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Social Academic Instructional Group (SAIG) Curriculum

The Social Academic Instructional Group (SAIG) curriculum for K–12 students in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) was created by school psychologists, school social workers, and school counselors.

Elementary Lessons

These elementary SAIG lessons are based on the circle format, revolve around restorative practices, and rely heavily on Skillstreaming  (McGinnis, Ellen, and Arnold Paul Goldstein. Skillstreaming in Early Childhood: New Strategies and Perspectives for Teaching Prosocial Skills. Champaign, IL. Research Press, 2003.). Each SAIG with a group of students should last nine weeks. There are two group themes: Classroom Survival Skills and Emotional Management Skills.

The lessons contain all resources, discussions, and activities needed to conduct the SAIG with your students. Schools are invited to download any of the lessons and adapt them to fit their needs. Lessons are divided by grade-level bands, with the topics varying by grade level.

A variety of sources and resources were used in the creation of these SAIG lessons. Skillstreaming guides were a primary resource for the elementary lessons. We highly recommend getting a copy of the guide for your age group. Each guide contains more than 100 pages of time-tested best practices. The information on effective use of modeling and role play is especially helpful.

Circle Highlights           

Each SAIG lesson is designed to be facilitated using community-building circle processes. Two articles—What Are Circles?  and Circles for SAIGs—should cover everything you need to know in order to do this.

Mindfulness

In MPS, we are defining mindfulness as the "purposeful awareness of our thoughts, emotions, physical feelings, and environment in the present moment, without judgment." All SAIG lessons should start with a mindful practice. The facilitator of the SAIG can use any mindful practice that he or she is comfortable using with the group. Additional ideas can be found on our Mindful Practices mConnect page or the Menu of Mindful Practices resources.

Things to Consider

Following these “best practice” strategies will maximize the effectiveness of your SAIG:

Elementary Classroom Survival Lessons

PBIS refers to these as "academic behavior skills." Lessons are grouped according to grade level: K4–K5, grades 1–3, grades 4–5, and grades 6–8. Feel free to teach the lessons in any order that seems appropriate for the needs of your group. Each lesson is complete in itself. Some lessons may take more than one session to complete—especially if you choose to have each student design their own role play or if you choose to use the optional activities at the end of the lesson.

Elementary Emotional Management Lessons

PBIS refers to these as "problem-solving skills." Lessons are grouped according to grade level: K4–K5, grades 1–3, grades 4–5, and grades 6–8. Feel free to teach the lessons in any order that seems appropriate for the needs of your group. Each lesson is complete in itself. Some lessons may take more than one session to complete—especially if you choose to have each student design their own role play or if you choose to use the optional activities at the end of the lesson.

Elementary Attendance as a Responsible Behavior Lessons

High School Lessons

These SAIG lessons are based on the circle format and revolve around restorative practices and other sources. Each SAIG with a group of students should last nine weeks, with each school selecting the lessons that will fit the needs of its students. The lessons contain all resources, discussions, and activities needed to conduct the SAIG with your students. Schools are invited to download any of the lessons and adapt them to fit their needs.

Self-Care SAIG

The Self-Care SAIG (created in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction) consists of six youth-driven sessions for middle and high school students. It can be used as a Tier 2 (small group) or Tier 3 (one-on-one) intervention. It is designed as a self-discovery tool and conversation starter with youth about their overall well-being. Youth will assess their well-being in eight different areas of their life and consider any new choices they would like to explore as well as the people who can support their choices. The planning process can help youth to understand the importance of balance across the eight areas of well-being. The SAIG culminates with an individual self-care plan that students can share with others if they so desire and update as needed. Students would be progress monitored with a DPR similar to other SAIGs. 

Family Notification Letter

Download: English  | Spanish
  

Progress Monitoring via Daily Progress Reports (DPRs)

All interventions must be progress monitored on an ongoing basis to follow the student’s progress through the intervention and to determine whether the intervention is meeting the needs of the student or whether adjustments to the intervention must be made. Elementary students should be monitored on a daily basis directly by their classroom teacher. The classroom teacher will also meet with the student about his or her behaviors during that block of time in class. For middle school and high school SAIG, all schools will be monitoring on a weekly basis (students receive daily scores, but the scores are collected weekly). Each teacher will have a form for students in the SAIG. On a daily basis, the teachers must meet with the student about his or her behaviors in that class period.

The student then receives a 1, 2, or 3 on "Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible." Each week, scores will be recorded online for decision-making purposes.

Elementary School: Classroom Survival

Download DPR Examples: K4–Grade 3 | Grade 4–Grade 8

Elementary School: Emotional Management

Download DPR Examples: K4–Grade 3 | Grade 4–Grade 8

High School 

Downloads: Weekly Progress Report (DPR) | Student Weekly Goal Monitoring Form (for students to self-reflect on their weekly goals; would not be recorded online)
 

Teacher’s Role

The classroom teachers have the most important role of any Tier 2 intervention. They are the ones actually administering the intervention to the student on a daily basis through their positive interactions with the students. Working together, the student and the teacher set behavior goals and work toward them, with the teacher giving positive feedback on areas the student is doing well in and providing corrective feedback in those areas the student struggles with in his or her behavior.

More Information

If you have any questions, please contact:

         Natalie M. Collins, PhD, Director of Assessment and Data
         Email: collinnm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us
         Phone: (414) 475-8011