SOAR students also demonstrated significant improvement compared with those in control groups in indicators of school misbehavior, such as cheating on tests and skipping school. Six years after the intervention, SOAR students reported engaging in fewer violent acts, having sexual intercourse less frequently, and having fewer sexual partners than did students in control groups (Hawkins, Catalano, Kosterman, Abbott, & Hill, 1999).

Note: This information is an excerpt from the article "Evaluating Social and Emotional Learning Programs" by Roger P. Weissberg, Hank Resnik, John Payton, and Mary Utne O'Brien in Vol. 60, Issue 6 March 2003 of Educational Leadership.

References

Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group. (1999). Initial impact of the Fast Track prevention trial for conduct problems: II. Classroom effects. J ournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67, 648-657.

Greenberg, M. T., & Kusche, C. A. (1998). Promoting alternative thinking strategies (PATHS): Blueprint for Violence Prevention (Book 10). Boulder, CO: Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado.

Hawkins, J. D., Catalano, R. F., Kosterman, R., Abbott, R., & Hill, K. G. (1999). Preventing adolescent health-risk behaviors by strengthening protection during childhood. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 153, 226-234.

Solomon, D., Battistich, V., Watson, M., Schaps, E., & Lewis, C. (2000). A six-district study of educational change: Direct and mediated effects of the Child Development Project. Social Psychology of Education, 4, 3-51.