Jessica Bertolani, Ph.D University of Verona jessica.bertolani@univr.it

1. Jessica Bertolani, Ph.DUniversity of Veronajessica.bertolani@univr.it Eccomi Pronto: a program for self-directed learning in primary school

2. Overview • Introduction of EP Program • Skills for self-directed learning • Components • Units • Structure • Implementation • Typical session • Processing the story • Working with stories • Conclusion

3. Introduction • Eccomi Pronto is story-basedcurriculum that is designed to be delivered by teachers. • It is intended for the general population of students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is also appropriate for students who are having difficulty becoming readers and/or making the transition to being independent learners.

4. Introduction • Eccomi Pronto is designed to be delivered in either whole classrooms or small groups and it can be easily adapted for one-on-one work with students. • Eccomi Pronto is based on the fundamental assumption that students’ academic development and personal development are inextricably bound together.

5. Introduction • Unlike curricula in the content areas (math, languages, science etc.), Eccomi Pronto focuses on helping student learn skills that will help they learn better acrosscontent areas.   • Its aim is to "build" more effective learners by promoting self-directed learning skills

6. Stories • Each Eccomi Pronto lesson is based on stories that a teacher reads to the students. Stories are powerful devices for helping children acquire knowledge of themselves, others, and the world; and important skills underlying both social competence and reading and literacy development. • Stories were chosen for three reasons: • stories are an important way that people make sense of themselves and their place in the world (White 2007); • the analysis of stories can be used to assess and promote children’s self-knowledge development and self-direction (Weinstein and Alschuler,1985); • developing the concepts for understanding the structure of stories is an important early literacy skill that promotes the development of independent reading in primary school students.

7. Goals 1) EP is intended to start students down the path towards self-directed learning. Each story is based on the key concepts from a research tradition in modern educational or developmental psychology related to the capacity to be an effective self-directed learner. The characters and events in the stories help students see how these concepts can be used by to improve their lives. 2) Eccomi Pronto is also designed to: • help teachers understand the inner lives of their students, • develop strong nurturing relationships with their students, • and develop skills in using group process to promote personal-social and academic development simultaneously in their classrooms.

8. Research Base • Review and analysis of the educational, developmental, and social psychology literatures that can be used to inform school-based prevention activities. • Identified 12 characteristics of students that are: • a) known through research to be related to student achievement, success, social responsibility, and/or well-being • c) compatible with the positive developmental framework of preventative programs • d) capable of being developed or enhanced through educational interventions.

9. Skills for self-directed learning

11. Classroom Component • 12 classroomlessons (Units) • Beginning in the fall • 3-4 Consultation and supervision for teachersduring the year (more uponrequest) • 2 Meeting with parents (more uponrequest)

12. Classroom Component Option 1: • 3 • 3 + 2 • 2 + 3 • 3 + 4 • 12 (4 + 8) 12 classroomlessons (Units) Option 2: • 4 • 4 • 4 • 6 • 6 Option 3: • 6 • 6 • 6 • 6 • 12

13. Classroom Component Option 1: • 1 story every 3 weeks – first presentation (Sept-Dec) • Recall the stories and work on them deeply (Jan-May) Option 2: • Present the stories once over the year • Work on them deeply

14. The Units Eccomi Prontcontains 12 units. Each of the twelve lesson cycles has 5 parts: 1) Brief Introduction to the Lesson: the Introduction orients students to the work and helps them focus on key concepts and skills related to the lesson

15. The Units 2) Story: the story consists of a description of the antecedent state (the problem) of the story, a series of events, descriptions of characters who interact with each other in story and who experience the events of the story, and a resolution of the story (with an explicitly stated or implied lesson or moral). Each story is based on the psychological principles that have been shown to be important in the development of self-directed learning.

16. The Units 3) Group Processing of the Story: the group processing component is a detailed protocol to help teachers lead group inquiry focused on the story 4) Follow-Up Activities: concrete suggestions for projects that can be used to reinforcing learning 5) Evaluation Suggestions: the evaluation component included instruction for how to determine whether students are mastering the material

17. Core skills The majority of the stories focus on the development of Situational level (Weinstein and Alschuler, 1985) literacy and social cognitive development skills.

18. The last story also focuses on students’ transition to Pattern level self knowledge development (Weinsten and Alschuler, 1985). It is designed to help students begin to: • Recognize patterns of behavior across different related stories • Identify how a dysfunctional pattern of behavior leads to undesirable consequences • Understand that altering a dysfunctional pattern can lead to desirable consequences. • This focus on Pattern level self-knowledge is included to provide a transition to the next level of the Eccomi Pronto curriculum.

19. Eccomi Pronto Typical Session • Review previous session • Who can tell me what the last story was about? • Introduce new material • Today our story is about….. We are going to learn about….. Listen for things that help the characters… • Read the story • Group processing of the story • Activity • (Daily) Systematic recalls • Extra activities for teachers and parents

20. Reading the story • Move left and right slowly to maintain a high level of attention • Don’t do voices • Don’t show images while reading

21. Processing the story • It is typically best with young children to have a physical prompt to control who is talking, encourage listening, and to make sure that everyone is involved. Using a puppet is helpful. “Now we are going to talk about the story and we are going to use this puppet to help us. There are rules to respect. The rule n.1 says that…the rule n.2 says that…the rule n.3 says that…the rule n.4 says that…” “If you….you will miss a turn and won’t take the puppet”

22. Processing the story • Fourrules • List with the name of children • ‘Wise’ feedback • Saythankyou

23. Processing the story_Rules • Raise your hand If you want to talk… • Raise your hand without making noise or move to much… • Raise your hand only after I finished asking the question… • Launch the puppet without hitting any hanging objects… Always specify the consequences of not respecting the rule: If you…you will miss a turn and won’t take the puppet

24. Processing the story_Names List • Mark the childrenwhohavealreadyspoken • Check the involvement • Everyone must speakatleast once

25. Processing the story_Wise Feedback • Right answer: underline a skill (payingattention, listening..) • Wronganswer: underline the commitment • Refer to the previous session to underline progress

26. Processing the story_Wise Feedback THREE-STEP METHOD OF ENCOURAGEMENT • Step 1: Identify Positive Behaviors, Traits, and Efforts • accurately describe their performance (e.g. “Jane, your got half of the answers correct on the addition quiz today.”) • Step 2: Focus on the Specific Deed Rather Than the Doer • note their progress (“You are doing much better than last month.”)

27. Step 3: Implement by Using the Language of Encouragement • express your belief in their potential to improve (e.g. “And, I am sure that you will do even better next week after I have been able to explain addition a bit more and you have had the chance to practice it”). Phrases that demonstrate belief in the child/adult include: • “I like theway you worked that problem through.” • “I like the way you dealt with that.” • “I’m glad you’re satisfied with the project.” • “You look pleased.” • “How do you feel about it?” • Phrases that display assurance include: • “You’ll work it out.” • “I have confidence in your decision-making skills.” • “You’ll finish it.” • “Knowing you,I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

28. Processing the story_Thankyou • Moral: no right or wrong answer • Briefly reformulate the answer • Always thank for speaking

29. Criteria for extra-activities 1) atleastoneactivity must be doneindividually; 2) atleastoneactivity must allow to apply the skill to everyday life (school, home); 3) oneactivityshould include a small group work; 4) atleastoneactivity must involve parents in sharingtheirexperiencerelated to the specificskill, in order to makethemactiveparticipants and improve the sharing in classroom; 5) provide an activityconnecting the specificskill to one (or more) schoolsubjects.

30. Eccomi Pronto & Standard Curriculum Languages Self-directed Learning skills Humanities & the Arts Mathematics & Sciences ECCOMI PRONTO Knowledge skills

31. Effective implementation • At leastonesubjectimplementing the original EP version • Skills and extra activities for all • Processing: • Clear rulesbefore the group processing • Give positive feedback (encouragement) • Saythankyou • Involvement of all • No right or wronganswers • Engagement of families

32. Schools reflections General purpose: plan educational curricula (meaningfulexperiences of learning and goodpractices) aimedatpromoting social and personal skills of students (non-cognitive skills/factors). Steps and specificgoals: • analysis and review of curricula and and social/personal skills of children; • definition of characteristics, method and content of the dailyclassroom educational activities; • development of goodpractices with families; • presentation of goodpractices to families. Which educational activities, tools and methodologies are needed in order to teach a curriculum for developing independent learning and social skills?

33. Working with stories: example of implementation

36. Goal Setting_Becky, the cow that jumped over the moon a) Engage in mutual goal setting with students. Have each student draw a picture (or write few sentences) of themselves achieving a long term goal (related to school or home) that is important to them. Help them come identify at least three short-term goals and place the goals in proper sequence. Help them decide what they need to do in order to achieve that short-term goal. b) Send a copy of the story and a copy of Activity (a) home. Request that parents engage in the mutual goal setting activity with their child. Monitor progress every day for a week. c) Send a copy of the story home. Ask parents to tell (and write) an episode of their lives when they reached a long-term developing a plan 'step by step'. Have students read the stories of their parents.

37. Effective goal-setting practices include: • Clearly stating the long-term goal in unambiguous terms that are measureable. • Developing a strategy to achieve the long-term goal by develop a step-by-step process. The steps represent a series of short-term goals. • Making sure that the short-term goals are clearly stated, measureable, and tied to a timeline. • Making sure that the short-term goals are neither too easy or too difficult so that success is possible, meaningful, encouraging and reinforcing. • Making sure that both the long-term and the short-term goals are stated in positive terms. They should reflect a desirable positive state to be achieved rather than an undesirable negative state to be avoided. • Making sure that both long-term and the short-term goals are written down and remembered. SMART Goal Setting S – Specific M- Measurable A- Achievable R- Realistic T- Time Oriented

40. Working with stories • becky completo tedesco.mp4

41. 2. Causal Attribution_The First and Only Queen of the Monkeys c) Send a copy of the story home with a request that parents tell (or write) their child a true story about a time in their own lives when they initially failed at something but were finally successful because they tried something different. Have the students tell (or read) their parent’s stories in class. a) Ask each student draw a picture (or write) about a time in their own lives when they were successful by doing something different. Ask each student to show their pictures (or read) at the class and explain the picture. Post the pictures in the classroom b) Identify typical school challenges and find different solutions Trying Something Different (TSD Chart)

42. TSD Chart

43. 3. Learned Optimism_The City that smiles again b) Fill the ABCD Chart c) Send a copy of the story home with a request that parents tell their child (or write) a true story about a time in their own lives when they realized a wish, solving a problem thanks to positive thinking. Have the students tell (or read) their parent’s stories in class. • Reflective questioning: • If you friend felt pessimistic what could you say or do to help them? • If you woke up one day feeling pessimistic, what could you say to yourself that could help yourself feel more optimistic? ? What could you do that would help you feel more optimistic?

44. ABCD Approach: M. Seligman The learned optimism positive psychology approach was lead by Martin Seligman. He was able to explain learned optimism through and ABCD approach. • A- adversity, the problem • B- beliefs, the overall beliefs that we create from the problem, can be either positive or negative • C- consequences, end results that follow our beliefs, may prevent one from completing a task or trying something new, or may be positive in enabling one to “try” without the fear of failure • D- disputation, challenging pre existing thoughts or beliefs about a problem.

45. ABCD Approach: M. Seligman The problem Beliefs Consequences(behavior-feeling) Disputation

46. ABCD Chart

47. 4. Intrinsic and Estrinsic Motivation_The Queens Joy and Labor c) Send a copy of the story home with a request that parents tell (or write) their child a true story about a time in their own lives when: (1) they did only what they liked, or (2) they did only what they had to. Have the students tell (or read) their parent’s stories in class. d) Plan the ‘Pleasure and Duty’ Week a) Draw or build the two spells of the story: Intrinsic (magic mirror) and Extrinsic (magic telescope). Hang them in the classroom and use them to mark the times of 'pleasure' and 'duty'. b) Fill the ‘Pleasure & Duty’ Chart

48. Pleasure & Duty Chart

49. Pleasure & Duty Week