Jonathan E. Martin

Director, K12 Professional Learning

College Knowledge for Counselors Conference

November 1, 2019

Social Emotional

Learning and the

College Connection

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• Write on one side of the card the “labels” you feel other people have given you.

• Examples: nerd, jock, brain, preppy, funny, etc.

• On the other side of the card, write any labels and personal traits you wish others would use to identify you by/

• Examples: leader, kind, shy

• Divide into groups of two.

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• Show your partner the side of the card, showing only the labels you feel others have given them. Question each other in reaction to the labels. Neither of the partners is allowed to respond to the questions in declarative ways, only questions.

• Examples: How do you feel about the labels others have given you? When did you start receiving this label? What would you change? How have you added to this label?

• After some conversation, turn the card over and reveal the labels as you wish to be known. Again, allow for conversation between partners using only questions.

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Reflection

• What have you learned?

• How easy is it to jump to conclusions?

• How easy is it to assume we know someone?

• What would you do differently to be able to get to know a variety of people, rather than just assume you know a lot about them because of how they are labeled?

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Agenda

• Evidence Basis

• Strengthening Adult/Educator Social Emotional Skills and Modeling

• School Climate

• Instruction

• Using Data for Improvement

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What Percentage Improvement in Social and Emotional Skills did Implementation of a Quality SEL program accomplish?

What Percentage Improvement in Academic Achievement, as measured by Standardized Testing, did Implementation of a

Quality SEL program accomplish?

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Imagine two teachers in Middle School, 8th or 9th grade. One has students who benefit from an academic achievement gain, the other students who benefit from improved behavior as measured by referrals and attendance.

Which teacher’s students are more likely to graduate high school and report intending to go to college? By how much?

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Research by ACT Researcher Alex

Casillas, Ph.D.

Intervening with

Underserved Hispanic

Students on Social and

Emotional Skills

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Underserved Learners

• ACT Criteria: • First generation college students (FGCS)

• Whose family income is less than $36,000 per year

• Whose race/ethnicity is African American, Hispanic, Native American, or Pacific Islander

• Characteristics• Lower standardized test scores

• Lower self-efficacy

• Perceive greater obstacles to college entry (e.g., lack of guidance and preparation)

• Have a more negative outlook on their chances of going to college

A partnership between:

Region One ESC

44 middle schools

30 high schools

27 school districts

Local Business and

Community Partners

Local Institutions of Higher Education

Region One GEAR UP:

Ready, Set, College!

Partnership

2011-2018

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Region One ESC GEAR UP Student

Demographics

• 98% Hispanic

• 84% Economically Disadvantaged

• 37% Limited English Proficient

• 6% Migrant

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ACT Engage

• ACT’s measure of behavioral/SEL skills (Tessera is the newest iteration)

• Spans Grade 6 to College

• Substantial empirical evidence that Engage predicts performance and persistence in academic settings

• Skills measured by Engage are sensitive to intervention

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Academic Success Index

Academic Success Index is an estimated probability of success ranging from 1 to 99, such that higher scores indicate a higher probability of success (defined as earning a high school GPA of at least 2.0 [Grades 6-9] or a first-year college GPA of at least 2.0 [Grades 10-12]).

The index was developed using a predictive model of a subset of Engage SE skills and biodata responses collected during administration, and based on an independent national sample with high school and college GPA as the outcomes.

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Research Questions

1. How do trends in SE skill development for Region One students compare to a national sample?

2. How do trends in SE skill development for Region One students change over time, particularly for students who were identified as at-risk in 7th grade?

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Results:

RQ1: Trends in

SE skill

development--

Region One

vs. national

sample

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Results:

RQ2: Change

over time-

Focus on at-

risk students

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Conclusions

• Hispanic FGCS students show similar behavioral trends and responsiveness to SE programming (as those reported in the literature for other student groups).

• Students who score at the lowest levels at the beginning of an intervention program often achieve the most gains as a result of the intervention, even if they do not fully “catch up”—evidence of closing gaps

What Percentage Improvement in Social and Emotional Skills did Implementation of a Quality SEL program accomplish?

What Percentage Improvement in Academic Achievement, as measured by Standardized Testing, did Implementation of a

Quality SEL program accomplish?

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Imagine two teachers in Middle School, 8th or 9th grade. One has students who benefit from an academic achievement gain, the other students who benefit from improved behavior as measured by referrals and attendance.

Which teacher’s students are more likely to graduate high school and report intending to go to college? By how much?

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1. Revamp Curricula:

Counselors should teach

SE Skills

2. Encourage

Extracurricular

Involvement

3. Bring Soft Skills into the

Conversation

ACT recommends

1. Build and Model Adult Capacity/Competency

2. Focus on Climate

3. Assess Skills

4. Explicitly Teach Skills

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Teachers “must understand

how to build and improve their

own SEL competencies,

because teachers’ social

emotional competencies

directly affect how they interact

with students on both social

and instructional levels.”

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Social and Emotional Skills Self Assessment

Take the SEL Self-Assessment individually, or, if you prefer, working with a buddy.

Don’t feel need to share your results, but find someone to discuss your self-assessment with.

• Did it reveal for you any insights?

• Which area would you prioritize for your own growth?

• How would that growth positively impact your students?

• How might you proceed toward that growth?

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Modeling SEL: suggestions

Review and identify 2 tactics you do currently and effectively, and share with your neighbor.

Identify 2 you’d like to work on doing more of, and share how you will do so.

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Focus on

Climate

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Assess Skills; Use Resulting Information

• Regularly Survey and Assess Climate and Skills

• Choose a product or make your own

• Identify Gaps

• Focus on Subgroups

• Intervene and Track Progress

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Research: Effective SEL instruction is

SAFE. (predict what SAFE stands for)

• Sequenced—connected and coordinated activities to foster skills development;

• Active—active forms of learning to help students master new skills;

• Focused—containing activities that clearly emphasize developing personal and social skills;

• Explicit—targeting specific social and emotional skills

Source: (Durlak et al., 2010, 2011)CASEL

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Direct Instruction

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What are you going to do in your work?

Discuss with your neighbor your next steps.