First Advisor

Jeffery Ogle

Second Advisor

J'Lyn Chapman

College

Regis College

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Number of Pages

156 pages

Abstract

Prosocial behavior requires competency in social-emotional skills including interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, and emotional regulation. During the developmental stage of early adolescence, youth are learning these skills and are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior if they feel efficacious in them. However, most social-emotional learning programs focus on conceptual knowledge in these areas without providing sufficient opportunities for practice, which does not allow students to develop sufficient procedural knowledge and self-efficacy. Improvisational theater offers a solution to this problem; used in concert with social-emotional lessons, it provides practice scenarios and procedural learning opportunities. This project consists of a curriculum built on these principles intended for use in a Montessori middle school environment. Its structure aligns with both Montessori secondary best practices and the fluid nature of interpersonal skills, allowing the teacher to adapt the curriculum to the needs of the class. It contains notes on implementation, lesson plans, and supplemental documents. In the discussion, students describe the perceived benefits of the program, including improved self-efficacy and a sense of community. Future directions include peer review, curriculum expansion, and research on efficacy.

Date of Award

Winter 2022

Location (Creation)

Colorado (state); Denver (county); Denver (inhabited place)

Rights Statement

All content in this Collection is owned by and subject to the exclusive control of Regis University and the authors of the materials. It is available only for research purposes and may not be used in violation of copyright laws or for unlawful purposes. The materials may not be downloaded in whole or in part without permission of the copyright holder or as otherwise authorized in the “fair use” standards of the U.S. copyright laws and regulations.

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