Second Step

Second Step is a social-emotional learning program developed by the Committee for Children, a non-profit organization founded by Joan Cole Duffell and Carolyn Helsel. The program aims to teach children skills such as emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and problem-solving, and has been implemented in schools across the United States, Canada, and other countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom. Second Step has been recognized by organizations such as the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and has been used in schools attended by notable individuals such as Malala Yousafzai and Barack Obama. The program has also been supported by Melinda Gates and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

● Introduction

The Second Step program is designed to be used in conjunction with other educational programs, such as Common Core State Standards Initiative and International Baccalaureate (IB), and has been aligned with the standards of organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). The program's curriculum is based on the work of researchers such as Daniel Goleman and Peter Salovey, and has been influenced by the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) movement, which has been supported by organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Education Association (NEA). Second Step has been used in schools in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and has been implemented in countries such as China, India, and Brazil. The program has also been recognized by awards such as the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

● History

The Second Step program was first developed in the 1980s by the Committee for Children, a non-profit organization founded by Joan Cole Duffell and Carolyn Helsel. The program was initially designed to teach children skills such as conflict resolution and self-control, and was influenced by the work of researchers such as Albert Bandura and Urie Bronfenbrenner. Over the years, the program has undergone several revisions, including updates to the curriculum and the addition of new components, such as the Second Step Bullying Prevention Unit, which has been recognized by organizations such as the National Bullying Prevention Center and the PACER Center. Second Step has been used in schools attended by notable individuals such as Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama, and has been supported by organizations such as the Ford Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The program has also been implemented in countries such as South Africa, Mexico, and Japan.

● Program Overview

The Second Step program is designed for students in preschool through middle school, and is typically implemented in a classroom setting, with teachers using the program's curriculum and materials to teach social-emotional skills, such as self-awareness, self-management, and relationship skills. The program is based on a tiered intervention approach, which provides different levels of support for students with varying needs, and has been influenced by the work of researchers such as Sally Shaywitz and Bennett Shaywitz. Second Step has been recognized by organizations such as the National Association of School Counselors (ASCA) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), and has been used in schools in cities such as Houston, Phoenix, and Philadelphia. The program has also been supported by Michael Bloomberg and the Bloomberg Philanthropies, and has been implemented in countries such as Germany, France, and Italy.

● Curriculum

The Second Step curriculum is designed to be comprehensive and sequential, with each grade level building on the skills and concepts taught in previous years, and has been aligned with the standards of organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). The curriculum includes components such as social-emotional learning, bullying prevention, and child protection, and has been influenced by the work of researchers such as Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Second Step has been recognized by awards such as the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and has been used in schools attended by notable individuals such as Mark Zuckerberg and Sergey Brin. The program has also been supported by organizations such as the Gates Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and has been implemented in countries such as Russia, South Korea, and Singapore.

● Implementation and Impact

The Second Step program has been implemented in thousands of schools across the United States and around the world, and has been recognized for its positive impact on student behavior and academic performance, with studies published in journals such as the Journal of Educational Psychology and the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. The program has been supported by organizations such as the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and has been used in schools in cities such as San Francisco, Boston, and Washington, D.C.. Second Step has also been recognized by awards such as the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), and has been implemented in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The program has also been supported by Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation, and has been used in schools attended by notable individuals such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

● Criticisms and Controversies

Despite its widespread use and recognition, the Second Step program has faced criticisms and controversies, including concerns about its effectiveness and its potential to be used as a one-size-fits-all solution, with some researchers arguing that the program may not be suitable for all students, particularly those with special needs or English language learners. The program has also faced criticism from some conservative groups, who have argued that it promotes liberal values and social engineering, with some organizations such as the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute expressing concerns about the program's potential impact on student values and beliefs. However, the program has also been supported by organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and has been recognized for its potential to promote social justice and equity in education. Second Step has also been used in schools attended by notable individuals such as Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, and has been implemented in countries such as South Africa, India, and Brazil.