Empowering Early Learners: Enhancing PreK Outcomes with Second Step® Programs

This is a recap of the webinar Empowering Early Learners: Enhancing PreK Outcomes with Second Step® Programs, hosted by Joany Higgins, field marketing specialist for Committee for Children (CFC), and Stephanie Kauppila, director of product for CFC.

In a recent webinar, we were joined by a panel of educators from Faith North Early Childhood Learning Center in Arizona. Principal Diane Salazar, Assistant Principal Angela Edington, Social Worker Bernadette Duguay, and PTO President Jennifer Rodriguez shared how they have successfully implemented Second Step® Early Learning in their classrooms.

PreK educators everywhere can leverage these lessons in their unique early learning communities to help young students build a foundation of strong human skills that will last a lifetime.

Why is human skills instruction essential in early learning?

We need to teach our kids everything—from learning how to jump to learning to smile in a picture—and this is true with human skills as well. We have to help kids recognize, understand, and strengthen their human skills.

Human skills can help with:

• Learning readiness: When children feel emotionally secure and socially connected, they’re more focused, motivated, and engaged in learning.
• Emotion regulation: When children learn to recognize, express, and manage their emotions, it can help reduce behavioral issues and support mental well-being.
• Social interaction: Learning skills like empathy, fair ways to play, how to make and be a friend, problem-solving, and conflict resolution can help children form healthy relationships with peers and adults.
• Supporting future success: The development of strong human skills can positively impact areas like school performance, employment, and relationships in adulthood, helping children become compassionate and productive members of society.

Lessons to help early learners strengthen human skills

The Faith North team has witnessed huge progress in helping kids develop their human skills with Second Step Early Learning. How do they do it? Through several intentional strategies at both the schoolwide and classroom level. Here are some of the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Implementing an inclusive approach with Second Step programs

How can early learning teachers ensure human skills instruction is accessible for all students, including those who are neuroatypical?

• Use visual scaffolds: Meaningful visual aids in the classroom can help students make connections in real time between their learning and human skills.
• Group students strategically: Strategic grouping can support students with diverse communication, personality, and learning abilities.
• Modify story questions to support diverse learning needs.

Aligning Second Step programs with PBIS

How can Second Step programs complement other learning and behavioral initiatives at the early learning level, such as the PBIS framework?

• Connect PBIS expectations to specific Second Step lessons.
• Model consistent vocabulary that supports both PBIS and Second Step concepts.
• Make consistent PBIS reinforcements that identify with Second Step skills.

Innovative ways to approach Second Step implementation in early learning

The Faith North staff have utilized a number of innovative strategies to successfully implement Second Step programs.

• Stories about human skills: Read stories and books that emphasize specific human skills, such as Jabari Jumps, a picture book about a boy who overcomes his fear of diving at the public pool.
• Incorporating drama: Create scenarios where students act out human skills themselves. These are memorable experiences that reinforce key skills.
• Interactive social stories: Give kids a chance to interact with stories as they listen, using phrases or gestures.

Modeling and mentorship with Second Step programs

How can school leaders help teachers succeed with Second Step programs?

• Encourage collaboration: Working closely with teachers allows opportunities to support Second Step implementation and model effective instructional approaches.
• Build teacher buy-in: Assure teachers that Second Step implementation will promote positive effects in their classrooms, including improved academic skills and classroom climate.
• Ensure fidelity: It’s important to hold teachers accountable for consistent Second Step instruction to ensure lasting results.

Transformational outcomes through human skills instruction

The Faith North team has witnessed incredible progress from schoolwide implementation of Second Step Early Learning, including these outcomes:

• Increased empathy: Students have learned to identify and understand their own feelings and others’ feelings, leading to greater compassion.
• Stronger peer relationships: Students are better able to practice problem-solving and social conflict resolution skills together.
• Better emotion regulation: Students have grown their ability to identify and label feelings and strategies to manage their emotions independently.
• Positive classroom community: An increased focus on caring relationships and emotional safety has built a trusting and welcoming environment.

Clearly, the successes at Faith North Early Childhood Learning Center are the result of a collective, community-wide effort to help all young learners foster essential human skills. These skills form the foundation of their learning and growth, benefiting them far beyond the PreK classroom.

Watch the full webinar on demand.

Learn more about how schools can transform their early learning communities through human skills instruction. You can connect with our Education Partnerships Team about bringing Second Step programs to your district here.