Academic Support Groups

1. Academic Support Groups Self-management Skills for Struggling Students Eva Dwight, BA, MaEd, ATC and NetinaBodine, BA, MaEd

2. Research Sources “Changes in Help Seeking From Peers During Early Adolescence: Associations With Changes in Achievement and Perceptions of Teachers” by Allison M. Ryan and Sungok Serena Shim; Journal of Educational Psychology 2012, Vol. 104, No. 4, 1122-1134 “Early Adolescents’ Perceptions of the Classroom Social Environment, Motivational Beliefs, and Engagement” by Helen Patrick, Allison M. Ryan, and Avi Kaplan; Journal of Educational Psychology 2007, Vol. 99, No. 1, 83 – 98 “Patterns and Pathways of Educational Achievement Across Adolescence: A Holistic-Developmental Perspective” by Robert W. Roeser, and Stephen C. Peck; New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, No. 101, Fall 2003 “Why Do Some Students Avoid Asking for Help? An Examination of the Interplay Among Students’ Academic Efficacy, Teachers’ Social-Emotional Role, and the Classroom Goal Structure” by Allison M. Ryan, Margaret H. Sheen, and Carol Midgley; Journal of Educational Psychology 1998, Vol. 90, No. 3, 528 – 535 “Motivational Dynamics of Children’s Academic Help-Seeking and Concealment” by Gwen Marchand and Ellen A. Skinner; Journal of Educational Psychology 2007, Vol. 99, No. 1, 65 – 82 “Macho-man in school: Toward the role of gender role self-concepts and help sekking in school performance” by Ursula Kessels and RicardaSteinmayr; Learning and Individual Differences 23 (2013) 234 – 240

3. Research • Moving from elementary school to middle school frequently results in a decline in academic achievement. • “As children reach middle school and high school, just as they are developing the cognitive and metacognitive competencies that should allow them to deploy help-seeking more effectively than when they were younger, they actually show increases in their help avoidance in the classroom.” • In the U.S., boys achieve at lower levels than girls across most school subjects, earn lower grades, and exhibit higher school dropout rates.

4. Different Kinds of Help Seeking • Adaptive help seeking = seeking help to understand a concept or process • Expedient help seeking = seeking the answer, with the purpose of getting finished • In the transition from elementary to middle school, adaptive help seeking from peers declined over time, whereas expedient help seeking from peers increased, which is directly related to lower academic performance.

5. Why do more boys fail? Girls were more likely to report using adaptive help seeking and less likely to report seeking expedient help at all, which is consistent with research indicating that girls exert more effort in the classroom than boys. Possibly girls tend to think they need more help than boys, as they have been found to have increased worry about schoolwork compared to boys. Possibly girls like help-seeking exchanges more due to their increased appreciation of intimacy in relationships compared to boys. Girls have more successful help-seeking exchanges than boys. Adaptive help seeking likely takes longer and involves more communication between partners than expedient help seeking, and girls tend to have more advanced verbal skills and appreciation for intimacy in relationships.

6. Why are some students—boys and girls--underperforming? • low academic self-efficacy(students’ judgments of their capabilities to complete their schoolwork successfully) • more likely to believe that others will think that their need for help indicates that they lack ability and so are less likely to seek help • students who do not feel capable of doing their work are the ones most likely to avoid asking for help. • the very students who need help the most seek it the least, and put themselves at a disadvantage for learning and performance.

7. “I hear some of the same things over and over from kids that are frequently sent to ALC: my home life is difficult, Mom and Dad aren't home much, I live in a group home, my parents say they have been out of school too long and can't help me with my homework, nobody understands, nobody cares. I think it is super important for these kids to feel like they are not alone, someone does care, and someone understands. The academic support groups offer that.” --Alternative Learning Center Teacher Shepherd Jr. High teachers support Academic Success Groups “Besides the academic improvement, I think your groups give students more confidence that they can handle things because you show them the skills they need to take personal control over their learning.” --social studies teacher “These students return to class more willing to complete work, interact with teachers and students, and give real effort.  These kids feel valued, as if they are worth helping.  They can hear from peers about struggles, issues, and forces preventing other students from achieving goals.  Without a doubt, I feel this is a wonderful opportunity for at-risk kids to get the assistance they need to have a meaningful experience in school.” --math teacher “I have been amazed at the changes I have seen in students who have been in Group. These groups have affected students’ organizational skills, and I can see their esteem and confidence rise because someone is taking the time to teach them study skills they have not learned or mastered before.” --social studies teacher “The students start to take more responsibility for their success by using the techniques taught in these groups. The academic support groups definitely strengthen student self-management skills and lead to higher student achievement.” --Special Ed. teacher

8. How do Academic Support Groups respond to underperforming students? *meet in small groups once/week during PE or elective for one semester, beginning the 3rdweek of each semester *all lessons are activity based (games, drawing, discussion) We reinforce every baby step toward success *weekly card with a behavior to practice, based on that week’s lesson We teach self-management, self-efficacy, and self-advocacy skills *students earn Dwight Dollars or Bodine Bucks for participation and progress *token economy = store supplied w/drinks, snacks, and other things kids like (funded by PTO, Student Council, and district mentoring grant) *pizza and ice cream sundae party at end of each quarter for students who pass all academic classes

9. Criteria for Selecting Group Students *at least 1 F in an academic class the previous semester *2 or more D’s in an academic class the previous semester *parent or teacher recommendation that includes --struggles with organization and follow through --struggled academically in elementary school, particularly in 6th grade (we are a 7th/8th junior high) *could include attendance issues or social issues, as recommended by a teacher, parent, or administrator *includes honors/gifted students and Special Ed. Students with LD status

10. Parents are part of the picture We call or email parents weekly if their student has a D or F in an academic class. *Make parents aware of tutoring availability, make sure they know how to use the portal and have teachers’ phone numbers and emails *We give each student a printout from the grade portal in Group every week. *We highlight D’s, F’s and missing work and encourage students to work with the teacher to complete or re-do assignments. *Students receive a Dwight Dollar or Bodine Buck for passing all classes each week when they receive their printout. We encourage students to take the printout home to show parents.

11. What do good listening skills look like in the classroom? Group lessons include: What does it mean to feel capable and how can I develop stronger feelings of capability at school? What is proactive vs reactive behavior and what do those behaviors look like in school? How can students help create a win-win environment in the classroom? How does my gremlin impact my performance at school? (My gremlin is that nasty voice inside of me that says things like, “You’re stupid.” “You can’t do this!”) How can I access my Inner Ally instead?

12. How can I develop a “growth mindset” instead of a “fixed mindset”? What does it mean to go to college and how I can set myself up for success NOW so that I can go when I graduate high school? How can I use “what” and “how” questions for problem solving? How much money do I need to live comfortably and how is my level of education tied to the amount of money I can expect to make?

13. Success Rates 2008-09 fall = 68% 2008-09 spring = 63% 2009-10 fall = 60% 2009-10 spring = 62% At this point, we decided to focus on students passing academic classes only, as electives and PE success rates do not impact students’ ability to move up to the next grade level. 2010-11 fall = 75% 2010-11 spring = 51% 2011-12 fall = 85% 2011-12 spring = 61% 2012-13 fall = 77% 2012-13 spring = 60% 2013-14 fall = 77% 2013-14 spring = ongoing

14. Follow Up Counselors see students who have had one semester of Group weekly throughout the semester following Group, as long as they are still at Shepherd… …AND call parents if academic grades dip into the D/F range We keep our Group students under our wings, regardless of grade level, as we have established a relationship with them—and usually with their parents, as well—so it makes sense to continue to see them.

15. Sample Lesson Proactive vs Reactive Behavior This lesson, and others, are on our website: www.mpsaz.org/shepherd/departments/counseling Please feel free to call or email Eva Dwight 480.472.1817 endwight@mpsaz.org NetinaBodine 480.472.1820 nrbodine@mpsaz.org