Supporting teachers/facilitators in PSS or SEL supportive classrooms: Lessons from Save the Children's HEART program

• In Event: Contextualizing Social and Emotional Learning: How Do We Support Teachers to Implement Quality SEL Programs?

Proposal

Since 2011, Save the Children has integrated the Healing and Education through the Arts (HEART) program in schools and centers in more than 22 countries. This arts based PSS (psychosocial support) program provides children and youth age 4 - 25, with structured arts based stress processing, relaxation, and creative learning opportunities. In school settings, the HEART program trains teachers and school counselors to implement expressive arts activities on a daily or weekly basis with children and youth. Integrating expressive arts into classrooms and complimentary school programs such as local community centers or after school programs, has demonstrated to improve school attendance and boost children's self-expression, communication, concentration, emotional regulation, future orientation, and engagement in the learning environment.

This session will focus on the capacity development process for teachers and school counselors as well as the training of local program trainers and program support monitors. Special attention will be paid to the standardization and contextualization of the programmatic approach for classroom integration. It will also examine the broader school and community based MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) systems needed to provide a foundation for referrals and case management for children in need of more specialized support beyond what can be provided through HEART activities in the classroom.

Practical examples from school based programming in both development and emergency response contexts will be provided from several low and middle income countries and results from evaluations in multiple learning environments will be reviewed.

Author

• Sara Hommel, Save the Children