Essential Questions to starting WhyTry
There are important questions to consider when planning your Phase 1 implementation of WhyTry. When using the implementation checklist, we ask you to consider how often you’ll teach each week, in what setting or environment, as well as when it will take place. We’ve provided several resources below to help you answer this question!
Ready-made scope and sequences
We have prepared four Scope and Sequence options for you to use in planning out your lessons. While these are solid options, Whytry is created for flexibility. You can use these as a starting spot to build what works for you and your timeframe.
9 weeks / once a week
Designed for 45 minute classes, once a week. This is perfect for a term, quarter, or short intervention program.
18 weeks / once a week
Designed for 45 minute classes, once a week. Created for a semester long implementation.
18 weeks / twice a week
Designed for 45 minute classes, twice a week. Perfect for a more intensive semester long implementation.
36 Weeks / once a week
Designed for 45 minute classes, once a week. Created for a year long implementation.
Implementation ideas for different settings and environments
Here are a few models organizations use to implement the WhyTry program and approach.
Add WhyTry to an existing course for one period per week per semester
This is probably the most common WyTry implementation idea. WhyTry is added to an existing course, such as health, study skills or English, for one class per week. The regular course teacher handles non-WhyTry classes. This usually allows for 12-18 contact hours of WhyTry instruction.
Create a new semester long WhyTry course
Create a full course dedicated to WhyTry provides plenty of time for discussion and activities. It could meet 2-5 periods per week. This allows plenty of time for activities as well as be perfect when a part of another SEL program or curriculum
Advisory Periods
These are regular sessions where selected students are pulled out of classes to meet with a counselor, social worker or teacher. WhyTry provides consistent curriculum for these mandatory sessions.
Elementary classrooms or secondary homeroom
Every student gets 15-20 minutes of social and emotional skills every day using WhyTry. One day is a simple activity, another day is listening to a song, another day is a discussion. Each metaphor can be used as the theme for a month.
Self-contained classrooms
These special behavioral classrooms offer maximum flexibility for integrating into WhyTry social and emotional skills into academics. WhyTry also provides a foundation for classroom management.After-school programs
Many schools and community centers have built after-school programs around WhyTry. It
provides a structure with activities, media and valuable skills that engage youth and give them an
alternative to destructive behaviors.
Transition programs
The transitions from school to work, foster-care to independence, and incarceration to freedom
are the most difficult and dangerous points in a young person’s life. WhyTry is used to provide
crucial skills to help youth make the transition successfully.
