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Students’ solutions can become (f) Audience-Focused Communication,
small-scale projects that are refined and (g) Reflective Improvement. Key to It is a model for bringing
by a feedback loop among students, the approach is for students to create a pedagogy to social
teachers, and administrators. The products they have to prepare, deliver, studies instruction that
STAT feedback process creates a and defend collaboratively. These might
social justice-oriented school climate be social action improvements in their emphasizes youth voice
with empathy, by demonstrating that classrooms or schools, or they might and empowerment,
students’ suggestions (even if not be alternative solutions to historical empathic listening,
enacted, i.e., such as an alternative problems or proposed solutions to communication skills,
way an historic event might have current events. They will get feedback
been handled) have been heard by on what they create and will learn to and constructive and
others and seriously considered and modify in light of feedback. creative problem solving
that many points of view have been In essence, what we are doing is pro- around historical,
expressed and explained. Students’ viding a systematic and SEL-informed current events, and
STAT conversations and suggestions pedagogical framework for what typi-
give school personnel unique access cally is a content-focus in schools. It school problem issues.
to student concerns in a way that is a model for bringing a pedagogy to
can deepen their understanding of social studies instruction that empha- perspective? Who were the
the students they serve and reinforce sizes youth voice and empowerment, key people involved in making
students’ social action and sense of empathic listening, communication important decisions?
empowerment and contribution. skills, and constructive and creative L: What options did they consider to
The ability of STAT to integrate into problem solving around historical, be acceptable ways to resolve the
existing structures is its key asset. current events, and school problem is- problem? What did they ultimately
This integration takes place in two sues. It aligns with existing content and decide?
ways. The overarching framework is creates a social-emotional and char- A: How did they carry out that
the intention to teach students how to acter development process that builds plan? What obstacles did they
analyze social issues and formulate students’ civic competencies and deep- encounter?
action plans to address them. The ens students’ academic understanding.
integration occurs either via issues The fundamental habits for respectful, N: How did it work out? What can
that are historic or issues current to engaged dialogue and democratic be learned from their experience
the school or wider social context. action are those envisioned by John that are relevant to the present?
Dewey in Democracy and Education. NOTE: This is where the project
STAT Background and connection can emerge and
Pedagogy Examples in Action connects to Audience-Focused
STAT is the product of seven years By using a common problem solving Communication pedagogy, below.
of piloting of student social action strategy as an analytic tool, students This simplified example can be re-
discussions in the Life, College and begin to internalize that way of thinking fined, differentiated, and nuanced in
Career Advisory program (New and apply it to other issues they encoun- alignment with curriculum content at
Brunswick Middle School) and ter, both in school subject areas, prob- any given grade level. Regardless,
MOSAIC (Mastering Our Skills and lems in school, and issues in their lives. these pedagogies can be linked into
Inspiring Character, in six middle The pedagogy also gives teachers a the instructional process:
schools in Jersey City). Implementing tool to use when difficult issues happen Responsible Listening – having
schools have been recognized with in the school or community and it’s not to summarize the positions one
Promising Practices and School of quite clear how to discuss them. STAT just heard
Character awards and have found their also provides an excellent vehicle for Respectful Empathic Debate –
participation has led to improvements teachers to collaborate with school sup- asking students to argue from
in student behavior and academics. port staff, such as school psychologists, the perspective of all sides of
The lessons are designed to expose counselors, and social workers, who an issue, especially ones they
students to a series of pedagogic have experience in guiding students in disagree with
elements over multiple years, each of discussions of challenging issues.
which is designed to help students get Example #1: Social studies class; Collaborative Creativity – how
along better with one another, including Topic: The Civil War else could the problem have been
and especially those with whom they viewed? What other solutions
might disagree or whose opinions and Consider the problem from different might have been considered?
ideas they don’t know. Instructional perspectives, using the PLAN Audience-Focused
elements include, in addition to PLAN: framework: Communication – how can
(a) Responsible Listening, (b) Respectful P: How did the North and the South students share what they have
Empathic Debate, (c) Peer Opinion define the problem in the country? learned with others? Do a mock
Sharing, (e) Collaborative Creativity, What were the issues, from each Civil War newspaper? Conduct

Educational Viewpoints -9- Spring 2018