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Using Social-Emotional Learning and Prevention Education Skills during the Summer
It’s hard to believe, but summer is almost half over. While children and teens are still on vacation for the next several weeks, parents may be concerned about how their kids are preparing for going back to school. While there are ways to combat academic summer learning loss, what can be done to maintain the social-emotional learning skills that many children gained during the school year? How can children continue to practice these skills even when they are away from the classroom for an extended period? A growing body of research is driving interest in social-emotional learning as an essential component of student success. Without skills like the ability to manage stress, to empathize with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and to engage successfully in the small-group work required for deeper learning, students cannot be successful. The Mendez Foundation is committed year-round to ensuring children grades K-12 are equipped with and building and maintaining skills that go beyond subject-matter knowledge in English, math, and science. Our Too Good programs provide a framework of social and emotional skills that develop goal-setting, decision-making, and effective communication skills. Too Good also builds additional skills for peer pressure refusal, pro-social bonding, conflict resolution, and media literacy. However, practicing these critical skills may not be top of mind for children and teens during summer vacation. There are, however, a few creative ways kids can continue to practice the skills they learned during the school year including: Goal Setting Set a goal to wake up earlier than usual in the morning during the summer to work on a project or hobby. Make a plan to read a certain number of books during the summer months. Decision Making Contribute ideas to where your family will visit for summer vacation this year. Take the initiative on what movie to see with your friends. Express Yourself Keep a journal of all the fun and exciting things you do over the summer. Talk honestly to an older sibling about how you feel about them going away to college or a different school in the fall. Bonding and Relationships Try a summer activity with your friends that you have never done before. Use peer pressure refusal strategies in situations where you feel uncomfortable. Summer is a great time for children and teens to practice the skills gained through social-emotional learning and prevention education outside of the classroom. The Mendez Foundation encourages children, teens, parents, and families to utilize these skills on a regular basis to ensure a fun and safe summer season. This way, children can continue to make healthy, risk-free choices and stay on the path to a more positive and brighter future.
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June is Effective Communication Month – How youth can communicate more effectively
June is Effective Communication Month. This is the perfect time to talk with adolescents about how to be effective communicators. The earlier they learn and master these skills, the better prepared they will be to express their ideas and emotions and alleviate misunderstandings as they progress through school, college and in their careers. What is effective communication? Effective communication is the ability to communicate clearly and listen well to promote understanding and a sharing of ideas and information. Effective communication skills enable adolescents to resolve conflict peacefully, share feelings and ideas with others, and resist negative peer pressure and seek and offer help. Adolescents who are effective communicators are better able to make decisions consistent with their goals and develop healthy relationships, preparing them for the opportunities and challenges they will face in college and in the workplace. What can we teach children about the roles involved in communication? Practicing effective communication is not as simple as exchanging a few words. There are elements to consider as we approach a conversation: Is the communication verbal or nonverbal? Is the exchange face to face or electronic? Is the communication between two adolescents or an adolescent and an adult? Adults and adolescents can practice the communication roles together to foster a thoughtful and productive approach to navigating today’s complex social environments. What are the roles in communication? The Speaker- The role of the speaker is to share, explain, and describe. What do you want to say? Why do you want to say it? How will you say it? The Listener- The role of the listener is to learn, understand, and acknowledge. Being an effective communicator Adolescents with effective communication skills are prepared to ask for what they need and are more likely to reach their goals and develop strong friendships. They can enhance their social skills by learning the following best practices in effective communication: Be an Active Listener – It’s easy to misunderstand what people are trying to communicate. Focus on what the speaker is saying – Listen for understanding. Don’t interrupt the speaker and don’t focus on your response while the speaker is talking. Ask clarifying questions - Paraphrasing the speaker’s message in your own words to make sure you understand what the speaker is trying to tell you. Observe the speaker - Pay attention to nonverbal cues like tone of voice and body language. Be an Assertive Speaker - Standing up for yourself and your ideas while respecting others is a powerful skill. Youth can be honest and forthright without coming off as too aggressive. Stand Tall and Look the Listener in the Eye – Communicate your confidence. Speak Up and Speak Clearly – Make sure the listener can hear you and understand what you are trying to say. Effective communication skills are an asset at any age. Visit us online at toogoodprograms.org to learn more about how our evidence-based Too Good for Drugs and Too Good for Violence-Social Perspectives curricula develop effective communication skills in children and teens to ready them to navigate their world in school and career to set them on a path to secure a prosperous future.
Read moreNational Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
As we wrap up National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, we should take a moment to focus on the challenges teens face as they begin to enter the world of dating. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that “nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year.” Developing strong social skills and teaching healthy relationship qualities early on can help prevent dating violence. Social Intelligence: Good decision-making and communication skills enable teens to better understand the emotions of others and respond to the needs of those around them thoughtfully and with understanding. Emotional Intelligence: Teens equipped to identify and manage their own emotions have the self-awareness to be present in the moment and prepared to anticipate and identify the emotions of others and respond appropriately. Peaceful Conflict Resolution Skills: Conflicts are mitigated by teens who pause and process before acting when faced with difficult situations. Teens ready to think through potential conflicts are more likely to seek alternative, peaceful solutions. Violence is a learned behavior. With social emotional competencies in place, teens are more prepared to find meaningful relationships based on love and mutual respect.
Read moreStill Growing
The development and application of social emotional skills, coupled with drug awareness education, inform teens of the serious negative consequences of underage drinking, substance use, and other risky behaviors, while preparing them to resist experimenting in the first place. What until recently was not fully understood is underage drinking and substance use can alter the healthy development of the teenage brain with long-term consequences on aptitude executive function. A recent Fresh Air interview on NPR, featuring Frances E. Jensen, MD, discusses the topic of her new book, The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults. Her book explores the nuances of the developing teenage brain, and outlines the ways in which teenage substance use affects that development. Jensen says, “The effects of substances are more permanent on the teen brain. They have more deleterious effects and can be more toxic to the teen than the adult.” Contrary to past myths of the physical resiliency of teens, current research shows the human brain is developing well into the twenties. Therefore, underage drinking and substance use can potentially impair development and lead to permanent brain damage. Jensen says “drinking can actually kill brain cells in the adolescent brain where it does not to the same extent in the adult brain.” The frontal cortex—the area of the brain directly related to memory and decision-making—is one of the last areas to develop. Teens engaging in drinking or substance use risk compromising their level of executive function. Children equipped with solid social emotional skills sets, as well as an awareness of the negative consequences of underage drinking and substance use, are better able to make responsible decisions that will keep them on track to reaching their goals. They realize there is much at stake, and they are well-informed to make choices that will keep them substance-free.
Read moreThe Impact of Media Violence on Youth
The Emerging Trend in Youth ViolenceWe need only look at recent school shootings and the increase of youth homicides to see the emerging trend of youth violence. These incidents raise the question as to how violence in the media plays a part in this trend. With advances in technology, youth today are exposed to ever increasing sources of media violence. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), studies have shown that children spend more hours a week watching television than they spend in school. By the age of eighteen the average American child will see in excess of 200,000 acts of violence in the media (AACAP). And The New York Times reports a study in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence that shows youth who play violent video games and watch violent television shows are more likely to show signs of aggression and to argue with their peers and teachers. Media Violence and YouthThere are a number of factors contributing to this correlation between violence in the media and youth violence. The AACAP points out young children especially may not be able to differentiate between fiction and reality, so they may view violence in the media as a norm. Television and movies may even depict heroes that employ violent techniques to conquer their enemies, perpetuating the idea that violence is an acceptable means to resolving conflict. Interactive media, such as the Internet and video games, further give youth the opportunity to engage in violent scenarios, albeit virtually. Youth who are exposed to negative norms, and who may not receive the positive guidance from their caregivers at home, would greatly benefit from exposure to positive role-modeling and instruction. Fortunately, school gives us the opportunity to offer such a solution. School is the ideal environment to implement an evidence-based program that will help youth learn and practice social emotional skills. How Can Social Emotional Skills Prevent Youth Violence?We must first aid children with the ability to differentiate between fiction and reality, so they can decide for themselves what truly represents a healthy norm. Furthermore, youth who develop self awareness and social awareness are more likely to take a responsible approach to resolving conflict. Effective communication skills allow youth to understand and to be understood by others, and emotion management skills help youth calm themselves down before they act on anger or sadness. Youth who practice empathy and a respect for self and others, as well as learn positive ways to bond with peers and adults, will resolve conflict peacefully. They will be equipped with the skills they need to successfully meet life’s challenges and model their own positive norms.
Read moreThe revised Too Good for Drugs High School is here!
Summer is drawing near, but we have some exciting news before you launch into your vacations—the revised edition of Too Good for Drugs High School is here! The revised program features an enhanced delivery model with interactive games and activities that promote social and academic success through practice and positive reinforcement. The course has been expanded to address current and developing trends and temptations facing students, including various nicotine delivery devices, prescription drug misuse, and the increased societal normalization of marijuana use. Open Training sessions starting this June will include the Revised High School program. With the help of educators, counselors, law enforcement officers, and prevention specialists, our evidence-based curriculum equips teens with the skills they need to resist negative influence that may lead to substance use, as well as prepares them for academic success that will carry over into their college and professional careers. So before you pack up for the beach or the mountains or your long planned travels abroad, make sure you are stocked up for your fall implementation!
Read moreWagner Celebrates National Prevention Week
This week is National Prevention Week, and Wagner has enjoyed participating in the SAMHSA "I Choose" initiative by exploring his own backyard. Be sure to check Facebook and Twitter to keep up with all the places he’s visited! We’d also like to take a moment to address this year’s theme for National Prevention Week: “Strong As One. Stronger Together.” With the release of the revised Too Good for Drugs for High school right around the corner, the challenges of adolescence have been on our mind. During the teen years, it can at times prove trying to develop inner strength alone. Self-aware and socially aware teens are better prepared to forge solid and meaningful relationships with their peers and are more resistant to negative peer pressure and influence. Differentiating between healthy and unhealthy relationship qualities emboldens teens to choose their social circles wisely. These relationship networks often become a key piece of the foundation for how teens perceive and interact with the world around them. Teens who build healthy relationships bolster themselves with a strong support network that will offer positive peer influence when they are faced with difficult decisions. Educators, community members, and parents can all help students identify and develop healthy relationships by acting as role models themselves and by teaching and reinforcing essential social emotional skills. Teens who are relationship savvy and socially and emotionally equipped will be “strong as one” and “stronger together” as they embark on the road to successful futures. We know Wagner would agree!
Read moreToo Good Programs and Positive Behavior Support
This week participants from around the world will gather in San Francisco for the Association for Positive Behavior Support's annual conference. APBS is an organization of practitioners who use evidence-based methods to build safe and supportive environments for students to thrive and learn. Check out the below chart to see how Too Good programs align with Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support.
Read moreSocial Skills for the Workplace
As technology in the workplace advances, fears that computers will soon replace people in the workforce perpetuate. However, a recent article in the Harvard Business Review reassures us that jobs highly reliant on social skills are extremely secure. In the past thirty years, job growth has predominated in occupations that require finely tuned social skills. The ability to work with others seems irreplaceable, as computers simply cannot emulate human interaction. Not yet anyway. Effective communication ranks right up there as a top social skill essential to success in the workplace. The earlier children learn and master these skills, the better prepared they will be as they progress through school and into their careers. But what is a recipe for effective communication that we can teach children? We can begin by breaking down communication into two roles: the speaker and the listener. Of course, the speaker’s goal is to effectively share information, and the listener’s goal is to effectively receive information. What are some qualities of a good speaker? Be assertive. Good speakers have a confident tone of voice. Pay attention to body posture. Good speakers stand up tall and sit upright. Make eye contact. Speakers who make eye contact show they are serious about delivering their message. What are some qualities of a good listener? Pay attention to body language. Good listeners can read a speaker’s body language to pick up on any unspoken cues. Lean in. Good listeners pay careful attention to what the speaker is saying. Ask questions. Good listeners are not afraid to ask questions to clarify what the speaker says. Children develop their social skills by learning these best practices in effective communication. According to the Harvard Business Review, not only is there a demand for a high level of social skills in the workplace, but people who have good social skills earn more than those who lack them. Effective communication skills foster a thoughtful and assertive approach to navigating complex social environments. Children with this higher social intelligence can ask for what they need and advocate for their goals with a sensitivity to the needs of others. Preparing children with the tools they will need in the workplace sets them on a productive path to secure their prosperous future.
Read moreThe Backlit World: Youth Dependence on Technology
A recent article in The New York Times highlights the growing youth dependence on technology. The Times reports that even though “Internet addiction is not yet considered a clinical diagnosis here, there’s no question that American youths are plugged in and tuned out of ‘live’ action for many more hours of the day than experts consider healthy for normal development.” And this type of distraction from real life comes with ramifications. Referred to by The Times as screen addiction, youth who are too attached to their televisions, computers, and smart phones might not be developing and mastering the social emotional skills they need for success in life. The Times reports that in our contemporary culture such dependency starts early as children engage in technology rather than “observing the world around them and interacting with their caregivers.” Peer and caregiver bonding, as well as real-world experience, are all giving way to a simulated reality. This type of reliance on technology not only interferes with times when youth could otherwise be studying, but late night texting and other screen time may lead to sleep deprivation. As The Times points out, schoolwork “can suffer when media time infringes on reading and studying” and technology is a “poor substitute for personal interaction.” Phone communication also steals youth of face to face interaction, which may result in overall isolation and loneliness, as well as compromised social skills. Youth need a healthy balance between their relationship with technology and their human interactions. Such a balance is essential to the development of school and career readiness, because nothing can replace the skills youth learn through relating to others in person. Youth inexperienced in social dynamics and human interaction are disadvantaged in higher education and workplace environments that depend on social competency for success. The first step in addressing youth’s overdependence on technology is simply to become aware of it. Caregivers can encourage youth to engage in face to face interaction, rather than rely so heavily on technology. Educators can foster in youth the social emotional skills that will help them bond with peers and adults as well as self-regulate the time they spend with technology. Each moment is an opportunity for us to reach beyond the technology divide, to model for children what it means to truly connect.
Read moreThe Benefits of Writing Down Goals
Children who set reachable goals for themselves make an investment in their future. As a result, they are more likely to make responsible decisions that will keep them on track toward their goals and resist negative influences that would deter them from reaching their goals. Six key steps can help students set and achieve their goals. Students must begin by naming their goals. And when students write down their goals it concretizes them. The results are so positive it is hard to believe something so simple can be so effective. According to Forbes Magazine writer, Ashley Feinstein, a Harvard University study compared a body of students who had not set goals, students who had set goals but not written them down, and students who had set goals and written them down. They followed up with the class ten years later and found that the “3% who had written goals were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97% of the class combined!” Furthermore, NPR recently featured a University of Toronto professor, Jordan Peterson, who conducted a classroom experiment with goal-setting and writing. Peterson began with the “’goal-setting theory’ [which] holds that writing down concrete, specific goals and strategies can help people overcome obstacles and achieve.” He asserts writing positively influences students’ motivations to meet their goals. Peterson designed an undergraduate course that moved students through a series of writing exercises related to their goals. The results proved positive, especially with at-risk students, to increase student retention rates and overall academic achievement. One student, formerly involved in drug use, even proclaimed it turned her life around. Peterson’s process encouraged students to “reflect on important moments in their past, identify key personal motivations and create plans for the future, including specific goals and strategies to overcome obstacles." Once students have chosen a goal, picturing the goal as it is reached will help students define what they are aiming for. A positive attitude goes a long way toward helping students reach their goals, so the next step is for students to say “I Can” to their goals. With goals in place, students must then think of how to do it. This, again, is a place where writing is beneficial. Making a checklist can help students tangibly keep track of their action steps. Which brings us to the next step—Go for it! Well-planned goals are ready to be reached. Once the goal is achieved, students can enjoy celebrating their success. Feinstein writes, “How will you celebrate once you’ve reached your goal? As we journey to the realization of our goals, it’s important to remember our vision.” Starting with a clear picture of the goal, as well as writing down the goal and writing the action steps in the process, keeps the vision alive. Learning these best practices in school encourages students to aspire to academic success as learning becomes a means to a greater end. Students not only have the satisfaction of meeting their goals but also the knowledge and confidence they need to keep setting and reaching increasingly complex goals as they grow older. With these goal-setting skills in place, students are emboldened to reach out to a galaxy of dreams.
Read moreThe Effects of Stress on Student Learning
We typically associate stress with the challenges of adult life: work responsibilities, family needs, and other conflicting or overlapping commitments that demand both attention and solutions. It is safe to say that anyone facing numerous obligations and the stress to meet them can find the effort exhausting. Students are not exempt from stress. They face all forms of stress in their academic careers. High-pressure testing environments and increasingly formalized teaching structures are just a couple possible contributors, as well as the increasing social stresses that students face as they mature and navigate more complex social dynamics. This raises the question as to how stress affects students’ overall academic performance and retention of information. Scientific neuroimaging studies have shown that stress physically blocks students’ receptivity of information. Judy Willis, MD, writes in Edutopia, “students' comfort level has a critical impact on information transmission and storage in the brain.” There is a science behind why the brain does not absorb information under stress. According to Willis, when the amygdala is overstimulated by negative stress, new information cannot physically pass into the areas of the brain responsible for memory. Willis calls this phenomenon the “affective filter.” Additional neuroimaging studies have shown that the limbic system, along with chemical transmitters in the brain, more effectively retains information when students have greater levels of comfort in their learning environment.But what makes for a comfortable learning environment? Willis says “brain research demonstrates that superior learning takes place when classroom experiences are motivating and engaging. Positive motivation impacts brain metabolism, conduction of nerve impulses through the memory areas, and the release of neurotransmitters that increase executive function and attention.” The more we do to facilitate a positive and engaging environment for students, the more they will excel academically. But what makes for a comfortable learning environment? Willis says “brain research demonstrates that superior learning takes place when classroom experiences are motivating and engaging. Positive motivation impacts brain metabolism, conduction of nerve impulses through the memory areas, and the release of neurotransmitters that increase executive function and attention.” The more we do to facilitate a positive and engaging environment for students, the more they will excel academically. Willis suggests that relevant lessons that encourage students to stake a claim in what they are learning to keep students engaged. An interactive learning environment promotes active student participation. The Socratic Method, or the positive back and forth exchange between teacher and student, incentivizes students to develop better study and preparation habits. Teaching strategies that rely on interactive and cooperative activities help students feel as if they are participating in their education, rather than serving as a passive recipient or storage device for information. Today’s rigorous education standards often mandate a large quantity of knowledge be delivered in a limited amount of time. The urgency of which can be stressful for both the teacher and the student. Students who participate in interactive lessons are more likely to stay engaged, speak their minds, and build confidence. All of which reinforce learning to create a solid knowledge base. Willis writes, “When teachers use strategies to reduce stress and build a positive emotional environment, students gain emotional resilience and learn more efficiently and at higher levels of cognition.” The result of such strategies makes for happier, healthier students whose minds are fertile for planting seeds of knowledge.
Read moreInside Out: Exploring Emotions with Pixar
Spoiler Alert: This article gives away plot elements of the Pixar movie Inside Out. I’m sure by now you have heard about, or maybe even seen, the new Pixar movie, Inside Out. The story follows a young girl named Riley as she faces the challenges of a cross-country move with her family. But the real stars of the show are the characters depicting Riley’s emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. Dr. Janina Scarlet, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, writes in Psychology Today that “our emotions are all important, every single one of them. They all serve an important function and we cannot selectively feel some but not others.” And Inside Out brilliantly illustrates this importance. When Riley has difficulty adjusting to her new home, she tries her best to stay happy. In fact, her mother further insists they both need to stay strong for her father. At the emotion control center in Riley’s brain, Joy is notably the emotion predominantly in control, and she tries to keep Sadness contained. At one point, she draws a circle on the floor in an attempt to keep Sadness from interfering. However, Dr. Scarlet explains that by numbing sadness “we also numb joy. We need to openly experience all our emotions, and that includes sadness, as painful as it may be sometimes.” In the story, this co-numbing effect is illustrated with Joy and Sadness’s expulsion from the control station, leaving only Anger, Fear, and Disgust to man the control panel, while Joy and Sadness both try to find their way back. On the exterior, we journey with Riley through her attempts to fit in and be happy in her new life. She sets out to make new friends and join a hockey team, but as the circumstances of her new environment prove overwhelming, we continue to follow Riley as she boards a bus to run away to her old hometown. On the interior, Joy and Sadness navigate challenges to try to rejoin Riley’s other emotions while coming to realize their joint role in protecting her as they inform her and those around her of what she is feeling. The film illustrates the effects of emotions that have not been appropriately identified, expressed, and managed, and learning to do so allows us to cue others as to how we are feeling. Dr. Scarlet writes, for example, sadness can produce physical indicators such as “tears running down our face, the pupil dilation, the non-threatening posture. These signals help others understand we are in need of help.” When we have this open dialogue, there can be a healthy exchange between our neighbors and us. In the end, we find the role of Sadness is as equally valuable as the role of Joy, for it is Sadness that allows Riley and her parents to reunite. When Riley shows sadness, her parents are empathetic to her struggles. Dr. Scarlet writes when “we stay with this individual and share our emotions together, the resonating effect can produce a healing experience.”Through appropriately identified, managed, and expressed emotions, we can understand and be understood, ultimately allowing us the opportunity to bond in meaningful relationships.
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