Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional Learning: What Does the Research Say (Social Emotional Learning, 5)

255 Pages·2004·0.68 MB·English

by  Joseph E. Zins

The Series on Social Emotional Learning
Teachers College Press
in partnership with the Center for Social and Emotional Education and the
Collaborative to Advance Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
Jonathan Cohen, Series Editor
CONSULTINGEDITORS:
Maurice J. Elias, Norris M. Haynes, Roger P. Weissberg, and Joseph E. Zins
EDITORIALADVISORYBOARD:
J. Lawrence Aber, Diana Allensworth, Michael Ben-Avie, Robert Coles,
James P. Comer, Ann Lieberman, Pearl R. Kane, Catherine Lewis,
Karen Marschke-Tobier, John O’Neil, Nel Noddings,
Seymour B. Sarason, Thomas Sobol
Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional Learning:
What Does the Research Say?
JOSEPHE. ZINS, ROGERP. WEISSBERG,
MARGARETC. WANG,ANDHERBERTJ. WALBERG,EDITORS
How Social and Emotional Development Add Up:
Getting Results in Math and Science Education
NORRISM. HAYNES, MICHAELBEN-AVIE,
ANDJACQUEENSIGN,EDITORS
Higher Expectations: Promoting Social Emotional Learning
and Academic Achievement in Your School
RAYMONDJ. PASI
Caring Classrooms/Intelligent Schools:
The Social Emotional Education of Young Children
JONATHANCOHEN,EDITOR
Educating Minds and Hearts:
Social Emotional Learning and the Passage into Adolescence
JONATHANCOHEN,EDITOR
Social emotional learning is now recognized as an essential aspect of children’s education
and a necessary feature of all successful school reform efforts. The books in this series will
present perspectives and exemplary programs that foster social and emotional learning for
children and adolescents in our schools, including interdisciplinary, developmental, cur-
ricular, and instructional contributions. The three levels of service that constitute social
emotional learning programs will be critically presented: (1) curriculum-based programs
directed to all children to enhance social and emotional competencies, (2) programs and
perspectives intended for special needs children, and (3) programs and perspectives that
seek to promote the social and emotional awareness and skills of educators and other
school personnel.

Building Academic Success on
Social and Emotional Learning
WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?
EDITED BY
Joseph E. Zins
Roger P. Weissberg
Margaret C. Wang
Herbert J. Walberg
FOREWORD BY DANIEL GOLEMAN
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York and London
Published by Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
Copyright © 2004 by Teachers College, Columbia University
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Building academic success on social and emotional learning : what does the research say? /
edited by Joseph E. Zins . . . [et al.] ; foreword by Daniel Goleman.
p. cm. — (The series on social emotional learning)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-8077-4440-9 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 0-8077-4439-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Affective education. 2. Social learning. 3. Academic achievement. I. Zins,
Joseph E. II. Series.
LB1072.B85 2004 2003063394
ISBN 0-8077-4439-5 (paper)
ISBN 0-8077-4440-9 (cloth)
Printed on acid-free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Foreword, by Daniel Goleman vii
Acknowledgments ix
PART I
The Foundations of Social and Emotional Learning
1 The Scientific Base Linking Social and Emotional Learning
to School Success 3
Joseph E. Zins, Michelle R. Bloodworth, Roger P. Weissberg,
and Herbert J. Walberg
2 The Learner-Centered Psychological Principles: A Framework
for Balancing Academic Achievement and Social-Emotional
Learning Outcomes 23
Barbara L. McCombs
3 The Three Cs of Promoting Social and Emotional Learning 40
David W. Johnson and Roger T. Johnson
4 Family–School–Peer Relationships: Significance for Social,
Emotional, and Academic Learning 59
Sandra L. Christenson and Lynne H. Havsy
5 Toward a Broader Education: Social, Emotional,
and Practical Skills 76
Paulo N. Lopes and Peter Salovey
6 Social and Emotional Learning in Teacher Preparation Standards 94
Jane E. Fleming and Mary Bay
v
vi Contents
PART II
Effective Strategies for Enhancing Academic, Social,
and Emotional Outcomes
7 Strategies to Infuse Social and Emotional Learning
into Academics 113
Maurice J. Elias
8 Social Development and Social and Emotional Learning 135
J. David Hawkins, Brian H. Smith,
and Richard F. Catalano
9 The Resolving Conflict Creatively Program: A School-Based
Social and Emotional Learning Program 151
Joshua L. Brown, Tom Roderick, Linda Lantieri,
and J. Lawrence Aber
10 The PATHS Curriculum: Theory and Research on
Neurocognitive Development and School Success 170
Mark T. Greenberg, Carol A. Kusché, and Nathaniel Riggs
11 Community in School as Key to Student Growth:
Findings from the Child Development Project 189
Eric Schaps, Victor Battistich, and Daniel Solomon
PART III
Recommendations
12 Recommendations and Conclusions: Implications
for Practice, Training, Research, and Policy 209
Herbert J. Walberg, Joseph E. Zins,
and Roger P. Weissberg
About the Editors and the Contributors 219
Index 227
Foreword
In 1995 when my book Emotional Intelligence was published, the field of
social and emotional learning, or SEL, was just beginning to evolve. Only a
handful of well-designed, school-based SEL programs could be found. In most
cases schools had put those programs in place as part of a “war on ...” a
particular problem, such as reducing dropouts, substance abuse, unwanted
teen pregnancies, or school violence. Some of those programs were quite
effective. Others yielded disappointing results.
As a William T. Grant Foundation study revealed, the active ingredi-
ents in the programs that worked were largely the same, no matter their
ostensible target problem. The best SEL programs were implemented through-
out each year of schooling. They shaped the entire school climate, and they
used developmentally appropriate lessons. They also taught children specific
social-emotional skills like self-awareness, self-management, empathy, per-
spective taking, and cooperation. In short, they were lessons in emotional
intelligence.
In the intervening years, scientific data demonstrating the effectiveness
of SEL programs as interventions that help lower the risk of various prob-
lems young people face, and that increase their skills in addressing life’s chal-
lenges, have been accumulating steadily. But along with the case for SEL as
a prevention and promotion strategy, another benefit has emerged: social
and emotional learning facilitates academic learning. Thus, it offers a much-
needed and very timely aid to schools in fulfilling their main mission.
Why should helping students in the social and emotional realms of their
lives enhance their academic learning? If we think back to our school days
and remember a teacher we enjoyed, we almost certainly will bring to mind
also a classroom environment where we enjoyed learning. From the perspec-
tive of neuroscience, that optimal learning environment reflects an internal
brain state well attuned for learning.
Most of us have assumed that the kind of academic learning that goes
on in school has little or nothing to do with one’s emotions or social envi-
ronment. Now neuroscience is telling us exactly the opposite. The emotional
centers of the brain are intricately interwoven with the neocortical areas
involved in cognitive learning. When a child trying to learn is caught up in a
distressing emotion, the centers for learning are temporarily hampered. The
child’s attention becomes preoccupied with whatever may be the source of
vii
viii Foreword
the trouble. Because attention is itself a limited capacity, the child has that
much less ability to hear, understand, or remember what a teacher or a book
is saying. In short, there is a direct link between emotions and learning.
Multiple research studies reported in this book demonstrate that social
and emotional learning programs pave the way for better academic learn-
ing. They teach children social and emotional skills that are intimately linked
with cognitive development. In the ideal learning environment, children are
focused, fully attentive, motivated, and engaged, and enjoy their work. Such
a classroom climate can be one benefit of SEL. Similarly, caring relationships
with teachers and other students increase students’ desire to learn. School–
family partnerships help students to do better. And, students who are more
confident in their abilities try harder.
In short, Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional
Learning presents powerful evidence of the links between SEL and academic
learning. It offers schools scientific evidence and pragmatic examples of how
SEL programs can enhance students’ success in school and in life. At a time
when so many students at so many ages are flooded with anxiety as they
struggle to succeed on standardized tests, this is welcome news. Today’s grow-
ing emphasis on academic success and school accountability makes SEL pro-
grams more relevant—and useful—to schools than ever before. Thus, this
groundbreaking book belongs on the shelves of all who are interested in giv-
ing students essential tools to succeed.
—Daniel Goleman
Acknowledgments
This book reflects the efforts of many individuals, and we’d like to take
this opportunity to acknowledge those whose contributions helped us to
complete it.
Margaret C. Wang provided much of the initial vision and energy that
made this book possible. Although her passing shocked many who were
unaware of her illness, her contributions continue to inspire and guide edu-
cators who care about children’s learning and welfare.
Initial versions of the chapters of this book were featured at a national
invitational conference held at Temple University in October 2000 to stimu-
late thinking about social and emotional learning (SEL) and school success.
The conference was part of the Laboratory for Student Success (LSS) Signa-
ture Series of national invitational conferences. The purpose of the Series is
to initiate discussion and compile the latest research on educational topics
of national interest. The Series gathers a variety of stakeholders and topic
experts to exchange ideas and information and develop next step recommen-
dations. The Series is part of the mission of the LSS to disseminate informa-
tion in support of student success. The gathering was supported by a grant
from the Institute of Education Sciences, formerly the Office of Educational
Research and Improvement of the U.S. Department of Education, to the Mid-
Atlantic Regional Educational Laboratory for Student Success at the Temple
University Center for Research in Human Development and Education.
JoAnn Manning, Executive Director of LSS, Marilyn Murphy, Director of
Outreach and Dissemination, and Stephen Page, Managing Editor, coordi-
nated the conference and assisted in the manuscript production and in a
number of other ways. Their support is appreciated.
The conference was co-sponsored by the Collaborative for Academic,
Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). This organization provides inter-
national leadership for researchers, educators, and policy makers to advance
the science and practice of school-based social and emotional learning. CASEL’s
mission is to establish effective SEL as an essential part of education from
preschool through high school. Its three priorities are to advance the science
of SEL by identifying what works, how it works, and how it contributes to
children’s social-emotional development; to improve the quality of school-
wide and district-wide SEL practice; and to foster the widespread implemen-
tation of evidence-based SEL practices. Among its activities are dissemination
ix