PROMOTING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING USING STRONG STARTAction Research Using the Participatory Inquiry Process (PIP)

Louise Lindgren

What is Action Research?Action Research is “…an active and engaged form of future forming or lifescaping research designed to promote change and accountability” (Lewis, 2016). • Ken Gergen points out that “The aim of the future forming orientation is

to create what is to become” (Lewis, 2016). • When conducting future forming research, we are looking ahead to see

what we can create in our community. We have to look at what is already working in the school we are at, and then engage with others in order to find out how we can expand on what is already in place.

• It is essential to become familiar with the community you are working with. Understanding the systems already in place and using the strengths of those systems will help to potentially create or build upon something that will last even when you are no longer at the school.

• PIP is an on-going process, full of adaptations in order to create change in the future (Lewis, 2016).

What is Social-Emotional Learning?Social and emotional learning (SEL) is “…a process through which

children...effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel

and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions” (CASEL, 2015).

Ecological ContextSL, CA: Elementary School

• Population: 87, 975 (United States Census Bureau, 2013)• School Size: 408 students

• Asian: 42%• Hispanic: 25%• Filipino: 9%• White: 8%• 2 or more races: 8%• African American: 7%• Pacific Islander: 1%

• Students Participating in a Free or Reduced Price Lunch Program: 42% of the student population

• English Language Learners: 35% of the student population

LiteratureResearch shows that, “SEL can have a positive impact on school climate and promote a host of academic, social, and emotional benefits for students” (CASEL, 2015).

Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger (2011) • Meta-analysis of 213 rigorous studies of SEL in schools• Indicates that students receiving SEL instruction demonstrated better

academic performance, improved attitudes and behaviors, fewer negative behaviors, and reduced emotional distress

• Achievement scores increased on average of 11 percentile points higher than students who did not receive SEL instruction

• Students demonstrated a greater motivation to learn, deeper commitment to school, increased time devoted to schoolwork, and better classroom behavior

• Disruptive class behaviors, such as noncompliance, aggression, delinquent acts, and disciplinary referrals decreased and there were fewer reports of student depression, anxiety, stress, and social withdrawal

Literature“Social–emotional learning (SEL) is increasingly becoming an area of focus for determining children’s school readiness and predicting their academic success” (Denham & Brown, 2010).

Weissberg and Cascarino (2013) • Overall results indicated that high quality and well

implemented SEL can have a positive effect on school climate and promote academic, social, and emotional benefits for students.

• Results showed improved social and emotional skills, self-concept, bonding to school, and classroom behavior; fewer conduct problems such as disruptive classroom behavior, aggression, bullying, and delinquent acts; and reduced emotional distress such as depression, stress, or social withdrawal.

Strong Start• Strong Start, the Strong Kids K-2 program, is evidence-

based and designed to be both a prevention and early intervention program.

• It has a wide range of applications, and may be used effectively with high functioning, typical, at-risk, or emotionally-behaviorally disordered children, and in a variety of settings.

• Strong Start includes 10 lessons, which take approximately 35 minutes per lesson to teach and are fun, activity-based, and utilize popular children's literature to help emphasize main concepts.

My Action Research• Implementing the Strong Start program as a Tier 1

intervention in the three, second grade classroom at an elementary school in SL.

• The purpose of this research is to see if the implementation of the Strong Start curriculum positively affects students’ social skills, emotional coping, and academic functioning in a school in which there is little social and emotional learning or support.

• Will implementing Strong Start increase students’ social skills, emotional coping, and academic functioning as measured by teacher reports?

Participants• Three, second grade classrooms

• Classroom 1: 24 students• Classroom 2: 25 students• Classroom 3: 25 students

• 2 students’ parents did not consent to their child receiving the curriculum and collecting data

• 74 total student participants• I will be facilitating the lesson with classroom teacher

assistance so that they learn the curriculum and language of the program

• Information will be obtained for the subjects via teacher report. Teachers will fill out a brief questionnaire to help assess the students’ skill levels prior to the intervention and after the intervention.

Phase 1Initiating Conversations and Identifying Challenges• Began looking at school environment, accessible school

data, and other school-wide sources of information • Principal, school psychologist, resource teacher• Lack of social and emotional support for students • Response to intervention (RTI) academic support,

tutoring, before and after school homework help, and reading clubs

• Need for social skills and social, emotional, and behavior support

Phase 2Engaged Inquiry

• When students demonstrate a social, emotional, or behavioral difficulty in the classroom, teachers and staff members do not usually know how to respond, other than sending the student to the office or principal’s office.

• It would be beneficial for the schools to attend to the whole range of social and emotional needs for students in order to make fully rounded students who are successful in both academics and social emotional skills.

• As a whole, the community hopes to learn if a social and emotional learning curriculum will benefit their students, just at research has suggested.

Phase 3Collaborative Actions

• With an emphasis on teaching students skills to build positive relationships, social and emotional learning can be utilized as a strategy for schools to improve students’ ability to cope with frustrations and stressors

Problem Statement: Students do not have an opportunity to learn social and emotional skills at school.Hypothesis: With direct instruction of social and emotional skills through Strong Start along with teacher buy in and support, the second grade students will show growth in their social and emotional skills, as change will be measured by the students and their teacher. Students will learn healthy, pro-social skills in emotional regulation, social interactions, and positive living for school and life success through the implementation of the Strong Start lessons.

Phase 4Community Assessment and Reflection• After looking at the pre-surveys data, I noticed that

teachers rated students’ social and emotional skills low. In each class, a majority of students appear to struggle to manage and express their feelings in appropriate ways, which often times comes out in social situations.

• I implemented all 10 Strong Start lessons as planned over the course of three months. Students were excited each week when I came into the classroom, and demonstrated the skills they were learning and remembering through our exercises and discussions. Teachers confirmed that a majority of them were able to carry the skills taught in my period to other periods.

Pre and Post-test• Short questionnaire to assess teachers’ perceptions of

students’ social-emotional functioning• I measured the following four different areas of growth:

• The student’s has good overall social and emotional functioning.

• The student is able to successfully solve conflicts with peers.

• The student is able to cope with challenges in the classroom

• I am pleased with the student’s overall academic functioning.

Intervention: Strong Start Lessons1. The Feelings Exercise Group

2. Understanding Your Feelings 1

3. Understanding Your Feelings 2

4. When You’re Angry

5. When You’re Happy

6. When You’re Worried

7. Understanding Other People’s Feelings

8. Being a Good Friend

9. Solving People Problems

10.Finishing Up

Goals• Promote students' self-awareness, social awareness,

relationship, and responsible-decision-making skills• Improve student attitudes and beliefs about self, others,

and school• Acquiring these skills and meeting these goals allows for

a foundation that supports better academic performance “…as reflected in more positive social behaviors and peer relationships, fewer conduct problems, less emotional distress, and improved grades and test scores”

(CASEL, 2015).

Results• Quantitative data collection shows an increase in each

area measured across all three classrooms.• Teacher responses were averaged

• Qualitative data shows that students were able to retain, practice, and carry over skills practiced.

• These results are consistent with what the literature predicted and are what I had hoped and anticipated for.

• This implicates that a social and emotional learning curriculum could have promising results if it was applied school wide, and that students could have better overall social and emotional skills.

Classroom 1

The st

uden

t has

overa

ll goo

d soc

ial an

d emoti

onal

fuctio

ning.

The st

uden

t is ab

le to

succ

essfu

lly so

lve co

nflict

s with

peers

.

The st

uden

t is ab

le to

cope

with

chall

enge

s in t

he cl

assro

om.

I am pl

ease

d with

the s

tuden

t's ov

erall a

cade

mic pro

gress

.0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Pre-TestPost-Test

Classroom 2

The st

uden

t has

overa

ll goo

d soc

ial an

d emoti

onal

fuctio

ning.

The st

uden

t is ab

le to

succ

essfu

lly so

lve co

nflict

s with

peers

.

The st

uden

t is ab

le to

cope

with

chall

enge

s in t

he cl

assro

om.

I am pl

ease

d with

the s

tuden

t's ov

erall a

cade

mic pro

gress

.0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Pre-TestPost-Test

Classroom 3

The st

uden

t has

overa

ll goo

d soc

ial an

d emoti

onal

fuctio

ning.

The st

uden

t is ab

le to

succ

essfu

lly so

lve co

nflict

s with

peers

.

The st

uden

t is ab

le to

cope

with

chall

enge

s in t

he cl

assro

om.

I am pl

ease

d with

the s

tuden

t's ov

erall a

cade

mic pro

gress

.0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Pre-TestPost-Test

ReferencesCASEL: Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. (2015). SEL Defined. Retrieved from http://www.casel.org/social-and-emotional-learning/City of San Leandro California. (n.d.). Demographics. Retrieved from http://www.sanleandro. org/about/demographics.aspDenham, S. A., & Brown, C. (2010). “Plays nice with others”: Social-emotional learning and

academic success. Early Education and Development, 21(5), 651-680. doi: 10.1080/10409289.2010.497450Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D. & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The

impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82: 405–432. doi: 10.1111/ j.1467-8624.2010.01564.xGreat Schools, 2016. Madison elementary school. Retrieved from

http://www.greatschools.org/california/san-leandro/295-Madison-Elementary-School/ quality/#Test_scoresLewis, R. (2016). Four phases and nine steps in the participatory inquiry process (PIP)

[PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from Blackboard.McKevitt, B. C. (2012). School psychologists’ knowledge and use of evidence-based,

social-emotional learning interventions. Contemporary School Psychology (16), 33-. 45. Retrieved from http://www.casponline.org/pdfs/pdfs/school_psychologists'.pdfStrong Kids. (n.d.). Strong start. Retrieved from http://strongkids.uoregon.edu/strongstart.html

Weissberg, R. P. & Cascarino, J (2013). Academic learning + social-emotional learning = national priority. Phi Delta Kappan, 95 (2): 8-13.