Tips for Teachers
Spread Skills Schoolwide
The following ideas can serve as a springboard to creating a plan to transfer SECOND STEP skills and concepts throughout the school.
Create a SECOND STEP Bulletin Board
Choose a high-visibility area in your school. The board could feature the work of different classrooms throughout the year, displaying themes like empathy, listening to others, feelings, ways to ignore distractions, conversation topics for making friends, or ways to calm down.
Plan a School Assembly
Present student and staff skits. Kindergartners can perform songs from the SECOND STEP CD. Older students could provide commentary on skills learned and show how they use them during a student skit. Students and staff could recite empathy poems they've written as a school project.
Build a Social and Emotional Library Shelf
Involve the librarian in your schoolwide efforts. The librarian can use SECOND STEP booklists, located in the Teacher's Guide, as a foundation for this collection.
Start the Morning with Question of the Day
During the morning announcements, ask students a question such as "What are the ways to calm down?" The daily question can be the basis for a quick SECOND STEP-focused discussion in each classroom.
Check in with Teachers
This part of the school year is also a valuable time for coordinators to check in with teachers to see how the lessons are going in their classrooms. New teachers may especially need some assistance with role-plays, transfer of learning, or finding time to teach the program.
By Karen Summers
Implementation Consultant
Committee for Children