Step #1. Select and describe program context:
Identify a social program that you would like to evaluate. Describe the focus of the program, size of staff, goals, resources, community demographics, and other details important to conducting a program evaluation.
Background
In our school district, there are frequent opportunities for leaders to implement school planning as an inquiry process. The purpose of this inquiry model is to involve staff in recognizing our learners and identify the needs to better support our community.
As stated on the Surrey Schools website, “the purpose, in part, of utilizing an inquiry-based school planning process is to:
• Engage teachers in meaningful conversations about evidenced-based teaching practices that lead to improved student learning and engagement;
• Improve student learning in areas that are foundational to student success
(e.g., literacy, numeracy, etc.);
• View school planning in a more holistic way, incorporating the district priorities practices (e.g., Curriculum Design, Quality Assessment, Instructional Strategies, Social and Emotional Learning) as a key aspect of school development;
• Ensure that students are developing Core Competencies as mandated by
the Ministry of Education” (Surrey Schools Learning by Design, 2021).
Throughout the beginning stages (i.e., teaching sprints, staff surveys and grade-group collaborative inquiry) of developing a school inquiry, our staff was consistently seeing a need for social and emotional learning at the forefront of student learning for our school. As social and emotional learning is one of the four pillars to our district’s Priority Practices, staff are provided many professional learning opportunities to continue to best support our learners.
According to the Surrey Schools website, “for many students, SEL involves gaining access to emotional and social supports beyond the classroom, according to their personal needs. It also involves opportunities for students to express themselves, to learn in the ways that are relevant to their families and communities, and use their creative and intellectual gifts” (Surrey Schools Learning by Design, 2021b).
As this has become a glaringly important and a universal piece to all student learning, some of our staff members have created a joint team to focus on specific social and emotional programming to support students. As there are several programs available, (i.e., Zones of Regulation, Second Step, MindUp, etc.), and many staff members are already utilizing few of these programs, our team has decided to utilize a non-profit program developed using evidence-based methods to improve student well-being.
Program and Purpose
Within the school community, different programs are offered to benefit and provide opportunities for our learners. In this particular instance, we will be examining the social and emotional program entitled, The Brain Fit Super Powers. According to Natalie Hunniford, writer and creator of The Brain Fit Super Powers, “the purpose of this program is to enhance each student’s mental health, which will result in improved overall wellbeing, emotional and physical health, and academic achievement” (Hunniford, 2019, 2). The program is organized in a manner intended to be used more than once a week. The activities created are short, engaging tasks but promote important facets of social and emotional learning. Hunniford states, “these activities will promote social and emotional development; empathy, optimism, and gratefulness; connectedness with adults and peers, a positive school experience where there is a sense of belonging; and physical health and well-being that includes a healthy sense of their bodies and self-image” (Hunniford, 2019, 2). As a large portion of this program is based on skills that will allow students to be successful, a great deal is also based on connection to one another (teacher and student), much like the works of Dr. Gordan Neufeld's Attachment Theory. As well, the purpose of this resources is to teach self-regulation strategies and ability to control student emotions. Class meetings are also used and eventually a family homework component having students communicate their social and emotional learning with parents or guardians.
Context
The current context in which this program is being offered, is a school community located in Surrey BC. In this community, there are a variety of elementary schools in a short distance from one another. In each of these schools, many social and emotional outreach programs, such as JumpStart, Game Ready and Blast, are being offered to better support inner-city youth. This particular catchment has a dynamic elementary school offering an English and French immersion program ranging from kindergarten to grade 7. The French Immersion program is based on a district lottery, and students from all over the city commute to the school to attend the French program. The English program is for students to attend who live within catchment.
The school also offers a breakfast and lunch program for students. There are benefits for students and families while attending breakfast programs that exceed just sustenance. According to Young, “research suggests that participation in the School Breakfast Program positively impacts academic success by improving student behaviour, cognitive functioning, and attendance” (Young, 2018, 1). As the community has an inner-city status identified by school district processes, there are also inner-city funding opportunities to support the student population. For example, this funding provides the school with an additional capital in which the school draws from, thereby having a childcare worker support children 5 days a week instead of the predetermined 4 days without the inner-city funding. Additionally, this designation provides a 4 day a week outreach worker who supports students and staff, organizes in-school programs and after school outreach programs.
Staffing
The staffing involved in this specific social and emotional team is quite minimal. We currently have four Blended Learning Program teachers on site implementing the program. These staff members teach a large portion of the school day virtually, and then welcome students for face-to-face instruction three afternoons each week. Additionally, our administrative team (Principal and Vice Principal) are working with this program by providing monthly assemblies based on The Brain Fit Super Powers. Each assembly has a different focus (i.e., empathy) and presents useable strategies, skits and information for the community. As well, each morning our student announcers highlight the superpower for the month and articulate a new message based on a particular super power. The message changes each day and the theme changes monthly. Finally, we have student leaders who help create video skits for assemblies based on each Super Power.
Students
The students participating in this program are at the elementary level and range from kindergarten to grade 7. As previously mentioned, all of these students are enrolled in the Blended Learning Program and have chosen to learn partially online and in person. The students attending this program are coming from a variety of backgrounds and learning needs. A large portion of their learning is based on keeping the connection with the community and sense of belonging. Additionally, and most obvious to staff members, teachers are utilizing the program to better support students in using calming strategies when students find themselves emotional or escalating. Teachers often utilize a morning meeting type start up, very similar to that of The Morning Meeting Book by Carol Davis. However, staff have chosen the SEL topics from The Brain Fit Super Powers to engage their learnings, provide activities and strategies that reach a range of learners and deliver an opportunity of choice. Faye Brownlie states, in Student Diversity: Teaching Strategies to Meet the Learning Needs of All Students in K – 10 Classrooms, “programming for the students who are most at-risk in learning [must be] consistent” (Brownlie et al., 2016).
Resources
For this particular program, the resources that are required are that of the program itself. It contains monthly themes, daily lessons, hands-on learning activities, and videos and YouTube clips to make abstract learning more concrete. Much of the foundation of the program is based on The Zones of Regulation, the MindUp program and Growth Mindset. Staff and administration have chosen to utilize additional resources such as Second Step to assist when focusing on behaviour management and coping strategies. As The Brain Fit Super Powers is a not-for-profit social program, the creator will not be receiving any funds its development, use or even presentations.
Sense of Belonging
The sense of belonging and community attachment appears such an important connection for this program and the students, especially during virtual learning. As stated by Faye Brownlie and Judith King, author of Learning in Safe Schools: Creating Classrooms Where all Students Belong “fostering a culture of “belonging” in a community can help children develop love, friendship, commitment, and caring. This “belonging” moves students to act in an inclusive way, change behaviour, go out of their way for others, and appreciate others for who they are” (Brownlie & King, 2011). These benefits are also directly linked to the purpose of utilizing this program within these classes. Hunniford mentions, “when students feel that they belong you should notice your students are feeling happier, more content, calm and committed, enhanced self-esteem, and improved reading comprehension and social competence” (Hunniford, 2019, 3).
Step #2. Identify purpose for evaluation and specify evaluation questions:
Describe the purpose of your evaluation and identify specific evaluation questions to help guide your evaluation design.
Purpose of Evaluation
The purpose of an evaluation is to improve program design, implementation and measure program impact. As this program is not typically evaluated by staff or administration, it is solely assessed based on student engagement and progress. Our administrative team regularly supports by participating in lessons, assemblies and morning announcements, but the evaluative piece is primarily teacher based. As well, teaching and support staff often drop in to partake to connect with students, but they do not have any responsibility to provide constructive feedback based on the program. According to Chen, author of A Practical Evaluation Taxonomy, “it is vital that practicing program evaluators know which evaluation strategy and which evaluation approach, out of the many available, will be best suited to meet stakeholders’ fluctuating needs” (Chen, 2005, 2). By evaluating The Brain Fit Super Powers social program, we can better understand the impact in relation to students' mental health.
As mentioned in Better Evaluation, “evaluation approaches have often been developed to address specific evaluation questions or challenges” (Approaches, 2020). Please see the questions below.
Evaluative Questions:
To what extent was the programme purpose met?
Implementation Questions
-To what extent will daily morning meetings influence students’ coping strategies?
-To what extent will morning announcements with embedded Brain Fit Super Powers influence student recognition of social and emotional learning?
-To what extent will monthly assemblies focusing on social and emotional learning stimulate awareness?
-To what extent will establishing monthly Brain Fit Super Powers bulletin boards impact our community of learners’ language use?
What data are needed?
How could the programme be improved for teachers?
Question to Consider:
As identified by Kaser and Halbert, authors of The Spiral Playbook,
The Spiral of Inquiry is based on 6 main stages included questions that could also assist upon learning from the evaluation.
• “What is going on for our learners?
• What will have the biggest impact?
• What is leading to this situation? How are we contributing to it?
• Have we made enough of a difference? How do we know?
• What can we do to make a meaningful difference?
• What do we need to learn? How will we learn this?” (Kaser & Halbert, 2017, 4).
Identify a social program that you would like to evaluate. Describe the focus of the program, size of staff, goals, resources, community demographics, and other details important to conducting a program evaluation.
Background
In our school district, there are frequent opportunities for leaders to implement school planning as an inquiry process. The purpose of this inquiry model is to involve staff in recognizing our learners and identify the needs to better support our community.
As stated on the Surrey Schools website, “the purpose, in part, of utilizing an inquiry-based school planning process is to:
• Engage teachers in meaningful conversations about evidenced-based teaching practices that lead to improved student learning and engagement;
• Improve student learning in areas that are foundational to student success
(e.g., literacy, numeracy, etc.);
• View school planning in a more holistic way, incorporating the district priorities practices (e.g., Curriculum Design, Quality Assessment, Instructional Strategies, Social and Emotional Learning) as a key aspect of school development;
• Ensure that students are developing Core Competencies as mandated by
the Ministry of Education” (Surrey Schools Learning by Design, 2021).
Throughout the beginning stages (i.e., teaching sprints, staff surveys and grade-group collaborative inquiry) of developing a school inquiry, our staff was consistently seeing a need for social and emotional learning at the forefront of student learning for our school. As social and emotional learning is one of the four pillars to our district’s Priority Practices, staff are provided many professional learning opportunities to continue to best support our learners.
According to the Surrey Schools website, “for many students, SEL involves gaining access to emotional and social supports beyond the classroom, according to their personal needs. It also involves opportunities for students to express themselves, to learn in the ways that are relevant to their families and communities, and use their creative and intellectual gifts” (Surrey Schools Learning by Design, 2021b).
As this has become a glaringly important and a universal piece to all student learning, some of our staff members have created a joint team to focus on specific social and emotional programming to support students. As there are several programs available, (i.e., Zones of Regulation, Second Step, MindUp, etc.), and many staff members are already utilizing few of these programs, our team has decided to utilize a non-profit program developed using evidence-based methods to improve student well-being.
Program and Purpose
Within the school community, different programs are offered to benefit and provide opportunities for our learners. In this particular instance, we will be examining the social and emotional program entitled, The Brain Fit Super Powers. According to Natalie Hunniford, writer and creator of The Brain Fit Super Powers, “the purpose of this program is to enhance each student’s mental health, which will result in improved overall wellbeing, emotional and physical health, and academic achievement” (Hunniford, 2019, 2). The program is organized in a manner intended to be used more than once a week. The activities created are short, engaging tasks but promote important facets of social and emotional learning. Hunniford states, “these activities will promote social and emotional development; empathy, optimism, and gratefulness; connectedness with adults and peers, a positive school experience where there is a sense of belonging; and physical health and well-being that includes a healthy sense of their bodies and self-image” (Hunniford, 2019, 2). As a large portion of this program is based on skills that will allow students to be successful, a great deal is also based on connection to one another (teacher and student), much like the works of Dr. Gordan Neufeld's Attachment Theory. As well, the purpose of this resources is to teach self-regulation strategies and ability to control student emotions. Class meetings are also used and eventually a family homework component having students communicate their social and emotional learning with parents or guardians.
- Self-Regulation
- Gratefulness
- Empathy
- Generosity
- Growth Mind-Set
- Kindness/Assertiveness
- Creativity/Resourcefulness
- Responsibility/Accountability
- Teamwork
- Reflection/Self-Compassion
Context
The current context in which this program is being offered, is a school community located in Surrey BC. In this community, there are a variety of elementary schools in a short distance from one another. In each of these schools, many social and emotional outreach programs, such as JumpStart, Game Ready and Blast, are being offered to better support inner-city youth. This particular catchment has a dynamic elementary school offering an English and French immersion program ranging from kindergarten to grade 7. The French Immersion program is based on a district lottery, and students from all over the city commute to the school to attend the French program. The English program is for students to attend who live within catchment.
The school also offers a breakfast and lunch program for students. There are benefits for students and families while attending breakfast programs that exceed just sustenance. According to Young, “research suggests that participation in the School Breakfast Program positively impacts academic success by improving student behaviour, cognitive functioning, and attendance” (Young, 2018, 1). As the community has an inner-city status identified by school district processes, there are also inner-city funding opportunities to support the student population. For example, this funding provides the school with an additional capital in which the school draws from, thereby having a childcare worker support children 5 days a week instead of the predetermined 4 days without the inner-city funding. Additionally, this designation provides a 4 day a week outreach worker who supports students and staff, organizes in-school programs and after school outreach programs.
Staffing
The staffing involved in this specific social and emotional team is quite minimal. We currently have four Blended Learning Program teachers on site implementing the program. These staff members teach a large portion of the school day virtually, and then welcome students for face-to-face instruction three afternoons each week. Additionally, our administrative team (Principal and Vice Principal) are working with this program by providing monthly assemblies based on The Brain Fit Super Powers. Each assembly has a different focus (i.e., empathy) and presents useable strategies, skits and information for the community. As well, each morning our student announcers highlight the superpower for the month and articulate a new message based on a particular super power. The message changes each day and the theme changes monthly. Finally, we have student leaders who help create video skits for assemblies based on each Super Power.
Students
The students participating in this program are at the elementary level and range from kindergarten to grade 7. As previously mentioned, all of these students are enrolled in the Blended Learning Program and have chosen to learn partially online and in person. The students attending this program are coming from a variety of backgrounds and learning needs. A large portion of their learning is based on keeping the connection with the community and sense of belonging. Additionally, and most obvious to staff members, teachers are utilizing the program to better support students in using calming strategies when students find themselves emotional or escalating. Teachers often utilize a morning meeting type start up, very similar to that of The Morning Meeting Book by Carol Davis. However, staff have chosen the SEL topics from The Brain Fit Super Powers to engage their learnings, provide activities and strategies that reach a range of learners and deliver an opportunity of choice. Faye Brownlie states, in Student Diversity: Teaching Strategies to Meet the Learning Needs of All Students in K – 10 Classrooms, “programming for the students who are most at-risk in learning [must be] consistent” (Brownlie et al., 2016).
Resources
For this particular program, the resources that are required are that of the program itself. It contains monthly themes, daily lessons, hands-on learning activities, and videos and YouTube clips to make abstract learning more concrete. Much of the foundation of the program is based on The Zones of Regulation, the MindUp program and Growth Mindset. Staff and administration have chosen to utilize additional resources such as Second Step to assist when focusing on behaviour management and coping strategies. As The Brain Fit Super Powers is a not-for-profit social program, the creator will not be receiving any funds its development, use or even presentations.
Sense of Belonging
The sense of belonging and community attachment appears such an important connection for this program and the students, especially during virtual learning. As stated by Faye Brownlie and Judith King, author of Learning in Safe Schools: Creating Classrooms Where all Students Belong “fostering a culture of “belonging” in a community can help children develop love, friendship, commitment, and caring. This “belonging” moves students to act in an inclusive way, change behaviour, go out of their way for others, and appreciate others for who they are” (Brownlie & King, 2011). These benefits are also directly linked to the purpose of utilizing this program within these classes. Hunniford mentions, “when students feel that they belong you should notice your students are feeling happier, more content, calm and committed, enhanced self-esteem, and improved reading comprehension and social competence” (Hunniford, 2019, 3).
Step #2. Identify purpose for evaluation and specify evaluation questions:
Describe the purpose of your evaluation and identify specific evaluation questions to help guide your evaluation design.
Purpose of Evaluation
The purpose of an evaluation is to improve program design, implementation and measure program impact. As this program is not typically evaluated by staff or administration, it is solely assessed based on student engagement and progress. Our administrative team regularly supports by participating in lessons, assemblies and morning announcements, but the evaluative piece is primarily teacher based. As well, teaching and support staff often drop in to partake to connect with students, but they do not have any responsibility to provide constructive feedback based on the program. According to Chen, author of A Practical Evaluation Taxonomy, “it is vital that practicing program evaluators know which evaluation strategy and which evaluation approach, out of the many available, will be best suited to meet stakeholders’ fluctuating needs” (Chen, 2005, 2). By evaluating The Brain Fit Super Powers social program, we can better understand the impact in relation to students' mental health.
As mentioned in Better Evaluation, “evaluation approaches have often been developed to address specific evaluation questions or challenges” (Approaches, 2020). Please see the questions below.
Evaluative Questions:
To what extent was the programme purpose met?
Implementation Questions
-To what extent will daily morning meetings influence students’ coping strategies?
-To what extent will morning announcements with embedded Brain Fit Super Powers influence student recognition of social and emotional learning?
-To what extent will monthly assemblies focusing on social and emotional learning stimulate awareness?
-To what extent will establishing monthly Brain Fit Super Powers bulletin boards impact our community of learners’ language use?
What data are needed?
How could the programme be improved for teachers?
Question to Consider:
As identified by Kaser and Halbert, authors of The Spiral Playbook,
The Spiral of Inquiry is based on 6 main stages included questions that could also assist upon learning from the evaluation.
• “What is going on for our learners?
• What will have the biggest impact?
• What is leading to this situation? How are we contributing to it?
• Have we made enough of a difference? How do we know?
• What can we do to make a meaningful difference?
• What do we need to learn? How will we learn this?” (Kaser & Halbert, 2017, 4).