Current SECD-related efforts in schools include school climate improvement, character education, bullying and violence prevention, substance abuse prevention, counseling and related services, social-emotional learning curriculum programs, positive behavior supports, efforts toward school-wide positive recognition of students, and service learning.

A student working with the SECD Lab will have the opportunity to learn educational and psychological theory and practices related to SECD.

SECD refers to the skills, classroom and organizational structure, and curricular and program content that is important for optimizing students' potential to be caring, competent and committed individuals. The theoretical base of the practicum is SECD and the pedagogical structure is aligned with CBT. Students are expected to provide process notes after each school visit to share with teammates. Individual and group supervision will be provided. Implementation of interventions to promote school-wide and classroom social-emotional and character development can include working with high-risk classrooms on behavioral/social skills consultation, Laws of Life values clarification. Systematic involvement with student clubs and groups toward the goal of empowerment and giving voice. Assisting in staff and student school climate assessment and providing data review/feedback. Assisting in developing strategies and interventions for student social and academic competence, problem behaviors, perception of harassment, intimidation and bullying, and school climate. Among the activities involved, depending on specific sites, are: Consultation to existing school and student committees. This practicum is conceptualized as School-Community-Clinical and the relative emphasis of one's specific role can be negotiated. An action-research model provides ongoing feedback in a spirit of continuous improvement. Practicum students join other RU undergraduate and graduate students in serving as positive role models, mentors, supports, and resources. The positive focus is on creating a respectful climate in which students and staff become genuine collaborators in a school of character and academic excellence. The purpose of the practicum is collaborate with NB staff and other Rutgers resources to help prevent and remediate dropout, loss of student motivation, problem behaviors, and academic failure.

The main practicum site is New Brunswick. The Lab serves as a consultant for various school districts and, in some cases, plays a very active role in fostering the development of school-wide efforts and programs targeted at specific populations, to build character using empirically-supported, evidence-based approaches. The Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab is a focal point for school-based efforts at prevention, social-emotional learning, social problem solving, violence prevention, and character education. Despite the township’s growth, Piscataway has maintained its friendly welcoming atmosphere, making it a wonderful place to live, work and play.Graduate Practicum Students Opportunities The township’s prime location with easy access to the New Jersey Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway, Routes 287, 78, 22, 27, and 18 make it especially attractive to commuters and corporations alike. Since the opening in 1960 of Interstate Highway 287, the township has proven a highly desirable location for suburban development and many Fortune 500 companies are located in the township. The township has a highly educated workforce 93.5 percent are high school graduates or higher. RWJ Medical School, several data centers, and many national and international companies providing professional, scientific, and technical services are located in the township. Cited was the long and prestigious history of the community and noted also was that 189 buildings on Rutgers the State University campuses are located in Piscataway. The township was named by MONEY magazine in 2008, 2010, 20 as one of the best places to live in the United States. The township has a fair percentage of apartments, townhouses, and condominiums although most housing accommodations are single-family dwellings. Piscataway, located in Middlesex County, comprises 19.1 square miles, is 35 miles from New York City, and within 250 miles of one-quarter of the nation’s total population. The community, the fifth oldest municipality in New Jersey, has grown from Native American territory, through a colonial period and is one of the links in the earliest settlement of the Atlantic seacoast that ultimately led to the formation of the United States. Piscataway was founded in 1666, and officially incorporated in 1798.

Focalpoint piscataway nj 08854 us