Second StepStudent Success Through Prevention
Development and Research
• Second Step is research-based program designed to promote skills and attitudes that increase school success.
• Early adolescent development• Moving from elementary school to larger school can reduce school
connectedness
• Increased desire for autonomy with greater exposure to risky situations
• Increased influence of friends and peers
• Risk and Protective Factors• Many problem behaviors are driven by common factors
VIDEO-Success in SchoolsSocial and emotional skills as protective factors
Development and Research
• Protective factors + adolescent development Five Themes• Empathy and Communication
• Bullying Prevention
• Emotion Management and Coping
• Problem Solving, Decision Making, and Goal Setting
• Substance Abuse Prevention
• Three developmentally appropriate levels for each middle school grade.
• Each level covers the five targeted themes
Scope and Sequence
• Grade 6: Stepping Up• Theme: Rise up to the challenge of being a middle school student.
• Skills and Concepts: Empathy and communication, bullying prevention, emotion management, problem solving, substance abuse prevention
• Grade 7: Stepping In• Theme: Engage positively in life and school by staying in control and making good
decisions.
• Skills and Concepts: Builds on Grade 6 skills and introduces new topics such as decision making, cyber bullying, sexual harassment, and coping with stress.
• Grade 8: Stepping Ahead• Theme: Focus on leadership and goal setting.
• Skills and Concepts: Builds on Grades 6 and 7 skills and introduces new topics such as stereotypes and prejudice, bullying in dating relationships, and goal setting.
Grade 6 Scope and Sequence
• Empathy and Communication• Lesson 1: Working in Groups
• Lesson 2: Friends and Allies
• Lesson 3: Considering Perspectives
• Lesson 4: Disagreeing Respectfully
• Lesson 5: Being Assertive
• Bullying Prevention• Lesson 6: Recognizing Bullying
• Lesson 7: Bystanders
• Emotion Management• Lesson 8: Emotions—Brain and Body
• Lesson 9: Calming-Down Strategies
• Problem Solving• Lesson 10: Using the Action Steps
• Lesson 11: Making a Plan
• Substance Abuse Prevention• Lesson 12: Tobacco and Marijuana
• Lesson 13: Alcohol and Inhalants
• Lesson 14: Identifying Hopes and Plans
• Lesson 15: Making a Commitment
VIDEO-Classroom LessonWatch a real-life lesson in action.
Timing and Structure
• Interactive lessons• Videos, class discussion, skill practice, group work, individual work
• Lesson Sections• Introductory section
• Lesson outline
• Lesson Script
• Materials
• Additional Practice
• Timing: One 45-50 minute lesson per week; two 25 minute lessons per week; one lesson every other week (with extension activities and additional practice on the off week)
Additional Practice, Integration, and Home
• Extensions—each lesson provides extension activities to build and maintain concepts.
• Academic integration—each lesson provides ideas and activities for building in Second Step concepts across different subject areas
• Home link—each lesson provides activities designed to be completed at home. The program also offers an online parent portal to access information on the program.
Assessment
• Formative• Group Self-Evaluation Form
• Observational Assessment Form
• Reflective Writing Assignments
• Summative• Knowledge Assessment
Support
• www.SecondStep.org• Training videos
• Community forums
• Writable PDFs of activities and homework—These can be printed or emailed directly to students
• Lesson prep videos
• Unlimited phone and email support through Committee for Children
What does this mean for Hill?
• Increased district support for social-emotional learning• Possibly purchasing Second Step programs for all schools
• Scheduling time for social-emotional lessons• No DLT=creative scheduling
• Opportunities for piloting and co-teaching• Scripted lessons mean little to no planning for teams who want run
lessons by themselves and when it is most convenient
• Student services staff available to teach or co-teach lessons
Next Steps
• Determine schedule for social-emotional classes (What class? How often?)• Balance between time and program effectiveness
• As a team, discuss running the class (or part of the class) on your own.• Teacher leads whole class, teacher leads Part 1/support staff leads
Part 2, support staff leads class every other week/teacher leads extension activity on off week