about strong start pre k.pdf

Merrell’s Strong Start—Pre-K

A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum

by Sara A. Whitcomb, Ph.D.
University of Massachusetts

and
Danielle M. Parisi Damico, Ph.D.
Amplify Education, Inc.

Contents

Section I Introduction and Overview

Section II The Strong Start—Pre-K Curriculum

Section III Appendices

About the Authors

Sara A. Whitcomb, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School Psychology, Department of Student Development, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Dr. Whitcomb is Associate Professor in the School Psychology program in the Department of Student Development at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She teaches courses pertaining to developmental psychopathology, psychology in the classroom, behavioral assessment, and school-based consultation. Dr. Whitcomb works with several school districts on their implementation of schoolwide positive behavior interventions and support.

Danielle M. Parisi Damico, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Amplify Education, Inc.
Dr. Parisi Damico is Research Scientist with Amplify, an educational technology company. She is a school psychologist whose work emphasizes prevention and early intervention for improving academic and social outcomes for students.

About Strong Start

Strong Kids™: A Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum consists of five brief and practical social and emotional learning (SEL) programs designed to promote the SEL of children in prekindergarten through 12th grade. Strong Start—Pre-K, the first volume in the Strong Kids curriculum, is for children in preschool (approximately ages 3–5). Strong Start is designed to be both a prevention and an early intervention program. It can be used in a variety of settings.

The overall goals and objectives of the lessons focus on helping young students build awareness of their emotions and the emotions of others as well as create strategies for managing emotions in healthy ways. Strong Start is a low-cost, low-technology program that can be implemented in a school or related educational setting.

PROMOTING CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH

High-quality education should teach young people to interact in socially skilled and respectful ways; practice positive, safe, and healthy behaviors; contribute ethically and responsibly to their peer group, family, school, and community; and possess basic competencies, work habits, and values as a foundation for meaningful employment and citizenship. We propose that teaching children positive social, emotional, and behavioral skills is a critical challenge facing our society.

Changes in the structure of society and families have resulted in an increasing percentage of children and families who are at risk for developing a variety of behavioral, social, and mental health problems. Educators are faced with working with these populations while also managing pressures from accountability efforts and schoolwide reform.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Another reason for optimism is the evidence in social and emotional learning (SEL). SEL has been defined as systematic, cohesive, and effective instructional programming designed to teach social and emotional skills to children and adolescents, and to prevent mental health problems. Evidence-based SEL programs have been developed and made available for use in education and mental health, targeting internal developmental assets such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management, and responsible decision making.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

To be effective, a curriculum must be developmentally appropriate for the students for whom it is intended. Cognitively, children in this age range are concrete thinkers, meaning that they have not yet developed the ability to think abstractly or symbolically. A curriculum designed for this age group must be explicit and somewhat concrete, using examples familiar to children and employing repetition and review to help teach mastery of skills.

MODEL FOR PREVENTING BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS

Educational researchers have adapted a public health prevention model for use in schools. This model includes service delivery at three levels of prevention:

  1. Students who are not experiencing difficulties (primary prevention)
  2. Students at risk of developing difficulties (secondary prevention)
  3. Students experiencing significant difficulties (tertiary prevention)

Shifting to a systemwide prevention model requires that we consider the needs of all students, not just those currently experiencing difficulties. The foundation of a prevention approach is the use of universal interventions designed to enhance instruction and school climate.

AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM

Efforts to establish a solid evidence base for Strong Kids™: A Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum continue. Each of the studies found that groups of students who participated in the Strong Kids programs showed significant gains in their knowledge of SEL concepts and reductions in problem emotional-behavioral symptoms as a result of participating in the programs.

REFERENCES