We consistently hear from teachers that School-Connect lessons are easy to implement.  This is especially true for teachers with a background in social and emotional learning, life skills training, violence prevention, psychology, and/or counseling, as well as those who work with special needs students. Teachers can be successful in implementing School-Connect without training, as long as they follow some simple guidelines:  

• Read the Teacher’s Guide and study the lesson format.
• Preview the entire curriculum, noting how 1) lessons build on one another, 2) which modules and lessons you are most comfortable with, and 3) which you would like to learn more about.
• If other teachers in your school or organization are implementing School-Connect, meet with them to discuss the program, and then become a support team that meets regularly during implementation.
• If you have little or no background in social and emotional learning, read some of the suggested resources. Click for a list Key Books.

• Allow 20-30 minutes for preparation, preferably the day before you teach the lesson. Read the lesson with your students in mind, think of real-life examples you might share, and consider how you might adapt the outline to maximize student engagement and understanding.
• After each lesson, reflect on what went well and what adjustments you might make next time you teach that or another lesson.  It helps to keep these notes in a journal and review them periodically.
• If other teachers in your school are implementing the program, meet periodically as a support team to discuss experiences and share advice.
• You may want to check out or purchase some of the resource books listed in the lessons for further study.