1. Schoolwide Social and Emotional Learning in Illinois: SEL 201
Roger P. Weissberg
CASEL
University of Illinois at Chicago
The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment
May 2, 2008

2. Objectives Why SEL? - Sharing Perspectives Promoting SE Competencies
Illinois SEL Learning Standards
Schoolwide Intervention Strategies 2

3. A Chinese Proverb
“Tell me, and I forget. Show me, and I remember. Involve me, and I understand.”
SEL is the process through which children enhance their ability to integrate thinking, feeling, and behaving to achieve important life tasks.
SEL provides schools with a framework for preventing problem behaviors and promoting students’ well-being and success. (Safe and Sound)
These competencies provide the foundation for positive health practices, engaged citizenship, academic achievement, and life long learning.
SEL focuses on explicit skills instruction and creating learning environments that support social and emotional development and learning 3

4. 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?”

5. SEL Elevator Speech (cont.)
Spend 2 minutes developing elevator speech
Pair up
Share 30-second elevator speech

6. 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

7. A Framework for SEL Programming to Enhance Student Success in School and Life
Academically Successful
Mentally and Physically Healthy
Positive Social Relationships
Productive
Worker
ContributingCitizen
Clear Standards of Personal, Interpersonal,
and Community Behavior
Competent
Confident
Connected
Engaged
INPUTS
Opportunities
Skills Instruction
Recognition
Foundational Conditions for Optimal Learning:
(1) Safe & Well-Managed, (2) Respectful & Supportive (Adults & Peers),
(3) High Expectations and Challenging, (4) Participatory & Leadership
Family-School-Community Partnerships

12. Promoting SE Competencies12

13. 5 Core Social and Emotional Competencies
Self
Other
Decision-making
Self-awareness
Social-awareness
Responsible Decision-making
Recognizing one’s emotions and values as well as one’s strengths and limitations
Managing emotions and behaviors to achieve one’s goals
Showing understanding and empathy for others
Forming positive relationships, working in teams, dealing effectively with conflict
Making ethical, constructive choices about personal and social behavior
Standards, Benchmarks and Indicators
Self-management
Relationship Skills 13

14. Social and Emotional Learning
A Framework for SEL Programming to Enhance Student Success in School and Life
Social and Emotional Learning
Learning Environment
SE Skills Instruction
Positive Outcomes = +
Competent *
Confident
Caring
Connected
Contributing
Engaged 14

15. WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM:
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
CASEL at UIC

16. 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? _______________________________________________
CASEL at UIC

19. SEL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY: Self-Awareness
Students ASK themselves, “Is what I am
about to do …”
Appropriate?
Safe?
Kind?
Session Start Time: 12:30pm
Niles North High School, Illinois

20. SEL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY: Self-Management
To manage my anger, I:
Recognize my anger signals
Identify a calming thought
Do something constructive
© Lion’s Quest

21. 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

22. 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

23. SEL INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY: Responsible Decision Making
Stop  Calm yourself
Think  Think of your options and consequences
Choose  Choose a positive proactive choice

24. SEL in Action
Video Clip: PS 24
e.g. 24

25. LARGE GROUP REFLECTION
In what ways does this
video clip suggest the
importance of teaching SEL
skills to students?
NOTE: Can make this a silent journal reflection if short on time
Possible Responses:
SEL applicable for all – even extremely intelligent students – IQ not sufficient for school success
SEL skills don’t come naturally to all students

26. Strategies for Promoting SE Competencies
Select an evidence-based curriculum
Teach, model, and reinforce skills throughout the day
Create opportunities to practice skills in a variety of settings/situations
Infuse SEL concepts and skill-building into core academics
Coordinate with student support services, extracurricular activities, out-of-school programs …
Select an evidence-based curriculum
Safe and Sound is a reliable and handy reference of the top-rated SEL curricula. For more information, check out
Infuse SEL into existing lessons
Classroom teachers can incorporate SEL into their existing lesson plans without adding on a separate lesson. (See inset)
Develop a caring, supportive learning environment
The learning environment plays a key role in the development of SEL skills. Youth learn these skills best in the context of caring relationships and safe environments where these skills are valued, demonstrated, and practiced on a regular basis.
Incorporate cooperative learning strategies Cooperative learning strategies provide students with opportunities to practice all three state SEL learning goals. Cooperative learning is most effective when students have already received SEL skills instruction.10
Use experiential learning such as service learning
Experiential learning can be an effective strategy for supporting SEL skills, especially when students are asked to reflect upon their experience. Reflective questions enhance self-awareness and inform future opportunities for self-management and decision-making. And when the experience involves others, it has the potential to build social-awareness and relationship skills.
What? So What? Now What?
Teach to multiple intelligences and learning styles
Use a variety of instructional strategies and help students learn how they learn best. When students are aware of their learning style, they can take on greater responsibility for their learning and be more confident learners.
Create informal learning opportunities
Significant learning opportunities exist during after-school hours, advisory, or homeroom periods for fun, interactive SEL skill building and practice. 26

27. Strategies for Promoting SE Competencies
Develop a safe, supportive, challenging, and highly participatory learning environment
Use SEL instructional strategies: experiential, active, and cooperative learning strategies; learner-centered
Involve families and the community
Employ multi-component strategies throughout the school and beyond
Select an evidence-based curriculum
Safe and Sound is a reliable and handy reference of the top-rated SEL curricula. For more information, check out
Infuse SEL into existing lessons
Classroom teachers can incorporate SEL into their existing lesson plans without adding on a separate lesson. (See inset)
Develop a caring, supportive learning environment
The learning environment plays a key role in the development of SEL skills. Youth learn these skills best in the context of caring relationships and safe environments where these skills are valued, demonstrated, and practiced on a regular basis.
Incorporate cooperative learning strategies Cooperative learning strategies provide students with opportunities to practice all three state SEL learning goals. Cooperative learning is most effective when students have already received SEL skills instruction.10
Use experiential learning such as service learning
Experiential learning can be an effective strategy for supporting SEL skills, especially when students are asked to reflect upon their experience. Reflective questions enhance self-awareness and inform future opportunities for self-management and decision-making. And when the experience involves others, it has the potential to build social-awareness and relationship skills.
What? So What? Now What?
Teach to multiple intelligences and learning styles
Use a variety of instructional strategies and help students learn how they learn best. When students are aware of their learning style, they can take on greater responsibility for their learning and be more confident learners.
Create informal learning opportunities
Significant learning opportunities exist during after-school hours, advisory, or homeroom periods for fun, interactive SEL skill building and practice. 27

28. SEL In Illinois

29. 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
Universal prevention for all students
District policies – August 31, 2004
ISBE plan and standards December 31, 2007
2 big implications for schools:
Regards SEL as integral to the mission of schools
Take action to support student’s SED
Illinois is the first state to mandate SEL learning standards 29

30. 3 Illinois Social & Emotional Learning Goals
Self
Other
Decision-making
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.
Recognizing one’s emotions and values as well as one’s strengths and limitations
Managing emotions and behaviors to achieve one’s goals
Showing understanding and empathy for others
Forming positive relationships, working in teams, dealing effectively with conflict
Making ethical, constructive choices about personal and social behavior
Standards, Benchmarks and Indicators

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. Schoolwide SEL

35. Schoolwide SEL
CASEL’s Sustainable Schoolwide Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Implementation Guide and Toolkit
3 Phases
10 steps
7 Sustainability Factors

36. Schoolwide SEL Implementation and Sustainability Process
A. Provide
ongoing
professional
development
F. Communicate
w/stakeholders
(marketing)
2. Engage
stakeholders
and form
steering
committee
B. Monitor
and
evaluate for
continuous
improvement
1. Principal
commits
to school-
wide SEL
3. Develop
and articulate
shared vision
10. Continue
cycle of
implementing
and improving
4. Conduct
needs and
resources
assessment
Leadership
9. Expand
instruction
and integrate
SEL school-
wide
5. Develop
action plan
Research-based model; Steps not 100% linear
Leadership – central/core
Inner Circle – Three phases/ten steps (1. Readiness, 2. Planning, 3. Implementation)
Outer Circle – Sustainability factors (ongoing; support establishment of schoolwide SEL) – What made the difference for schools that sustained SEL over time! Maurice Elias studied 15 schools that had prevention programming in 1996 (and were featured in Elias et al., 1997). 7 years later, went back (in 2003) to see how the programs had fared. 6 were thriving and deeply integrated into the schools’ functioning. 3 were no longer functioning at all. 6 were at some point in between—2 of them“detaching”—4 others “reintegrating”— working to become stronger and a more essential part of the school
Good time to reinforce that programs are one component of schoolwide SEL process
8. Launch SEL
instruction in
classrooms
6. Select
evidence-
based
program
7. Conduct
initial staff
development
E. Nurture
partnerships
with families &
communities
C. Develop
infrastructure
to support
SEL
D. Integrate
SEL
framework
schoolwide 36

37. Assertion #1: Principal Leadership for SEL
The single biggest factor in successful school-wide implementation of SEL is the publicly supportive principal.

38. Principal Leadership for SEL
Create SEL vision that promotes coherence and energy for school community
Model SEL competencies
Engage school community in planning curricular and student-support implications of coordinated school-wide SEL
Provide resources and support: Professional development and time

39. 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.

40. The Effects of Leadership Development and Support on SEL Practices and Student Outcomes
Academic performance
SEL competencies
Connection
Reduced risk behaviors
Civic Engagement
Leadership competencies
School and classroom effects:
Climate
Instruction
Student support
Professional development and support of school leadership teams
Leadership practices
Leadership relationships
CASEL at UIC

41. 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

42. REFLECTION QUESTIONS * What? * So What? * Now 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?
We’re sharing one reflection model – you might have others you use; people respond to inquiry – it’s empowering to ask people for their opinions
Over the course of the next two days, we will often focus in on one or two of these questions, depending on the activity upon which we are reflecting

43. 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

44. Vision for Students’ Success
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.