Our Social Emotional Learning Goal focuses on the following:
- To decrease student anxiety and increase student independence and confidence by using strategies that assist in reducing anxiety.
Scanning: What’s going on for our learners in relation to our goal? How are we supporting the diverse learning needs of our school population in relation to our goal?
- MDI, EDI and School Climate Survey indicate a significant number of students experience anxiety
- Counsellor caseload supports the need to address issues of anxiety both at home and at school
- All teachers teaching SEL in classrooms using a variety of strategies and programs (ie. Mind-Up, Ruler, Mood Meter, Zones of Regulation, etc.)
- Had someone from the District to teach staff SEL approaches
- Class meetings allow for “check-ins”
- 60% of our students were not engaged in afterschool sports – research demonstrates that exercise decreases stress and helps with anxiety
- School-wide directed exercise break
- Looking at attendance data (lates and absences)
*Please note that some of these have been significantly impacted by the global pandemic.
What does our focus need to be? What evidence identifies the focus? What targeted groups are addressed? Where will concentrating our energies yield the greatest effect?
- Teachers observe students entering intermediate grades struggle with the increased academic demands and higher expectations of independence (this often manifests itself in anxiety).
- MDI and School Climate study
- Target group(s) are across all grades throughout the school
- Creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students
Specific Goal You Are Addressing: How does your data inform the next steps? How will students benefit academically, personally, socially?
- Research shows that increased anxiety negatively impacts student learning
- Decreased anxiety and developing independence with strategies taught will translate into increased academic success
- Students will have more consistent attendance record
HOW AND WHERE CAN WE LEARN MORE? What professional learning has taken place and what is needed/planned? What resources and school/district supports are we using?
- Ruler Approach
- Zones of Regulation
- Bucket Fillers
- Targeted connection with students as determined by data and teacher referral.
- Minds Up!
- Yoga, Mindful breathing
- Classroom building activities
- Seven Habits
- WITS and LEADS – school wide implementation
- Fixed/Growth Mindset
- Friends Program
- Ongoing teacher training in specific strategies (Ruler, Zones of Regulation, Friends Program
- Counsellor support
- Presentation for parents that targets anxiety
- Making classroom and activity transitions smoother (more visual)
- More DPA activities- 150 km club, Lap of the school (running break), 5 minutes of dancing to music, nature walks up to Stoney Creek, exercise one block before start of day on one day of the week (exercise X block)
TAKING ACTION/WHAT ARE WE DOING DIFFERENTLY? What is your implementation plan? Roles of key stakeholders? How are all 3 tiers supported? How will your monitor progress?
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN:
Year One:
- Teacher assessment and student self-assessment using information from the Heart Mind Index – Secure & Calm Domain
- Explore the research regarding exercise as a strategies for stress/anxiety reduction
- Teaching Friends Program
Year Two
- Implement/review MDI, School Climate Surveys
- Implement Student Self-Assessment – track population using the assessment tool developed from the Heart Mind Index – Secure & Calm Domain
Year Three:
- Review student progress and revise interventions
- Reassessment to determine new target or continue with target group
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TIER 1 (Universal interventions) |
TIER 2 (Targeted interventions) |
TIER 3 (Intensive interventions) |
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PROGRESS MONITORING:
- Student Self-Assessment
- School Climate Study (UBC)
- Counselling referrals
- MDI
- Provincial Surveys
- Heart Mind Index – Secure and Calm Domain
CHECKING: Have we made enough of a difference? Feedback, data collection, data sharing, data analysis. How is the data informing/modifying practice? What has changed for our target groups?
- This is an ongoing goal and is arguable more important now (due to the pandemic) than it was three years ago.
- We continue to check in with teachers, parents and students in a variety of anecdotal ways to see if we’re having an impact.
NEXT STEPS: What requires further attention? Where to next?
- We will continue to work on the programs that we have in place.
- Some teachers have worked really hard to implement Carol Dweck’s “Mindsets” program and we may look towards using that as a common language throughout the school if possible.
