KEY FINDINGS
> > A 2015 national study published in the American Journal of Public Health found statistically significant associations between SEL skills in kindergarten and key outcomes for young adults years later in education, employment, criminal activity, substance use, and mental health (Jones, Greenberg, and Crowley, 2015). > > When one looks at the research literature across the different fields of inquiry, three characteristics stand out as helping young people feel connected to school while simultaneously encouraging student achievement: (1) high academic standards coupled with strong teacher support; (2) an environment in which adult and student relationships are positive and respectful; and (3) a physically and emotionally safe school environment (Miller and Sharp, 2018; Mapp et al., 2017; Routman, 2018; Klem and Connell, 2004). > > Students who experience school connectedness like school, feel that they belong, believe that teachers care about them and their learning, believe that education matters, have friends at school, believe that discipline is fair, and have opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities (Mapp et al., 2017; Klen and Connell, 2004). > > Most experts agree that children “need balance in their school day, and the notion of teaching for the test and trying to cram full the day with only academic work is limited.” It seems reasonable to embrace mindfulness and SEL simply for the benefit of “taking time out of a busy school day, and just remembering to breathe” (Resnick, 2017). > > Five cognitive strategy and skill areas—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—were recommended by the NRP to be the focus of reading instruction because they “currently reflect the central issues in reading instruction and reading achievement.” A key conclusion of the NRP report was that strategies and skills should be the focus of reading instruction and reading assessment (Afflerbach, 2016).
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WHOLE CHILD
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