Leading for Change Through Whole-School Social-Emotional Learning: Strategies to Build a Positive School Culture

"School leaders are rarely provided with resources and support to implement large scale changes. Leading for Change Through Whole-School Social-Emotional Learning is written in a handbook format and provides educators with implementation strategies and evaluation tools to address school climate."

"Social-emotional learning is the new 'it' topic, yet little is available on how to truly implement it in a practical way. This book is ideal for administrators trying to shift school culture as well as lead teachers." 


“As a front-line educator, seriously considering making a personal and professional commitment to serve as a change agent might be a scary proposition. This book serves as an encouraging guide to the brave ones who step up to do what it seems we all, by now, are aware we will eventually need to do.”

“Leading for Change Through Whole-School Social-Emotional Learning provides personally relevant insights for change agents in need of support to transform culture for the whole individual and in turn for the entire school." 

Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Introduction: Using Social-Emotional Learning to Make Your School More Positive and Productive
What Does Social-Emotional Learning Have to Do With Systems Change?
Fair Warning: The Challenge Of Systems Change
Chapter 1: Why Now?
Mental Health Of Our Students
Adverse Childhood Experiences
The Changing Dynamics Of Our Classrooms
Burnout And Stress Of Teachers
Prevention
Outcomes
The Who Is You
The First Step—Self-Care: Putting Yourself on the To-Do List
Practitioner’s Voice
Reflection Questions
Resources
Chapter 2: Whole-School Social-Emotional Learning—Research on SEL
What Is Social-Emotional Learning?
SEL Core Competencies
Powerful Evidence Supporting The Impact Of Enhancing Students’ Social-Emotional Skills
Multitiered Systems Of Support And Sel: Universal Support For All Students
SEL and School Culture
Practitioner’s Voice
Resources
Reflection Questions
Chapter 3: Strategy #1: Identify Your Why
Inspiration Leads to Action
Beliefs as Barriers to Action
The Mascot, the Carrot, and the Competition
Why Is the Driver for Who, What, When, and Where
Practitioner’s Voice
Chapter 4: Strategy #2: Adopt A Framework
Framework, Model, and Intervention, Oh My!
Read the Directions Before Application: Choosing a Framework
The Importance of Process When Choosing a Framework
Chapter 5: Strategy #3: Do Your Detective Work—Data Collection and Data Analysis
Ask Questions
Using Data Thoughtfully
Large Data Sets: Needs Assessment, Universal Screeners, Skill Assessments, and Surveys
In the Moment: Data Collection
How Do We Gather Data About Our School and Community?
Developing Your Own Accountability Tool
Practitioner’s Voice
Resources
Reflection Questions
Chapter 6: Strategy #4: Work With Others to Develop a Vision to Guide Change
Vision Statement
Vision for Leadership
Your School Leaders—Are They on Board?
Vision Standards
Practitioner’s Voice
Resources
Reflection Questions
Chapter 7: Strategy #5: Understand the Politics of Your Workplace
Understanding the Politics of Your Workplace (Yes, Even In Kindergarten)
Social Network Theory
History of Interventions
Importance of Who Is on the Team
The “What” of School SEL Teams
Making Working Together Work
More Issues
Things to Consider When Hiring an Expert
Practitioner’s Voice
Resources
Reflection Questions
Chapter 8: Strategy #6: Develop an Action Plan for Implementation
Making Stuff Happen—It’s All About a Plan
You Say You Want an Interventions
Action Planning
Practicing SEL
What Is Loose and What Is Tight?
What Do We Want? Change! When Do We Want It? Should’ve Happened Yesterday!
Practitioner’s Voice
Resources
Reflection Questions
Chapter 9: Strategy #7: Invest in Your Infrastructure
What Is Infrastructure And Why Do We Need It?
Fidelity of Implementation
Building Capacity
Empowering Student Voice
Parent/Family Involvement
Building Community Understanding
Infrastructure Issues: The Leadership Merry-Go-Round
Practitioner’s Voice
Resources
Reflection Questions
Chapter 10: Strategy #8: Plan for Resistance to Change
Resistance to Change
Challenge Scenarios
Practitioner’s Voice
Resources
Reflection Questions
Chapter 11: Strategy #9: Assess Your Outcomes
Gold Standard for Change: The “Fire Drill Effect”
Big Question: Did Anything Change for the Better?
SEL Intervention Outcomes
Measuring Your SEL Implementation
Be Sensitive to Outcome Overload
Overall Goal of Assessing Outcomes: Improving Systemic Integration and Sustainability
Practitioner’s Voice
Resources
Reflection Questions
Chapter 12: Strategy #10: Fill in the Gaps of Your Foundation
Filling in Gaps
Revisiting the Past: How Is Your Framework Meeting Your Needs?
Celebration Time! Okay, Now Back to Work
Revise and Resubmit: The Evolution of Your Intervention
Practitioner’s Voice
Resources
Reflection Questions
Chapter 13: Conclusion
A Final Message for You: The Agent of Change
Appendix 1: SEL and System Change Strategies Rubric
Appendix 2: Professional Development Exit Ticket
Appendix 3: Figures and Graphics
References
Index
Resources
Reflection Questions
Practitioner’s Voice
Resources
Reflection Questions

Dr. Jennifer Rogersis the Founder of Rogers Training Solutions, LLC. She works with educational stakeholders on developing tools and strategies to increase positive student outcomes. Rogers Training Solutions, LLC provides consulting, professional development, workshops, coaching, one-on-one leadership support for individuals and organizations exploring social, emotional, and behavioral interventions in school environments.

Dr. Rogers¿s background has reflected a strong commitment to children and adolescents and their families for over 20 years. She is proud to work side-by-side with educators in promoting social and emotional competencies for all students. She has worked with school districts across the country as a school counselor, researcher, district administrator, coach trainer, and consultant. Schools benefit from her experience as a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and training as a counselor educator to create programs to meet the social, emotional, and behavioral needs for students.

She has experience with implementing and measuring the impact of interventions in counseling, prevention, and early intervention. She has advocated for, written about, researched, trained, created interventions for, used data to support, worked with curriculum, and implemented district-wide Social Emotional Learning. Her book, Leading for Change Through Whole-School Social Emotional Learning: Strategies to Build a Positive School Culture (2019) has been adopted by educators and is currently being used in multiple districts. She trains educators in best practices to meet the needs of their specific culture and students.

Dr. Rogers professional goals align with the core mission to make social and emotional learning an integral part of education for all students. To reach the goal, her belief is that we must work to support the educators through systemic change and create a common understanding amongst all stakeholders of the benefits of social emotional learning to positive school culture.

Develop and cultivate social-emotional learning to create a new school climate!

As research on the positive outcomes of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) are emerging, schools and districts across the country are adopting the practices and processes to improve student outcomes and teacher capacity. The real-world experiences and evidence-based strategies outlined in this book will guide implementation of a practical and sustainable social emotional learning program. In addition to an integrated workbook readers will find:

• recommendations for steps with each strategy in an implementation rubric
• reflection questions to promote deeper thinking on SEL
• resources to explore at the end of each chapter