Implementing Social-emotional Learning Programming into School Curriculum through Creative Writing Workshops
Session Number
Project ID: BHVSO 02
Advisor(s)
Dr. Valerie San Juan, Bradley University
Discipline
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Start Date
17-4-2024 8:15 AM
End Date
17-4-2024 8:15 AM
Abstract
Recent trends in state legislators and school districts across the United States to remove social- emotional programs from schools (Information, 2022) threaten to undermine the learning of empathy and prosocial skills that are fundamental to both social and cognitive development. To date, several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of Social Emotional Learning programs at increasing both social-emotional skills and academic achievement (Caprara, et al., 2000; Low et al., 2015; Malecki & Elliot, 2002). However, not all school districts and state legislatures believe these programs are necessary due to the cost of the programs (Hunter et al., 2018). We aim to find ways in which Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programming could be integrated with existing curriculum objectives such as literacy and writing to possibly decrease spending costs and to keep class time for core curriculum courses. We chose 25 (N=25) children between the ages of nine to ten (9:0-10:0 years) at St. Jude Catholic grade school. We developed a curriculum which integrates SEL components into creative writing instruction which is being administered throughout the year. Currently, we are gathering the data and the data will be analyzed after the school year is over.
Implementing Social-emotional Learning Programming into School Curriculum through Creative Writing Workshops
Recent trends in state legislators and school districts across the United States to remove social- emotional programs from schools (Information, 2022) threaten to undermine the learning of empathy and prosocial skills that are fundamental to both social and cognitive development. To date, several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of Social Emotional Learning programs at increasing both social-emotional skills and academic achievement (Caprara, et al., 2000; Low et al., 2015; Malecki & Elliot, 2002). However, not all school districts and state legislatures believe these programs are necessary due to the cost of the programs (Hunter et al., 2018). We aim to find ways in which Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programming could be integrated with existing curriculum objectives such as literacy and writing to possibly decrease spending costs and to keep class time for core curriculum courses. We chose 25 (N=25) children between the ages of nine to ten (9:0-10:0 years) at St. Jude Catholic grade school. We developed a curriculum which integrates SEL components into creative writing instruction which is being administered throughout the year. Currently, we are gathering the data and the data will be analyzed after the school year is over.