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Lower Merion School District

Off-Canvas

Second Step Curriculum

The Second Step program teaches skills in the following four areas:

  1. Skills for Learning: Students gain skills to help themselves learn, including how to focus their attention, listen carefully, use self-talk to stay on task, and be assertive when asking for help with schoolwork.
  2. Empathy : Students learn to identify and understand their own and others' feelings. Students also learn how to take another's perspective and how to show compassion.
  3. Emotion Management : Students learn specific skills for calming down when experiencing strong feelings, such as anxiety or anger.
  4. Problem Solving: Students learn a process for solving problems with others in a positive way.

Say the Problem (without blame), Thing of a Solution (save and respectful), Explore consequences (what could happen if...), Pick the best solution (make your plan) Is feeling or understanding what someon else is feeling. Compasion is empathy in action! (ie. Look at her face and body for clues. What is his point of view? How does she feel? How can I help? What is a kind thing to say?)

Stop - use your signal, Name your feeling, Calm down: breathe, count, use positive self-talk Sharing, Trading, Taking Turns

Focus Attention, Listen, Be Assertive, Use Self-Talk (Ignore distractions)