School-Connect Curriculum

<body class="scbody"> <h6 class="style1"><span class="scsectionheader style6">Program Overview</span><a name="overview"></a><span class="style6"><br> <br> School-Connect®: Optimizing the High School Experience is a 40-lesson curriculum designed to improve high school students’ social, emotional, and academic skills and strengthen relationships among students and teachers.<br> <br> The curriculum:</span></h6> <ul> <li class="style7"> <h6 class="scbody"><span class="scemphasis">Focuses on the CASEL Competencies: self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. </span>The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) identified these skill sets as fundamental to emotional intelligence and a positive school climate.<br> <li class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Explores “essential questions.”</span> Each lesson explores 2-3 essential questions that lead to enduring understandings and skill acquisition in students.</li> <li class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Uses a variety of learning strategies.</span> Lessons include think-pair-share, whole class discussion, small and large group activities, role plays and simulations, self-assessment tools, and reflective writing. Content information is delivered in mini lectures within a discussion format or through student inquiry and discovery.</li> <li class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Is relevant to students’ lives.</span> Most lessons include homework assignments that encourage real-life skills application. Many assignments involve family members in discussing topics that are important to students’ personal growth, academic success and involvement in school.</li> <li class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Can be implemented in a variety of courses.</span> The modules can be implemented in a one-semester course dedicated to the program (preferably a freshman seminar), in bi-weekly advisory meetings at different grade levels throughout the year, or integrated into English, social science, health, or leadership courses. Lesson extensions, such as Literature Links, and staff in-services help to promote integration across the academic curriculum.<br> <li class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Is research-based.</span> The curriculum draws on the most current research in positive youth development, prevention education, and academic learning. <span class="style32">[See <a href="mainframe-researchbase.htm">S-C Research-base</a>]</span></li> <li class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Addresses school standards.</span> School-Connect meets many state and national standards for English-Language Arts, health, and counseling. <span class="style32">[See <a href="#standards">S-C and Standards</a>]</span><br> <li class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Is easy to use. </span>Each lesson contains a two-page section for teachers, an easy-to-use lesson outline, and masters for student handouts, which may be photo copied or printed from a CD-R that accompanies the curriculum. Handouts are also available in a student workbook, which can be purchased in bulk.<a name="toc"></a></li> <h6 class="toctext style1 style6"><span class="scsectionheader"><br> Table of Contents</span></h6> <p class="style7"> MODULE 1: Building a Supportive Learning Community</p> <p class="style7"> Introducing Emotional Intelligence</p> <p class="style7"> Getting Acquainted</p> <p class="style7"> Creating Classroom Guidelines</p> <p class="style7"> Developing Social Radar</p> <p class="style7"> Standing in the Other Person’s Shoes</p> <p class="style7"> Empathizing with Others</p> <p class="style7"> Refuting Labels and Stereotypes</p> <p class="style7"> Appreciating Diversity</p> <p class="style7"> Addressing and Preventing Bullying </p> <p class="style7"> Building Rapport with Teachers</p> <p class="style7"> MODULE 2: Developing Self-Awareness and Self-Management</p> <p class="style7"> Understanding the Teenage Brain</p> <p class="style7"> Being Aware of Our Emotions</p> <p class="style7"> Recognizing the Power of Thought</p> <p class="style7"> Managing Anger</p> <p class="style7"> Coping with Change and Uncertainty</p> <p class="style7"> Inducing Positive Emotions </p> <p class="style7"> Finding Flow</p> <p class="style7"> Recognizing Character Strengths</p> <p class="style7"> Tuning In and Tuning Out the Media</p> <p class="style7"> Building True Happiness</p> <p class="style7"> MODULE 3: Building Academic Strengths</p> <p class="style7"> Looking Ahead</p> <p class="style7"> Exploring Underlying Beliefs </p> <p class="style7"> Tapping Our Hidden Potential</p> <p class="style7"> Using Multiple Intelligences</p> <p class="style7"> Setting and Achieving Goals </p> <p class="style7"> Managing Multiple Priorities </p> <p class="style7"> Improving Memory Skills </p> <p class="style7"> Using Analogies to Make Connections </p> <p class="style7">Learning Through Elaboration </p> <p class="style7"> Preparing for Tests</p> <p class="style7"> MODULE 4: Resolving Conflicts and Making Decisions</p> <p class="style7"> Developing and Maintaining Friendships</p> <p class="style7">Responding to Conflict</p> <p class="style7"> Developing a Problem Statement</p> <p class="style7"> Brainstorming and Evaluating Solutions</p> <p class="style7"> Implementing and Monitoring a Solution</p> <p class="style7"> Developing a Problem-Solving Approach</p> <p class="style7"> Negotiating an Agreement</p> <p class="style7"> Making Personal Decisions </p> <p class="style7"> Refusing and Persuading</p> <p class="style7"> Apologizing and Forgiving</p> <p class="scbody style1 style6">In addition, each module has a culminating project based on the precepts of project-based learning, and includes a scoring rubric.</p> <p class="scbody style1 style6"><span class="scorganization">School-Connect</span> plans additional modules specifically addressing employability skills, career preparation, and student leadership. <a name="sample"></a></p> <h6 class="style7"><span class="scbody"><br> <span class="scsectionheader ">Sample Lessons</span><br> </span><br> To view sample lessons, click on the links below: </h6> <blockquote class="style7"> <h1 class="style2">MODULE 1: Creating a Supportive Learning Community<br> <strong><a href="Lesson%201.5.pdf">Lesson 1.5: Standing in the Other Person's Shoes</a> </strong></h1> <h1 class="style2">MODULE 2: Developing Self-Awareness and Self-Management<br> <a href="Lesson%202.4.pdf">Lesson 2.4: Managing Anger</a></h1> <h1 class="style2">MODULE 3: Building Academic Strengths<br> <a href="Lesson%203.2.pdf">Lesson 3.2: Exploring Underlying Beliefs</a></h1> <h1 class="style2">MODULE 4: Resolving Conflicts and Making Decisions<br> <a href="Lesson%204.10.pdf">Lesson 4.10: Apologizing and Forgiving</a><span class="style5"><span class="toctext"><a name="standards"></a></span></span></h1> </blockquote> <p class="style1 style2"> </p> <p class="scbody style1 style6"><span class="scsectionheader"><strong>Standards-Based</strong></span><br> <br> <span class="scorganization">School-Connect®</span> is designed to support and enrich academic content. The curriculum’s Literature Links, Writing Windows, and culminating projects adhere to many states’ English-language Arts content standards in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Additionally, the lessons in study skills, healthy decision-making, communication skills, and goal-setting address many of the recommendations proposed by the American School Counselors Association and California’s Health Framework for Public Schools. While each state has different content standards and expectations, <a href="S-C%20school%20standards%202006.pdf" class="style29">School-Connect: Meeting High School Standards </a>provides an overview of how the program links with academic content.</p> <p class="scbody style1 style6"><span class="style5"><br> </span><span class="scsectionheader"><strong>Questions & Answers</strong></span><br> <strong><br> </strong><span class="sctitle "><strong><em>1. Why implement social and emotional learning in high schools?</em></strong></span> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Too many students feel disconnected to school.</span> Large, comprehensive high schools often have difficulty meeting the needs of students for autonomy (having a voice and choice), belonging, contribution, and competence. Students are more engaged in learning and work harder in classrooms when they sense the teacher knows and values them. Likewise, teachers become more invested in teaching and the success of their students when they feel valued and have a say in shaping the school culture. Too often American high schools are anonymous, impersonal places, where strong, sustained relationships among students and between teachers and students are rare. The result is a high level of alienation and apathy among students and teachers.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Students struggle with increased academic rigor. </span>The stakes are higher and the challenge to achieve good grades and test scores is greater in high school than in middle or elementary school. Most districts are implementing or planning to implement “must pass” HSAs (high school assessments) in core academic courses as a requirement for graduation. As the competition for acceptance to colleges intensifies, it is becoming increasingly harder for even the top students to get into top colleges. These high stakes have brought a dramatic increase in stress as well as cheating among all levels of students.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Ninth grade is a pivotal year. </span>An alarming number of high school students are retained as freshmen because they lack the academic skills to matriculate into tenth grade. The national average retention rate for ninth graders is 25% and approaches 45% in some urban schools (Hertzog & Morgan, 1998). Poor academic performance renders many freshmen ineligible for team sports and other extra-curricular activities, further alienating them from school.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Too many students are failing.</span> Nationally, only 79% of Asian students, 72% of white students, 52% of Hispanic students, and 51% of African-American students graduate from high school (Greene, 2005).</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">It is a time of large developmental changes.</span> High school is a time for exploring interests, building relationships with peers, increasing independence, developing abstract thought, connecting to the larger world, and identifying and working towards long-term goals. During high school, students’ brains develop as much as they did in the womb. These significant cognitive and emotional changes require that students learn new tools for coping with change and other self-management skills.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Students face life-altering decisions.</span> Decisions young people make in high school can affect the rest of their lives. They will decide whether or not they will graduate from high school, attend college, become sexually active, resist drugs and alcohol, and behave ethically and lawfully. The habits they develop during these years can help or haunt them for years to come. Students who are unable to face or handle these decisions are at greater risk for school failure, depression, interpersonal violence, and suicide.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Students graduate without the personal and interpersonal skills needed in the workplace.</span> The 1990 SCANS report identified social and emotional skills – such as goal setting, self-motivation, problem solving, and communication – that are critical to businesses that want to compete in the new global economy. The commission agreed that these skills were largely missing in high school graduates (The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, 1991).<br> </p> <p class="sctitle style1 style6"><em><strong>2. How are schools and policy makers responding to these challenges?</strong></em></p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">High schools are a focus of intense study. </span>In education, the attention has shifted from middle schools to high schools and how to fix them. This focus is evident in: The National Governor’s Association 2005 Summit, “Redesigning the American High School;” U.S. Department of Education’s 2003 “High School Leadership Summit;” and the national summit sponsored by Jobs for the Future and the Aspen Institute, Transforming the American High School, New Directions for State and Local Policy. Numerous books, journal articles, and policy papers provide content and direction to the discussion.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">There is a growing trend towards smaller schools.</span> Promoted by educational leaders in the field – Ted Sizer, Ernie Boyer, John Goodlad, and Deborah Meier – and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and others, large schools are breaking up into Smaller Learning Communities (SLC’s) or schools within schools, and some SLC’s (400 students or less) have their own campuses. </p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Ninth grade receives special attention. </span>In many of these smaller high schools, the ninth grade is treated similar to the way sixth grade is treated in the middle school model: freshmen receive help in transitioning into high school through community-building activities, tutoring, cross-age and adult mentoring, and courses that teach skills in communication, planning, and studying.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Advisory periods are on the rise. </span>Like their counterpart in middle schools, high school advisories aim to increase school-connectedness for both students and staff, provide a sense of community, and catch students who may be falling between the cracks. Advisory periods may be weekly, twice a week, or daily.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Service learning is an established trend.</span> In many districts, community service hours are a requirement for high school graduation, and some high schools are finding ways to integrate service into the academic curriculum. This trend illustrates a belief that character development is important to preparing students for life. <br> </p> <p class="sctitle style1 style6"><em><strong>3. What funding and policies support these initiatives?</strong></em></p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">More than $1 billion dollars is pledged for high school reform initiatives.</span> The Gates Foundation and researchers nationwide have joined together to design high schools that work. Much of this funding supports the development of Smaller Learning Communities (SLC). The U.S. Department of Education now supports hundreds of large public high schools and districts in transitioning to smaller learning communities and implementing ninth grade academies. <span class="style5">(For more information about federal Smaller Learning Communities grants, see <a href="http://www.ed.gov/programs/slcp/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.ed.gov/programs/slcp/index.html</a>)</span></p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Currently, more than 20 states have legislation mandating or strongly encouraging character education.</span> High schools are often at a loss to find quality, research-based curriculum to meet these state requirements.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Approximately $1 billion dollars is pledged for prevention and positive youth development programs.</span> Federal programs such as Safe Schools/Healthy Children, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP), and the Partnerships in Character Education grants make it possible for schools and organizations to purchase research-based programs. Additionally, several large private foundations are making positive youth development initiatives a primary emphasis.<br> </p> <p class="sctitle style1 style6"><em><strong>4. How does School-Connect meet the needs of high school students?</strong></em></p> <p class="style7">The <span class="sctitle">School-Connect</span> curriculum:</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Is centered on the development of the five competencies of social and emotional learning identified by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) at the University of Illinois at Chicago as the cornerstones of emotional intelligence. </span>These include social awareness, self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. In a CASEL Safe and Sound review, the S-C pilot draft received the top rating (program strength) in four out of five units. <span class="style5">[See <a href="http://www.casel.org/about_sel/SELskills.php" target="_blank">http://www.casel.org/about_sel/SELskills.php</a> for a full description of the CASEL Competencies.]</span></p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Is designed to meet students’ need for autonomy, belonging, and competence.</span> Meeting these needs leads to school-connectedness, which supports students’ academic achievement and sense of well-being.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Addresses academic attitudes, motivation, and skills.</span> By exploring their underlying beliefs, emotions, and areas of strengths, students learn how to become more engaged in the learning process.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Utilizes learning strategies that promote cognitive, emotional, and behavioral skill acquisition.</span> Through think-pair-share, group discussions, experiential activities, group projects, reflection, and skill practice, students engage in learning about, acquiring, and applying social and emotional knowledge, attitudes and skills.</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">Draws on a research base that includes the most recent developments in the field of education and psychology.</span> <span class="style5">[See<a href="mainframe-researchbase.htm" target="_self"> S-C Research-base</a>.]</span><br> </p> <p class="sctitle style1 style6"><em><strong>5. How would School-Connect be implemented? </strong></em></p> <p class="style7">S-C modules may be presented in their entirety, in pairs, or individually and sequenced by grade level. S-C can be implemented in:</p> <ul class="style7"> <li>One-semester ninth grade seminar</li> <li>Advisory group</li> <li>Health </li> <li>English</li> <li>Other academic courses, integrated with course content</li> <li>Leadership courses</li> <li>JROTC course</li> <li>After-school or summer program</li> </ul> <p class="style7">See the <a href="implementation.htm" target="_parent">Implementation</a> section for a fuller description of options for presenting the program and integrating it into the school culture.<br> </p> <p class="sctitle style1 style6"><em><strong>6. What are challenges to implementation? </strong></em></p> <p class="style7">Initial challenges that may face schools implementing <em>School-Connect</em> include:</p> <ul class="style7"> <li>Finding a spot in the schedule</li> <li>Ensuring that the dose is potent enough to affect change in students </li> <li>Dealing with district red tape</li> <li>Recruiting the right teachers </li> <li>Providing for staff training and support </li> <li>Teachers having the time to adequately prepare for presenting lessons </li> <li>Teachers adjusting their classroom management style to be in line with curriculum strategies</li> <li>Teachers becoming learners along with their students</li> <li>Affecting positive change in teachers’ interpersonal skills and their beliefs about students</li> </ul> <p class="style7"><span class="sctitle">School-Connect</span> works “from the inside out” in addressing many of these challenges. Teachers complete many of the assignments alongside their students and may explore key resources provided in each lesson if they wish to learn about a topic in greater depth. Pilot teachers cited the benefits of the S-C training in getting them to see themselves and their students in a new light and attested to the ease-of-use of the curriculum. Over time, teachers notice positive changes in their own attitudes, behavior, and relationships with students as a result of presenting the curriculum.<br> </p> <p class="sctitle style3 style1">7. Has School-Connect been evaluated?</p> <p class="style7"><span class="scemphasis">School-Connect received positive results from a formative evaluation.</span> As part of the development process, the curriculum was piloted in English, health, and life skills classes in Washington D.C.-area schools during the 2004-2005 school year. Teachers who used the curriculum regularly reported that students showed improved effort on academic assignments and more involvement in class discussions than their students had in past years. <span class="style5">[See <a href="mainframe-evaluation.htm" target="_self">S-C 2004-2005 Pilot Study</a> for a copy of the full report.] </span></p> <p class="style1"><span class="scemphasis style6">CASEL gave the program high marks for comprehensive content and effective teaching strategies.</span><span class="style6"> The Collaborative for Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning (CASEL) based at the University of Illinois in Chicago assessed a pilot draft of the curriculum using an instrument designed to measure coverage of social and emotional competency areas. The curriculum received the highest score (Program Strength) in four out of five competency areas. Subsequently, School-Connect authors added a lesson on negotiation skills to strengthen the remaining competency area. <br> <br> <strong></strong></span><strong><br> References </strong><br> <br> Greene, J.P. (2005). <em>Public high school graduation and college readiness rates: 1991-2002. </em>New York: Manhattan Institute. Available: http://www.manhattan-institute.org/htm/ewp_08.htm.</p> <p class="style1">Hertzog, C. J., & Morgan, P. L. (1998). <em>Breaking the barriers between middle school and high school: Developing a transition team for student success.</em> NASSEP Bulletin, 82(597), 94-98.</p> <p class="style1">The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills. (1991). <em>What work requires of schools: A SCANS report for America 2000. </em>Washington, DC: US Department of Labor.</p> <h6 class="scbody style2"> </h6> </body>