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Middle school is a time of transition, and students
need to have strong communication and social problem-solving
skills to succeed. Getting Along Together uses literature
to introduce students to listening skills and conflict
resolution, and engages students in lively discussions
on how to solve problems non-violently.
The Getting Along Together
K-8 program is a social problem-solving curriculum designed
to teach children to think critically, solve problems
non-violently, and work in teams effectively and cooperatively.
The Getting Along Together program sets in place school-wide
processes for preventing and resolving problems among
students as well as between students and teachers. Ten
interactive, literature-based lessons introduce skills
and strategies. Teacher’s guides provide structures
for coaching individual students to resolve specific
conflicts, and for conducting class-level meetings,
setting positive expectations, rewarding positive peer
interaction, and addressing class-selected issues as
a group throughout the school year. All school staff
members, including the principal, teachers, cafeteria
staff, and office staff, are trained and involved in
the Getting Along Together process to provide an effective,
consistent structure.
The Getting Along Together curriculum consists of three
components:
Classroom lessons of key problem-solving
skills are embedded within reading lessons.
An individual problem-solving model
that teaches students to “self-talk” their
way through interpersonal problems.
The Peace Path (an interactive problem-solving
model), Roundtable, and Class Councils give students
frequent practice using their skills to solve interpersonal
problems.
 There
are two weeks of introductory social-problem solving
units for grades K-8. Initial lessons in listening skills
and conflict resolution are necessary in order to give
students the background required to use teams effectively.
The lessons are engaging, interactive, and teacher-friendly
in their design and implementation. The Think It Through
sheets, Peace Path, Roundtable, and Class Councils are
structures designed to be utilized on a consistent basis
throughout the school year.
Each teacher will receive a manual to implement the
two weeks of introductory Getting Along Together lessons.
This includes:
- A Teacher’s Guide with detailed
lesson plans and process guide for each grade level,
K-8
- Class sets of student handouts
- Sets of trade books for each class
for class readings
Use the following link(s) to browse sample lessons from
Getting Along Together.
Getting
Along Together - sample lesson from Grade 3
Getting
Along Together - sample lesson from Grade 6
A partnership is developed between the SFAF staff and
your school through training sessions, on-site visits,
scheduled telephone conferences, and informal telephone
support. Ongoing professional development can be customized
to the needs of your staff.
As the school year begins, school/district leaders and
your Getting Along Together coach will develop specific
instructional goals and outcomes. This includes:
- An initial half-day planning session
with school leadership utilizing school data and input
from key stakeholders to create specific goals and
a plan to maximize the effectiveness of Getting Along
Together. This planning session allows your Getting
Along Together coach to develop with you an initial
implementation plan that meets the particular needs
of your school. It also ensures that Getting Along
Together strategies occur throughout the day in a
variety of settings.
- Quarterly monitoring of progress
toward identified school goals.
- Periodic sessions to examine
data with leadership and staff to establish and/or
review targets and interventions for the following
quarter.
The initial training will prepare teachers, administrators,
school counselors, school psychologists, and school
staff to instruct and coach students in the acquisition
of social problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.
Initial training will provide:
- One day of initial training for
the entire school community, usually occurring before
the start of the school year.
- Presentation and practice in the
Getting Along Together lessons and yearlong procedures.
- Instruction in methods for setting
up the school and classroom environment to facilitate
positive support and problem solving.
- Coaching and practice for teachers
in guiding students through the ongoing problem-solving
procedures, and weekly Class Council meetings.
- Support for administrators and
identified on-site coaches on monitoring and improving
program implementation.
- Data collection tools and a system
for tracking data on program effectiveness.
The on-site services and telephone consultations are
designed to give teachers and all school staff further
training and support for the implementation of the Getting
Along Together procedures and problem-solving processes.
The coach will assist staff in gaining confidence, expertise,
and success in facilitating the problem-solving procedures
and Class Council meetings. In addition, on-site services
and telephone consultations will also provide time to
review progress with school leadership and identify
areas for further growth in order to reach school goals.
This includes:
- Two half-day visits to the school.
Each visit consists of classroom visits, trouble-shooting,
data interpretation, and goal setting.
- Four telephone conferences per
year. These first and third quarter consultations
provide teachers opportunities to discuss and review
Class Council meetings and implementation issues,
and provide opportunities to discuss and review school
plans, goal setting, and progress.
- Two half-day follow up trainings
- Training will focus on creating effective Class
Council meetings and practicing conflict resolution
and communication strategies throughout the day.
Do you want to learn more about Getting Along Together?
Please call and talk to one of our staff members at
1-800-548-4998, ext.2372, or fill out the information
request form online.
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