Each month, the students choose a different social skill for everyone to follow for the entire month. She takes improving a school's atmosphere one step further by developing an attribute of the month and character calendar. The students choose an attribute for each month of the school year and then generate ideas. The aim for many teachers is to figure out a way to increase academic engaged time. Ms. Scully's assumption that with improved social skills teaching will be easier and students will learn more is hard to argue with.
Social skills are a foundation for students' academic success and success in life.
Aimee McCourt, School Psychology Intern, who had previously used other social skills lessons with younger children, found the activities of this program well suited for older children because of its emphasis on self-esteem, responsibility taking and relationship building. She used this program with a small group of students in a self-contained classroom. She concentrated on the Communication Skills chapter since many of her students needed help with their listening skills. Occasionally, she modified the implementation of these activities to be more age appropriate for the students. Ms. McCourt believes these activities have been successful in fostering the social skill awareness of these children, and were enjoyable to them as well.