REVISED

The fourth-grade emotional regulation/management unit is comprised of three lessons and was created to increase the behavioral ability of students to self-regulate. It addresses the first program goal. Student and staff discussions, the Second Step curriculum, and office behavioral referral data helped create lesson content. All lessons are linked to ASCA mindsets and behaviors and Key’s vision and mission as they are designed to help all students strive for emotional well-being ensuring they acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed to thrive in our dynamic global community.

Lesson one focused on ASCA B-LS9 by teaching students to recognize the physical, behavioral and cognitive signs that convey they are experiencing strong emotions. Perception data showed that before the lesson, 9% of fourth graders could identify signs of strong emotions. Post test results showed 89% of students could, a percentage change increase of 889%.

Lesson two concentrated on ASCA B-SMS2 by teaching students to name their feeling(s) and calm down. Perception data revealed 25% of fourth graders reported having the skills needed to calm themselves down on the pretest while 91% could after the posttest, a percentage change increase of 264%.

Lesson three emphasized ASCA B-SS1 by teaching students to communicate their strong feelings to trusted adults using I-Statements. Perception data revealed 24% of fourth graders believed it was important to communicate strong feelings with an adult on the pretest and 82% reported this on the posttest, a percent change increase of 242%. Also, 15% reported having the skills needed to communicate strong feelings with an adult during the pretest. Post test results showed 84% of students could, a percentage change increase of 460%.

Perception data for all three lessons strongly supports their effectiveness. Staff comments were positive about the lessons, the desire for them to continue, and the positive impact on students’ classroom behavior, especially in the three months immediately following the lessons.

Outcome data suggests application of attitudes knowledge and skills is happening outside the classroom. We reduced the overall number of office referrals from 136 to 106 by approximately 21%, and office referrals resulting from strong emotions and not being able to regulate these emotions reduced from 120 the previous year to 103, a reduction of approximately 14%. However, the overall percentage of total office referrals resulting from strong emotions and emotional regulation increased from 89% to 97% of office referrals, elucidating that emotional regulation is still the leading cause for office referrals.

Analyzing the core curriculum, we noted strengths and weaknesses and made numerous future implications. Next year, all lessons will continue and targeted mindsets and behaviors will not change but more skills practices will be added. A review lesson and an additional calm down lesson will be added in the beginning of March, when we saw more students sent to the office for behavioral referrals. All emotional regulation/management lessons have now been vertically aligned across the grade levels, as building on the same basic tenets every year will help these concepts become a mindset that lead to positive behaviors when experiencing strong emotions. A faculty and PTA presentation will be conducted to teach adults the concept of “Stop. Name your feeling. Calm down.” Having more adults trained in how to help students manage strong emotions will allow for adult modeling and more consistent emotional support in terms of language and techniques during unstructured times.

The Counseling Advisory Council will revisit this issue and additional suggestions for implementation will be solicited and incorporated.

Grade Level: 4th Grade

Lesson Topic: Signs of Strong Emotions

Lesson was Presented in Which Class/Subject:

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): M1A/SE, B-LS9SE

Start/End: Week of Sept. 25, 2017

Process Data (Number of students affected): 45-minute lesson presented to all five 4th grade classrooms 111/112 99% of students were present and took the pretest and completed the worksheet during the first lesson

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Verbal and Written (Pre/Post, Completed Worksheet) Responses [Pretests indicated that 9% of 4th graders can identify signs of strong emotions. Posttest results indicated that 89% of students can identify signs of strong emotions; an 889% percent change.]

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): REVISED: Key went from 120 office behavioral referrals for emotional regulation last year to 103 this year, a percent change decrease of -14.17. Interestingly, the number of overall office behavioral referrals saw a percent change decrease of -21.48, from 135 last year to 106 this year. Office behavioral referrals for emotional regulation in the 2016-2017 SY totaled 120 out of 135 or 89%, while the 2017-2018 SY saw a percentage change increase of 9%, as they comprised 103 out of 106 referrals, or 97% of the total.

Implications: REVISED: Lesson 1 Implications: Students gained knowledge of how they experience strong emotions. Outcome data implies that most students are able to generalize classroom acquired knowledge to real life situations. This lesson will be used next year but it will be edited to reflect the needs of the new students and it will stress catching the signs early and include more self-reflection and sharing of students’ actual signs. Some of the components from Zones of Regulation will be incorporated into this lesson. Students will be encouraged to generalize this self-knowledge by asking them to share this information with staff, by having staff verbally noticing when students are doing this, and by helping students through the process when they are not. Staff will be given the same information so they can model and provide assistance to students as needed. Fifth grade lessons will be reviewed and modified to reflect this information as well.

Attachments

Grade Level: 4th Grade

Lesson Topic: Emotional Management – Stop. Name Your Feeling. Calm Down.

Lesson was Presented in Which Class/Subject:

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): M1SE, B-SMS2A/SE

Start/End: Week of Oct. 2, 2017

Process Data (Number of students affected): 45-minute lesson presented to all five 4th grade classrooms; 112/112 100% of students were present for the second lesson and completed the worksheet

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Verbal and Written(Pre/Post, Completed Worksheet) Responses [Pretests indicated that 25% of 4th graders had the skills needed to calm down by themselves. Posttest results indicated that 91% of students possessed these skills; a 264% percent change.]

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): REVISED: Key went from 120 office behavioral referrals for emotional regulation last year to 103 this year, a percent change decrease of -14.17. Interestingly, the number of overall office behavioral referrals saw a percent change decrease of -21.48, from 135 last year to 106 this year. Office behavioral referrals for emotional regulation in the 2016-2017 SY totaled 120 out of 135 or 89%, while the 2017-2018 SY saw a percentage change increase of 9%, as they comprised 103 out of 106 referrals, or 97% of the total.

Implications: REVISED: Lesson 2 Implications: Students gained skills needed to calm down by themselves. Outcome data implies that students were unable to generalize classroom acquired skills to real life situations. Therefore, this lesson will be used next year but it will be edited to reflect the needs of the new students and it will focus on adding a few more calming down strategies in addition to the three that are presented every year in the Second Step program. A review lesson will be created and incorporated into the core curriculum during the beginning of April. Students will be encouraged to generalize this skill by encouraging them to use the strategies, by verbally noticing when they are calming down in a positive way, and by helping them through the process when they are not. Staff will be given the same information so they can model and provide assistance to students as needed. Students who continue to struggle with calming down by themselves will be invited to attend a group focusing on the Zones of Regulation curriculum. Fifth grade lessons will be reviewed and modified to reflect this information as well. For the 2018-2019 school year, I plan on teaching a new breathing technique, mindful strategy, or other calming down technique at the start of every lesson. The visual for this technique will be posted outside of my office for the week that it is taught in all the classrooms. Lesson 2 Implications: Students gained skills needed to calm down by themselves. Outcome data implies that most students are able to generalize classroom acquired skills to real life situations. This lesson will be used next year but it will be edited to reflect the needs of the new students and it will focus on adding a few more calming down strategies in addition to the three that are presented every year in the Second Step program. A review lesson will be created and incorporated into the core curriculum during the beginning of March. Students will be encouraged to generalize this skill by encouraging them to use the strategies, by verbally noticing when they are calming down in a positive way, and by helping them through the process when they are not. Staff will be given the same information so they can model and provide assistance to students as needed. Students who continue to struggle with calming down by themselves will be invited to attend a group focusing on the Zones of Regulation curriculum. Fifth grade lessons will be reviewed and modified to reflect this information as well. For the 2018-2019 school year, I plan on teaching a new breathing technique, mindful strategy, or other calming down technique at the start of every lesson. The visual for this technique will be posted outside of my office for the week that it is taught in all the classrooms.

Attachments

Grade Level: 4th Grade

Lesson Topic: Communicating Strong Feelings with I-Statements

Lesson was Presented in Which Class/Subject:

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): B-SS1A/SE

Start/End: Week of Oct. 9, 2017

Process Data (Number of students affected): 45-minute lesson presented to all five 4th grade classrooms; 112/112 100% of students were present, completed the worksheet and took the posttest after the third (last) lesson

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Verbal and Written (Pre/Post, Completed Worksheet) Responses [Pretests indicated that 24% of 4th graders believed it is important to communicate strong feelings with an adult. Posttest results indicated that 82% of students believe this, a 242% percent change. Pretests indicated that 15% of 4th graders had the skills needed to communicate strong feelings with an adult. Posttest results indicated that 84% of students believe this, a 460% percent change]

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): REVISED: Key went from 120 office behavioral referrals for emotional regulation last year to 103 this year, a percent change decrease of -14.17. Interestingly, the number of overall office behavioral referrals saw a percent change decrease of -21.48, from 135 last year to 106 this year. Office behavioral referrals for emotional regulation in the 2016-2017 SY totaled 120 out of 135 or 89%, while the 2017-2018 SY saw a percentage change increase of 9%, as they comprised 103 out of 106 referrals, or 97% of the total.

Implications: REVISED: Lesson 3 Implications: Students gained the belief that it is important to share strong feelings with adults and they gained the skills needed to be able to do this. Outcome data implies that most students are able to generalize classroom acquired attitudes and skills to real life situations. This lesson will be used next year but it will be edited to reflect the needs of the new students and it will focus on adding more active class participation and roleplaying of I-Statements. Students will be encouraged to generalize this skill by prompting them to use I-Statements, by verbally noticing when they are doing this on their own, and by helping them when they are having a hard time communicating strong feelings. Staff will be given the same information so they can model and provide assistance to students as needed. Fifth grade lessons will be reviewed and modified to reflect this information as well. In addition, when I have a student come to me with a friend and they want the friend to tell me what is happening, I will guide them to calm down and then talk about what has happened on their own.

Attachments