Good With People for Schools

A self-paced social skills course for teenagers. Students watch a short lesson, read the written version, and then practice the skill during the ordinary school day: in the hallway, at lunch, and in class.

60Video + written lessons

45Practice exercises

11Modules with quizzes

3Staying-safe lessons

Short lessons, practiced in the school day students already have

The course is designed so that students spend more time practicing than watching. Many exercises take only a few seconds and happen in ordinary moments, so students don't need class time or role-play to practice.

A short video and a full written lesson

Each of the 60 lessons has a video (most run one to three minutes, a little over two hours in total) and a written lesson with examples, sample wording, and what to do when something doesn't work.

Exercises that fit between classes

Holding eye contact as someone walks by, answering “how's it going” with a full sentence, asking a classmate a question. Students work on one to three exercises at a time and stay with them until they're automatic.

A practice ladder that starts without talking

Nine steps take students from simply being around people with the phone put away to joining a group conversation. The first four steps involve no speaking, and every step has an easier version for students who need it.

Quizzes and checkpoints

Each module ends with a short quiz, and checkpoints between modules ask students to look at whether the practice is actually happening before they move on.

Where each CASEL competency is taught

If your social-emotional learning plan follows CASEL's five competencies, these are the lessons that teach each one.

Competency	Lessons
Self-awareness	Who You Want to Be (2.1), The Voice in Your Head (2.3), Being Real (2.4), Be Comfortable Being You (3.1), Where Respect Comes From (6.4)
Self-management	Nerves Into Energy (3.3), Go Toward the Fear (3.4), Daily Goals (4.3), Break It Down (4.4), Staying Steady (6.3), Outcome Independence (7.3), School-Pressure Moments (9.4)
Social awareness	The First Reaction (6.6), Match, Then Lift (6.7), Moods Are Contagious (6.8), Including People (8.3), Bringing People In (8.4)
Relationship skills	Talking With People, all of Module 5 (5.1 to 5.8), Turning Acquaintances Into Friends (8.2), Ending a Conversation (8.5), Repairing a Friendship (8.6), Talking With Parents (10.1), Talking Online (10.3)
Responsible decision-making	Unhealthy Friendships (8.7), Handling Teasing and Exclusion (9.3), When It's All Online (10.5), and Staying Safe, all of Module 11 (11.1 to 11.3)

Competency

Lessons

Self-awareness

Who You Want to Be (2.1), The Voice in Your Head (2.3), Being Real (2.4), Be Comfortable Being You (3.1), Where Respect Comes From (6.4)

Self-management

Nerves Into Energy (3.3), Go Toward the Fear (3.4), Daily Goals (4.3), Break It Down (4.4), Staying Steady (6.3), Outcome Independence (7.3), School-Pressure Moments (9.4)

Social awareness

The First Reaction (6.6), Match, Then Lift (6.7), Moods Are Contagious (6.8), Including People (8.3), Bringing People In (8.4)

Relationship skills

Talking With People, all of Module 5 (5.1 to 5.8), Turning Acquaintances Into Friends (8.2), Ending a Conversation (8.5), Repairing a Friendship (8.6), Talking With Parents (10.1), Talking Online (10.3)

Responsible decision-making

Unhealthy Friendships (8.7), Handling Teasing and Exclusion (9.3), When It's All Online (10.5), and Staying Safe, all of Module 11 (11.1 to 11.3)

This mapping is ours. The course has not been reviewed or endorsed by CASEL.

Every lesson in the course

Eleven modules and sixty lessons, in the order students take them. Open any module to see what each lesson covers. Video times are for the whole module.

01 Getting Started How the course works: get started, don't quit, work on one to three skills at a time, and practice everywhere. 4 lessons
5 min of video
1 exercise

1.1Two Things The two things the course asks, and why the first steps ask almost nothing.
1.2Take It Slow Working on one to three skills at a time, and knowing when to add the next one.
1.3Practice Everywhere Why knowing a skill isn't the same as having it, and what a few-second practice rep looks like at school.
1.4Failure Is Quitting An awkward moment is practice. The only way to fail is to stop.

02 Getting Your Head Right Deciding who they want to be, talking to themselves in a helpful way, and being honest about nerves. 4 lessons
6 min of video
3 exercises

2.1Who You Want to Be Four written questions about the kind of person they want to become.
2.2Affirmations Writing short, present-tense statements and repeating them through the day.
2.3The Voice in Your Head Treating harsh self-talk like a rude person rather than the truth, and telling it apart from their conscience.
2.4Being Real Why hiding nerves makes things more awkward, and how to admit them in a low-key way.

03 Dealing with Nerves Being comfortable as themselves, and what to do with nerves, fear, and embarrassment. 5 lessons
10 min of video
4 exercises

3.1Be Comfortable Being You The idea the course is built on: people relax around someone who is comfortable being themselves. It changes behaviors, not personality.
3.2Good, or a Funny Story Every small social risk either goes well or becomes a story they can laugh about later.
3.3Nerves Into Energy Relabeling nerves as excitement, based on a 2014 study from Harvard Business School.
3.4Go Toward the Fear Treating social fear as a starting bell, with two limits: real danger, and another person's no.
3.5When You Embarrass Yourself The spotlight effect, and how to respond lightly to an embarrassing moment in front of classmates.

04 How to Practice The nine-step practice ladder, daily goals, breaking hard things into smaller steps, and hearing no. 5 lessons
18 min of video
5 exercises

4.1The Lower Steps Steps 1 to 4 of the ladder, none of which involve talking, plus a mirror exercise for learning what their smile looks like.
4.2The Upper Steps Steps 5 to 9, from saying one small thing to joining a group that's already talking.
4.3Daily Goals Setting a daily number of reps based on what they do, not on how other people respond.
4.4Break It Down Cutting anything overwhelming into smaller steps, from joining a lunch table to writing a long paper.
4.5Getting Turned Down Why most no's aren't personal, and asking for small things on purpose to get used to hearing no.

05 Talking With People Listening, follow-up questions, telling a good story, starting conversations, names, and handshakes. 8 lessons
19 min of video
7 exercises

5.1Get Out of Your Head Listening instead of planning the next sentence, and finding follow-up questions in what people say.
5.2Make It About Them Being interested in people rather than trying to be interesting.
5.3Listening for Real Eye contact while listening, not judging, and asking whether someone wants advice or just wants to vent.
5.4Telling Better Stories Starting inside the action, using specific details, and keeping it under a minute.
5.5Never Say “Fine” Answering “how's it going” in a way that starts a conversation.
5.6Statements Beat Questions Opening with a playful, low-stakes statement when questions only get one-word answers.
5.7Remembering Names Catching a name, using it, and what to do when they've already forgotten it.
5.8A Good Handshake How to shake hands well, and how to fix one that goes wrong.

06 How You Come Across Eye contact, posture, staying calm under teasing, warmth with new people, and reading the mood of a room. 8 lessons
19 min of video
8 exercises

6.1Eye Contact When to hold it, when to look away, and a sidewalk drill for building it.
6.2Standing Like You Belong Posture that shows comfort, with a clear note that slouching never makes anyone responsible for being picked on.
6.3Staying Steady Not giving a reaction to ordinary teasing, and telling teasing apart from cruelty that an adult should hear about.
6.4Where Respect Comes From Doing things because they want to, not to impress anyone.
6.5Assume Warmth Greeting new people with the friendliness they'd give an old friend.
6.6The First Reaction Why a blank first look usually means confusion, not dislike.
6.7Match, Then Lift Reading a serious room before trying to lighten it.
6.8Moods Are Contagious Holding on to a good mood around other people.

07 The Social Defenses Four habits that keep one bad interaction from ruining the day. 6 lessons
18 min of video
5 exercises

7.1The Four Social Defenses An overview of positive attitude, outcome independence, abundance mentality, and wit.
7.2Positive Attitude Looking for what's good, useful, or funny in situations and in people.
7.3Outcome Independence Judging themselves by what they did, not by how someone responded.
7.4Abundance Mentality Remembering there are more people and more chances, even at a small school.
7.5Wit Practicing quick humor about the situation, starting in their head before saying anything out loud.
7.6You're Not Auditioning Treating everyone, including popular or important people, as an equal.

08 Making Friends How friendships form and grow, including people who are left out, repairing a falling-out, and recognizing an unhealthy friendship. 8 lessons
11 min of video
5 exercises

8.1Where Friends Come From Friendships come from repeated, shared activities, and they can choose those on purpose.
8.2Turning Acquaintances Into Friends Time together, conversations about more than schoolwork, and making a specific invitation.
8.3Including People Noticing who is left out and showing them kindness.
8.4Bringing People In Helping a new or quiet person join the conversation.
8.5Ending a Conversation Leaving gracefully, and noticing when the other person wants to go.
8.6Repairing a Friendship Cooling down, apologizing for their own part, and leaving out what the other person did.
8.7Unhealthy Friendships Spotting a friendship that keeps making them feel worse, letting it fade, and when to bring in a trusted adult.
8.8When You Don't Have School Finding weekly activities that give homeschooled teens, or anyone between schools or on summer break, the repeated contact that school provides.

09 School Life Changing how classmates see them, reputation, teasing and bullying, and pressure moments like presentations. 4 lessons
9 min of video
3 exercises

9.1Changing How You Show Up Changing gradually so classmates can adjust, and what to say when someone notices.
9.2Reputation Why a reputation rests on fewer moments than teens think, and how consistent behavior changes it.
9.3Handling Teasing and Exclusion Ordinary teasing versus bullying, how to tell an adult without it turning into a big scene, and helping someone else who's being targeted.
9.4School-Pressure Moments Presentations, tryouts, tests, and getting called on in class.

10 Family and Online Life Parents, siblings, group chats, phones, and friendships that live online. 5 lessons
10 min of video
4 exercises

10.1Talking With Parents Waiting until everyone is calm, using “I” statements, and listening to a parent's side.
10.2Siblings Practicing the course's skills at home, and when a sibling relationship needs an adult's help.
10.3Talking Online Lost tone, fights that escalate fast, the permanent record, and how to cool things down.
10.4Put the Phone Down Using the urge to check the phone as the signal to talk to someone instead.
10.5When It's All Online Keeping online friends while adding in-person practice, and talking to a parent before meeting anyone from online.

11 Staying Safe Saying no, people who won't accept a no, and online safety. This module has no exercises. 3 lessons
5 min of video
no exercises

11.1Your Instincts Outrank Politeness The right to say no to anyone, including adults, and the fact that freezing under pressure is not agreeing.
11.2When Someone Won't Take No The ways people wear someone down, and telling a trusted adult early.
11.3Online Safety Three warning signs (secrecy, pressure, and ignoring a no), never sending photos, and talking to a parent before meeting anyone from online.

Content and Safety

What students will read and hear

Everything below comes from the lessons themselves. A staff review login lets your team check any of it firsthand.

No romantic content in the 60 core lessons

The core course doesn't teach anything about crushes, dating, or romantic relationships. Romance is mentioned in four places, each as a caution or a side note: a long stare at a stranger can be read as interest, so use a shorter glance (6.1); pushing past someone's no is not romantic (11.2); nobody ever needs photos for an online relationship (11.3 video); and teens should tell a trusted adult if a friendship or a relationship of any kind has them feeling trapped or controlled (8.7 video).

A separate four-lesson module on crushes and respect exists for families who want it. It is not part of a school license unless your school asks for it, and staff review logins include it so you can read it before deciding.

A three-lesson Staying Safe module

Students learn that their instincts outrank politeness, and that they can say no to anyone, including adults and people in authority.
Freezing under pressure is common and does not mean agreement, and students who have been through something like that are told it isn't too late to tell a trusted adult.
People who won't accept a no often wear someone down over time, and that's a reason to tell an adult early, without waiting for proof.
Online warning signs are secrecy, pressure, and ignoring a no. Students never need to send anyone photos, should tell a parent immediately if asked, and should never meet someone from online without talking to their parents first.

Bullying, with adults involved

Students learn to stay steady through ordinary teasing, and to tell a parent, teacher, or counselor when it becomes targeted or ongoing, including online. The lesson gives them words to start that conversation: Something's been going on at school and I want to tell you about it, but I don't want it to turn into a big thing. It also asks students to help classmates who are being targeted, by interrupting, inviting them to something, or checking on them afterward.

Skills, not treatment

Good With People teaches social skills. It doesn't diagnose or treat anxiety, depression, or anything else. When something goes beyond its scope, such as trouble eating, sleeping, or facing school, lessons send students to a parent or school counselor. The first lesson cites the CDC's finding that in 2023, 40% of U.S. high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, so students know they aren't alone.

Other things reviewers ask about

No profanity. Words like “jerk” and “stupid” appear only as examples of insults or harsh self-talk that students learn to handle.
Passing mentions include getting into a car with someone who has been drinking (an example of a real danger to avoid), a grandparent dying (an example of a time not to joke), and a faith group's youth night (one of several examples of a weekly activity).
Lessons cite three research sources: a CDC survey of U.S. high school students, Alison Wood Brooks's 2014 study on relabeling anxiety as excitement, and Jeffrey Hall's 2019 research on how many hours it takes to make a friend.

How schools use it

Students work through the course on their own logins, at their own pace. It can sit inside advisory, a counseling group, an SEL class, or be offered to individual students who would benefit.

Per student or per site

Licensing is priced per student or for a whole site. Tell me roughly how many students and how you plan to use it, and I'll send a quote.

Free staff review login

Before you decide, I'll set up a login so your team can see every lesson, video, and quiz, including the optional crushes module.

Student accounts

Each student needs an account on the course platform (Thinkific) with a name and an email address. If your district requires a student data privacy agreement, mention it in your message.

John Bush

John Bush has taught social skills for more than a decade and has more than 10,000 hours of coaching experience with teenagers and adults. He co-founded the SPEAR and MAVEN social skills programs and taught social skills classes at a high school for two school years.

He holds a degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara.