Administrators!

As an administrator, you are under pressure to improve student performance and  teacher morale. This page provides a directory to resources to help you accomplish both objectives.

Ask The Author

You’re Not Alone

From the beginning, Susan Kruger, M. Ed. (author and founder of SOAR) has always been focused on her role to serve educators, parents, and students through delivering quality curriculum, instruction, and guidance.  Her personal story of being a struggling student, and then later discovering that “it didn’t have to be way,” has driven her passion to support all of the players in the field of education.

Furthermore, Susan’s former career as an educator makes her keenly aware of the time demands and pressure on school administrators.  For this reason, Susan reserves a few time slots every month, to speak directly with administrators to “cut to the chase” of their unique challenges and potential solutions.  We call these “Ask The Author Calls.”  This is an opportunity for administrators (along with key educational staff, if desired), to share their school’s needs and goals, and work with Susan to seek-out potential solutions.

NOTE: This is not a “sales call.”  In fact, even if you asked Susan a “sales” question, she’ll probably say “I don’t know, but I can have somebody send you that information.”  This call is about her desire to bring quick, decisive, and helpful change to those she was called to help.

If you would like to schedule an Ask The Author Call with Susan, simply send us a request through our contact form by clicking here.

Improve Student Performance

Emotions Are the On/Off Switch to Learning

Teachers discover very quickly that it’s nearly impossible to teach a student that is struggling with difficult emotions.  At SOAR, we often quote Priscilla Vail (author of Smart Kids with School Problems),  “Emotions are the on/of switch to learning.”  But, Dr. Abraham Maslow made this discovery long before with his significant contribution known as “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.”  Through his work, we know that until our most immediate human needs are met (food, shelter, safety… including “emotional safety”, belonging, etc.), we simply cannot pursue higher functioning needs like learning and self-actualization.

The good news here rests in the fact that improving Emotional Intelligence is possible, and it’s often easier than we (educational professionals) realize.  That’s why we’re very excited to share our knowledge in social emotional learning through an easy to implement curriculum that brings results and joy to both your students and teachers.  To learn more about the SOAR^® SEL Curriculum, click here.

Improve Teacher Morale

How Emotions “Steal” from Instruction

If one of your teachers spends just a few minutes in a one-hour class addressing the feelings or emotional needs of a student…10% of class time is lost and everyone suffers! Yet, this is an everyday occurrence.

Teachers tell us they are lucky if they can use 60% of their instructional time for actual instruction. We’ve spoken with hundreds of dedicated, hard-working teachers who are frustrated that their energies and efforts are squandered on issues unrelated to the direct instruction. Their stories all have a similar pattern… Get our special report, How to Leverage Your Teacher’s Time & Abilities.

Being a Surrogate Parent Is Overwhelming

Let’s be honest…  As educating professionals, most of us entered this field because of our deep love and care for the young people that we get to serve and teach every day.  But, we often find our teachers roles far exceeds mere instruction.  Many of our students are forced to rely on other adults, like teachers, coaches, etc. to sometimes fill the role of surrogate parent.  Over time, this role can become a great burden for teachers, and one that begins to wear them down.

While we can’t always change the outside forces of parents, family, community, etc, we can create an environment in the classroom that more naturally addresses these real needs of our students.  Instead of inadvertently asking our teachers to serve as a surrogate parent for our students on a 1-by-1 basis, we can (through the use of quality curriculum and training) create a culture that automatically supports the emotional needs of our students in a natural and healthy manner.  Doing so, produces immensely positive results for both the student and the teacher, is far more time-efficient (leaving more class time for academic instruction), and is quite simply uplifting and joyful for all!

Don’t Take Our Word for It…

Check out our Proven Results Page and learn about the power and value of a quality SEL curriculum by clicking here.  (Pssst… specifically, check the out the review from Columbia University citing that every dollar spent on SEL education returns a value to the classroom of $11!!!)

FAQs

General FAQs

Q: How many lessons are in the SOAR^® Social-Emotional Learning Skills curriculum?

There are 17 lessons. You can see detailed descriptions of each lesson here. 

Q: Is the SOAR^® Curriculum research-based?

Yes. Our program is based on extensive research. Details available here.

Q: Is customer service and support available?

Yes. We are committed to providing friendly and efficient service and are happy to answer any of your questions. Just Contact Us!

Educator FAQs

Q: What do the curriculum licenses include?

A curriculum license includes:

• • Our popular, “done-for-you” Multimedia Teacher’s Guide
  • Student licenses for apps and/or workbooks
  • Online portal for grade-tracking
  • Additional resources and services are available; see more details about the SOAR^® Learning & Soft Skills Curriculum in the SOAR Store.

Q: Is there a way that I can see what is included with the SOAR^®  Social-Emotional Learning Skills Curriculum?

Yes! Simply click here and fill in your information on the right side of the screen; you will receive access to a free lesson, preview of the Teacher’s Guide, and a comprehensive guide to the skills/concepts taught in each lesson.

Q: Is SOAR^® aligned to CASEL.org’s Core Competencies?

SOAR^® Social-Emotional Learning Skills covers 100% of the CASEL SEL core competencies. For a complete guide, click here. 

Q: How long is a curriculum license valid?

A curriculum license is valid until June 30th of the following year (for example, licenses purchased on February 1, 2020, would be good through June 30, 2021).

Q: What other schools using this program?

SOAR^® is in over 4,000 schools across the country and 35 countries, worldwide!
See a map of schools using SOAR across the USA.

Q: How much time is required to cover the SOAR^® Social-Emotional Learning Skills Curriculum?

Every school has different needs and schedules, so this program was designed to be very flexible! Options include, but are not limited to:

• • Year-round class
  • Semester, quarter, or trimester class
  • Embedded into the curriculum of core classes
  • Before or after school programs
  • Tutoring programs
  • Independent study
  • For more information, see Schedule Options.

Q: What group(s) of students best benefit from social-emotional learning skills?

The better question is “Who CAN’T they benefit?!” 

The beauty of these skills is that they level the playing field for ALL students! Struggling or “at risk” students benefit from learning about their emotions and how to access their potential. Students who have traditionally done well in school learn how to manage their emotions more efficiently and dramatically reduce their stress.

Q: Can I use SOAR^® in one class or does it have to be school-wide?

The choice is yours. SOAR^® is developed to apply across content areas, so it works well as the basis for a school-wide system. However, the curriculum works very well to guide instruction for a specific class. 

Q: Is professional development required?

Not necessarily. The curriculum is very clearly organized, so teachers usually have no problem getting started.  We also provide a teacher training videos with all curriculum packages. However, training/professional development is recommended when more than 2-3 teachers are implementing the program, and especially for a school-wide implementation. See our Training Options.

Q: Can I submit a purchase order?

Yes, we accept purchase orders from U.S. schools, only. You may fax or email your P.O. to us; see our Contact Us page for up-to-date contact information.

Q: Is support available?

Yes. We are committed to providing friendly and efficient service and are happy to answer any of your questions and assist with any technical issues. Simply Contact Us!

Q: After purchase, how do I get access to the curriculum?

Books arrive in approximately 5 business days.  Access to online curriculum for both teachers and students arrives via the same day your order is processed by SOAR.  The email will contain all necessary access codes along with simple instructions to get started immediately.

Q:  What if I have unused licenses at the end of the school year?

Unused licenses expire on June 30 of the year following your initial purchase.  There is no “rollover” of unused licenses. If you are unsure of the quantity of licenses needed, it is better to order a quantity that you know you’ll use, and add more licenses throughout the year if needed.  Additional licenses can be purchased in packs of 5.

Q:  Can a license be used by more than one student during a given school year?

No.  Once a license is assigned to a student, the license cannot be reset or transferred.  When a student activates a license, the app is recording that students progress and results that is unique to their experience.