Intervention(s)
Healing Classrooms Tutoring: Lebanese teachers will be trained in the IRC’s Learning in a Healing Classrooms approach to providing high-quality safe, supportive, predictable and cooperative learning environments. Facilitators complete pre-service face-to-face training, participate in monthly Teacher Learning Circles (TLCs), and receive regular mentoring visits from trained IRC field staff. Children attend 8 hours of remedial class per week with foci on Arabic, Math, and a second language
Healing Classrooms Tutoring Mindfulness/Brain Games: In fall of 2016, half of all teachers (see below, Research Design) will receive additional training to incorporate targeted mindfulness strategies into their HCT daily classroom routines. In the Spring, the same teachers will receive additional training to incorporate a set of executive-functioning "Brain Games" into classroom routines. Both trainings include: (1) 1-2 days additional pre-service face-to-face training; (2) dedicated monthly Teacher Learning Circles; and (3) mentoring visits including mindfulness/brain games support on a monthly basis. Teachers will be encouraged to use targeted practices to facilitate classroom transitions (e.g., switching from Arabic to math instruction), with an expectation of spending 20-30 minutes per day on these activities.
In fall of 2017, teachers in 30 of 60 sites will receive training in 5-component SEL, focusing on the competencies of brain building, mindfulness, emotion regulation, conflict resolution, pro-social skills, and perseverance. Teachers continued to receive the same implementation support as tin the prior year, including 5 day HCT training, 3 day SEL training, TLC, monthly mentoring visits. Children received same 8 hours of HCT, and the HCT+SEL group implemented additional 30 minutes of 5-component SEL programming per day