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AHISA Boarding Conference

AHISA Boarding Conference. Talking about their generation. “You were never their age”. (Hugh Mackay). How do boarders relate to their supervisors? What are the implications for professional development of resident staff?.

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AHISA Boarding Conference

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  1. AHISA Boarding Conference

  2. Talking about their generation.“You were never their age” (Hugh Mackay)

  3. How do boarders relate to their supervisors?What are the implications for professional development of resident staff? With thanks to the boarders of Perth College and Christ Church Grammar School for their honesty.

  4. “Adolescents are a mystery to many adults – especially their parents. It is a time when three of the great changes of human lifeoccur: • The ability to reproduce • The establishment of identity • The formal commencement of logical reasoned thought.” (Andrew Fuller, 2003)

  5. In his map of the development of the mind, Andrew Fuller identifies the following key stages which span the boarding experience. • Age 9 Peer relations • Age 12 Self-esteem and personal identity • Age 15 Abstract thinking • Age 18 How to succeed

  6. In adolescent brains, two significant changes are occurring: • Synaptic pruning – “Use it or lose it” – Only the connections that experience has shown to be useful are retained. • Frontal lobe development – this is the area of the brain that helps humans to plan, to consider, to control impulses, to make judgments.It matures slowly during adolescence and in some senses could be considered to be “closed for construction” to quote Andrew Fuller. This means that parents, teachers, boarding staff need to act as the adolescent’s frontal lobes. It also means that too much freedom too soon does not help many young people.

  7. Other points to note: • In adolescence affiliation moves from the family, particularly parents, to peers • In early adolescence young people are unable to think through consequences and make appropriate responses (‘going off their head’ about being asked to tidy their room for example). • Adults often make the mistake of assuming that using more words, continuing the lecture, will resolve the communication problem. • Teachers and Boarding Staff need to remember that adolescents need help to plan and organise. • They also need to be able to separate attitude and content.

  8. So what does this mean for those who care for adolescents in a boarding school and how does it match with their own opinions?

  9. Boarders at Perth College and Christ Church Grammar School were interviewed in small groups and asked the following questions: • What are the skills and attributes that Boarding Staff need to be able to work effectively with Boarders? • What creates the greatest gaps in understanding between Boarding Staff and Students? • What professional development would assist Boarding Staff to work with Students?

  10. Perth College Skills and Attributes • The ability to understand the problems that concern adolescents and how these change as students mature. • The need for an evolving relationship. • The ability to take a ‘mediation’ approach in the disciplinary process rather than the heavy hand of authority. • Negotiation skills and patience. • The ability to forgive the sins of the past.

  11. Christ Church Grammar SchoolSkills and AttributesThe boys distinguished between the skills needed by the Head of Boarding and the Year Masters, all teachers, and the Duty Masters, usually tertiary students. • In the Head of Boarding and Year Masters organisational ability, the logical and consistent application of rules and a democratic approach to decision-making were valued. • For the Duty Masters a willingness to join in, to offer to help, an outgoing personality and self-confidence were valued. • An understanding of life as a boarder was perceived as important for Duty Masters. • A sense of humour and good social skills. • Flexibility within the context of the rules.

  12. Perth CollegeWhat creates the gaps of understanding? • Failure to acknowledge increasing maturity. • An inability to discuss issues dispassionately without reverting to a personal level. • Trying ‘to understand’ but in fact patronising. • Failure to separate school issues from the personal. • Failure to ‘connect’ which means that circumstances are not understood. • Encouraging students to speak their mind but becoming angry when they do. • Implementing a code of conduct/disciplinary system which does not clearly articulate to duty of care and pastoral care. • Failure to provide explanations.

  13. Christ Church Grammar SchoolWhat creates the gaps of understanding? • Failure to ‘connect’ so that family circumstances are understood. • Lack of understanding of the demands of the day school, particularly in regard to co-curricular activities. • Not understanding when to back off. • Over-regimentation, particularly in regard to homework. • Trying to pretend that the boarding house is home.

  14. Perth CollegeProfessional Development • The best background was identified as the experience of having their own children (and surviving their adolescence). • An understanding of how adolescents develop • Mediation and negotiation techniques • How to work in a community and to set and apply consistent standards. • An understanding of the limits of privacy for an adolescent.

  15. Christ Church Grammar SchoolProfessional Development • The best background for the Duty Masters was identified as experience as a boarder. • How to establish ‘connectedness’ with individuals. • Orientation programmes so that Duty Masters know how the day school works and the demands on students. • How to implement the discipline structure without being dictatorial.

  16. Christ Church Grammar SchoolAdditional comments of interest • Professional development may result in the loss of positive characteristics if it removes individualism, and gives the perception of ‘a right way’ to fulfill the role. • The role should not be seen as just a job, personal involvement is needed. • Confidence in self.

  17. Andrew Fuller and Faith Trent have both identified ‘connectedness’ as a key in relationships with adolescents particularly boys.Connectedness encompasses interest in the person, understanding of their issues, acceptance.It does not mean the absence of standards of behaviour, but rather how these are achieved.

  18. Critical understandings for boarding staff are: • A knowledge of adolescent development. • Communication skills. • Negotiation and mediation skills.

  19. Critical attributes • A commitment to the role. • A sense of humour. • The self-confidence to be flexible. • Genuine interest combined with a knowledge of when to stop. • The ability to relate to young people at an appropriate level. [NB: Age was not an issue]

  20. What could this mean for schools? • A thorough induction process on appointment. • Using the critical attributes could be used to define the interview and selection process. • Using the critical understandings could be used to formulate a professional development programme for Boarding Staff.

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