This is a difficult and an emotional topic.
I am not only an occupational therapist with over 40 years of experience training staff, writing books and working with individuals with poor self-regulation, communication skills, impulse control and social awareness- I am also a special needs parent to a 36 year old son on the autism spectrum. He has always lacked abilities to be introspective and often fails at expressing what he really means. For example, he might look at my salad and say “you are disgusting”…. and what he really meant was ” there is a bit of soil left on the spinach”.
In my state, Massachusetts- governor Healey attempted to balance the budget by cutting mental health funding both in schools and in the community for individuals with behaviors such as:
- disruptive (i.e. yelling or throwing objects)
- agitation that may escalate to assaultive behavior or
- Self-injurious behaviors (i.e. cutting, banging head on wall)
For example, Governor Healey attempted to shut down two mental health hospitals…. she changed her mind after massive protest….
There is obviously limited funding for special education and mental health services all over the United States…
However, she managed to deliver grants to schools to train staff on what is called “Social Emotional Learning” or SEL. Below is an article about how the money is being used in the Massachusetts gateway city of Lowell. The article is from The Lowell Sun.
Note that the SEL is geared for ALL students rather than students with behavioral challenges. The funds will pay to train teachers and other staff how to deliver the SEL model. The goal isn’t to meet the needs of students with diagnosed disabilities , but rather to create a broader sense of belonging for students, especially those from marginalized backgrounds.
So what exactly is Social-Emotional Learning?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social%E2%80%93emotional_learning
According to the above wikepedia link: “In 2019, the concept of Transformative Social and Emotional Learning (Transformative SEL, TSEL or T-SEL) was developed. Transformative SEL aims to guide students to “critically examine root causes of inequity, and to develop collaborative solutions that lead to personal, community, and societal well-being.”[9][10] In 2020, CASEL updated the definition of SEL to include a stronger focus on equity, and added information about Transformative SEL as one form of SEL implementation that can focus on equity.[11][12][13
Apparently SEL is designed to promote the development of certain values such as kindness, equity, tolerance for differences and to reduce stress….
This sounds great right? We all suffer from post pandemic stress, anxiety over mass school shootings, immigrant children terrified of deportation, concerns over the cost of special education, how to keep students with behavioral challenges and everybody else safe etc.
According to Wikepedia, “in some school districts, students are asked to enter their current mood or feelings into an app every day, as part of the social-emotional learning curriculum. This has caused some to worry about parents being excluded from the process, as well as about the protection of students’ privacy.[34][35]
As an occupational therapist, I can tell you that asking children to verbalize their feelings can be stressful and to create the extra chore of entering their mood into an app-
well- it obviously takes time away from socializing with peers, free play and the basics of teaching literacy, math and critical thinking. Why do children need a “safe space” with a granola bar and bottle of water so that they can make it through the day? If that is the case, then that student should be evaluated and referred for a professional intervention.
Occupational therapists evaluate and treat sensory needs in order to prevent or minimize disruptive or maladaptive behaviors.
Here are a few examples of strategies:
- Allow students to take frequent movement breaks throughout the day
- Provide dynamic seating, a bungee cord below the feet for bounding, offer a weighted vest, a quiet fidget tool, a thickened drink in a cup with straw or chewing gum. An OT can set up a “sensory diet” to decrease the anxiety that contributes to disruptive behaviors!
- Students with communication challenges often benefit from using very direct, concrete language such as “hang up your coat and sit down here (give pointing cue) ” rather than “please put away your belongings and sit with your friends. I’ll come check in with you soon “. Of course, interactions depend on the individual student’s abilities and needs.
- Allow students to wear headphones as needed during reading or other quiet activities.
- Students with an unidentified/untreated learning disability may become disruptive out of frustration and acting out may be a way to hide their failings…. Maybe they need more time with reading specialists and less time with checking in with feelings…
I’m sure that you know where I am heading with this…
Meeting a student’s sensory needs does not usually require isolating them in a special “chill out area”, unless they actually do have mental health challenges that require specialized services… and SEL training is simply not adequate. A one size fits all attitude does a disservice to all students.
On a final note:
Below is a blog post that I wrote about an unfortunate student in Massachusetts who presented with severe anxiety and other diagnoses associated with autism. She failed to function in the public classroom, but thrived in a private school that was able to provide the small classroom and attention that she needed. Then the town decided to cut funding….
The student described in the above Boston Globe article is White, but her single mother is not a native English speaker….
Ironically, it is the marginalized students of color who are statistically most likely to be disruptive, misunderstood and suspended … Isn’t it ironic that proponents of SEL ignore the strategies proven to be most effective for these students ????