Developing Safe and Civil Schools Presented by Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D. Rutgers University and CASEL, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning and Members of the DSACS Team Adapted by Kenneth Kay A Program of the Rutgers Social-Emotional Learning Lab ( and the Center for Applied Psychology, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Putting the Pieces Together: Improving Academic Outcomes and School Climate, Safety and Civility

What are Visions for Students’ Success? Let’s brainstorm Compare your ideas to these: Achieve personal goals Fulfill family responsibilities Enjoy good health Produce high-quality work Contribute to their community

What are the new challenges facing children? Increased pace of life Greater economic demands on parents Alterations in family composition and stability Breakdown of neighborhoods and extended families Weakening of community institutions Unraveling of parent-child bonds due to work, school demands, time, drugs, mental health, and economic burdens Ongoing exposure to an array of digital media and pervasive advertising that encourage violence as a problem-solving tool and other health-damaging behaviors and unrealistic lifestyles

What are the new challenges facing children? Increased pace of life Greater economic demands on parents Alterations in family composition and stability Breakdown of neighborhoods and extended families Weakening of community institutions Unraveling of parent-child bonds due to work, school demands, time, drugs, mental health, and economic burdens Ongoing exposure to an array of digital media and pervasive advertising that encourage violence as a problem-solving tool and other health-damaging behaviors and unrealistic lifestyles

What Does SEL Facilitate? SEL Skills, structure, and content to optimize caring, competent and committed individuals Promotes: Success behaviors Academic achievement Caring communities Ethical leadership Resources and political capital* in the community

If You Had a Magic Wand, What Values Would You Wish for Children?

What are SEL’s Scope and Fundamental Principles? Successful academic performance depends on: Students’ social-emotional skills Emotions affect how and what we learn. Caring relationships to provide the foundation for lasting learning Approaching education positively Goal setting and problem solving to provide direction and energy for learning. Safe, supportive climate that fosters A respectful, challenging and engaging learning community

Service Learning Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): A Coordinated Framework Provides Synergy Prevention Programs without a Common Framework A Common Framework Provides Synergy Sex Ed Service Learning Health Ed Character Ed Violence Ed Drug Ed Academic Skills Families Community Involvement School-Wide Efforts SEL Health Ed Drug Ed Violence Ed Character EdService Learning Sex Ed Academic Skills SCHOOL-FAMILY-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Drug Ed Academic Skills Drug Ed Academic Skills Drug Ed Community Involvement Academic Skills Drug Ed

What are Your Thoughts or Experiences with Uncoordinated Efforts?

Fragmented, Uncoordinated Services Across Grades Within Grades Students Inconsistent messages with little reinforcement of them Confusion about expectations Decreased sense of common purpose Fewer connections to one another, to teachers, to school—less bonding Teachers Decreased sense of common purpose Frustration w/ inconsistent messages and eroded quality of teaching Decreased communication, less connected to staff and students Less holistic teaching School No unified mission Little sense of community Decreased cooperation and competition for resources Inefficient use of resources Duplication of services Across Schools First talk among yourselves

What are Outcomes of Fragmented, Uncoordinated Services? Less engagement and attachment to school; lower participation in class and activities Higher disciplinary, drop-out, suspension, and expulsion rates; lower academic achievement Less satisfaction with teaching and higher levels of stress More confrontational means of resolving disputes; less empathy and caring behaviors Fewer student-teacher interactions

What are the Social-Emotional Skills that Foster Academic Success? Recognize and manage own emotions Be aware of feelings and circumstances of others Organize and manage oneself and one’s time effectively Develop positive relationships in school, family, community, team, and leadership roles Communicate appropriately and effectively Make responsible decisions, solve problems thoughtfully, and resolve conflicts non-violently Show empathy, active caring and compassion for others Behave ethically, responsibly, and respectfully Avoid negative, high-risk, unhealthy behaviors Brainstorm

Academic Performance and Learning Studies Wang et al. (1997) examined 28 categories of influences on learning based on 179 handbook chapters, 91 research syntheses, and surveys of 61 national experts

Findings Among top 11 most influential categories, 8 involved SEL (e.g., student-teacher social interactions, classroom climate, peer group) Conclusion: “direct intervention in the psychological determinants of learning promise the most effective avenues of reform” (p. 210)

What are the Outcomes of Integrated and Coordinated Services? More empathy and social awareness Higher engagement and participation in classroom and school activities including community service Better attendance, fewer drop-outs; increased requests for assistance; higher achievement Higher teacher retention and satisfaction Greater attachment and commitment; improved care for facilities Fewer disruptive behaviors; greater sense of safety

Short-Term, Measurable Outcomes of SEL Interventions Fewer decreases in student academic performance More interactions/more inclusion among diverse groups including special education Improved understanding on the part of students of expectations and of their value as members of the community More involvement in community service efforts Better care of the building and books Additional volunteering by parents Fewer teacher absences Reduced time spent on correcting negative behaviors More class time devoted to academic tasks

“Working to put the pieces of the puzzle together to reduce fragmentation, increase synergy, and enhance social, emotional, and academic learning for all children.”

Value Added by Coordination of SEL SEL Coordination adds value to schools by building success skills, developing character, and preventing harmful and hurtful behavior in young people

Issues on fragmentation to consider Ask yourself what efforts are being made in your schools and districts to reduce fragmentation Consider the financial costs of programs, personnel involved-- is the whole greater than the sum of its parts? Are some of your professional colleagues operating heroically to try to solve these problems?

Coordination Requires Coordinators How will coordination take place if no one is qualified, competent, supported, and, ultimately, certified to lead it and take responsibility for it on an everyday basis?