A Brief History of Humanware

Humanware was born following a school shooting at Success High School.  A 14-year-old student shot and wounded two students and two teachers and then turned the gun on himself.  The initial response was to make everyone safe by installing hardware such as metal detectors, wands, and extra security officers in the buildings.  However, it was recognized that along with the hardware something had to be done to change attitudes and perceptions of humans.  As a result, Humanware was born to work in conjunction with hardware to make everyone safe.

Humanware is the safety strategy that addresses a scholar’s emotional well-being.  It was formally established in 2008 to support the implementation of evidence-based Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies that will positively affect conditions for learning.  Through the integration of the SEL framework into educational instruction, all students will be academically and socially equipped to succeed.

Humanware/SEL Overview

Humanware is an initiative of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District supporting the commitment to providing safe and supportive schools where our scholars can succeed and thrive.

Humanware advocates for evidence-based best social emotional learning (SEL) practices.  Humanware Partners serve as thought-partners, planners, professional learning providers, and coaches to CMSD Educators to facilitate the integration of SEL core competencies into schools to engage students, family, educators, and community to create safe, supportive, and successful learning environments.

Humanware advocates for best practices ensuring that all human resources in a child's school, family and community function together so that students learn in safe, supportive and successful schools.

Humanware/SEL Strategies are designed to:

• Facilitate students and educators learning and practice the five SEL core competencies (Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Self-Management, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making)
• Develop early-intervention strategies
• Promote civility and decrease bullying
• Foster community-service partnerships
• Improve collaboration between schools & agencies
• Enhance the partnership between schools & families
• Facilitate effective Student Support Teams (collaborative problem-solving groups, which include administrators, teachers, student-support professionals, and parents)
• Facilitate effective use of PATHS and Planning Centers
• Provide a coordinated sequence to the Social and Emotional Learning section of the District’s Scope and Sequence

Why is SEL important?

The conditions for learning (safe, well-managed, rigors, and supportive learning environment) are essential to academic achievement. Published in 2011, a meta-analysis of 213 school-based, universal social and emotional learning (SEL) programs involving 270,034 kindergarten through high school students demonstrated significantly improved social and emotional skills reflected an 11-percentile-point gain in achievement.  Likewise, an analysis using only at CMSD data conducted in partnership with Cleveland State University and American Institutes for Education, revealed the conditions and school climate that support growth in the SEL competencies are as essential to academic achievement. When done well, the SEL framework and subject instruction are woven together to create seamless experiences to facilitate the intellectual, social, and emotional development of all students -- as James Comer states, "child development is academics ... you cannot separate the two."

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