Name, phone, job title, school:

Erin Silva

(314) 616-0180

Regular Education Social Studies Teacher

Hazelwood West High School

Project Title:

Building KINNECTions: Utilizing the Trauma-Informed Approach to Improve Student Behavior and Academic Performance in a Social Studies 9th Grade Classroom

Main Research Question:

What happens to student behavior and academic growth when the KINNECT approach is implemented in a trauma-informed 9th grade Social Studies classroom? 

Sub-Questions? (if any) (optional)

None.

List Topics to Research in the Literature Review (not the word searches but 3-4 topics connected to your research question that you’ll develop in your Lit. Review):

1)      KINNECT program: Description, organizations that have adopted the program, How the program screens for new participants, Length of each session, and Strategies for implementation trauma-informed high school- focus, benefits for students (evidence-based studies)

2)      Evidence-based studies with a high-school focus, to research the benefits and drawbacks of the KINNECT program: Comparison data needed to support study

3)      Adverse Childhood Experiences screening tool: Outline of the 10 traumas, What traumas are not accounted for, How to utilize the scoring guide

4)      Emotional Regulation test v Emotional Dysregulation test: Which is more effective for tracking emotional growth in the classroom?

Setting:

An urban-fringe high school with a minority enrollment of 70% and nearly 60% of the student population is considered economically disadvantaged. The study itself will take place in a 9th grade U.S. History classroom that utilizes flexible seating. 

Participants:

The student population consists of 22 freshmen students between the ages of 14-15. All 22 have expressed characteristics of adolescents who've experienced adverse trauma. The classroom contains 16 males and 6 females (9 IEPS and 2 gifted) with more than ½ receiving free or reduced lunch.

Total active participants: Teacher (myself), Co-teacher, and 22 students 

Interventions (if any).

1)      Distribute parent information letter, as requested by building administration (Approved by building principal)

2)      Introduction to the KINNECT 10-day program and the definition of Social-Emotional learning (Program extended to fit block scheduling)

3)      Stillness work: Integrate 5 minute Tai Chi breathing and movement exercises

4)      Social Emotional Unit on Building a Classroom Community

-       Opening Circle

-       10 games to be introduced individually over the course of 10 class periods (United We Stand, Yurt Circle, You, Me & Lisa, Commonalities, Team Juggle, Triangle Tag, Mrs. O’Grady’s Cat, Adjective Game, Ah-So-Co, Micro/Macro and/or Barnyard Reunion)

-       Appreciation Circle

5)      Stillness work: Integrate 5 minute Tai Chi breathing and movement exercises

6)      Exit Discussion on day 10: How to utilize the learned KINNECT program skills in the student’s other classes to improve behavior and academic performance

7)      Technology Integrated daily for meditation music and lesson support

Data Collection ( List all data sources by Artifacts, Inquiry and Observational Data, including data types for each category ) and explain how each data source would help you answer your RQ:

Baseline Data (Preliminary):

1)      Benchmark test scores (formative assessment baseline collected on October 31^st, 2022)

2)      Adverse Childhood Experiences screening test (ACEs ) (demographic data) Administered once for pre-screening data; determines level of trauma 1-10 utilizing the scoring guide

3)      Emotion Regulation questionnaire (to track initial data point for emotional and behavioral growth; administered on October 31st, 2022)

4)      Chart Behavioral Reports for each student (# of redirections per 90-minute block period)

5)      Documentation/analysis of IEP data

(Diagnosis, accommodations, and modifications utilized)

6)      Initial documentation of Individual student work (Quality and completion of homework/in-class activities according to scoring guide)

Artifacts:

7)      Behavioral Reports (# of redirections per 90-minute block period) (supporting data to track social-emotional/behavioral growth collected every Thursday or Friday; 4 times in total)

8)      Emotional Regulation questionnaires (to track social-emotional growth; administered a total of 10 times over the course of 4 weeks)

9)      Individual student work (Quality and completion of homework/in-class activities according to scoring guide collected every Friday; 4 times total)

10)   Benchmark test scores (summative assessment to track academic growth administered on December 1^st, 2022)

Observational:

11)   Teacher journal (to document benefits and drawbacks of the program, observations and interpretations of student engagement, and comments or observations made by my co-teacher.)

12)    Behavioral observation rubric (to track: responses to intervention, challenges, successes and frequency/intensity of interventions)

Inquiry:

13)   Informal conversations with co-teacher and students to gauge preliminary data and perceptions of the KINNECT program.

14)   Exit Student Reflections: Written and informal student reflections via Google Forms to summarize personal struggles and successes of the KINNECT program. (To show if the intended growth in both behavior and academics is similar to the real outcomes. Did the student see changes in their own behavior? Did the student see academic growth? What activity had the greatest impact on behavior and academic growth?)

Timeline for Interventions & Data collection 

It will be observed over a period of 10 ninety-minute block periods spanning 4 weeks, beginning on October 31^st, 2022 with final data collection ending December 2^nd,. Each KINNECT session is expected to last approximately 25-30 min and will be in-place-of current warm-up activities.

The action step process:

48 hours before initial start: Complete certification in CBI 

Download Playlist for activities and gather all necessary materials: Materials: Writing utensils, paper, balls of different sizes and parachute

Week 1: October 31 – November 4

·         Mon.: Distribute parent letter as requested, Administer Pearl ACEs pre-screening questionnaire and Emotional Detachment pre-assessment questionnaire for baseline data. Administer Semester one content Benchmark test (50 questions multiple choice)

Introduce KINNECT, define social-emotional health, and discuss classroom expectations. Begin with opening circle à introduce game: Commonalities à Closing: Thai Chi breathing and stillness work. Post-assessment questionnaire to gauge improvements in social-emotional health.

·         Wed.: Begin with opening circle à introduce game: Stepping stones à Closing: Thai Chi breathing and stillness work. Post-assessment questionnaire to gauge improvements in social-emotional health.

·         Fri.: Begin with opening circle à introduce game: Micro/Macro à Appreciation Circle à Closing: Thai Chi breathing and stillness work. Post-assessment questionnaire to gauge improvements in social-emotional health. (Review student work, monitor behavior reports, and track end-of-week formative assessment scores).

Week 2: November 7 - 11

·         Mon. Begin with opening circle à introduce game: Minefield à Closing: Thai Chi breathing and stillness work. Post-assessment questionnaire to gauge improvements in social-emotional health.

·         Tues. NO SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

·         Thurs.: Begin with opening circle à introduce game: United We Stand à Appreciation Circle à Closing: Thai Chi breathing and stillness work. Post-assessment questionnaire to gauge improvements in social-emotional health. (Review student work, monitor behavior reports, and track end-of-week assessment grades).

Week 3: November 14 - 18

·         Mon. Begin with opening circle à introduce game: Team Juggle à Closing: Thai Chi breathing and stillness work. Post-assessment questionnaire to gauge improvements in social-emotional health.

·         Wed. Begin with opening circle à introduce game: You, Me, and Lisa  à Closing: Thai Chi breathing and stillness work. Post-assessment questionnaire to gauge improvements in social-emotional health.

·         Friday: Begin with opening circle à introduce game: Pipeline à Appreciation Circle à Closing: Thai Chi breathing and stillness work. Post-assessment questionnaire to gauge improvements in social-emotional health. (Review student work, monitor behavior reports, and track end-of-week assessment grades).

Chart data points: Course grades, behavioral reports, student work, etc.

Week 4: November 21-25 (No school for Fall Break)

Week 5: November 28 – December 2

·         Tues. Begin with opening circle à introduce game: Ah-So-Co à Closing: Thai Chi breathing and stillness work. Post-assessment questionnaire to gauge improvements in social-emotional health.

·         Thurs: Begin with opening circle à introduce game: Adjective Game à Closing: Thai Chi breathing and stillness work. Post-assessment questionnaire and data collection à Administer final Summative Semester one content Benchmark test (50 questions multiple choice) à check for changes/improvements in social emotional wellness data, check student work for improvements in quality, and journal conversations with students and staff.

Chart final data point for student summative-assessment grades

Exit discussion: How to utilize the learned KINNECT program skills in the student’s other classes to improve behavior and academic performance.

*Distribute student reflection assignment for homework.

Questions or Issues you have about project for peers & instructor during Group Conference:

Timeline changes were made to account for a Covid-19 infection (3 days quarantined) and the week of the shooting at Central Visual Arts High School. Student attendance was deeply impacted after threats were made and guns found on Hazelwood West’s campus. News coverage will be included as evidence in the study if needed.