Social-emotional development and mindfulness are the new buzzwords in education. There’s a reason. There is a huge body of research that shows not only do these skills reduce instances of aggression and increase positive behavior, but they also translate to higher success in school.
Because of this, Key School has implemented the 4Rs program (reading, writing, respect, and resolution), developed by the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility, which was created to foster student’s social and emotional learning to drive the following results:
- Less aggression and less tendency to ascribe hostile motives to others,
- Greater social competence,
- Fewer symptoms of depression and ADHD,
- Better attendance, and
- Higher scores on standardized reading and math tests among high-risk students.
The 4Rs program is recognized as one of the best in the country at improving student behavior, social-emotional competency, classroom climate, and academic outcomes. And a recent study found that the program is extremely cost-effective—delivering $11 of economic benefits for every $1 invested.
The 4Rs offers a grade-specific, interactive curriculum that uses children’s literature as a springboard and is easily integrated into existing reading and writing curriculum. Teachers receive face-to-face training and classroom coaching, and in addition, the 4Rs includes a parent component, which consists of activities that children do with their parents at home to further reinforce the learning.
To see more about the program, see this video or visit their website.