Building Skills for Lifelong Success 17

Goal Planning StrategiesBy: CPSEL

We all have set goals that quickly go by the wayside when we get busy or the goal is too challenging so we simply give up. Following are some goal planning tips based on psychological research in “mental contrasting” and “implementation intentions.”

• Start with a wish • Visualize the best outcome• Write one SMART goal that can be started in the next week • Develop a plan of action (when, where and how you will get started). This plan can be simply stated as

a “when/then” statement.

Example: “Each night, WHEN I am done with dinner, THEN I will complete my homework.”

• Think about the biggest obstacle• Develop a plan to deal with the obstacle. This plan can be simply stated as an “if/then” statement.

Example: “IF (obstacle) I get distracted by my phone, THEN (action) I will leave it downstairs until I’m done.”

Goal Planning Tips• Focus on one goal at a time • Write your goal down • Check your progress weekly • Adjust your goal or strategies as needed • Seek help • Stay focused, avoid distractions • When the goal has been reached and practiced consistently, set a new goal • Keep your written goal in a visible location

Building Skills for Lifelong Success 19

Respecting and Celebrating the Introverts in Your ClassroomBy: CPSEL

As you explore SEL best practices and consider implementing new strategies, remember that many of your students may be introverts, which means that they tend to recharge and do their best thinking alone or in a very small group. Introverts are not necessarily shy – in fact, some introverts can be very social. Rather, introversion refers to a preference for quiet spaces, time to reflect and according to author Susan Cain, “being an introvert is about having a deep, inner life.”

Introversion is not a malady to be overcome nor should we avoid pushing introverts out of their comfort zones on occasion. However, because our schools and places of work have historically rewarded extroverts, we, as educators, should give some thoughtful consideration to the introverts in our classrooms and how we can bring out the best in those students as well. Following are some strategies that you may want to consider using to balance out more social and interactive projects.

Think-Pair-ShareThis strategy allows each person to take time to think quietly and perhaps jot down some ideas before turning and speaking with a neighbor. Only then does each pair share their thoughts with the large group.

Provide ChoicesAllow students to select from a list of ways in which they can demonstrate learning and present their work. For some, a group project may be

best but for others, a written report or an artistic creation may be preferable.

Create Quiet SpacesIf your classroom allows for it, find some quiet corners and place comfortable chairs there for reading and reflection. If it is not possible to carve out quiet spaces in your classroom, be creative and think about using common areas or even outside benches.

Provide Alternate Means for ParticipationInstead of just posing questions to the whole class and calling on those who raise their hands, consider posing a question and allowing students to tweet, blog or participate in forums as means of participating.

Rethink Group WorkGetting along with others is an essential life skill and one of the five core SEL competencies. Do not abandon group work because of your classroom introverts. Instead, consider some minor modifications. Introverts may do better in groups of two or three as opposed to groups of four or more. Help students understand that people can take on different roles in a group and therefore, students should consider their strengths and how they can best contribute to the group. Finally, consider teaching your students that before they begin group discussion, it may be helpful for each person to individually write down some ideas to share.

SourcesCain S. Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverted Kids. | Higgin T. 5 Classroom Strategies That Help Introverts and Extroverts Do Their Best Work. Common Sense Education. | Klein JD. PBL & Introverts: 6 Modifications to Bring out the Best in All Students. | Pratt M. Tips for Teaching Introverted Students. Association of American Educators.

Building Skills for Lifelong Success 21

Building capacity. Strengthening systems. Transforming lives.

The Center for Schools and Communities helps build your organization's capacity through high quality professional development opportunities, research and evaluation design, and customized consultation. We work closely with local education agencies, community based organizations and state and local departments to strengthen systems. Our knowledgeable staff has expertise in school safety, youth violence prevention, out-of-school time, family-community-school partnerships and positive youth development. We will work with you to review, develop and implement plans to meet your needs and identify effective strategies designed to transform lives.

Learn more at Solutions.Center-School.org

Guiding Questions to Help Children Solve TheirOwn ProblemsBy: Dr. Myrna B. Shure

What?• Invite all involved children to define the problem.• Ask open-ended questions: What’s the problem? What happened?• Remain neutral and reassuring. Telling me about the problem will help me understand.

How do you/they feel?Invite all children to express how they feel: How do you feel about …?

What if?Invite all children to think about consequences.• What might happen if …?• How will you/they feel if ...?• How would you feel if that happened?

Now what?• Invite all children to think about solutions: Can you think of a different way to solve this problem? • Elicit three or more solutions: That’s one solution! Can you think of a second solution? A third?

Then what?• Invite all children to evaluate solutions: What might happen if …? Is it a good idea or not a good idea?

What might be a good idea?• Children, not the adult, are empowered to evaluate the solutions to their own problems.

You’ve got it!• The goal is to reinforce children’s thinking: You both thought of ideas to try! Good thinking!• Avoid placing value on the solutions: Good idea!

SourceShure MB. I Can Problem Solve: An Interpersonal Cognitive Problem-Solving Program. Champaign, IL: Research Press; 2001.

22 #SELConf2018

Books That Encourage Perseverance

• Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology, Drexel University• Distinguished Contribution Award, Division of Community Psychology,

American Psychological Association (APA)• Lifetime Achievement Award, Society of Counseling Psychology—

Prevention Section, APA• APA Psychology Matters Initiative, for research and applications for

schools and families that make a difference in people’s lives

RESEARCH PRESS

SEL Resources by Dr. Myrna B. Shure

Thinking Parent, Thinking ChildTurning Everyday Problems into Solutions | Second Edition

With updated research

throughout, plus three com-

pletely new chapters, this

book shows parents how to

apply ICPS techniques with

pre-schoolers through pre-

teens. Also available on Kindle.

I Can Problem Solve® [ICPS]An Interpersonal Cognitive Problem-Solving Program

ICPS teaches children how

to think, not what to think.

They learn that behavior has

causes, people have feelings,

and there is more than one

way to solve a problem.

Find more SEL Resources at our booth or online at ResearchPress.com

A CASEL SELect Program

R E S E A R C H P R E S S . C O M / / 8 0 0 . 5 1 9 . 2 7 0 7

Elementary Students

Beautiful OopsBy Barney Saltzberg

Brave IreneBy William Steig

Colorful DreamerBy Marjorie Blain Parker

The DotBy Peter H. Reynolds

Flight SchoolBy Lita Judge

How to Catch a StarBy Oliver Jeffers

The Most Magnificent ThingBy Ashley Spires

Rosie Revere, EngineerBy Andrea Beaty

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuitof a Dream By Deloris Jordan

A Whistle for WillieBy Ezra Jack Keats

Teens/Young Adults

Fast Talk on a Slow Track By Rita Williams-Garcia

Hatchet By Gary Paulsen

Night Flying Woman: An Ojibway Narrative (Native Voices) By Ignatia Broker

A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story By Linda Sue Park

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier By Ishmael Beah

Out of My Mind By Sharon M. Draper

The Hunger Games Trilogy By Suzanne Collins

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made By Stephan Pastis

Toby Alone and Toby and the Secrets ofthe Tree By Timothee de Fombelle

A Very Young Dancer By Jill Krementz