Social and Emotional Learning for School and Life Success: SEL 101

1. Social and Emotional Learning for School and Life Success: SEL 101 Roger P. Weissberg CASEL University of Illinois at Chicago The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment May 2, 2008

2. Objectives • What is social and emotional learning (SEL)? • Why SEL? • What are the latest research advances? • What are the latest practice advances?

3. Reflection Question: What qualities or characteristics do we want young people to possess by the time they graduate from high school?

4. Essential Questions Each Community Must Answer 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?

5. Risky Youth Behaviors and Attitudes: Prevalence • Issues: • Physical fight at school (12 months): 14% • Carried a weapon (30 days): 19% • Bullied at school (past 6 months): 28% • 5 or more drinks in a couple of hours (30 days): 26% • Seriously considered attempting suicide: 17% • Sexual intercourse with > 3 people: 14% • Chronically disengaged from school: 40-60%

6. Law-related Education Mental Health Promotion Multicultural Education Nutrition Education Physical Injury Prevention Sex Education Suicide Prevention Truancy Prevention Violence Prevention Typical Approaches by Schools • AIDS Education • Bullying Prevention • Career Education • Character Education • Civic Education • Delinquency Prevention • Dropout Prevention • Drug Prevention • Family Life Education • Health Education

7. Social and Emotional Skills and Attitudes: Prevalence • Assets: • How people you know well would rate you on: • Thinking through the results of your choices, planning ahead • Caring about others’ feelings, feeling sad when a friend is unhappy, being good at making and keeping friends • Respecting the values/beliefs of people of different races/cultures • My school provides a caring, encouraging environment 29% 45% 43% 29%

8. What’s Needed? Moving from here: Categorical fragmentation in addressing learning barriers…

9. SEL as a Coordinating Framework To here: A coordinated approach to promoting students’ academic and life success

10. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): Mission and Goals Mission: To make social and emotional learning (SEL) an essential part of education Goals: Advance the science of SEL Expand integrated, evidence-based SEL practice Strengthen the field and impact of SEL www.casel.org

11. What is SEL?

12. CASEL Defines the Field of SEL (Elias et al., 1997)

13. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) SEL is the process whereby children and adults develop essential social and emotional competencies to: Recognize and manage emotions Handle oneself and tasks effectively Develop care and concern for others Establish positive relationships Make responsible decisions

14. 5 Core Social and Emotional Competencies Self Other Decision-making Self-awareness Social-awareness Responsible Decision-making Self-management Relationship Skills

15. A Framework for SEL Programming to Enhance Student Success in School and Life Social and Emotional Learning Learning Environment SE Skills Instruction Positive Outcomes = +

16. Social and Emotional Conditions for Learning • Safe & well-managed • Respectful & supportive relationships • High expectations and challenging • Participation and leadership opportunities • Rigorous, relevant curriculum and engaging instructional practices

17. SE Skills Instruction • Explicit SE Skills Instruction • Self-awareness • Self-management • Social awareness • Relationships skills • Responsible decision-making • Opportunities to practice • Modeling of skills • Reflection and acknowledgment • Evidence-based programs

18. Positive Outcomes • Academically successful • Mentally and physically healthy • Positive social relationships • Prepared to join the workforce • Engaged citizenship

23. Why Social and Emotional Learning?

24. 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

25. What are the Latest Research Advances?

26. Durlak, Weissberg et al. (2008) Meta-analysis: Enhancing SEL Promotes Success in School Coordinated School, Family, and Community Programming Positive Social Behavior SEL SE Skill Aquisition Learning Environment Conduct Problems Improved Attitudes Emotional Distress SE Skills Instruction Academic Success

27. Durlak, Weissberg et al. (2008) Meta-analysis:Core Questions and the Answers Does school-based SEL programming positively affect students? – YES Do the impacts on student functioning endure over time? – SOMEWHAT Are SEL programs conducted by existing school staff effective? – YES Do training practices and the quality of implementation affect student outcomes? - YES

28. Durlak, Weissberg et al (2008) Meta-analysis: Inclusion Criteria School-based interventions that promote social and emotional competencies K to 12th-grade students Reported by June 2007 Employed a control group design Assessed outcomes related to students’ behavioral adjustment or school performance

29. Sample of SEL Intervention Studies Pre to post = 207 studies Number of students: 288,221 Since 1990 = 75% Randomized = 45% Elementary (56%), middle (31%), and high school (13%) Urban, suburban, and rural < 1 year (76%), > 1 year (24%)

30. Social and Emotional Learning:How is it Taught? Teacher- or researcher-led SEL instruction Guided practice opportunities with feedback and reinforcement A supportive classroom context Multi-component with school-wide and family collaboration

31. Does SEL programming positivelyaffect students? Percentile Imp & (ES) Outcomes • Social-emotional skills • Attitudes • Positive social behavior • Conduct problems • Emotional distress • Academic performance 23 (.60) 9 (.23) 9 (.24) 9 (.22) 10 (.25) 11 (.28)

32. SEL Improves Academic Outcomes Improvements in: Attitudes Motivation, commitment Behaviors Participation, study habits Performance Grades, subject mastery Source: Zins, Weissberg, Wang, & Walberg (2004). Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): What Does the Research Say?

33. Do Impacts on Student Functioning Endure over Time? • Follow up: 6 months to many years. • SEL students showed significant improvement on all 6 outcome areas. • The effects were smaller than at post. • SEL is beneficial but not a permanent inoculation.

34. What Influences Positive Student Outcomes? • School staffs • SAFE programming • Sequenced development of skills • Active instruction (e.g., behavioral rehearsal) • Focused on SE skills • Explicit targeting of specific SE skills • Implementation

35. Implications for Practice & Policy SEL works Multiple positive outcomes including academic achievement Across grade levels In all contexts SEL is doable Good results from programs run by existing school staff SEL needs support Evidence-based training procedures are better Implementation matters Supported by federal and state policies, leadership, and professional development

36. What are the Latest Practice Advances?

37. 5 Core Social and Emotional Competencies Self Other Decision-making Self-awareness Social-awareness Responsible Decision-making Self-management Relationship Skills

38. Safe and Sound: An Educator’s Guide to Evidence-based SEL Programs

39. © CASEL 2008 39

40. 22 “SELect” Programs • Outstanding SEL Instructionof five SE competencies • Evidence of Effectivenesswith at least one rigorous study demonstrating positive SEL outcomes for students • Outstanding Professional Developmentthat provides training and ongoing follow-up support

41. Three-level Prevention/Intervention Services SEL is for ALL Students Few Treatment: Provide intensive interventions for a few children Some Early Intervention: Intervene early for some children All Students Universal Prevention: Focus on SEL skill instruction and learning environment Adapted from Osher, Dwyer, Jackson (2004)

42. What Does Schoolwide SEL Look Like? Parent/teacher conferences Playground Hallways Front Office Teacher’s Lounge Bus SEL School Lunchroom Sporting Events Classrooms Afterschool/ Extracurriculars Bathrooms

43. An Integrated Schoolwide Model forAcademic, Social, and Emotional Learning Integrated Schoolwide SEL Coordinated mental health and health services that reinforce SEL instruction Planned, systematic classroom-based SEL instruction and a supportive school climate School-Family-Community partnerships to enhance social, emotional, and academic competence After-school and community activities that are coordinated with SEL efforts

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

45. 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.

46. Summary • SEL is the process whereby children and adults develop essential social and emotional competencies. • SEL improves school-related attitudes, behaviors, and academics and provides the foundation to life success. • Well-designed, well-implemented SEL programming produces the best outcomes. • Sustainable, effective schoolwide SEL requires 3 Ps: Policy, principals, and professional development.