1. The Center for Prevention & Early Intervention Director, Nick Ialongo, Ph.D. Co-Director, Phil Leaf, Ph.D. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School Of Public Health & the Baltimore City Public Schools

2. The Center for Prevention & Early Intervention The Center for Prevention and Early Intervention has received a 5-year grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health and Drug Abuse to determine the most effective ways to improve classroom behavior and academic achievement, and to prevent violence, mental health and drug abuse problems among students.

3. Proposed Center Intervention Initiatives Try out the Combination of the Good Behavior Game (GBG), Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS), and Family-School Partnership (FSP) Classroom-wide Preventive Interventions in K-5 (starting with K-2).

4. Proposed Center Assessment Initiatives To develop and pilot test a computerized assessment system for (a) teachers to use in evaluating students behavior and academic performance and (b) to identify children in need of more intensive preventive and treatment interventions.

5. Common Goals for Educators... increase academic and social proficiency increase engaged learning reduce classroom disruptions increase attendance and school bonding reduce the need for IEP’s and Special Ed improve the working environment

6. What is Social Emotional Learning? Social and emotional learning (SEL) refers to knowledge, habits, skills and ideals that are at the heart of a child's academic, personal, social, and civic development. They are necessary for success in both school and life.

7. Children who lack these skills: Enter school at risk for stable and escalating behavior problems Risk learning problems and academic delays Risk peer rejection and victimization Risk adolescent problems in areas of school failure, substance use, and criminal activity

8. Intervention Strategy Engage teachers as implementers of the intervention by providing them with tools and strategies to use for instruction. Improve individual child social-emotional skills through instruction, practice and reinforcement. Change the environment to support the use of the new skills.

9. Interconnected Systems for Meeting the Needs of All Children Systems of Care Treatment of severe and chronic problems Systems of Early Intervention Early-after-onset Systems for Prevention and Positive Youth Development Universal and Selective Prevention Systemic collaboration is essential to establish inter-program connections within and across Systems of prevention, early intervention, and treatment. Adapted from Adelman et al. (UCLA Center for Mental Health in the Schools)

10. What is the PAX Good Behavior Game? Classroom management system that is implemented during regular classroom instruction that promotes: Self-control On-task learning and behaviors Focused attention Academic engagement Positive social relationships

11. GBG Findings Teachers gain 60-90 minutes more of teaching and learning time each day 75- 125 fewer disruptions per hour in the classroom 20%-30% less need for special education 20%-50% reduction in use of tobacco or other drugs over a child’s lifetime

12. GBG Findings 50%-70% reduction in ADHD and conduct disorder symptoms Significant reduction in life-time juvenile and adult criminal acts 10%- 30% reduction in injuries and stress related complaints Reduces teacher stress

13. Implementing PAX GBG Create a shared language & vision Teach the PAX GBG 3 step introductory lesson (one hour of instruction) Play the game 3 times per day for 10-30 minutes Play a secret game several times per week Incorporate extra game elements as desired

14. PATHS

15. PATHS Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies The PATHS curriculum is a comprehensive curriculum for promoting emotional and Social competencies in elementary students. The PATHS curriculum increases students skills in the key domains by creating a positive classroom environment.

16. Key Lesson Objectives …Identifying and labeling feelings, expressing feelings, managing and understanding feelings, delaying gratification, controlling impulses, reducing stress, self talk, reading and interpreting social cues, using steps for problem-solving and decision-making, self awareness, verbal and nonverbal communication…

17. Implementing the PATHS Curriculum… 2-3 lessons per week for 20-30 minutes Ready-to-use lesson plans Supplementary activities integrate PATHS into academics Includes generalization strategies Family Communication tools

18. Program Outcomes Improved thinking and planning skills Decreased symptoms of sadness and depression ( child report- special needs students) Decreased conduct problems Decreased anxiety ( child report- special needs students)

19. Benefits of PATHS/GBG Integration

20. The Benefits PATHS is a compressive curriculum that teaches key social-emotional skills and promotes a positive classroom climate. GBG builds children’s self-control skills but also provides the necessary reinforcement for the use of this skill. It also promotes positive socialization in the classroom. Integrating both programs will maximize students’ skill development and use. We expect that this will have an even greater impact on student adjustment and academic performance then one program alone.

21. The Benefits Research has shown that for children to learn social emotional skills they need… Instruction Opportunities for practice Reinforcement By combining PATHS and GBG students are provided with all three essential elements necessary to develop these skills.

22. Training… Three Day: Summer Day One: Project Overview Project overview, rationale for program integration, theories, research, findings of both programs Day Two: GBG Program overview, how to implement, review of materials, outline of the implementation process and coaching support Day Three: PATHS Curriculum overview, goals and objectives, review of supplementary materials, generalization strategies, question and answer support

23. Training… One Day: October Half Day: PATHS Review of curriculum, additional supplementary and integration ideas, school-wide strategies, answer questions and provide practical solutions Half Day: GBG Review program and implementation process, school-wide strategies, answer questions and provide practical solutions

24. Training… Half Day: February Provide teachers and schools with implementation support for both programs. School-wide implementation strategies and support for both programs Exchange ideas Answer questions and provide practical solutions

25. Support Each teacher will be supported by a PATHS/ GBG coach during the implementation process. Month 1: Weekly coaching support visits Month 2: Biweekly coaching support visits November: Classrooms with a high level of implementation quality will have visits cut back to monthly visits. Classrooms that need continued support will have more frequent visits depending on coaches recommendations

26. Incentives Teachers, school mental health professionals, and principals will each receive the following for their participation: Desktop computer or PDA for use in school Stipends for participating in any informational or training meetings The Center will also cover the cost of any training and intervention materials.