1. Education That Gets Results: Social and Emotional Learning for School and Life Success
Roger P. Weissberg
Professor of Psychology and Education
President, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
University of Illinois at Chicago
Invited Keynote Presentation at the Safe and Healthy Learner Conference
Sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Education, St. Cloud, MN.
November 8, 2006
UIC
University of Illinois at Chicago

2. The challenges that schools face Rationale and theory for SEL
Overview
The challenges that schools face
Rationale and theory for SEL
Research: SEL, improved behavior, and academic success
Illinois SEL student learning standards
Framework to design and implement school-wide SEL (Part 1)
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3. Schools Can Not Do This Alone (Vollmer, 2001)
In the 1600’s schools were established to:
Teach basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills
Cultivate values that serve a democratic society
At the beginning of the 20th century society began to assign additional responsibilities to the schools….
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4. The People of Each Community Must Answer Two Essential Questions
What do we want our children to know and be able to do when they graduate?
How can the entire community be organized to ensure that all students reach the stated goals?
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5. 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 one more initiative until we first take some things off the table.”
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6. 2004 Minnesota Student Survey 12th graders – (N = 34,521)
Attitudes and Behaviors %
I like school very much or quite a bit
39.5
How many of your teachers are interested in you as a person? 46
Has a person pushed, shoved, or grabbed you on school property? (12 months)
28.5
How often have you hit or beat up another person? (12 months)
20.5
Student use of alcohol or drugs is a problem at this school 65
Frequent binge drinking
21.5
Have you had sexual intercourse 3 or more times
38.5
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7. Social and Emotional Assets Reported by 6th-12th-Graders (Search Institute, 1999)
category
% of students
How people who know you well would rate you on:
Social
competence
Thinking through the results of your
choices, planning ahead 29
Caring about others’ feelings, feeling sad
when a friend is unhappy, being good at
making and keeping friends 43
Respecting the values/beliefs of people of
different races/cultures 35
Support
My teachers really care about me 24
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8. How Schools Have Addressed the Needs: Many Programs for Many Problems
AIDS Education
Bullying Prevention
Career Education
Character Education
Civic Education
Conflict Resolution
Delinquency Prevention
Dropout Prevention
Drug Education
Family-life Education
Health Education
Law-related Education
Mental Health Promotion
Multicultural Education
Nutrition Education
Service-Learning
Sex Education
Suicide Prevention
Truancy Prevention
Violence Prevention
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9. SEL Conceptual Framework for Academic Performance
Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning
Coordinated School, Family, and Community Programming
Academically Successful
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10. SEL Conceptual Framework for Positive Youth Development
Academically Successful
Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning
Coordinated School, Family, and Community Programming
Healthy
Character Development
Engaged Citizens
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11. Founded in 1993 by Daniel Goleman and Eileen Rockefeller Growald
What is the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)?
Founded in 1993 by Daniel Goleman and Eileen Rockefeller Growald
Based at University of Illinois at Chicago
Mission:
Advance the science of SEL
Expand evidence-based, integrated SEL practice as an essential part of preschool through high school education
For more information - visit
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12. Boundary-spanning, field-building research
The CASEL Model
Boundary-spanning, field-building research
Standards of excellence, products, and tools
Professional development and support for educational leaders
Policy to expand evidence-based practice
Accountability and assessment
Communications and dissemination
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13. CASEL Defines the Field of Social and Emotional Learning (Elias et al
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14. What Is Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)?
SEL is the process of acquiring the following competencies:
self-awareness
self-management
social awareness
relationship skills
responsible decision making
These competencies provide the foundation for positive health practices, engaged citizenship, and academic achievement.
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15. (Masten & Coatsworth, 1998, p. 205)
Fostering Competence
“It is critical to the future of a society that its children become competent adults and productive citizens. Thus, society and parents have a stake in the development of competence and in understanding the processes that facilitate it and undermine it”
(Masten & Coatsworth, 1998, p. 205)
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16. Why SEL? 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
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17. From Fragmentation to Coherence
Getting from here…
…to here
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18. School-wide Coordinated SEL Programming
After -
school and community
activities that are
coordinated with school
SEL efforts
School
family
community
partnerships to enhance
social, emotional and
academic competence
Coordinated mental health
and health services that
reinforce SEL instruction
Planned, systematic
classroom
based SEL
instruction and a supportive
school climate
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19. Social Development Strategy for Promoting Healthy Behaviors (Hawkins & Catalano)
Healthy Behaviors, Character, and Academic Success
Healthy Beliefs and Clear Standards
Bonding:
Attachment
Commitment
Opportunities
Skills
Recognition
Individual
Characteristics
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20. A Model for Student Success

21. A Classic SEL Meta-cognitive Model
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
THINK GO
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22. 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? _______________________________________________
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23. Informing a Colleague:
Reflection Question
Informing a Colleague:
What did I miss?
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24. SEL Study 1: SEL Competencies
Program Control Condition
_(n=103) (n=92) X Time___________
M SD M SD F ES
_____________________________________________________________________________
Alterative solutions
Pre
Post * .55
Mean effectiveness
Pre
Post * .56
% Aggressive
Pre
Post * -.50
% Cooperative
Pre
Post * .56
______________________________________________________ ________________________
*p< .05
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25. SEL Study 1: Teacher Ratings of Students’ Adjustment
Program Control Condition
( n=238) (n=183) _________ X Time_________ ________
Primary Teachers M SD M SD________ _F_________ES_________
Behavioral conduct
Pre
Post *
Social acceptance
Pre
Post ____ _-.02_______
Secondary Teachers (n=218) (n=151)_______________________________
Pre
Post *
Pre
Post *
______________________________________________________ ________________________________
*p< .05
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26. SEL Study 1: Self-Reported Delinquent Acts
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27. Effects of SEL Participation on Teachers: Self-reported Survey Responses
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28. Outcomes Related to Academic Success
Zins, Weissberg, Wang, and Walberg (2004) summarized growing evidence-based support for improvements in:
Attitudes (motivation, commitment)
Behavior (participation, study habits)
Performance (grades, subject mastery)
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29. Durlak, Weissberg et al. (2006) Meta-analysis: Inclusion Criteria
School, family, or community programs that promote SEL assets and influence behavior
Target a school-aged population (5 – 18 years old)
Promotion or prevention, but not treatment
Employ a control group design
Report by the end of 2005 & in English
Present sufficient data to calculate effect sizes
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30. School Universal: SEL Assets N = 270 Outcome Studies
Post n
Post ES
Percentile Change
Socio-emotional-cognitive Skills 85
.74*
.27
Self-perception 87
.25*
.10
School Bonding 24
.32*
.125
Prosocial Norms 54
26*
family bonding *
community bonding *

31. School Universal: Behavioral Adjustment and School Performance (N = 270)
Outcomes
Post n
Post ES
Percentile Change
Positive Social Behavior 96
.31*
.12
Conduct Problems 82
.32*
.125
Violence/Aggression 58
.30*
Substance Use 36
.24
.095
Emotional Distress 71
.34*
.13
Grades 16
.25
.10
Achievement Tests 27
.47*
.14
Disciplinary Referrals 26
Note: I’ve only put peer acceptance and rejection on this slide, not the family and community, because peer measures didn’t occur there, and adding them makes the slide fairly crowded. Is that OK?

32. Key Characteristics of Effective SEL Programs (Greenberg, Weissberg et al., 2003)
Programs that enhance SEL competencies are effective in promoting positive behaviors and preventing/reducing problem behaviors.
Behavioral and cognitive-behavioral approaches produce best results.
Interactive approaches are superior to knowledge
only.
Changes in school ecology, classroom climate, and teacher behavior are essential to effectiveness.
Programs implemented in isolation have little effect.
Multi-year programs have more enduring benefits.
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33. Effective School-wide SEL Programming
Begins in preschool and continues through high school
Provides sequenced instruction that builds upon and reinforces learning from one year to the next
Has structured manual and curriculum to support consistency of delivery
Provides opportunities for students to apply SEL skills and ethical values in academic instruction and service activities
Establishes and enforces high behavioral and academic standards
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34. Effective School-wide SEL Programming
Addresses multiple populations: student, peer group, classroom, school, family, and community
Applied to multiple domains: academics, health, relationships, citizenship
Involves parents and community members in program planning, implementation and evaluation
Monitors and evaluates programming for continuous improvement
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35. Illinois Children’s Mental Health Act: Incorporating SEL into Each District’s Educational Program
Every Illinois school district shall develop a policy for incorporating social and emotional development into the district’s educational program.
The policy shall address teaching and assessing social and emotional skills and protocols for responding to children with social, emotional, or mental health problems that impact learning ability.
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36. Illinois Children’s Mental Health Act: Incorporating SEL into the State Learning Standards
The Illinois State Board of Education shall develop and implement a plan to incorporate social and emotional development standards as part of the Illinois Learning Standards for the purpose of enhancing and measuring children’s school readiness and ability to achieve academic success.
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37. Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Social and Emotional Learning Goals
Goal 1: Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success.
Goal 2: Use social-awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships.
Goal 3: Demonstrate decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts.
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38. ISBE’s Plan for Implementing SEL Standards
Raising educator and public awareness about SEL standards
Professional development for Illinois educators
Promoting high quality school/district implementation and sustainability
Ongoing evaluation and recommendations for continuous improvement
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39. Safe and Sound: An Educational Leader’s Guide to Social and Emotional Learning Programs
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41. Sustainable Schoolwide Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) – (CASEL, 2006)
School leadership commits to schoolwide SEL
Engage stakeholders and initiate SEL infrastructure
Develop shared vision aligned with district and state priorities
Conduct a schoolwide needs/resources assessment
Develop SEL implementation action plan
Select evidence-based programming
Provide ongoing professional development
Launch SEL instruction aligned with planned scope and sequence
Integrate school-wide, family, and community SEL programming
Evaluate practices and impacts for continuous improvement
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42. The Effects of Leadership Development and Support on SEL Practices and Student Outcomes
Academic performance
SEL competencies
Connection
Reduced risk behaviors
Character
Civic Engagement
Leadership competencies
School and classroom effects:
Programming
Climate
Partnerships
Professional development and support of school leadership teams
Leadership practices
Leadership relationships
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43. Agenda for SEL Assessment and Accountability
Impact of professional development on school leaders’ emotional intelligence, relationships, practice, and student learning
Rubrics for implementation of SEL programming
Engagement of students’ families and community agencies
Safe, supportive, and respectful school and classroom climates
Student outcomes: SEL skills; risky, disruptive behaviors; academic attitudes, behavior, and performance
Reporting of SEL-related outcomes on student, school, district, and state report cards
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44. Take-Home (Back to School) Messages
There is an inextricable link between students’ social-emotional adjustment and their academic achievement.
Academic success rests on a foundation of social-emotional competencies that must be planfully nurtured as part of mainstream education.
SEL variables are not just relevant to academic achievement; they are central to it.
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