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Connectedness and School Improvement

Connectedness and School Improvement. 12th Annual Northern California Tobacco, Alcohol & Drug Educator and Youth Development Conference, UC Berkeley, May 6, 2009. Overview. Connectedness: Intro to the CHKS Connectedness: Youth Development Model Research: Connectedness and School Improvement

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Connectedness and School Improvement

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  1. Connectedness and School Improvement 12th Annual Northern California Tobacco, Alcohol & Drug Educator and Youth Development Conference, UC Berkeley, May 6, 2009

  2. Overview Connectedness: Intro to the CHKS Connectedness: Youth Development Model Research: Connectedness and School Improvement Research: Benefits of Connectedness (WestEd) Handouts… How we increase ‘connectedness’ Strategies to increase ‘connectedness’ 1

  3. Connectedness: Intro to CHKS and Youth Development Model

  4. Intro to CHKS Funded by SHKPO (CDE) Administered by WestEd (HHDP) • 90% of all CA districts • 4 million cases • Major Risk and Resilience Survey • ATOD and Resilience (Connectedness) • Student voice • Avenue for discussion California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS): 2

  5. Intro to CHKSConnectedness • School Protective Factors (Benard, B) Caring Relationships, High Expectations, Meaningful Participation • School Connectedness (AdHealth) Based on the scale from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health • Measure the degree to which students feel close to people at school, a part of the school, treated fairly, happy, and safe at school. 4

  6. Connectedness Scales Every Technical Report highlights CR, HE, MP and School Connectedness 5

  7. Connectedness Scales Decipher %s by comparing ‘High’ to previous reports and state averages. 6

  8. Connectedness Scales Since 2007 Technical Reports also have these tables disaggregated by Ethnicity (6 major ethnicities) 7

  9. Connectedness Scales American Indian or Alaska Native Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Asian Black or African American (non-Hispanic) Hispanic or Latino/Latina White or Caucasian (non-Hispanic) Other Ethnicity Selected More Than One Ethnicity One reason we began this was to address the role of ethnicity in Closing The Achievement Gap (CTAG). A 2007 WestEd report found that alongside the Achievement Gap is a corresponding Asset Gap - lower levels of Connectedness. 8

  10. ConnectednessAsset Gap and Achievement Gap School Connectedness Mean 2004-2006 weighted CHKS data N= 700,000 9

  11. ConnectednessAsset Gap and Achievement Gap 10

  12. ConnectednessAsset Gap and Achievement Gap 11

  13. Connectedness Scales Protective Factors that foster Connectedness Caring Relationships High Expectations Meaningful Participation 12

  14. Resilience & Youth Development Model Youth Development Process Environment supports & opportunities Caring Relationships Meaningful Participation High Expectations Youth Needs that support youth developmental needs Safety Love Belonging Respect Power Challenge Mastery Meaning Youth Outcomes aid and promote positive developmental outcomes Social Emotional Cognitive Moral Spiritual Societal Impact resulting positive prevention & educational outcomes 13

  15. Resilience & Youth Development Model Youth Development Process Societal Impacts positive prevention & education outcomes Reduction of Risk-taking Behavior Academic Achievement Wellbeing & Mental Health And is the foundation on which any School Improvement project rests… 14

  16. Resilience & Youth Development Model School Improvement Connectedness 15

  17. Connectedness and Research

  18. Research…Connectedness and School Improvement The 3 R’s of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Relevance … Rigor… Relationships… Meaningful Participation High Expectations Caring Relationships 17

  19. Research…Connectedness and School Improvement High Performing Learning Communities Strong connections between students and staff. A set of high expectations and a rigorous curriculum… Instructional strategies that engage students… A school culture that is mission-driven and Focused on helping all students learn. Catherine Walcott, et alHigh School Reform: National & State Trends, WestEd 2005 18

  20. Research…Connectedness and School Improvement Consortium on Chicago School Research Schools with high trust levels are 3x more likely to report gains in reading & math scores. Schools in top quartile on standardized tests had higher levels of trust. Bryk, A. & Schneider, B., Chicago Consortium, 2002 19

  21. Research…Connectedness and School Improvement Engaging Schools: Fostering High School Students’ Motivation to Learn Personalization of school experience High & clear standards Meaningful and engaging pedagogy & curriculum Professional learning communities for adults National Research Council Institute of MedicineNational Academy of Science, 2004 20

  22. Research…Connectedness and School Improvement Getting Results Research shows that young people who engage in meaningful participation in school and community activities have improved chances for positive and healthy development… Getting Results, 1999, 2001 Pittman, Martin & Williams, 2007 21

  23. Research…Connectedness and School Improvement Not rocket science… Self-reflection Work environment in which peers, supervisors and others… • Care About You and What You Do • Expect You To Achieve • Provide You With Opportunities To Have a Say and Bring Meaning To Your Role 22

  24. Research: Benefits of Connectedness (WestEd) • Academics • Health • Safety • and ATOD Use www.wested.org/pub/docs/chks_health.html 23

  25. Relationship: Connectedness and… Academics Caring Relationships and Test Scores High Expectations and Test Scores Meaningful Participation and Test Scores STAR test scores gains were greater year-to-year for those reporting higher levels of CR, HE and MP… Sad/Hopelessness andTest Scores STAR test scores declines were greater year-to-year for those reporting higher levels of sad/hopelessness. 24

  26. Relationship: Connectedness and … Safety Higher School Protective Factor scores … are also associated with improvements in safe school environment, a necessary precondition of learning. ATOD Use Lower School Protective Factor scores … are associated with substance use and disengagement from school. Health Higher School Protective Factor scores … promote feelings of connectedness, security, and well-being. 25

  27. How we increase ‘connectedness’ Handouts… What Connectedness looks like What Connectedness sounds like Strategies for increasing Connectedness Many know this, it is neither new nor a revelation Should view this as a ‘pat on the back’ Keep doing what you know works …Spread the word 27

  28. 50 years of resilience research tells us that… when the focus is on supporting and empowering youth, over 70% of young people in the most challenging of life’s conditions not only survive, but grow into thriving adults. Bonnie Benard 28

  29. www.wested.org/chks Sean Slade sslade@wested.org

  30. Handouts…

  31. How we increase ‘connectedness’ What connectedness looks like… Caring Relationships Available and accessible Model caring Shows interest Compassion Listening & dialogue Patience Basic trust Safety Meaningful Participation Inclusion Responsibility Voice & choice Youth-driven Experiential pedagogy Contribution Peer support Empowerment High Expectations Demonstrates belief Challenge & support Firm guidance Structure & rituals Strengths-focused

  32. How we increase ‘connectedness’ What connectedness sounds like… Caring Relationships Be there. Get to know our stories. They help me by listening and encouraging me. They talk to me as a personand friend, not just as a student. Ask,How was your weekend? But also… Listen & give eye contact. Know our names. Meaningful Participation Active learning, more discussions. Show me how to do it. Get the fun into class! Do group projects. We can share ideas. I want to help tutor little kids in reading and math. Kids helping kids School is a community. It’s not a building but about people. High Expectations They say, I believe in you …simple as that. They say, You can succeed in life. They brag about you. Encouragement is key. They say You can do better. They see you after class and say See you in the future.

  33. Strategies to increase ‘connectedness’ Caring Relationships Suggestions from: Resilience and Youth Development Module Handbook (2004), WestEd.

  34. Strategies to increase ‘connectedness’ Meaningful Participation Suggestions from: Resilience and Youth Development Module Handbook (2004), WestEd.

  35. Strategies to increase ‘connectedness’ High Expectations

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