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Dec. 22, 2016
Issue 57
Social, Emotional and Academic Learning
You may be convinced that it's a great idea to teach students to resolve conflicts and speak respectfully to each other -- and that these skills are a boon for learning, work and straight-up good citizenship. But parents and school staff aren't always convinced that so-called social and emotional learning is a good use of time.

Now the Wallace Foundation has surveyed 1,600 K-12, after-school and policy leaders nationwide about the jargon used to describe "social and emotional learning" and how the language used to describe the idea makes people more or less interested in its value. The Wallace Foundation also conducted focus groups with parents in Oakland, Dallas and Boston.

The survey offered the definition of social and emotional learning as: "Supporting students to develop emotional intelligence, positive attitudes, persistence, self-management and relationship skills." Many possible terms were tested, including grit, 21st century learning, soft skills and growth mindset.

Survey respondents voted down the terms "non-cognitive," "emotional intelligence" and "behavioral skills" and voted strongly in favor of "social, emotional and academic learning" or "social and emotional learning." Also, pitching social and emotional learning as a way to "help children succeed in school and life" was most effective, those surveyed said. Least effective was describing social and emotional learning as something schools must provide to "level the playing field" for disadvantaged students.

To learn more, check out a PowerPoint of the survey results.
School Climate
Commentary
By Kathy Moore, executive director of the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, and Patti Giggans, executive director of Peace Over Violence

One in four youth in the United States struggles through some form of dating abuse. Nearly half of students who have experienced dating abuse report that at least part of the abuse occurred at school. It's not unusual for a student's academic performance to suffer as a result.

Read more at EdSource.
Feds resolved nearly 100 civil rights complaints in California schools in 2016
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights said it resolved nearly 100 allegations of civil rights violations - most of them alleging gender-based or disability-based discrimination - in California schools and colleges in fiscal 2016, as some conservatives signaled that aggressive civil rights enforcement under the Obama administration would be curtailed under President-elect Donald Trump.

Read more at EdSource.
School Climate Headlines
School Discipline Headlines
Webinar: Understanding the student brain
The Alliance for Excellent Education is to present a Jan. 12 webinar on how teachers can use brain science to inform their teaching strategies. Glenn Whitman, director of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, will be presenting.

The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning said it is increasing its efforts to bring its work on the neuroscience of learning to public school teachers.

What: "The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning: Bringing Mind, Brain, and Education Science to Teachers and the Classroom"
When: Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, 11 a.m. PT
Register here.
Go to the EdHealth Archive.

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