Jessica Bertolani, Ph.DUniversity of Veronajessica.bertolani@univr.it

Eccomi Pronto: a program for self-directed learning in primary school

OverviewIntroduction of EP Program

Skills for self-directed learning

ComponentsUnits Structure

ImplementationTypical sessionProcessing the storyWorking with stories

Conclusion

IntroductionEccomi Pronto is story-based curriculum that is designed to be delivered by teachers. It is intended for the general population of students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is also appropriate for students who are having difficulty becoming readers and/or making the transition to being independent learners.

IntroductionEccomi Pronto is designed to be delivered in either whole classrooms or small groups and it can be easily adapted for one-on-one work with students.

Eccomi Pronto is based on the fundamental assumption that students academic development and personal development are inextricably bound together.

Unlike curricula in the content areas (math, languages, science etc.), Eccomi Pronto focuses on helping student learn skills that will help they learn better across content areas.

Its aim is to "build" more effective learners by promoting self-directed learning skills

Introduction

StoriesEach Eccomi Pronto lesson is based on stories that a teacher reads to the students. Stories are powerful devices for helping children acquire knowledge of themselves, others, and the world; and important skills underlying both social competence and reading and literacy development. Stories were chosen for three reasons: stories are an important way that people make sense of themselves and their place in the world (White 2007); the analysis of stories can be used to assess and promote childrens self-knowledge development and self-direction (Weinstein and Alschuler,1985); developing the concepts for understanding the structure of stories is an important early literacy skill that promotes the development of independent reading in primary school students.

Goals1) EP is intended to start students down the path towards self-directed learning.

Each story is based on the key concepts from a research tradition in modern educational or developmental psychology related to the capacity to be an effective self-directed learner.

The characters and events in the stories help students see how these concepts can be used by to improve their lives.

2) Eccomi Pronto is also designed to:

help teachers understand the inner lives of their students,

develop strong nurturing relationships with their students,

and develop skills in using group process to promote personal-social and academic development simultaneously in their classrooms.

Research BaseReview and analysis of the educational, developmental, and social psychology literatures that can be used to inform school-based prevention activities.

Identified 12 characteristics of students that are: a) known through research to be related to student achievement, success, social responsibility, and/or well-beingc) compatible with the positive developmental framework of preventative programs d) capable of being developed or enhanced through educational interventions.

Skills for self-directed learning

Relationships Among Eccomi Pronto Lessons and Positive Psychology Constructs. #ThemePositive Psychology Constructs1Goals settingGoal setting theory2Causal attributionCausal attribution theory3Learned optimismLearned optimism theory4Comfort with social differenceSocial skills5Self-regulation of motivationSelf-regulation6Intrinsic InterestsAchievement motivationSelf-determination theory7Possible selvesPossibile selves theory8Use of self-talk to direct behaviorMetacognitive awarenessSelf-directed learning9Help-seekingHelp seelking10Self-efficacySelf-efficacy theory11Social skills for collaborative learningSocial skills12Social consciousnessCritical consciousness

Classroom Component12 classroom lessons (Units) Beginning in the fall3-4 Consultation and supervision for teachers during the year (more upon request)2 Meeting with parents (more upon request)

Option 1:33 + 22 + 33 + 412 (4 + 8)

12 classroom lessons (Units)

Classroom ComponentOption 2:44466

Option 3:666612

Option 1:1 story every 3 weeks first presentation (Sept-Dec)

Recall the stories and work on them deeply (Jan-May)

Option 2:Present the stories once over the year

Work on them deeply

Classroom Component

The UnitsEccomi Pront contains 12 units. Each of the twelve lesson cycles has 5 parts:

1) Brief Introduction to the Lesson: the Introduction orients students to the work and helps them focus on key concepts and skills related to the lesson

The Units2) Story: the story consists of a description of the antecedent state (the problem) of the story, a series of events, descriptions of characters who interact with each other in story and who experience the events of the story, and a resolution of the story (with an explicitly stated or implied lesson or moral). Each story is based on the psychological principles that have been shown to be important in the development of self-directed learning.

The Units3) Group Processing of the Story: the group processing component is a detailed protocol to help teachers lead group inquiry focused on the story

4) Follow-Up Activities: concrete suggestions for projects that can be used to reinforcing learning

5) Evaluation Suggestions: the evaluation component included instruction for how to determine whether students are mastering the material

Core skills

The majority of the stories focus on the development of Situational level (Weinstein and Alschuler, 1985) literacy and social cognitive development skills.

The last story also focuses on students transition to Pattern level self knowledge development (Weinsten and Alschuler, 1985). It is designed to help students begin to:

Recognize patterns of behavior across different related stories

Identify how a dysfunctional pattern of behavior leads to undesirable consequences

Understand that altering a dysfunctional pattern can lead to desirable consequences.

This focus on Pattern level self-knowledge is included to provide a transition to the next level of the Eccomi Pronto curriculum.

Eccomi Pronto Typical SessionReview previous sessionWho can tell me what the last story was about?

Introduce new materialToday our story is about.. We are going to learn about.. Listen for things that help the characters

Read the story

Group processing of the story

Activity

(Daily) Systematic recalls

Extra activities for teachers and parents

Move left and right slowly to maintain a high level of attention

Dont do voices

Dont show images while readingReading the story

Processing the storyIt is typically best with young children to have a physical prompt to control who is talking, encourage listening, and to make sure that everyone is involved. Using a puppet is helpful.

Processing the story

Processing the story_RulesRaise your hand If you want to talkRaise your hand without making noise or move to muchRaise your hand only after I finished asking the questionLaunch the puppet without hitting any hanging objects

Always specify the consequences of not respecting the rule:

Processing the story_Names ListMark the children who have already spoken

Check the involvement

Everyone must speak at least once

Processing the story_Wise FeedbackRight answer: underline a skill (paying attention, listening..)

Wrong answer: underline the commitment

Refer to the previous session to underline progress

Processing the story_Wise FeedbackStep 1: Identify Positive Behaviors, Traits, and Efforts accurately describe their performance (e.g. Jane, your got half of the answers correct on the addition quiz today.)

Step 2: Focus on the Specific Deed Rather Than the Doer note their progress (You are doing much better than last month.)

THREE-STEP METHOD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Step 3: Implement by Using the Language of Encouragement

express your belief in their potential to improve (e.g. And, I am sure that you will do even better next week after I have been able to explain addition a bit more and you have had the chance to practice it).

Phrases that demonstrate belief in the child/adult include: I like theway you worked that problem through. I like the way you dealt with that. Im glad youre satisfied with the project. You look pleased. How do you feel about it?

Phrases that display assurance include: Youll work it out. I have confidence in your decision-making skills. Youll finish it. Knowing you,Im sure youll do fine.

Moral: no right or wrong answer

Briefly reformulate the answer

Always thank for speakingProcessing the story_Thank you

Criteria for extra-activities1) at least one activity must be done individually;2) at least one activity must allow to apply the skill to everyday life (school, home);3) one activity should include a small group work;4) at least one activity must involve parents in sharing their experience related to the specific skill, in order to make them active participants and improve the sharing in classroom;5) provide an activity connecting the specific skill to one (or more) school subjects.

ECCOMI PRONTOKnowledge skillsSelf-directed Learning skillsLanguagesHumanities& the ArtsMathematics& SciencesEccomi Pronto & Standard Curriculum

Effective implementationAt least one subject implementing the original EP versionSkills and extra activities for allProcessing:Clear rules before the group processingGive positive feedback (encouragement)Say thank youInvolvement of allNo right or wrong answersEngagement of families

Schools reflectionsGeneral purpose: plan educational curricula (meaningful experiences of learning and good practices) aimed at promoting social and personal skills of students (non-cognitive skills/factors).

Steps and specific goals:analysis and review of curricula and and social/personal skills of children;definition of characteristics, method and content of the daily classroom educational activities;development of good practices with families;presentation of good practices to families.

Which educational activities, tools and methodologies are needed in order to teach a curriculum for developing independent learning and social skills?

Working with stories: example of implementation

a) Engage in mutual goal setting with students. Have each student draw a picture (or write few sentences) of themselves achieving a long term goal (related to school or home) that is important to them. Help them come identify at least three short-term goals and place the goals in proper sequence. Help them decide what they need to do in order to achieve that short-term goal.

b) Send a copy of the story and a copy of Activity (a) home. Request that parents engage in the mutual goal setting activity with their child. Monitor progress every day for a week.

c) Send a copy of the story home. Ask parents to tell (and write) an episode of their lives when they reached a long-term developing a plan 'step by step'. Have students read the stories of their parents.

Goal Setting_Becky, the cow that jumped over the moon

Effective goal-setting practices include:Clearly stating the long-term goal in unambiguous terms that are measureable.Developing a strategy to achieve the long-term goal by develop a step-by-step process. The steps represent a series of short-term goals. Making sure that the short-term goals are clearly stated, measureable, and tied to a timeline.Making sure that the short-term goals are neither too easy or too difficult so that success is possible, meaningful, encouraging and reinforcing.Making sure that both the long-term and the short-term goals are stated in positive terms. They should reflect a desirable positive state to be achieved rather than an undesirable negative state to be avoided.Making sure that both long-term and the short-term goals are written down and remembered.

SMART Goal Setting

S Specific

M- Measurable

A- Achievable

R- Realistic

T- Time Oriented

Working with stories

becky completo tedesco.mp4

a) Ask each student draw a picture (or write) about a time in their own lives when they were successful by doing something different. Ask each student to show their pictures (or read) at the class and explain the picture. Post the pictures in the classroom

b) Identify typical school challenges and find different solutions Trying Something Different (TSD Chart)

c) Send a copy of the story home with a request that parents tell (or write) their child a true story about a time in their own lives when they initially failed at something but were finally successful because they tried something different. Have the students tell (or read) their parents stories in class.

2. Causal Attribution_The First and Only Queen of the Monkeys

TSD Chart

DescriptionReaction/SolutionTry Something Different 1Try Something Different 2Challenge 1Challenge 2Challenge 3Challenge 4

Reflective questioning:If you friend felt pessimistic what could you say or do to help them?If you woke up one day feeling pessimistic, what could you say to yourself that could help yourself feel more optimistic? ? What could you do that would help you feel more optimistic?

b) Fill the ABCD Chart

c) Send a copy of the story home with a request that parents tell their child (or write) a true story about a time in their own lives when they realized a wish, solving a problem thanks to positive thinking. Have the students tell (or read) their parents stories in class.

3. Learned Optimism_The City that smiles again

ABCD Approach: M. SeligmanThe learned optimism positive psychology approach was lead by Martin Seligman. He was able to explain learned optimism through and ABCD approach.

A- adversity, the problemB- beliefs, the overall beliefs that we create from the problem, can be either positive or negativeC- consequences, end results that follow our beliefs, may prevent one from completing a task or trying something new, or may be positive in enabling one to try without the fear of failureD- disputation, challenging pre existing thoughts or beliefs about a problem.

DisputationABCD Approach: M. Seligman

ABCD Chart

The problemConsequencesBeliefDisputationI get told off I feel very sadTeacher thinks I am no goodThe teacher thinks I could improve and so takes the trouble to correct me. If he thought I was no good he would let me do as I like.

A kid stares at me I get closer to threaten himThe kid thinks he is stronger than me and wants a fight. The kid may be scared of me and may stare because he is nervous that I might beat him up. Theres no obvious connection between staring and wanting a fight.

a) Draw or build the two spells of the story: Intrinsic (magic mirror) and Extrinsic (magic telescope). Hang them in the classroom and use them to mark the times of 'pleasure' and 'duty'.

b) Fill the Pleasure & Duty Chart

c) Send a copy of the story home with a request that parents tell (or write) their child a true story about a time in their own lives when: (1) they did only what they liked, or (2) they did only what they had to. Have the students tell (or read) their parents stories in class.

d) Plan the Pleasure and Duty Week

4. Intrinsic and Estrinsic Motivation_The Queens Joy and Labor

Pleasure & Duty Chart

What I like to do (pleasure)What needs to be done (duty)How to make more pleasant what needs to be done (duty)School------------Home------------

Pleasure & Duty Week

PleasureDuty

Monday-Signature____________-Signature____________Tuesday-Signature____________- Signature____________Wedsneday-Signature____________-Signature____________Thursday-Signature____________- Signature____________Friday-Signature____________- Signature____________Saturday- Signature____________- Signature____________Sunday- Signature____________- Signature____________

a) Ask the children to draw pictures of something that they do that makes their brains fly, something the do that makes their hands dance and something they do that makes their hearts sing.

b) Complete the BHH Chart

c) Send how a copy of the story with a note asking a parent to tell they child one thing that they do that makes their brain fly, one thing the do that makes their hands dance and one thing they do that makes their hearts sing. In class, have each children relate what their parents told them. In class, have each student tell one thing they learned about their parent that surprised them.

5. Intrinsic Interests_The Magic Lamp of Mister Cat

BHH Chart

week1week2week3week4Brain flyingHands dancingHeart singingIs there anything that appears more frequently for brain, hands and heart? Specify below for each one:BrainHandsHeart

The Wall of Parents

Key PointsGoal: self-directed learningSystematicStyle Family involvementTransdisciplinarityAssessment In progress/open

Future directionsEPC: integral part of the school program

New technologies

Community of practice

Middle and High schoolMiddle school: 1 year of experimentation (12-13 years old)

Thank you!

Contact Information:

Jessica Bertolani: jessica.bertolani@univr.it

*Goals, Research Base, Theoretical Foundations

**It should also be noted that sharing stories is a particularly powerful way for adults and children to build the type of relationship that is promotes effective learning (Bianchi, 2008). A good teacher-student relationship is critically important for student learning. Students learn best when they perceive that their teacher knows, likes, respects and cares about them. Good stories evoke ideas and emotions in both adults and children. The collaborative dialog between adults and children about the events and meaning of the story provide an opportunity for the development of empathy and understanding. The story-focus of Eccomi Pronto is designed not only to promote childrens self-understanding but also to help teachers deepen their relationships with their students resulting in provide a more satisfying and enriching classroom environment conducive to student learning.

**Every 3 weeks**4 fase: sistematicitUsing the moral / skills of the story every day with positive references in order to help children interiorize certain behaviors5 fase: Attivit extraProduzione di elaborati, implementazione attivit che raccontino il percorso fatto e ci che i bambini hanno imparato, attivit per genitori

*Read with your normal voicenot to drive the imagination and let the kids create their images**make the project visible in the classroom so that teachers can refer to it and the students as well.*In schools, students can use be taught how to Goal-Setting techniques by themselves based on their own desires to accomplish things that are important to them. In addition, teachers and counselors can do mutual Goal-Setting with students to help them get focused on academic objectives and help they build their motivation to achieve. *The attainment of each goal in succession builds motivation and directs behavior towards the attainment of the long-term goal.*

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**Ask children to set the following goals for at least a week: do every day something I like (choose one or two things) do every day something needs to be done (choose one or two things)everyone writes down the things that he/she decides to do during the week (both pleasant and compulsory) and then put the signature.

It is helpful to think of motivation as having two different aspects: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation refers to those activities that a given person naturally seeks and wants to perform because the person finds the performance of the activities enjoyable and rewarding. We say that a person finds a given activity intrinsically interesting. We know that different people have different intrinsic interests.Extrinsic motivation is needed to help people engage in and maintain necessary activities that do not find to be intrinsically interesting.

*Young children need to acquire an understanding of intrinsic motivation and the value of understanding ones own intrinsic interests Young children also need guidance in using the introspective process of experimentation, self-observation and self-reflection that is necessary for the discovery of their intrinsic interests. Finally, young children need to develop an appreciation for individual differences in intrinsic motivations. One of the most important ways people are different is in the things that we find intrinsically interesting and motivating.This unit is intended to introduce students the concept of intrinsic interests and to help them understand why it is important to discover their own pattern of intrinsic interests The specific purposes of this unit related to intrinsic interests are:A) To help students understand that everyone has their own pattern of intrinsic interests.B) To help students understand that it is important to discover their own intrinsic interests.C) To help students understand that it is important to engage in a process of experimentation, self-observation, and self-reflection in order to understand their own intrinsic interests.D) To help students understand how other people can help and hinder their this introspective process.

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