The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning UIC

Schoolwide Social and Emotional Learning in Illinois: SEL 201

Roger P. WeissbergCASEL

University of Illinois at Chicago

The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment

May 2, 2008

Objectives

Why SEL? - Sharing Perspectives

Promoting SE Competencies

Illinois SEL Learning Standards

Schoolwide Intervention Strategies

A Chinese Proverb

“Tell me, and I forget. Show me, and I remember. Involve me, and I understand.”

Why SEL? - SEL Elevator Speech

Write a brief “elevator speech” with 3 bullets that you could share with a colleague who asks:

“What is SEL and why is it important to address SE competencies in our schools?”

SEL Elevator Speech (cont.)

Spend 2 minutes developing elevator speech

Pair up

Share 30-second elevator speech

Representative Elevator Speech Responses: Why Implement SEL in Schools?

• Relationships provide a foundation for learning

• Emotions affect how and what we learn

• Relevant skills can be taught

• Positive effects on academic performance, health, relationships,

and citizenship

• Demanded by employers

• Essential for lifelong success

• A coordinating framework to overcome fragmentation of

prevention and youth-development programs

A Framework for SEL Programming to Enhance Student Success in School and Life

CompetentConfidentConnectedEngaged

Clear Standards of Personal, Interpersonal, and Community Behavior

Academically Successful

Mentally and Physically Healthy

Positive Social Relationships

ProductiveWorker

Foundational Conditions for Optimal Learning: (1) Safe & Well-Managed, (2) Respectful & Supportive (Adults & Peers),(3) High Expectations and Challenging, (4) Participatory & Leadership

Opportunities Skills Instruction Recognition

INPUTS

ContributingCitizen

Family-School-Community Partnerships

Promoting SE Competencies

5 Core Social and Emotional Competencies

Self-awareness Social-awarenessResponsible

Decision-making

Self Other Decision-making

Self-management Relationship Skills

Social and Emotional Learning

A Framework for SEL Programming to Enhance Student Success in School and Life

Learning Environment

SE Skills Instruction

Positive Outcomes+ =

CASEL at UIC

WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM:

THINK

GO

• STOP, CALM DOWN, & THINK before you act

• Say the PROBLEM and how you FEEL

• Set a POSITIVE GOAL

• Think of lots of SOLUTIONS

• Think ahead to the CONSEQUENCES

• GO ahead and TRY the BEST PLAN

STOP

CASEL at UIC

Becoming a Successful Problem Solver

(1) My PROBLEM was _________________________________________(2) The PEOPLE involved were:__________________________________(3) BEFORE the problem was solved:

a) On a 1 (low) to 10 (high) scale, my STRESS level was __________b) I FELT_________ and ____________

c) The OTHER PEOPLE felt ______________ and______________(4) I did or said (MY SOLUTION)______________________________(5) What happened next (THE CONSEQUENCES)?_________________(6) Was the problem solved? _____________(7) If the problem was not solved, I could have tried a different solution.

Three things I could have said or done are:1. _________________________________________________________2. _________________________________________________________3. _________________________________________________________

(8) Which solution might be the best one? __________________________(9) Why might that be the best one?_______________________________(10) What things might you keep in mind the next time a problem like this comes up so that you will handle

it successfully? _______________________________________________

SEL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY: Self-Awareness

Students ASK themselves, “Is what I am

about to do …”

• AAppropriate?

• SSafe?

• KKind?

Niles North High School, Illinois

SEL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY: Self-Management

To manage my anger, I:

• RRecognize my anger signals

• IIdentify a calming thought

• DDo something constructive

© Lion’s Quest

SEL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY: Social Awareness

* Empathy – Use stories to ask how the characters feel and how you have felt or might feel.

* Service-learning project to encourage students to make the school a better place

SEL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY:Relationship Skills

The ART of listening

• A = Attend to speaker

• R = Respond with respect

• T = Take time to ask questions

© Lion’s Quest

SEL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY:Responsible Decision Making

Stop Calm yourself

Think Think of your options and consequences

Choose Choose a positive proactive choice

SEL in Action

Video Clip: PS 24e.g. www.glef.org

LARGE GROUP REFLECTION

•In what ways does this

•video clip suggest the

•importance of teaching SEL

•skills to students?

Strategies for Promoting SE Competencies

Select an evidence-based curriculumTeach, model, and reinforce skills throughout the dayCreate opportunities to practiceskills in a variety of settings/situationsInfuse SEL concepts andskill-building into core academicsCoordinate with student supportservices, extracurricular activities,out-of-school programs …

Strategies for Promoting SE Competencies

Develop a safe, supportive, challenging, and highly participatory learning environmentUse SEL instructional strategies: experiential, active, and cooperative learning strategies; learner-centeredInvolve families and the communityEmploy multi-component strategies throughout the school and beyond

SEL In Illinois

Illinois Children’s Mental Health Act

Comprehensive children’s mental health system to address prevention, early intervention and treatment for children 0-18

Requires schools to address the social and emotional needs of all students

Required all school districts to develop policies to incorporate SEL

Required IL State Board of Education (ISBE) to develop and implement social and emotional learning standards

3 Illinois Social & Emotional Learning Goals

SEL Goal 31

Develop self-awareness and

self-management skills to achieve school and life

success.

SEL Goal 32

Use social-awareness and interpersonal

skills to establish and

maintain positive relationships.

SEL Goal 33

Demonstrate decision-

making skills and responsible

behaviors in personal, school, and community

contexts.

Self Other Decision-making

Illinois SEL Standards for Goal 31

Goal: Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success.

Standards:

– A. Identify and manage one’s emotions and behaviors.

– B. Recognize personal qualities and external supports.

– C. Demonstrate skills related to achieving personal goals.

Illinois SEL Standards for Goal 32

Goal: Use social awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships.

Standards:

– Recognize the feelings and perspectives of others.

– Recognize individual and group similarities and differences.

– Use communication and social skills to interact effectively with others.

– Demonstrate an ability to prevent, manage, and resolve interpersonal conflicts in constructive ways.

Illinois SEL Standards for Goal 33

Goal: Demonstrate decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts.

Standards:

– Consider ethical, safety and societal factors in making decisions.

– Apply decision-making skills to deal responsibly with daily academic and social situations.

– Contribute to the well-being of one’s school and community.

Schoolwide SEL

Schoolwide SEL

CASEL’s Sustainable Schoolwide Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Implementation Guide and Toolkit

3 Phases

10 steps

7 Sustainability Factors

Schoolwide SEL Implementation and Sustainability Process

E. Nurturepartnerships

with families &communities

A. Provide ongoing

professionaldevelopment

B. Monitor and

evaluate for continuous

improvement

C. Develop infrastructure

to support SEL

D. Integrate SEL

framework schoolwide

5. Develop action plan

6. Select evidence-

basedprogram

4. Conduct needs and resources

assessment

3. Develop and articulateshared vision

7. Conduct initial staff

development

8. Launch SEL instruction in classrooms

9. Expand instruction

and integrate SEL school-

wide

10. Continue cycle of

implementing and improving

2. Engage stakeholders

and form steering

committee

1. Principal commits

to school-wide SEL

F. Communicatew/stakeholders

(marketing)

Leadership

Assertion #1: Principal Leadership for SEL

The single biggest factor in successful school-wide implementation of SEL is the publicly supportive principal.

Principal Leadership for SEL

Create SEL vision that promotes coherence and energy for school communityModel SEL competenciesEngage school community in planning curricular and student-support implications of coordinated school-wide SELProvide resources and support: Professional development and time

Pull the Weeds Before You Plant the Flowers (Reeves, 2006)

List the initiatives/programs your school has started in the past 5 years.

List the initiatives/programs that have been discontinued as a result of careful evaluation and weeding.

Which list is longer?– Pledge: “I will not ask you to implement on

more initiative until we first take some things off the table.

CASEL at UIC

The Effects of Leadership Development and Support on SEL Practices and Student Outcomes

Student outcomes:

•Academic performance•SEL competencies•Connection•Reduced risk behaviors•Civic Engagement

Professional development and support

of school leadership

teams

Leadership competencies School and

classroom effects:

•Climate•Instruction•Student support

Leadership relationships

Leadership practices

Assertion #2: What Gets Assessed Gets Addressed

Impact of professional development on school leaders’ emotional intelligence and relationships

Rubrics for implementation of SEL programming

Engagement of families and community agencies

Sschool and classroom climates

Student outcomes: SEL skills, attitudes, behavior, and academic performance

SEL-related outcomes on student, school, district, and state report cards

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

* What? What did you observe during these presentations?

* So What? What’s important or meaningful about what we just did?

* Now What? What are some ways to apply your learnings in your own setting?

CLOSING THOUGHT

“An atmosphere that provides support for a child's social and emotional learning and competence versus one that does not can make a huge difference in that child's life. The difference is equal to the difference in the outcome of throwing seeds on cement versus planting seeds in enriched soil. And what a difference that is!” ~ Dr. James Comer, 1999

Imagine a world where families, schools, and communities work together to support the healthy development of all children.All children will become engaged life-long learners who are self-aware, caring and connected to others, and responsible decision-makers.All children achieve to their fullest potential participating constructively in a global society.

Vision for Students’ Success