The Edgar School District Pupil Services Department utilizes the following Second Step Grade 6 Guidance Curriculum. The Second Step program specialized for middle school is a universal program designed to promote skills and attitudes that increase students' social and school success and prevent violence, bullying, and substance abuse. As a program for all students, it provides a foundation for creating a safe, respectful learning environment.

Empathy and Communication

• Having a higher level of empathy is linked to having more friends and higher academic achievement, less aggressive behavior and bullying, and being more helpful to peers. Empathy also provides a foundation for social and communication skills, which increase school connectedness by improving students' relationships with teachers and serve as protective factors against a range of problem behaviors. Research shows empathy skills can be successfully taught to adolescents using a social skills curriculum.

Bullying Prevention

• The bullying prevention unit uses these effective strategies to change students' bullying-related attitudes, norms, and behaviors:

  • Increasing students' ability to identify bullying

  • Increasing empathy for bullied students

  • Increasing awareness of the importance and responsibility of bystanders

  • Increasing positive bystander skills and behaviors

Throughout the units, the program also helps to reduce bullying by improving social skills, increasing friendships and positive peer relations, and increasing assertiveness skills.

Emotion Management

• Emotion management enables youth to stay in control, especially in stressful situations. Coping skills help them meet challenges by using proactive strategies rather than acting on impulse. Emotion management and coping skills can be taught, and the skills addressed in the program include self-calming techniques, such as deep breathing and positive self-talk.

Problem Solving

• Teaching students interpersonal problem-solving skills can reduce and prevent problem behaviors. Because peer pressure peaks in early adolescence, this is a good time to teach decision making skills as well. It is also an opportune time for students to practice setting goals, an ability linked to student success and achievement.

Substance Abuse Prevention

• The Second Step substance abuse lessons focus on changing norms and attitudes through providing accurate information and building on the social and personal skills addressed in previous lessons. These skills include the ability to recognize and resist problematic choices. The primary goal is to reduce early initiation. Substance abuse prevention is also addressed throughout the program by teaching skills and concepts that address important risk and protective factors.

Mindsets

M 1: Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being

M 2: Self-confidence in ability to succeed

M 3: Sense of belonging in the school environment

M 4: Understanding that post-secondary education and lifelong learning are necessary for long-term career success

M 5: Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes

M 6: Positive attitude toward work and learning

Behavior: Learning Strategies

B-LS 1: Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions

B-LS 2: Demonstrate creativity

B-LS 3: Use time-management, organizational and study skills

B-LS 4: Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning

B-LS 5: Apply media and technology skills

B-LS 6: Set high standards of quality

B-LS 7: Identify long and short-term academic, career, and social/emotional goals

B-LS 8: Actively engage in challenging coursework

B-LS 9: Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions

B-LS 10: Participate in enrichment and extracurricular activities

Behavior: Self-Management Skills

B-SMS 1: Demonstrate ability to assume responsibility

B-SMS 2: Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control

B-SMS 3: Demonstrate ability to work independently

B-SMS 4: Demonstrate ability to delay immediate gratification for long-term rewards

B-SMS 5: Demonstrate perseverance to achieve long- and short-term goals

B-SMS 6: Demonstrate ability to overcome barriers to learning

B-SMS 7: Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem

B-SMS 8: Demonstrate the ability to balance school, home, and community activities

B-SMS 9: Demonstrate personal safety skills

B-SMS 10: Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities

Behavior: Social Skills

B-SS 1: Use of effective oral and written communication and listening skills

B-SS 2: Create positive and supportive relationships with other students

B-SS 3: Create relationships with adults that support success

B-SS 4: Demonstrate empathy

B-SS 5: Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility

B-SS 6: Use effective collaboration and cooperation skills

B-SS 7: Use leadership and teamwork skills to work effectively in diverse teams

B-SS 8: Demonstrate advocacy skills and the ability to assert self, when necessary

B-SS 9: Demonstrate social maturity and behaviors appropriate to the situation and environment