NSPI Conference 1st March 2014‘Optimising achievement through a whole school approach to Emotional Health and Wellbeing’

SHAUNA CATHCART

BACKGROUND

‘Optimising Learning through whole-school Emotional Health and Wellbeing (EHWB)’

Regional Training Unit (RTU)

Belfast

An Introduction to the Framework Materials

An introduction to the framework materials: ‘Optimising learning through a whole-school approach to EHWB’

Getting our thinking right!

RESEARCH WHAT WORKS?

PRINCIPLES INFORMING DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING MATERIALS • Whole school approach• ‘informed support’ and on-going involvement of school Leaders• Shared understanding of What it is?/How it works?/potential

benefits• Strategic Importance-Integral part of school improvement and

development planning• Link with other areas of curriculum-Pastoral care/Citizenship• Co-ordinator or EHWB team /steering committee appointed• On-going programme of staff development• Parents/Families aware /involved in whole school approach.

SOME MORE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS-:

• Ice-berg Model

• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• Successful ChangeTheory

The iceberg model

Explicit Programme for pupil skills and curriculum

reinforcement

Teacher skills (and ability to act as role models)

ETHOS

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs

The Change Curve

Shock

Resistance

Loss of Control

Low Morale

Exploration

Discovery

Adjustment

T i m e

Em

oti

on

al R

esp

on

se

based on work by Kubler-Ross

Worried

Successful CHANGE: The four ingredients

Vision + Skills + Incentives + Resources = Change

+ Skills + Incentives + Resources = Confusion

Vision + + incentives + Resources = Anxiety

Vision + Skills + + Resources = Resistance

Vision + Skills + incentives + = Frustration

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Adapted by Richard Vila, Bayridge Consortium Inc. from for Knoster, T. (1991)

What promotes EHWB in schools?

A whole-school approach to helping children achieve EHWB, including the ability to develop the social, emotional and behavioural skills that underpin

• effective learning• positive behaviour • good relationships • employability• success in its broadest sense.

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A four-part model for promoting EHWB in schools

A structured & progressive explicit curriculum to teach the skills of social

and emotional learning (SEL)

Reinforcing the SEL skills across the curriculum

A Positive Ethos – Relationships, Language &

Environment

Staff EHWB and Role-modelling

Element 1: A positive ethos

Key characteristics of a Positive Ethos

- Relationships- Language- Environment

Physical Social Emotional

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A structured & progressive explicit curriculum to teach the skills of social

and emotional learning (SEL)

Reinforcing the SEL skills across the curriculum

A Positive Ethos – Relationships, Language &

Environment

Staff EHWB and Role-modelling

Element 1: A Positive Ethos

Relationships

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People don’t care how much you know until they know how

much you care…John C. Maxwell

A Positive Ethos

Relationships, Language & Environment

The quality of teacher-student relationship has been shown to be one of the most significant factors influencing student-learning outcomes(Cornelius-White (2007),Hatie (2009),Rowe (2001)

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A Positive Ethos Relationships,

Language & Environment

Element 1: A Positive Ethos

Language

A warm smile is the universal language of kindness William A. Ward

Words can heal or hurt, and it only takes a few seconds to prove this neurological fact’ Newberg & Waldman (2102)

Physical Social Emotional

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A Positive Ethos Relationships,

Language &

Environment

Element 1: A Positive Ethos

Environment

Element 2: Staff modelling

‘

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The way (children) are treated and the examples they are set by their peers and by adults (are) almost certainly the strongest influences on how they will treat others, their environment, and develop respect for themselves. Sir Jim Rose, CBE

A structured & progressive explicit curriculum to teach the skills of social

and emotional learning (SEL)

Reinforcing the SEL skills across the curriculum

A Positive Ethos – Relationships, Language &

Environment

Staff EHWB and Role-modelling

Staff cannot be role models unless their own EHWB is attended to and their own social

and emotional skills developed

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ELEMENT 3: An explicit curriculum to teach the skills of social and emotional learning (SEL)

• The evidence demonstrates that the skills of SEL will not be simply ‘caught’. They need to be explicitly taught through a structured and progressive curriculum

• What are the key areas of social and emotional learning? One model:

– Self awareness and self-valuing – Managing our feelings– Motivation– Empathy – Social skills

(within each area , there are a number of sub-skills) 18

A structured & progressive explicit curriculum to teach the skills of social

and emotional learning (SEL)

Reinforcing the SEL skills across the curriculum

A Positive Ethos – Relationships, Language &

Environment

Staff EHWB and Role-modelling

Element 4: Reinforcement

Isn’t it enough to just teach the skills?

If you are wearing a watch, take it off and place it on the other wrist…..

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A structured & progressive explicit curriculum to teach the skills of social

and emotional learning (SEL)

Reinforcing the SEL skills across the curriculum

A Positive Ethos – Relationships, Language &

Environment

Staff EHWB and Role-modelling

The neuroscience of Behaviour change

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Session 2: What’s EHWB got to do with education?

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Why do we need to teach these skills? 3 driving forces that won’t go away…

1. Employers’ needs

2. Links between learning, attainment and social and emotional skills

3. Demands on young people in a changing society

Employers are looking for more than

just technical skills and knowledge of

a degree discipline. They particularly

value skills such as communication,

team working and problem solving.

Job applicants who can demonstrate

that they have developed these skills

will have a real advantage.

Digby Jones, Director-General, Confederation

of British Industry

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1. Employers’ needs

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CBI LEARNING TO GROWEDUCATION AND SKILLS SURVEY

2012 (in partnership with PEARSON)

How do EHWB and SEL link to other Educational agendas?

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WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

SEL Improves Academic Outcomes

• 23% increase in skills• 9% improvement in attitudes about self, others and

school• 9% improvement in pro-social behaviour• 9% reduction in problem behaviours• 10% reduction in emotional distress• 11% increase in standardised achievement test

scores (maths and reading)

Source: Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Taylor, R.D. & Dy mnicki, A.B. (submitted for publication). The

effects of school based social and emotional learning: A meta-analytic review.

Why does EHWB impact on attainment?

• A positive, safe environment with nurturing affirming relationships is proven to promotes student motivation, engagement with learning and achievement

• More teaching and learning time is available as behaviours that interfere with learning are decreased. (e.g. less peer disagreements/ reduced incidences of poorly managed anger)

• SEL skills are ‘gateway’ skills for learning: – Promotes deeper understanding of subject matter

(e.g. perspective-taking & problem solving)– Helps students learn well with others– Promotes Increased responsibility – Develops improved persistence & resilience – Helps students effectively manage feelings associated with learning– Decrease behaviours that interfere with learning.

• Pupils are better able to manage the social and emotional aspects of cognitive tasks26

Demands on young people in a changing society

In a school of 1000 pupils there are likely to be:

• 50 with depression• 10 affected by eating

disorders• 100 experiencing

‘significant distress’• 10-20 with obsessive

compulsive disorder• 5-10 attempting suicide

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N. I CONTEXT

• 10-20% pupils experiencing EHWB

Difficulties

• 7-18% 10/11yr olds reported feeling

lonely, sad, not enjoying life

• 21% 12-13yr olds reported being

bullied 2/3 times per month

(Green et al, 2005)

(Centre For Effective Education ,Queen’s University,

Belfast, 2011)

Society has changed…

Issues facing our young people :- Drug culture- Body image (media ‘role-models’)- Choices around sexual behaviour - Obesity issues- Social media and other technologies - Other?

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What do we need to do to become an EHWB/SEL promoting school?

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What works? Evidence based success factors:

• Support from Principal

• Critical mass of staff understanding/supporting rationale for undertaking the work

• Clear, negotiated vision for what trying to achieve

• Careful strategic planning to build on what is already going on in the school and ’make it your own’

• Whole school approach

• Staff development and EHWB

An Introduction to the Framework Materials

An introduction to the framework materials: ‘Optimising learning through a whole-school approach to EHWB and SEL’

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What will we be doing? An introduction to The Framework and materials

It can be helpful to think of change as happening in phases

• Pre-commitment/ awareness (Phase 1)

• Innovation (Phase 2)• Implementation (Phase

3)• Institutionalisation

(Phase 4)

The Framework: Phase 1

It will generally take 3-5 years for a change to become institutionalised (part of ‘the way we do things around here’)

Fullan, 2007

© RTU and Barnardos 32

The Framework: Phase 2

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The Framework: Phase 3

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The Framework: Phase 4

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Our own EHWB matters!

• Achievement of pupils linked to staff EHWB

• The importance of promoting pupil EHWB. Can we do it if our own EHWB is not good?

A major impact on the EHWB of staff in our schools

Staff EHWB directly impacts upon pupil EHWMB

Stress

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=iZZfkWpRM-2OuM&tbnid=j6Wn5asYE9eRjM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.bullyonline.org/stress/health.htm&ei=n7JrUvG4ENGIhQf97oGoBA&bvm=bv.55123115,d.ZG4&psig=AFQjCNHL3ZFuQBZi44DEROE6_oop5Y9tyw&ust=1382876145941176

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=j1diaNuihpqxBM&tbnid=Dk6zyBrjziRoQM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://vimeo.com/63361406&ei=FDlsUuatJYWl0QXE04GYCQ&bvm=bv.55123115,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNF55QshQqs2W5gSsNGMB7LOkD7L8g&ust=1382910533884598

What impacts on our stress levels in school ?

What impacts on our stress levels in school?

What impacts on our stress levels in school? There are factors at three levels that impact on stress levels within schools. These are:

• LEVEL 1: Leadership and management styles

• LEVEL 2: The extent to which the community culture supports us in feeling safe , valued, and connected (that we belong).

• LEVEL 3: Our personal work-life balance and actions we take to promote our own EHWB

Level 2: Community Culture

How can we as a school community promote• Feelings of emotional

security and safety? • A sense of belonging? • A sense of being cared

for and valued by others?

Level 2: Community Culture: Case study

• ½ Day INSET on staff EHWB

• Training in conflict management

• A staff room to relax in…

• Staff meetings start with refreshments, a minute to prepare, a

check-in and end with a compliment.

• Feelings check in

• Shared lunches

• Birthday treats

• Buddy system

• Staff car valeting

• Ironing service

• Indian head-massage!

• Team-building opportunities (SEL activities for staff!)

Personal work life balance/What we can do for ourselves

What can we do?

• We need to recognise when we are becoming stressed. Don’t leave it too late!

• Identify the sources of our stress- Handout (Internal and external stressors)– keep a stress diary.

• Take stock and make changes to our lives –e.g. use the ‘wheel of life’

• Learn from research on happiness!• Get help

Psychological Fitness

E +R=O

Are you getting the changes you want?

If you regularly rest your mind upon worries, self-criticism and anger then your brain will gradually take the shape-will develop neural structures and dynamics of –anxiety,- low sense of worth ,and prickly reactivity to others.On the other hand ,- if you regularly rest your mind upon,- for example,- noticing you’re all right,- right now,- seeing the good in yourself,- and letting go-three of the practices in this book-then your bran will gradually take the shape of calm strength,- self-confidence,- and inner peace (pg 3) Rick Hanson- ‘Just ONE thing’

The Wheel of Life

Ask yourself

What do I want?

What am I not paying attention to in my life right now?

What is the easiest first step I can take in the direction I want?

Making changes: Using the ‘wheel of life’

• Reframe negative thoughts• Build in ‘me time’ to your

busy schedule• Seek and build a ‘self-

esteem team’ • Practice ‘random acts of

kindness• Take ‘golden moments’

(e.g. one minute meditations/ simple relaxation strategies)

• Keep a ‘gratitude journal’

What does research on happiness tell us about minimising stress?

What does research on happiness tell us about minimising stress?

Reframe your negative thoughts

(your internal commentary)

Are your thoughts stopping you in your tracks?

Get going again!

Reframe those negative thoughts!

I CAN’T do this

I am NOT good enough

I CAN’T cope

This job is TOO MUCH for me

Everyone else is BETTER

THAN ME

I CAN do this

I am GOOD ENOUGH

I am doing the best I can

I am STRONG and I can deal

with this

This too will pass.

I am CALM and RELAXED

Your Choices?