Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Engstrom teaching classes about Learning For Life

The Northeast Georgia Council Learning for Life, Inc. conducted a study using 778 students in two different schools in Barrow County School District. The two schools who participated were Statham Elementary and County Line Elementary. The students who participated were in grades Kindergarten through Fourth grade. At each school in every grade level, there was a controlled classroom as well as an experimental classroom that were pre and post tested. In some cases there were two classrooms controlled and experimental at each grade level.

Mrs. Strickland's Kindergarten Class at Statham Elementary

Student Participants:

At Statham Elementary School the number of students surveyed are as follows:
192 –controlled students 226-experimental students

At County Line Elementary School the number of students surveyed are as follows:
163 –controlled students 197-experimental students

Conclusions:

1. The classrooms that participated in the Learning for Life lessons for four months demonstrated positive behavior changes in the classroom environment.
2. The students in the Learning for Life classes showed a 20% gain in appropriate responses as compared to the controlled classrooms from the pre-test to the post-test. See table below.
3. The students in grades 2-4 demonstrated the ability to use the character skills taught to make correct decisions in a positive way.
4. The students in grades K-1 demonstrated the character skills taught in their behavior inside classrooms as well as in other environments on the school property.
5. County Line - had the most notable changes in Respect and Courage.
6. Statham Elementary - had the most notable changes in Responsibility and Respect.
7. The Overall findings for both schools were most notable as positive changes in the area of Respect.