Creating Good Human Beings: New Perspectives on Cultivating Ethical Character in Expeditionary Learning Education Middle Schools

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

The objective of this session is to examine school practices that contribute to middle schoolers’ development of empathy, respect, and opportunities for authentic identity development (i.e., reduced home-school dissonance). The session reports results from the ExCEL project, a quasi-experimental study of EL Education (Expeditionary Learning) conducted by independent evaluators. Data collection involved 259 students at 9 schools (5 EL Education, 4 comparison). The first presenter is an EL Education school principal who will describe ideal EL Education practices designed to enhance empathy, respect, and authentic identity development (reduced home-school dissonance). Presenters that follow describe results from qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. Findings shed light on differences and similarities between EL Education and comparison schools.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Social and Emotional Learning

Chair

• Sara E. Rimm-Kaufman, University of Virginia

Papers

• "We Are Crew": School Climate and Culture at an Expeditionary Learning Education School - Caitlin LeClair, Portland Public Schools

• "Honoring Their Experiences": Transformative Empathy in Middle School Settings - Theresa Pfister, University of Virginia; Celine Thompson, Rutgers University - Camden; Sara E. Rimm-Kaufman, University of Virginia; Lia E. Sandilos, Lehigh University

• How Do Teachers Cultivate Student Respect During the Middle School Years? - Lia E. Sandilos, Lehigh University; Sara E. Rimm-Kaufman, University of Virginia; Celine Thompson, Rutgers University - Camden

• Bridging the Home-to-School Gap: A Mixed-Method Approach Examining Home-School Dissonance Among Black Adolescents - Shereen El Mallah, University of Virginia; Rachel Siefring, University of Virginia; Kelsey Newcomb, University of Virginia