Second StepStudent Success Through Prevention

Development and Research

• Second Step is research-based program designed to promote skills and attitudes that increase school success.

• Early adolescent development• Moving from elementary school to larger school can reduce school

connectedness

• Increased desire for autonomy with greater exposure to risky situations

• Increased influence of friends and peers

• Risk and Protective Factors• Many problem behaviors are driven by common factors

VIDEO-Success in SchoolsSocial and emotional skills as protective factors

Development and Research

• Protective factors + adolescent development Five Themes• Empathy and Communication

• Bullying Prevention

• Emotion Management and Coping

• Problem Solving, Decision Making, and Goal Setting

• Substance Abuse Prevention

• Three developmentally appropriate levels for each middle school grade.

• Each level covers the five targeted themes

Scope and Sequence

• Grade 6: Stepping Up• Theme: Rise up to the challenge of being a middle school student.

• Skills and Concepts: Empathy and communication, bullying prevention, emotion management, problem solving, substance abuse prevention

• Grade 7: Stepping In• Theme: Engage positively in life and school by staying in control and making good

decisions.

• Skills and Concepts: Builds on Grade 6 skills and introduces new topics such as decision making, cyber bullying, sexual harassment, and coping with stress.

• Grade 8: Stepping Ahead• Theme: Focus on leadership and goal setting.

• Skills and Concepts: Builds on Grades 6 and 7 skills and introduces new topics such as stereotypes and prejudice, bullying in dating relationships, and goal setting.

Grade 6 Scope and Sequence

• Empathy and Communication• Lesson 1: Working in Groups

• Lesson 2: Friends and Allies

• Lesson 3: Considering Perspectives

• Lesson 4: Disagreeing Respectfully

• Lesson 5: Being Assertive

• Bullying Prevention• Lesson 6: Recognizing Bullying

• Lesson 7: Bystanders

• Emotion Management• Lesson 8: Emotions—Brain and Body

• Lesson 9: Calming-Down Strategies

• Problem Solving• Lesson 10: Using the Action Steps

• Lesson 11: Making a Plan

• Substance Abuse Prevention• Lesson 12: Tobacco and Marijuana

• Lesson 13: Alcohol and Inhalants

• Lesson 14: Identifying Hopes and Plans

• Lesson 15: Making a Commitment

VIDEO-Classroom LessonWatch a real-life lesson in action.

Timing and Structure

• Interactive lessons• Videos, class discussion, skill practice, group work, individual work

• Lesson Sections• Introductory section

• Lesson outline

• Lesson Script

• Materials

• Additional Practice

• Timing: One 45-50 minute lesson per week; two 25 minute lessons per week; one lesson every other week (with extension activities and additional practice on the off week)

Additional Practice, Integration, and Home

• Extensions—each lesson provides extension activities to build and maintain concepts.

• Academic integration—each lesson provides ideas and activities for building in Second Step concepts across different subject areas

• Home link—each lesson provides activities designed to be completed at home. The program also offers an online parent portal to access information on the program.

Assessment

• Formative• Group Self-Evaluation Form

• Observational Assessment Form

• Reflective Writing Assignments

• Summative• Knowledge Assessment

Support

• www.SecondStep.org• Training videos

• Community forums

• Writable PDFs of activities and homework—These can be printed or emailed directly to students

• Lesson prep videos

• Unlimited phone and email support through Committee for Children

What does this mean for Hill?

• Increased district support for social-emotional learning• Possibly purchasing Second Step programs for all schools

• Scheduling time for social-emotional lessons• No DLT=creative scheduling

• Opportunities for piloting and co-teaching• Scripted lessons mean little to no planning for teams who want run

lessons by themselves and when it is most convenient

• Student services staff available to teach or co-teach lessons

Next Steps

• Determine schedule for social-emotional classes (What class? How often?)• Balance between time and program effectiveness

• As a team, discuss running the class (or part of the class) on your own.• Teacher leads whole class, teacher leads Part 1/support staff leads

Part 2, support staff leads class every other week/teacher leads extension activity on off week