Minnesota Department of Education Releases
Social Emotional Learning Tools to Help Improve School Climate, Fight Bullying
ROSEVILLE, MN— Four years ago today, Governor Mark Dayton
signed the Safe and Supportive Minnesota Schools Act, increasing protections
for students from bullying and establishing the School Safety Technical
Assistance Center. As part of these continuing efforts, the Minnesota
Department of Education’s School Safety Technical Assistance Center has
released a toolkit of resources to help Minnesota schools better support students’
mental and emotional health, prevent bullying, and improve school climate. The
newly released Social
and Emotional Learning Implementation Guidance and resources will
help schools put in place proven strategies to develop students’ social and emotional
skills, which improve students’ capacity to learn and boost student academic
achievement.
When schools use social and emotional learning, students
learn essential life skills, including understanding and managing emotions, setting
and achieving goals, feeling and showing empathy, building positive
relationships, and making responsible decisions. Research shows that social and
emotional learning in school improves students’ mental health, social skills and
academic performance. It also reduces students’ conduct problems and emotional
distress.
“More and more
educators are working to support the whole student and realizing that
addressing the social and emotional needs they bring into the classroom is
critical to meeting students’ academic goals,” said Education Commissioner
Brenda Cassellius. “These resources will
help improve school environments, increase student connectedness
and ultimately help students to succeed in school and life.”
School districts have been asking for guidance on social and
emotional learning and the Safe and Supportive
Minnesota Schools Act calls for schools to use this practice to prevent and
reduce bullying. The School Safety Technical Assistance Council formed work
groups in 2015 focused on social and emotional learning. Since then, center
staff worked with a cross-sector mix of educators, researchers, parents,
students, non-profit representatives and national experts to develop the resources.
In 2016, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
selected Minnesota as one of the original eight states to participate in an
initiative to share social and emotional learning best practices with other
states. Through the initiative, which now involves 25 states, the center
received expert consultation and resources.
“The comprehensive social and emotional
learning resources developed by Minnesota will support
educators in districts across the state, build students up and fully equip them
for academic and life success,” said
Roger P. Weissberg, Chief Knowledge Officer for CASEL. “Not only that, but the guidance developed in Minnesota will serve as
an important example to other states across the country. Minnesota has emerged
as an important leader to other states and I’m excited to see the impact of
their work.”
More on how the Safe and
Supportive Schools Act is Improving School Climate
In April 2014, Governor Mark Dayton signed the Safe and Supportive
Minnesota Schools Act, increasing protections for students from bullying and
replacing what was one of the weakest state anti-bullying laws in the nation. The
law established the School Safety Technical Assistance Center to support schools
and districts in their efforts to create safe and supportive learning
environments for all students. From November 2016 to November 2017, the center
provided an estimated 1,900 hours of technical assistance to students,
families, teachers, school support staff, schools and school districts. During
that same period, center staff provided nearly 500 hours of training and
presentations attended by nearly 3,000 people on a range of topics including:
restorative practices; identifying, investigating and addressing bullying;
school climate improvement; rethinking discipline policies and practices;
trauma-informed approaches to supporting students; using student data to inform
school improvement planning; and practices to ensure that LGBTQ students feel
safe, supported and welcome at school. Schools seeking assistance on bullying
prevention and school climate improvement can find resources on the center’s website
and may contact the center, 651-582-8364.
Upcoming Trainings for Educators
Bullying and
Harassment Investigation Trainings: From Complaint Intake to Investigation
is being offered on May 7 and May 11.
-
Monday, May 7, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. (includes lunch) at
the South Central Service Cooperative, 2075 Lookout Drive, North
Mankato. Register for the May 7 training.
- Friday,
May 11, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (includes lunch) at the Minnesota Department of
Education, Conference Center A, Room 13, 1500 Highway 36 West,
Roseville. Register for the May 11 training.
Learn more about the Bullying and
Harassment Investigation trainings.
Restorative Practices
in Schools training is being offered in Cloquet, Bemidji and Crystal this
June.
Cloquet: June 11-15
Register for the Cloquet trainings. In partnership with
Cloquet Public Schools Area Alternative Education Program, the center will
offer 11 trainings, including: Foundations of Restorative Practices, Circle
Training, Conferencing to Repair Harm, School Mediation/Conflict Coaching,
Circle Keeper Training, Whole School Design, Mindfulness, ACES, Living Through
the Heart, Breaking the School to Prison Pipeline and Restorative Reiki.
Bemidji: June 12-15
Register for the Bemidji trainings. In partnership
with Peacemaker Resources, the center will offer five trainings, including:
Foundations of Restorative Practices, Circle Training, Restorative Language and
Chats, Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, and Circle to Repair Harm.
Crystal: June 18-22
Register for the Crystal trainings. In partnership with
the Legal Rights Center, Robbinsdale Area Schools and Forest Elementary School,
the center will offer twelve trainings:
- Foundational level trainings, including
Foundations of Restorative Practices, Circle Training, Restorative Language and
Chats, Circle Equity Discussions, Administrators Circle and Implementation. Advanced
level training, including Repairing Harm Conferencing or Circle, Family Group
Conferencing, Circle Keeper Training, Restorative Practices and Special Needs,
Using Circle to Teach.
Learn more and register for the Restorative
Practices in Schools trainings.
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