Block 1: Social and Emotional Learning – Chapter 3 of U.D.L

 To help us work towards our school goal of purposefully implementing the Universal Design for Learning approach to our formal planning (sometimes referred to as “Backwards by Design”, “Understanding by Design”, or “Planning With The End in Mind), my principal has provided our staff with a copy of Dr. Jennifer Katz‘s book, Teaching to Diversity: The Three-Block Model of Universal Design for Learning. As I make my way through the book, I will be summarizing my learning as a means of organizing my thoughts and getting clarification on particular ideas.

Link between Emotion and Academic Achievement
– Students need to feel comfortable and safe in the classroom environment
  in order to be socially and emotionally prepared to learn
– A child that is stressed, or uncomfortable/threatened, will not be able to
  effectively concentrate an absorb/apply new information
– Teaching to the Heart and Mind
     – Gifted students may experience higher levels of anxiety while at school
       do to the high amount of connections their brain makes when looking at
       information
     – Recognize that social and emotional learning is not necessarily linked
       to economic status, home situations, peer groups, etc
     * Case Study – Micheal (chains)
– Multiple Intelligences and Social and Emotional Learning
     – Do not stereotype or label children based off of prior knowledge alone
     – Children need to know that their life has meaning, they are valued, and
        that they have something to contribute to the world
     – Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences factors in two social and
        emotional areas: Interpersonal and Intrapersonal
          – Inter: social awareness and respect for others
          – Intra: self-awareness and self-respect

The Respecting Diversity Program
– Program implemented into schools that increases self-respect and respect
  for others
– Help students recognize their individual strengths
– Introducing Multiple Intelligences to Students
     – Demystify the idea of multiple intelligences and educate students so that
       they have a platform and understanding of vocabulary and concepts in
       order to understand 
     – Specific time is set aside to discuss and explore this idea so that each
       student understands where they fit in this idea
– Script for Respecting Diversity Program
     – Includes 9 lessons to introduce multiple intelligences to students

     * Case Study – Derrick (sports impulses)

Extending the Program across the Curriculum
– Use multiple intelligence language in other curricula activities to reinforce
  concepts and diversity
     1 ) Language Arts/English
          – Theatre (bodily/kinesthetic)
          – Write songs (musical)
          – Book clubs (interpersonal)
          – etc
     2 ) Math
          – Provide manipulatives (bodily/kinesthetic)
          – Word problems (linguistic)
          – Create visual examples (visual spatial)
          – etc
     3 ) Science/Social Studies
          – Build models (bodily/kinesthetic)
          – Create experiments (logical, intra-personal)
          – Environmental studies (naturalist)
          – etc
– Include social curriculum into your regular class, as well as academic
  curriculum
     – hold weekly meetings
     – talk about goal setting
     – have students reflect on their learning
– RD Program Outcomes
     – Students were interviewed and shared that they felt more self-aware
       and confident about who they were as learners
     – Students felt that they understood their peers better and found it easier
       to put themselves in their shoes when someone was experiencing
       challenges
     – Reduction in teasing
     – Strengthened sense of community
* Case Study – Jay (dyslexia)
– Spirit Buddies
     – Some students start the day having no connections with peers, adults,
       etc and are left with no positive interactions and a sense of isolation
     – Set aside time each morning for students, in small groups, to meet,
        share, and use active listening 

Creating Democratic Classrooms
– Involve students and provide them with choice
– Five Characteristics of a Democratic Classroom
     1 ) Teachers & students work collaboratively to ensure students’
          learning contributes positively to the community
          – Service projects
     2 ) Students demonstrate learning outside of the classroom &
          receive public feedback
          – Presentations to others, parents, etc
     3 ) Students are provided with choice (individual and group)
          – Scheduling, format, representation, etc
     4 ) Students are presented with a problem-solving approach
          to learning
     5 ) Students are held to a high degree of excellence
– Seven Principles of a Democratic Classroom
     1 ) Social is as important as academic
     2 ) How you learn is as important as what you learn
     3 ) Cognitive growth occurs with social interaction
     4 ) Children require a set of social skills in order to be successful
          – Cooperation, self-control, responsibility, etc
     5 ) Knowing our students as individuals is as important as what
          we teach them
     6 ) Knowing our students’ families is vital
     7 ) How a school staff functions together is as important as
          individual competence 
– Six Teaching Strategies in Democratic Classrooms
     1 ) Class Meetings
     2 ) Rules & Logical Consequences
     3 ) Guided Discovery
     4 ) Academic Choice
     5 ) Classroom Organization
     6 ) Family Communication Strategies
* Case Study – Melissa (rock throwing)
– Class Meetings
     – Should be weekly but students can call a meeting when needed
     – Strengthens community and ensures that students know the
        classroom is a safe place where issues are solved together for
        the good of everyone
     * Case Study – Jason (my name)