Search

This document discusses a project designed to meet the need for increased self awareness and emotional well being of children in a school setting. The targeted population included kindergarten, third grade, and sixth grade students from a suburban middle class community in the Chicago area. Through a review of the literature and observations made in the classroom, the need for increased self awareness and improved emotional well-being among the students was noted. Specific risk factors that helped create these problems were the breakdown of the family unit; the lack of programs in schools that address social and emotional needs; students' poor problem solving skills; and a decline in societal morality. In seeking possible solutions for these risk factors, interventions were developed to help the students. The interventions included group discussion, role playing to develop better problem solving skills, and self awareness activities. Teacher-to-teacher dialogue was also used to increase staff awareness of these issues and to promote social and emotional program implementation. Post intervention data indicated an increase in self awareness and emotional well-being of the targeted sample. Interventions integrated with caring teachers as role models and a positive classroom climate enhanced students' emotional skills. (Contains 29 references and 7 appendixes.) (JDM)