Belonging and Becoming: The Power of Social and Emotional Learning in High Schools

Despite growing attention to the importance of grit and other character traits for achievement, developing them in students rarely finds its way into secondary school curricula. Authors Barbara Cervone and Kathleen Cushman investigate the exceptions, telling the stories of five high schools with a national reputation for infusing rigorous academics with social and emotional learning, which results in demonstrable benefits for students.

Based on extensive interviews and on-site visits, the book identifies six elements that all of these schools have in common, including advisories and other structural supports for students and teachers; rituals and other means for establishing an intentional, reflective, and respectful community as well as a firm commitment to restorative justice; and a broad and engaging curriculum that includes service learning.

Featuring the voices of educators and students alike, Belonging and Becoming not only shows how these schools stand out for their high degree of caring and success, but makes a strong case for why other schools should be inspired to take up the challenge and replicate their efforts.

Barbara Cervone, Ed.D., is founder and president of What Kids Can Do, Inc., an international nonprofit organization that promotes the value of young people tackling projects that combine powerful learning with public purpose. Previously, she coordinated Walter H. Annenberg’s ＄500 million ＂Challenge＂ to reform America’s schools--at the time the largest private initiative to reform public education in U.S. history--from its inception in January 1994 until June 2000.

Kathleen Cushman has documented the learning of adolescents in and out of school since 1989. A co-founder of What Kids Can Do, she gathered youth voices in WKCD’s books about school culture and climate (the Fires in the Bathroom series), student motivation and mastery (Fires in the Mind and The Motivation Equation), and college access (First in the Family). From 2011 to 2014 she documented the work of the Deeper Learning community of practice brought together by the Hewlett Foundation, and she contributes to the Learning Deeply blog for Education Week. Since 2014 she has consulted to the New Teacher Center’s initiative on social and emotional learning.