GUIDELINES on INCORPORATING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING into ACADEMIC SUPPORT Anne L. Gilligan, M.P.H. Safe and Healthy School Specialist Learning Support Services May 23, 2012

What is Social Emotional Learning? Social and emotional learning(SEL) is a process through which children and adults learn to recognize and manage emotions, demonstrate care and concern for others, develop positive relationships, make good decisions and behave ethically, respectfully and responsibly. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 2

Schools that create socially and emotionally sound learning and working environments, and that help students and staff develop greater social and emotional competence, in turn help ensure positive short- and long- term academic and personal outcomes for students, and higher levels of teaching and work satisfaction for staff. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 3

Social Emotional Learning Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 4 Self- Management Personal Decision Making Social Awareness Self-Awareness Relationship Skills

5 Blueprint for the Massachusetts Tiered System of Support

School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports The social culture of a school matters. A continuum of supports that begins with the whole school and extends to intensive, wraparound support for individual students and their families. Effective practices with the systems needed for high fidelity and sustainability. 6

SEL improves students positive behavior and reduces negative behavior. SEL is also associated with significant improvements in students academic performance and attitudes toward school. SEL prepares young people for success in adulthood.

ZINS, WEISSBER, WANG & WALBERG (2004): Safe, caring and orderly environments are conducive to learning. Caring relations between teachers and students foster a desire to learn and a connection to school. Socially engaging teaching strategies, such as cooperative learning and proactive classroom management, focus students on learning tasks. When the instructional content is made more interesting by applying SEL to reflecting on the content, students are more engaged. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 8

When peer norms support academic performance, students try harder. When teachers and families work together to encourage and reinforce learning commitment, engagement and positive behavior, students do better. When students are self-aware and more confidents about their learning abilities, they try harder. When students can self-manage their stress and motivations and set goals and organize themselves, they do better. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 9

Students who are aware of the tasks being assigned, make responsible decisions about completing them, and use problem solving and relationship-management sills to overcome barriers, they perform better and learn more. When SEL prevent high-risk behaviors such as drug use and antisocial behaviors, these behaviors do not interfere with learning or co-occur with a constellation of other behaviors that reduce effective functioning. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 10

Strategies for District Wide SEL Assess SEL-related needs and resources Develop SEL vision and long-term plans Communicate with stakeholders Implement professional development Adopt evidence-based programs Integrate SEL with school, family and community initiatives Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 11

ESE Website Resources Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 12