Enhancing academic instruction isn’t enough

Intensifying academic instruction does not improve student performance sufficiently unless children also develop social and emotional capabilities.

The latest evidence emerged in findings reported in June by the Manpower Research Development Corporation, MDRC, from a rigorous test of whether more than 3,700 children attending after school programs  in 13 states showed improvement in academic outcomes after receiving enhanced instruction in math and reading. The report reflected the first year of a 2-year impact evaluation for the U.S. Department of Education.

Key findings:

Enhanced math and reading instruction did not produce statistically significant impact on student engagement, behavior or homework.
Students in the reading program showed statistically significant impact in one of the three performance tests; math scores showed 8.5 percent improvement after enhanced instruction.

Those of us out in the field welcome the recognition by parents, educators and policy makers of the tremendous opportunity that after school represents for advancing student success. The federal government is investing more than $1 billion annually toward this goal through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding. Our WINGS for kids after school program is a grateful recipient of 21st CCLC grants.

The MDRC study is an important part of the Education Department’s program of research seeking to strengthen the capabilities of 21st CCLC-funded programs to support academic growth.

But after school programs that offer merely homework help or enhanced instruction fall short unless they also give children an effective social and emotional education. These fundamental capabilities lessen conduct detrimental to learning and strengthen attachment to school – a significant predictor of academic success.

Developing social and emotional life skills helps students communicate well, team up effectively with others and manage emotions like anger and discouragement. They learn how to motivate themselves.

Emotions play an important role in enhancing the relationships that affect how we learn – from teachers and caring adults, from other students. Feelings govern whether a child experiences an active interest in learning and remains engaged. Inability to manage stress or regulate impulses makes it difficult to pay attention and focus, and contributes to disruptive behavior that interferes with learning.

Children who are socially and emotionally competent feel engaged in their academic progress. The research clearly shows that students who lack these competencies demonstrate a lack of attachment to school and are more likely to drop out before graduation, exhibit disruptive and violent behavior, use weapons, experiment with tobacco, alcohol or drugs and engage in early sexual involvement.

What we have learned at WINGS for kids is that it takes two years and 400 hours of a systematic and sequential after school curriculum to fortify children fully with these essential skills. Our program model is currently undergoing scientifically rigorous documentation of the progress and outcomes of participants in preparation for summative and formative evaluations to ensure that we can replicate with quality and effectiveness.

Further research like ours and MDRC’s impact evaluation underscore the vital need to recognize that advancing the academic performance of children requires developing their social and emotional capabilities – what has been called “the missing piece of education” by Maurice Elias of Rutgers University.