Since September 2015, we've been using PATHS as a regular feature of our curriculum. PATHS stands for Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies. The PATHS programme for schools empowers our pupils to develop the social and emotional learning skills which will enable them to make positive choices throughout life.
An effective social-cognitive programme is important because children often show difficulties in social problem-solving, self-control, affective understanding and self-esteem.
The PATHS® Programme for Schools (UK Version) provides teachers and educators with a systematic developmental procedure for enhancing social competence and understanding in children. It addresses the following goals:
- Increased self-control, i.e., the ability to stop and think before acting when upset or confronted with a conflict situation. Lessons in this area also teach identification of problem situations through recognition of “upset” feelings.
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Attributional processes that lead to an appropriate sense of self-responsibility. - Increased understanding and use of the vocabulary of logical reasoning and problem-solving, e.g., “if…then” and “why…because.”
- Increased understanding and use of the vocabulary of emotions and emotional states; e.g., excited, disappointed, confused, guilty, etc. Increased use of verbal mediation.
- Increased ability to recognise and interpret similarities and differences in the feelings, reactions and points of view of self and others.
- Increased understanding of how one’s behaviour affects others.
- Increased knowledge of, and skill in, the steps of social problem-solving: stopping and thinking; identifying problems and feelings; setting goals; generating alternative solutions; anticipating and evaluating consequences; planning, executing and evaluating a course of action; trying again if the first solution fails.
- Increased ability to apply social problem-solving skills to prevent and/or resolve problems and conflicts in social interactions.
If you'd like to find out more about PATHS simply pop in and ask your child's teacher at the school, or you can find lots of information at the PATHS UK website: http://www.pathseducation.co.uk