Grant Information and Social Emotional Learning

It is a great time to be a student in Illinois!

Illinois is the first state in the United States to adopt:

 Social Emotional Standards

Why should we concentrate on social emotional standards when students and teachers are under increased pressure to improve math and reading scores?

We believe when students are experiencing social emotional difficulties they are less likely to concentrate in school.  So, no matter how good a teacher is, if a student is having a strong emotional response to something that has happened in their life, the student is less likely to hear what the teacher has to say. 

Children can learn to manage their emotions and make good decisions.  Therefore, it is best that students learn social emotional skills early. 

For example, if a group of students decide they do not want to play with another at recess, then the student that was left out may feel hurt and, therefore, act out in class or lose concentration.  When teachers and counselors work together to teach students social emotional skills, then students learn how to: have empathy for others, behave in a pro-social manner, and solve their own problems.

We believe teaching social emotional skills in schools removes barriers to learning and prepares children for their future.

The curriculum that has been chosen to meet the social emotional standards is called Second Step: A Violence Prevention Program.  Second Step was developed by the Committee for Children.  The program has been shown to significantly reduce the number of behavior referrals to the office. 

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Last updated: 5/22/2008

 

Through a three year grant all elementary students in the CUSD #5 School District and Rock Falls School District #13 will benefit from multiple school-wide counseling and prevention programs.

Elementary School Counselors

General Information about the Illinois Social Emotional Program

In 2004, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) adopted Illinois Social Emotional Learning Standards as a part of the core curriculum.

There are resources to support implementation of these standards.

CASEL (The Collaborative for Academic, Social & Emotional Learning) site offers:

¨ 25 Frequently Asked Questions about Social Emotional Learning

 

¨ A collection of  Other Websites that focus on Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health

 

¨ Survey reports on IL SEL practices, policies, and professional development are available on the CASEL site :

Social and Emotional Learning Practices in Illinois Schools

Perceived Professional Development Needs for Implementing Social and      Emotional Learning

A Review of Illinois School District Policies for Incorporating Social and Emotional Development into District Educational Programs