| By: Brian Smith Meet the Makers of Our Middle School Program Creating social-emotional learning (SEL) programs that deliver positive outcomes for large numbers of students requires (1) user-friendly lessons that teachers can easily fit intRead More
| By: Shauna McBride Social-Emotional Learning The field of social-emotional learning (SEL) has made many exciting strides since Committee for Children introduced its first curriculum in 1989. During April 2017, in particular, a number of reports were published intended to advance the field of SEL.Read More
| By: Committee for Children Making a Difference—Activity Grades K-5—Positive reinforcement of good deeds is a simple but effective way to support and encourage treating others with kindness and respect.Read More
| By: Committee for Children Solutions to Community Problems—Activity Grades K-5—Working together to understand and solve problems is a skill set students will use throughout their education and take into adulthood.Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson Tap Into Empathy and Respect and You Can Connect Communication is the key to many aspects of life. By teaching important social skills like listening and empathy, educators give students the tools to respectfully interact with their peers and the adults in their lives. Read More
| By: Committee for Children Welcoming a New Neighbor—Activity Age 3-5—In this game adapted from the Second Step: Social-Emotional Skills for Early Learning Program, you can help your child practice the skill of welcoming someone new.Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson Grit, Growth Mindset, Mindfulness: Are These Trending Topics of SEL? Social emotional learning (SEL) is trending in education. The last 15 years of research has shown the many benefits to teaching SEL, such as reductions in violence and truancy and gains in academic test scores. Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson Everyone Has a Role to Play in Preventing Bullying: Part 2 of 2 Bullying has always existed, although it has not always been consistently and actively addressed in the school setting. Recent research has shown that bullying prevention efforts that build a positive school climate and invite disapproval of bullying can result in many positive outcomes, such as increased positive bystander behavior, decreased support for bullying, increased willingness to intervene in bullying, increased willingness to support bullied students, and increased reporting of bullying.Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson 5 Big Ideas for Back-to-School, Courtesy of the Second Step Program Ready…Set…Go! It’s that time of year again. Pull those Second Step kits off the shelf and get ready to roll because the way you initially approach implementation sets the stage for continued success. Implementation is an ongoing process that needs to be considered up front and then planned for and supported regularly if it is to be sustained (Leadbeater, Gladstone, & Sukhawathanakul, 2015). Take a look at these ways to gear up and get your Second Step program implementation off to a good start. Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson Understanding and Inspiring a Growth Mindset—4 Ways to Get Started A new school year is about to begin. As you revisit your goals and plans for the year, imagine cultivating these characteristics in your students: They are equipped to deal with challenges when faced with difficult work. They believe in their capabilities and in their capacity to improve. They seek challenging learning opportunities and view them as opportunities to learn. They thrive on obstacles and rise to the challenge when things get difficult. They believe they have control over their present and future. It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Read More