The Center for Prevention & Early Intervention

Director, Nick Ialongo, Ph.D.

Co-Director, Phil Leaf, Ph.D.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School Of Public Health & the Baltimore City Public Schools

The Center for Prevention & Early Intervention

The Center for Prevention and Early Intervention has received a 5-year grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health and Drug Abuse to determine the most effective ways to improve classroom behavior and academic achievement, and to prevent violence, mental health and drug abuse problems among students.

Proposed Center Intervention Initiatives

Try out the Combination of the Good Behavior Game (GBG), Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS), and Family

-

School Partnership (FSP) Classroom-wide Preventive Interventions in K-5 (starting with K-2).

Proposed Center Assessment Initiatives

To develop and pilot test a computerized assessment system for (a) teachers to use in evaluating students behavior and academic performance and (b) to identify children in need of more intensive preventive and treatment interventions.

Common Goals for Educators...

     

increase academic and social proficiency increase engaged learning reduce classroom disruptions increase attendance and school bonding reduce the need for IEP’s and Special Ed improve the working environment

What is Social Emotional Learning?

Social and emotional learning (SEL) refers to knowledge, habits, skills and ideals that are at the heart of a child's academic, personal, social, and civic development.

They are necessary for success in both school and life.

Children who lack these skills:

 Enter school at risk for stable and escalating behavior problems  Risk learning problems and academic delays  Risk peer rejection and victimization  Risk adolescent problems in areas of school failure, substance use, and criminal activity

Intervention Strategy



Engage teachers as implementers of the intervention by providing them with tools and strategies to use for instruction.



Improve individual child social-emotional skills through instruction, practice and reinforcement.



Change the environment to support the use of the new skills.

Interconnected Systems for Meeting the Needs of All Children

Systems of Care Treatment of severe and chronic problems Systems of Early Intervention Early-after-onset Systems for Prevention and Positive Youth Development Universal and Selective Prevention

Systemic collaboration is essential to establish inter-program connections within and across

Systems

of

prevention

,

early intervention

, and

treatment

.

Adapted from Adelman et al. (UCLA Center for Mental Health in the Schools)

What is the PAX Good Behavior Game?

Classroom management system that is implemented during regular classroom instruction that promotes:

•

Self-control

•

On-task learning and behaviors

•

Focused attention

•

Academic engagement

•

Positive social relationships

GBG Findings



Teachers gain 60-90 minutes more of teaching and learning time each day



75- 125 fewer disruptions per hour in the classroom



20%-30% less need for special education



20%-50% reduction in use of tobacco or other drugs over a child’s lifetime

GBG Findings



50%-70% reduction in ADHD and conduct disorder symptoms



Significant reduction in life-time juvenile and adult criminal acts



10%- 30% reduction in injuries and stress related complaints



Reduces teacher stress

Implementing PAX GBG



Create a shared language & vision

•

Teach the PAX GBG 3 step introductory lesson (one hour of instruction)



Play the game 3 times per day for 10-30 minutes



Play a secret game several times per week

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Incorporate extra game elements as desired

PATHS

PATHS

P romoting A lternative TH inking S trategies The PATHS curriculum is a comprehensive curriculum for promoting emotional and Social competencies in elementary students.



The PATHS curriculum increases students skills in the key domains by creating a positive classroom environment.

Key Lesson Objectives

…Identifying and labeling feelings, expressing feelings , managing and understanding feelings, delaying gratification , controlling impulses, reducing stress , self talk, reading and interpreting social cues , using steps for problem-solving and decision-making, self awareness , verbal and nonverbal communication…

Implementing the PATHS Curriculum…

    

2-3 lessons per week for 20-30 minutes Ready-to-use lesson plans Supplementary activities integrate PATHS into academics Includes generalization strategies Family Communication tools

Program Outcomes



Improved thinking and planning skills



Decreased symptoms of sadness and depression

( child report- special needs students) 

Decreased conduct problems



Decreased anxiety

( child report- special needs students)

Benefits of PATHS/GBG Integration

The Benefits

PATHS is a compressive curriculum that teaches key social-emotional skills and promotes a positive classroom climate. GBG builds children’s self-control skills but also provides the necessary reinforcement for the use of this skill. It also promotes positive socialization in the classroom.

Integrating both programs will maximize students’ skill development and use. We expect that this will have an even greater impact on student adjustment and academic performance then one program alone.

The Benefits

Research has shown that for children to learn social emotional skills they need…

• • •

Instruction Opportunities for practice Reinforcement By combining PATHS and GBG students are provided with all three essential elements necessary to develop these skills.

Training…

Three Day: Summer Day One:

Project Overview Project overview, rationale for program integration, theories, research, findings of both programs

Day Two:

GBG Program overview, how to implement, review of materials, outline of the implementation process and coaching support

Day Three:

PATHS Curriculum overview, goals and objectives, review of supplementary materials, generalization strategies, question and answer support

Training…

One Day: October Half Day:

PATHS

Review of curriculum, additional supplementary and integration ideas, school-wide strategies, answer questions and provide practical solutions Half Day:

GBG

Review program and implementation process, school-wide strategies, answer questions and provide practical solutions

Training…

Half Day: February

 Provide teachers and schools with implementation support for both programs.  School-wide implementation strategies and support for both programs  Exchange ideas  Answer questions and provide practical solutions

Support

Each teacher will be supported by a PATHS/ GBG coach during the implementation process. Month 1: Weekly coaching support visits Month 2: Biweekly coaching support visits November:



Classrooms with a high level of implementation quality will have visits cut back to monthly visits.



Classrooms that need continued support will have more frequent visits depending on coaches recommendations

Incentives

 Teachers, school mental health professionals, and principals will each receive the following for their participation: • • Desktop computer or PDA for use in school Stipends for participating in any informational or training meetings  The Center will also cover the cost of any training and intervention materials.