Promoting the Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning of

Millions of Young People

Roger P. Weissberg

Novo Foundation Endowed Chair in Social and Emotional LearningUniversity of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)

President and CEOCollaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

Social and Emotional Learning Research Group

Department of Psychology

A Coordinated District-wide Model forAcademic, Social, and Emotional Learning

Coordinated mental health and health services

Systematic classroom-based SEL instruction and a

supportive school climate

School-family-community partnerships

After-school and community activities

Collaborators Care about Context, Connections, and Competence

1. Readings

2. Who is in the room?

3. Agenda and Goals

Readings

1. SEL Alliance for Massachusetts

2. Guidelines on Implementing SEL Curricula (MA Dept of Elementary and Secondary Education)

3. Creating Safe, Healthy, and Supportive Learning Environments to Increase the Success of All Students (MA Behavioral Health and Public Schools Task Force)

Who Is in the Room?

John D’Auria, Teachers 21

Larry Dieringer, Educators for Social Responsibility

David Zussman & Debbie Peck, Boston Development Group

Nova Biro & Nancy McKay, Open Circle

Nicholas Covino, MA School of Professional Psychology

Roxann Kriete, Responsive Classroom

Joan Duffell, Committee for Children

Mitch Lyons, GetPsychedSports.org, Inc.

And Others

Agenda and Goals:Promoting SEL in K-12 Education

Educators Panel: From Theory to Action

DESE Initiatives, Frameworks, and Guidance

Putting Good Ideas to Work

Bringing SEL to Children’s Lives

• Curriculum, School Programs, and Student Activities

• Staff Activities, Support, and Professional Development

• School- and District-level Organization and Leadership

• Data Collection to Assess Progress and Outcomes

• Public Policy and Advocacy

Next Steps

Children Must Be a National Priority

No higher cause can trump that obligation – not a church, and

certainly not a football program. And not even a lifetime of heroism can make up for leaving a single child

alone, abandoned to evil, weeping in the dark.

- Ross Douthat (2011)

The more SEL promotes these capacities, the better off the world will be!

Manhood that is rooted in a sense of humanity, in peace, in love, in nonviolence, in honesty and

transparency, in constant self-criticism and self-reflection, and in respect and honor of women and

girls, again, as our equals.- Kevin Powell (2011)

Some [people] see things as they are and ask why.

I dream things that never were and say why not.

—Robert Kennedy

Objectives of Today’s Presentation

Professional focus Pose key questions and core beliefs Overview research, practice, and policy advances

in social and emotional learning (SEL) Summarize CASEL’s National SEL Initiative Discuss future priorities to advance SEL in

Massachusetts

Professional Focus—Since 1976

How can schools, families, and communities partner to promote positive outcomes in children and youth?

Actionable, Feasible, Research-based Family, School, and Community Approaches

1. Support and strengthen family functioning2. Sustained relationships with caring adults3. Provide high-quality education4. Connecting students and their schools5. Make communities safe and supportive for children6. High quality out-of-school-time programs7. Provide children and youth with opportunities to

build social and emotional competence

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

CASEL was founded in 1994 to make SEL an essential part of every child’s education.

Advance the science of SEL Expand effective SEL practice Improve federal and state policies

CASEL serves as strategist, collaborator, convener, and supporter for the SEL community

www.casel.org

Key Questions and Core Beliefs

1. Are people with better social and emotional skills more likely to succeed in school and life?

2. Can social and emotional skills be taught?3. Will children be better prepared for college and life if

we teach social, emotional, and academic skills?4. How can we ensure that teachers teach social and

emotional skills effectively?5. Can research inform educational practice and policy?6. Can a group of SEL collaborators improve the

education of pre-K to 12 students across the US?

Essential Questions Each Community Must Answer

What do we want our children to be, to know, and to be able to do when they graduate?

How can the entire community be organized to ensure that all students reach the stated goals?

Risky Youth Behaviors and Attitudes: Prevalence for High School Students

■ Physical fight 1 or more times (12 mos.): 31%■ Carried a weapon (30 days): 17%■ Bullied at school (past 6 months):

28%■ 5 or more drinks in a couple of hours (30 days): 24%

■ Seriously considered attempting suicide: 14%■ Sexual intercourse with > 3 people: 14%■ Chronically disengaged from school: 40-60%

Social and Emotional Skills and Attitudes: Prevalence for 6th to 12th graders

How people you know well would rate you on:■ Thinking through the results of your 29%

choices, planning ahead■ Caring about others’ feelings, feeling sad 45%

when a friend is unhappy, being good at making and keeping friends

■ Respecting the values/beliefs of people of 43%different races/cultures

■ My school provides a caring, encouraging 29%environment

1997: CASEL Defines the Field of SEL

What is Social and Emotional Learning?

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a process through which children and adults learn to recognize and manage emotions, demonstrate care and concern for others, develop positive relationships, make good decisions, and behave ethically, respectfully, and responsibly.

SEL

Self-awareness

Social awareness

Relationship skills

Responsible decision making

Self-management

Form positiverelationships, work

in teams, deal effectively with conflict

Make ethical, constructive choices about personal and

social behavior

Manage emotions and behaviors

to achieve one’s goals

Show understanding

and empathy for others

SEL Is a Process of Acquiring Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills

Related to Five Core CompetenciesRecognize one’s emotions,

values, strengths, and limitations

A Caring, Connected, Responsible, Contributing Problem Solver

• STOP, CALM DOWN, & THINK before you act

• Say the PROBLEM and how you FEEL

• Set a POSITIVE GOAL

• THINK of lots of SOLUTIONS

• THINK ahead to the CONSEQUENCES

• GO ahead and TRY the BEST PLAN

THINK

GO

STOP

Learning Environment

■Safe & well-managed■Respectful & supportive■High expectations & challenging■Participation & leadership■Behavioral standards & prosocial norms

Less

Teacher lectureTeacher interventionExternal rewardsInflexible disciplineIndependent seatworkParent-school isolation

MoreStudent inputStudent problem solvingSelf-assessmentNatural consequencesCooperative learningSense of partnership

Promoting Students’ Autonomy, Belonging, and Competence

SEL Conceptual Framework

Social and Emotional Learning

Coordinated School, Family,

and Community

Programming

Academically Successful

Healthy

Engaged Citizens

Good Social Relationships

What are the Latest Research Advances?

Does SEL programming positively affect students?

22 (.57) 9 (.23) 9 (.24) 9 (.22)10 (.24)11 (.27)

■ Social-emotional skills■ Attitudes ■ Positive social behavior

■ Conduct problems

■ Emotional distress

■ Academic performance

OutcomesPercentile Imp & (ES)

—Durlak et al. (2011)

Longitudinal Findings from the Seattle Social Development Project at Age 21

■ More high school graduates

■ More attending college

■ More employed

■ Better emotional and mental health

■ Fewer with a criminal record

■ Less drug sellingCost-benefit: $3.14/student for $1 invested

—Hawkins et al. (2008)

Are SEL programs conducted by existing school staff effective?

Social-emotional skillAttitudes Positive social behaviorConduct problemsEmotional distressAcademic performance

Teacher Researcher

—Durlak et al. (2011)

Does the quality of implementation affect student outcomes?

Social-emotional skillsAttitudes Positive social behaviorConduct problemsEmotional distressAcademic performance

Implementation Problems?

No Yes

—Durlak et al. (2011)

How do we develop students’ social and emotional skills?

■ Sequenced, Active, Focused, Explicit (SAFE)■ Adults and students model SEL skills and discuss

relevant situations■ Developmentally/culturally competent instruction

and community-building activities■ Opportunities for students to contribute to their

class, school, and community

Effects of SEL Participation on Teachers:Self-reported Survey Responses

96 10088

96

79 83

Problem-solving Comm. w/ students Dealing w/ stress

% 6th-grade teachers reporting improvement

% 9th-grade teachers reporting improvement

Principals’ Responses

The training I received from CASEL has taught me to recognize the relationship between my feelings and my job performance as a school leader.

I am definitely more in touch with my values as an educator as a result of working with SEL at my school. I realize that it is not just about academics; rather we are responsible for nurturing the entire child and SEL assists us in doing that.

Effectiveness of SEL Worldwide

Failure or refusal to adopt and appropriately support the implementation of SEL/SFL programmes is equal to depriving children and youngsters of crucial and scientifically substantiated opportunities for their personal, social and academic development.

This would be a flagrant violation of the United Nations Convention of Children’s Rights.

—Diekstra, p. 261 (2008)

Implications for Practice & Policy

SEL needs support Implementation matters

Supported by federal and state policies, leadership, and professional development

SEL is doable Good results from programs run by existing

school staff

SEL works Multiple positive outcomes including academic

achievement

Across grade levels and contexts

CASEL’s National Initiative for Social and Emotional Learning

The National Initiative for Social and Emotional Learning

1. Support systemic SEL in collaborating districts.2. Conduct research on district-wide SEL and develop tools to

accelerate high-quality implementation nationwide.3. Partner with SEL program providers, colleges of education, and

professional organizations to scale SEL.4. Promote state standards, guidelines, and policies .5. Promote federal policies that encourage SEL.6. Strategically communicate to foster widespread demand for

SEL as an essential part of education.

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

© CASEL 2008 38

What Does Schoolwide SEL Look Like?

SEL School

Classrooms

Lunchroom

Hallways

Teacher’s Lounge

Afterschool/Extracurriculars

PlaygroundFront Office

Bus

Bathrooms

Student Support

Parent/teacher conferences

Sustainable Schoolwide SEL: Implementation Guide and Toolkit

Readiness phase

Planning phase

Implementation phase

Sustainability factors

Sustainable Schoolwide Social and Emotional

Learning (SEL)

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning

Elizabeth DevaneyMary Utne O’Brien

Hank ResnikSusan Keister

Roger P. Weissberg

IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE AND TOOLKIT

Strategies for District-wide SEL

■ Assess SEL-related needs and resources ■ Develop SEL vision and long-term plans■ Communicate with stakeholders■ Align budgets and staffing■ Implement professional development■ Develop SEL learning standards and assessments■ Adopt evidence-based programs■ Integrate SEL with family and community initiatives■ Monitor process and outcomes■ Participate in learning community with other districts

A Coordinated District-wide Model forAcademic, Social, and Emotional Learning

Coordinated mental health and health services

Systematic classroom-based SEL instruction and a

supportive school climate

School-family-community partnerships

After-school and community activities

Collaborating Districts Initiative

1. Anchorage, Alaska2. Austin, Texas3. Cleveland, Ohio4. Chicago, Illinois5. 4 additional top-200 size districts

Conduct District-wide SEL Evaluation with the American Institutes for Research

3. School climate

4. SEL competencies

5. Student behaviors

6. Academic performance

1. SEL implementation process

2. Coordinated school-wide and classroom practices

Preschool Standards for Social and Emotional Learning

Pennsylvania Preschool Standards for Social and Emotional Learning

Social and Emotional Development:Learning About Myself and Others

Self-concept (Identity)

Self-regulation

Pro-social relationships with adults

Pro-social relationships with peers

Illinois K-12 Social and Emotional Learning Goals

Develop self-awareness and

self-management skills to achieve school and life

success.

Use social-awareness and interpersonal

skills to establish and

maintain positive relationships.

Demonstrate decision-

making skills and responsible

behaviors in personal, school, and community

contexts.

Self Other Decision-making

Federal Policy

■ HR 2437 - Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning Act

■ Reauthorize ESEA (No Child Left Behind) to incorporate SEL as part of teacher and administrator education

■ Work with federal agencies (e.g., the US Department of Education) on ways to incorporate evidence-based SEL in their initiatives

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 for prevention and

youth-development programs

A Systematic Approach to Develop and Assess SEL

■Standards: Clear statements about what students should know and be able to do

■Curriculum and instruction: Evidence-based classroom and school-wide programs and practices

■Professional development: For district and school administrators, teachers, and support staff

■Assessments: Including an indicator system to link SEL standards to outcomes

Future Priorities to Improve the SEL of Millions of School Children

■ Collaboration with 8 large districts and other socio-demographically diverse districts

■ Evaluating the CDI and creating tools for scaling up with districts and schools across the US

■ Advancing state and federal policies■ Communications to create a new vision of

education that works for 21st century children

Take-Home Messages

We can not always build the future for our youth, but we can build the youth for our future.

—Franklin D. Roosevelt

Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.

—Nelson Mandela

A Vision for Education in Massachusetts, the United States, and the World

All students are engaged learners who are self-aware, self-disciplined, caring, respectful, connected to others, responsible decision makers, and academic achievers.

Students are contributing in positive ways to their school, family, and community.

Educators, students, families, community members, and researchers work together to support the healthy development of all students.