How to Build Conditions for Learning that Contribute to the Success of All Students

David Osher

Introduction: How Do We Approach the Challenge of Student Success Through School Improvement

Bottom Line: Key Components of Safe & Successful Schools Academic Press Support For Students And Faculty To Meet High

Academic And Behavioral Standards Strong Conditions For Learning And Teaching Relational Trust Sense Of Efficacy & Accountability For All

Students Effective Collaboration & Coordination Between

And Among All Stakeholders Continuous Quality Improvement (A “Problem

Solving Approach”) 3-level Approach To Promotion, Prevention And

Intervention

Thought Question: Is it the Fish or is it the Water?

Is the Problem

The Disruptive Student? The School Environment? The Community

Environment? Some Combination Of The

Above? All Of The Above?

Adapted from: Beth Doll, University of Nebraska

Community

School

FamilyTeachersFriends

Classroom

Student

Where to Intervene?

Schools as Risk & Protective Factors in the Lives of Students

Students who are At Risk are particularly susceptible to:

Low Teacher Efficacy

Low Teacher Support

Negative Peer Relationships

Chaotic Environments

Poor Instructional And Behavioral Practices

Work at Three Levels

Provide Individualized Intensive Supports

Provide coordinated, intensive, sustained, culturally competent, individualized, child- and family- driven and focused services and

supports that address needs while building assets.

Intervene Early & Provide Focused

Youth Development

ActivitiesImplement strategies and

provide supports that address risk factors and

build protective factors for students at risk for severe

academic or behavioral difficulties.

Build a Schoolwide FoundationUniversal prevention and youth development

approaches, caring school climate, positive and proactive approach to discipline, personalized instruction, cultural

competence, and strong family involvement.

School as a Risk Factor

Alienation Academic Frustration Chaotic Transitions Negative Relationships With

Adults And Peers Teasing, Bullying, Gangs Poor Adult Role Modeling Segregation With Antisocial

Peers School-driven Mobility & Harsh Discipline, Suspension,

Expulsion, Push Out/Drop Out

Example of School Effects: Impact of 1st Grade Teachers on Seventh Grade School Outcomes?

2.7

58.7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Odds ratio

Well-managedstandard classroomChaotic standardclassroom

The Impact of First Grade Teacher Capacity on 7th Grade Behavior(Kellam, Ling, Merisca, Brown, & Ialongo, 1998)

School Effects: Other Examples

School Context Accounted For Much Or More Of The Variation Of Middle School Student’s Experience Of Emotional Distress Than Family Context (Resnick Et Al. 1997)

Teacher Support, Not Parents, Had The Greatest Impact On School And Class Interest (Wentzel, 1998)

School as a Protective Factor and as a Resilient Context

Connection Academic Success Supported Transitions Positive Relationships With

Adults And Peers Caring Interactions Social Emotional Learning Positive Interactions With Pro-

social (Not, Anti-social) Peers Stability Positive Approaches To

Disciplinary Infractions & Services And Supports

PATHS Universal Intervention End of First Grade (1 Year of Intervention)

Series1

-.10

-.09

-.08

-.07

-.06

-.05

-.04

-.03

-.02

-.01

.00

Peer Rating of Aggression

Intervention

Clas

sroo

m m

ean

z-sc

ore

Children Who Receive PATHS Rate Their Classmates As Significantly Less Aggressive Than Do Children In Randomized Comparison Classes

Fast Track Study – 378 Classrooms – 6715 children

CPPRG, 1999 – Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

All Universal Interventions

The Logic of Universal Intervention Cannot Identify All Who Are At Risk Children Affect Each Other No Stigma No Self-fulfilling Prophecies No Homogenous Grouping Per Child Cost Is Less Provides A Foundation

Connection Attachment

Trust Care

Respect

Social EmotionalLearning & Support

Positive Behavioral Approaches & Supports

Learning Supports Effective Pedagogy

Engagement Motivation

Supporting Conditions for Learning

17

Safety Support Challenge SEL

All

Some

Few

Conditions for Learning & Teaching Matrixfor Needs Assessment, Asset Mapping, & Planning

K-2 3-5 6-8

Off Track

On Track

On Track to Thrive

Say Yes to Education/AIR Monitoring System

13-16

9-12Pre-K

Huff Osher Consulting, Inc. 21

Find & Address the Root Causes

What’s the problem?

Why is it happening?

What can be done to prevent it from happening again?

Pluck the nutritious low hanging fruit!

Huff Osher Consulting, Inc. 22

Questions

Think about your school: Are you be satisfied with the

current level of academic performance?

Do students have a positive social experience?

Are all families involved with the school and their child’s learning?

Does the community support your school?

What would you change?

Huff Osher Consulting, Inc. 23

Logic Model for Strategic Change

VisionAssets, Capacities

& Needs

DistrictSchool

StudentsSchool Staff

Families

Strategies

DistrictSchool

StudentsSchool Staff

Families

Changed:Capacity Behavior

SchoolStudents

StaffFamilies

Huff Osher Consulting, Inc. 24

First Working Session

1

Vision

2Assets,

Capacities, & Needs

DistrictSchool

StudentsSchool Staff

Families

Strategies

DistrictSchool

StudentsSchool Staff

Families

Changed:Capacity Behavior

SchoolStudents

StaffFamilies

Huff Osher Consulting, Inc. 25

Second Working Session

1

Vision

2Assets,

Capacities, & Needs

DistrictSchool

StudentsSchool Staff

Families

Strategies

DistrictSchool

StudentsSchool Staff

Families

3Changed:Capacity Behavior

SchoolStudents

StaffFamilies

Safe and Respectful Climate

Physical Safety Little Or No Fighting, Bullying, Crime, Gang

Presence, Or Substance Abuse

Safe and Respectful Climate

Emotional Safety Climate Of Mutual

Respect And Trust Students Comfortable

Taking Personal And Academic Risks

Middle School is the Worst Period

42.9

Source: Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2008; Kevin Jennings

Jeffrey Sprague

Common response to Behavioral Problems

Pay more attention to problem behavior Reduce Opportunities for Engagement

– E.g. wait time Increase Monitoring and Supervision Restate rules & sanctions Refer disruptive students to office Suspend Expel

The “Racial Safety Gap” at SchoolPercentage of students responding “Neutral” or “No” to the question:

“Do you feel safe at school?”

Source: Springs, Iannotti, Nansel and Haynie 2007; Kevin Jennings

The Racial Discipline Disparity: Disproportionality in Suspension Rates

4.8

1515

14

6.56 6.8

4.9 4.8

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

2002 2004 2006

Perc

ent o

f stu

dent

s Black

Hispanic

White

Asians/PactificIslander

AmericanIndian/AlaskaNative

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights,

Civil Rights Data Collection, 2002, 2004, and 2006. Anne Gregory

Does Race Have an Impact?

South Carolina School Crime Incident Report, 1998-99

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Black White

Disturbing SchoolWeaponsDrugsThreatening Official

Percentage of student

population who are Black

Implications of Council of State Governments Texas Discipline Study (http://justicecenter.csg.org/resources/juveniles)

Nearly 60 % suspended or expelled once in middle or high schools

~15 percent were suspended or expelled 11 times or more

Only three percent of the disciplinary actions were for conduct in which state law mandated suspensions and expulsions

The rest were made at the discretion of school officials primarily in response to violations of local schools’ conduct codes.

Implications of Council of State Governments Texas Discipline Study (http://justicecenter.csg.org/resources/juveniles)

African-American students and those with EBD were disproportionately disciplined for discretionary actions.

Schools that had similar characteristics, including the racial composition and economic status of the student body, varied greatly in how frequently they suspended or expelled students.

Schools that had similar characteristics, including the racial composition and economic status of the student body, varied greatly in how frequently they suspended or expelled students.

Bullying: Some Success, But Nothing to Write Home About

Campbell Collaboration Meta-analysis of 44 program evaluations (Farrington & Ttofi, 2010)

Overall programs are effective Bullying decreased by 20-23% Victimization decreased by 17-20% Programs worked better:

– In Norway– With older children

Does punishment “work”?

Sanctions such as office referrals or suspensions may appear to “work” in the short term– Removes student– Provides relief to teachers or

administrators

Problems with Overreliance on Punishment

Detrimental effects on teacher-student relations

Modeling: undesirable problem solving Reduced motivation to maintain self-control Generates student anger May result in more problems (Mayer, 1991)

Truancy, dropout, vandalism, aggression

Does not teach: Weakens academic achievement

Limited long term effect on behavior

40

How Can We

– Help students accept responsibility?

– Place high value on academic engagement and achievement?

– Teach alternative ways to behave?

– Focus on restoring the environment and social relationships in the school?

Approaches that Appear to Work in Particular Contexts

Academic Engagement Positive Behavioral Supports Community Building Approaches Social Emotional Learning Restorative Justice Some Combination of the Above

Important Ingredients

Cultural and Linguistic Competency Developmentally Appropriate Youth Voice and Youth Drivineness Ecological Data Informed Quality of Support and Implementation

Foundation

PBIS & SEL

Example: School Wide PBS

Can in appropriate situations:– Reduce problem behavior– Increase academic performance– Improve perception of school

safety– Reduce teacher stress

44

Experimental Studies of SEL Programs

PATHS

– Increased self-control, use of social problem-solving & conflict resolution, decreased conduct problems

Second Step

– Decreased antisocial behavior, resulted in fewer negative behaviors in the classroom, lunchroom, and playground

Steps to Respect

– Reduced acceptance of bullying, promoted responsibility to help others with bullying problems, more positive social interactions (did not actually reduce bullying overall)

Caring School Communities (formerly the Child Development Project)

– Promoted social problem-solving and conflict resolution, democratic values, consideration of others’ needs, and sense of community. Increased spontaneous prosocial behavior and supportive, friendly and helpful behavior; reduced drug and alcohol use

Academics

Implementation Support Systems-Fidelity-Funding-Teacher Wellbeing

Prevention/SEL

Behavior

Management

Combining SEL and SW PBS (PBIS & Second Step)

Social &

Emotional Skills

Social Emotional Learning

Understand and Manage Emotions

Understand and Manage Relationships

Make Responsible Decisions

15 Minute Break

Social and Emotional Learning Work Well With Others Cooperate As Team Players

Social and Emotional Learning Solve Problems With Persistence And Creativity Set And Work Toward Goals Make Responsible Decisions In Academic And

Social Settings Recognize And Manage Emotions

SocialEmotionalLearning

Self-awareness

Social awareness Relationship skills

Responsible decision-making

Self-management

Core Competencies

Citation: (2008) CASEL Tool 2 - SEL PowerPoint Presentation11.ppt slide #4(PowerPoint Presentation

entitled “Social and Emotional Learning for School and Life Success”)

Behaviors Teachers Want

Student Self Control– Attends To Teacher’s Instruction– Follows Directions– Controls Temper In Conflict Situations– Responds Appropriately To Aggression– Controls Conflict Situations With Adults

Student Cooperation(Gresham Et Al. 2000; Kerr & Zigmond, 1986; Lane,

Pierson, & Givner, 2003; Walker Et Al., 1992)

0

5

10

15

20

25

Little Books: Reading

Achievement

Everyday Mathematics: Math

Achievement

SEL Programs Academic

Performance

SEL Programs Social Emotional Skills

12

611

23

Comparing What Works Clearing House Improvement Indices for 2 Evidence-based Reading and Math Programs with the Aggregate Improvement Index for all interventions in the

CASEL Meta-Analysis of 207 SEL Programs

Change the Wiring and Functions of the Brain

Greenberg

SAFE AND SOUND

a Guide for Choosing SEL programs and practices

56

SEL PROGRAM:

PATHS

Essential Components for PATHS

Skill Building for Both Students and Teachers

Generalization: Create opportunities to use these skills throughout the day

Provide students feedback and recognition for performance

Provide sufficient Technical Support to teachers

Integrate into other Academic Subjects Involve Parents

The PATHS Curriculum

Five Central Goals The conscious awareness of emotional states in

oneself and others The ability to put these feelings into words The ability to calm oneself down when feeling highly

emotionally aroused The ability to plan ahead and consider the effects of

your behavior on others Developing greater empathy/compassion for others

Emotion CardsFrom PATHS

Problem-Solving OutlineWhen you notice upset feelings:

1. STOP and think.

2. Identify the PROBLEM. (collect lots of information)

3. Identify the FEELINGS. (your own and other peoples')

4. Decide on a GOAL.

5. Think of lots of SOLUTIONS.

6. Think about what MIGHT happen next.

7. Choose the BEST solution. (evaluate all the alternatives)

8. Make a PLAN. (think about possible obstacles)

9. TRY your plan.

10. SEE what happens. (evaluate the outcome)

11. TRY another plan or solution if your first one doesn't work.

Emot

iona

l R

egul

atio

n

SEL PROGRAM:

CARING SCHOOL COMMUNITIES

CSC’s Four Components

Class Meetings Cross-Age Buddies Program School-wide Activities Parent Involvement Activities

Class Meetings:based on Caring School Communities Students learn to take responsibility for their own learning and behavior. They also learn the values of fairness, helpfulness, caring, and respect.

Component How it Works Student Learn Teachers Learn

Class Meetings

Teachers create an environment in which students’ learning, opinions, and concerns are taken seriously—and in which students participate as valued and influential contributors to the classroom community. As students learn to listen and talk to each other, they begin building a safe learning environment.

© How to set class norms and goals, create plans, make decisions, and solve problems related to classroom life

© How to better understand and empathize with other students

© How to build unity and give students a more meaningful voice in the classroom

© Ways to build students’ social skills and commitment to responsibility, helpfulness, and respect

Essential Features of Class Meetings

Circular arrangement that enables all participants to readily see and hear all others

Open-ended topics and genuine opportunities for students’ ideas to have influence

Safe, trusting, and reflective processes, with clear ground rules

Decisions made by consensus where possible

Benefits of Class Meetings

Build teacher-student and peer relationships within the classroom

Create a cohesive, caring, and reflective classroom climate

Teach goal setting, planning, decision making, problem solving, and reflection skills

Teach the importance of fairness, kindness, and responsibility

Promote greater understanding of self and others

Types of Class Meetings Unity-building Planning and decision-making

– Academics– Classroom norms/ procedures

Check-in– Consciousness raising– Progress assessment or celebration

Problem-solving– About learning activities– About classroom norms/ issues

Essential Features of Buddies Activities

Pairing of whole classes separated by two or more grade levels

Teachers assign each older child a younger buddy for the whole semester or year

Paired classes meet every week or two for interactive academic or recreational activities

Regular pre-planning and post-reflection within each class

Benefits of Buddies Activities For older buddies:

– Experience themselves as responsible and caring– Make social connections and “fit in” in ways they

might not with peers For younger buddies:

– Build friendship with and feel more comfortable around older children

– Learn from a role model who is only a few years older For teachers:

– Collegial work with another teacher– Gain different view of students

Student Support

Adults Listen To Students, Care About Them And Treat Them Fairly

Adults Provide A Welcoming Environment For Students

Student Support Teachers Establish A Connection With Students Teachers Provide Extra Help When Students Are

Having Trouble Understanding Material Teachers Engage Students In The Learning

Process

Headlines from One Comprehensive Review of “Students Need for Belonging in the School Community (Osterman, Review of Educational Research, 2000)

Positive Relationships With Staff And Peers Associated With: – Intrinsic Motivation– Accept Others Authority While Developing A Strong

Sense Of Identity– Experience Autonomy– Accept Responsibility To Regulate Their Own

Emotions Experience Of Acceptance Associated With:

– Positive Orientation To School, Class Work, & Teachers

Dropouts Feel Estranged From Teachers And Peers Belonging ->Engagement ->Achievement

Some More Headlines Adolescent perceptions of connections with

teachers predicted academic growth in Mathematics (Gregory & Weinstein, 2004)

Students were more likely to perform well on tests when they believe that their teachers care about them (Muller, 2001; Ryan & Patrick, 2001)

Teachers who had high-quality relationships with their students had 31% fewer discipline problems, rule violations, and related problems over a year’s time than did teachers who lacked high-quality relationships with their students (Waters, Marzano, & McNulty, 2003)

Students for Feel Connected are: Less Likely To Use Alcohol Or Substances Experience Less Emotional Distress Attempt Suicide Less Engage In Less Deviant And Violent

Behavior School Connectedness The Only

School-related Variable That Was Protective For Every Single Outcome

National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (ADD Health)

Scatter plot: Support (f) Size

150010005000

Enrollment__06_07_

2.60

2.50

2.40

2.30

2.20

2.10

Soci

al_S

uppo

rt__

07_0

8_

Whitney Young School

SuccessTech Academy School

South High School

Option Complex HS

Max S Hayes HS

Martin Luther King Jr HS

Lincoln-West HS

John Marshall HS

John Hay Campus HS

John F Kennedy HS

John Adams HS

Jane Addams Business Careers HS

James Ford Rhodes HS

Glenville HS

East Technical HS

East HS Collinwood HS

Cleveland School Of The Arts HS

Carl F Shuler School

R Sq Linear = 0.239

Emotional Safety (f) Enrollment

150010005000

Enrollment__06_07_

2.90

2.80

2.70

2.60

2.50

2.40

2.30

2.20

Emot

iona

l_Sa

fety

__07

_08_

Whitney Young School

SuccessTech Academy School

South High School

Option Complex HS

Max S Hayes HS

Martin Luther King Jr HS

Lincoln-West HS

John Marshall HS

John Hay Campus HS

John F Kennedy HS

John Adams HS

Jane Addams Business Careers HS

James Ford Rhodes HS

Glenville HS

Garrett Morgan Schl Of Science MS

East Technical HS

East HS

Collinwood HS

Cleveland School Of The Arts HS

Carl F Shuler School

R Sq Linear = 0.319

Middle Schools

HOW STUDENTS, FACULTY, ADMINISTRATORS AND PARENTS EXPERIENCE THE SCHOOL

SENSE OF EFFICACY STAGE ENVIROMENTAL FIT

The Middle School Problem

TEACHERS: 7th grade math compared to 6th grade

believed students needed to be disciplinedand controlled significantly more rated students as significantly less

trustworthy felt significantly less efficacious

The Middle School Problem II

Teachers as less supportive, friendly, and fair than sixth-grade

An increase, in:– between classroom ability grouping, – whole-class instruction,– and social comparison of grades,

Programs that Develop and Support Relationships

Caring School Communities Responsive Classroom Open Circle Tribes

Where Is Your School On This Continuum?

• Staff Teams• Relational/Positive

Discipline• Coordination

• High Trust, Efficacy, Expectations

• Family-School Partnership

• Community-School Partnership

• Value and embrace diversity

• Teacher Isolation• Punitive Discipline

• Fragmentation• Low Trust, Efficacy,

Expectations• Poor Family-School

Collaboration• Low Community Contact

• Diversity Challenged

Foundation

Appropriate & Engaging Curricula, Teaching,

Learning Environments

Academic Challenge

School Courses And Lessons Are Challenging To Students

School Staff Provide Academic Support To All Students

Actions for Learning and Teaching Supports

Students Formative

assessment; progress monitoring; curriculum-based assessment

Service learning Experiential learning Class Wide Peer

Tutoring

Teachers Focused

professional development

Administrative support for teacher learning communities

Consultation and mentoring

86

CLASS [Classroom Assessment Scoring System]

Dimensions of Quality Teaching

Emotional Support

Classroom

Quality

Positive Climate Negative Climate Teacher Sensitivity

Regard for Student

Perspectives

Classroom Organization

Behavior Management Productivity Instructional Learning

Formats

Instructional Support

Concept Development Quality of Feedback Language Modeling

Adapted from www.classobservation.com/what/dimensions

Academic Challenge Students Are Expected To Work Hard To Learn Students Are Interested In What They Are

Learning Students Are Not Bored By Their Classes

The Implications of Freedom Writers

StudentsConditions Capacities Behaviors

• Connections, belonging, caring, and respect

• Social emotional learning

• Emotional and physical safety

• Positive behavioral supports

• Academic motivation, engagement, and support

• Cultural and linguistic responsiveness

• Care for others and develop positive relationships

• Manage their emotions and relationships

• Embrace opportunities for learning

• Be academically competent

• Take responsibility for their learning, attend and participate in class, and complete assignments

• Exhibit conduct appropriate for school (emotionally intelligent and culturally competent)

• Persist through academic and social challenges

• Perform to their academic ability, complete school, and continue their education

• Be socially responsible and contribute to their schools and community

FamiliesConditions Capacities Behaviors

•Welcoming culturally competent school•Respect•Value as an expert on their children•Safety and trust•Accurate, helpful, and timely information about their children and the school•Opportunities for learning and personnel growth•Support to participate in school functions and activities

•Collaborate with teachers•Understand the culture of the school and its expectations•Know their rights and responsibilities•Speak and/or write fluently in English or another language•Value education and learning and have high expectations for their children

•Meaningfully participate in meetings•Attend and support school functions•Support their child’s learning at home•Communicate effectively with teachers and school staff•Encourage their child to excel academically and have high aspirations for their future

TeachersConditions Capacities Behaviors

• Connections, belonging, caring, and respect

• Emotional and physical safety

• Motivation and engagement

• Professional development• Consultations and

coaching• Support for teaming and

collaborating with families• Organizational efficacy• Relational trust• Instructional leadership• Culturally competent

environment• Manageable class size

• Accept responsibility for student learning and outcomes

• Mastery of the subject matter

• Accommodate individual student needs

• Can control and regulate own emotions

• Collaborate with colleagues and families

• Continuously improve their own practice

• Deliver a rigorous and developmentally appropriate curriculum

• Deploy classroom resources to best support individual student learning

• Create a collaborative classroom learning community

• Provide constructive feedback to students

• Personalize learning and differentiate instruction

• Create an orderly, respectful, and inclusive learning environment

Building & System AdministratorsConditions Capacities Behaviors

• Community and school board support

• Access to coaching• Authority to manage

school budget• Authority to hire and

fire teachers and staff

• Accountable to community, families, teachers, students, and staff

• Safety to experiment (within reasonable limits)

• Sufficient time to realize change

•Believe schools can be successful for all students •Reliability and consistency•Make expectations clear•Lead with vision, focus, and emotional intelligence•Provide positive support•Facilitate collaboration•Establish mutual accountability•Cultural competence•Analytical thinking

• Create a collaborative culture that leaves no child behind

• Provide strategic leadership in the school and community

• Create a “problem solving culture”

• Support professional learning and provide constructive feedback to staff

• Demonstrate empathy and respect for students, staff, and families

• Respect and respond to the cultures of the school and community

How Do We Support An Individual’s Capacity to Teach, Learn, & Develop?

99

Relationships*Connection*Attachment

*Trust*Care

*Respect

Social Emotional Learning &

Support*Self-awareness

*Self-management*Social-awareness

*Responsible Decision Making

*Relationship skills

Positive Behavioral

Approaches & Supports

*Positive Approaches to *Discipline*Design of the *Environment

Learning & Teaching Supports

*Effective Pedagogy*Professional Development*Engagement*Motivation

SUMMARY:Conditions for a Positive School Environment

Challenging and engaging curriculum SEL concepts intentionally infused

throughout the regular academic curriculum Active and experiential learning Opportunities for participation,

collaboration, and service Safe, supportive learning community with

respectful relationships and trust Involvement of families and surrounding

community

How do Higher Performing Schools Engage Families and Community?

Build trusting collaborative relationships among teachers, families, and community members

Recognize, respect, and address families’ needs, as well as class and cultural difference

Embrace a philosophy of partnership where power and responsibility are shared

(Henderson & Mapp, 2002)

101

3-Tier Model for Differentiating Strategies to Maximize Family Engagement.

102

Opportunities affordedto all families.

Additional supportsto boost some

families.

Special efforts for a few

families.

Intensive: 3rd Tier

Selective: 2nd Tier

Universal: 1st Tier

Universal Strategies for ALL Families:1st tier.

Create a welcoming environment

Solicit family input Provide an orientation Establish ongoing

communication Sponsor social

activities

103

Some Examples

Selective Strategies to BOOST Some Families: 2nd tier.

Connect families with each other

Offer families education and training

Translate materials Solicit family input Recruit family members to

serve on advisory groups Engage faith community

104

Some Examples

Intensive Strategies for Hard to REACH Families: 3rd tier.

Tailor approaches to each family

Repair relationships between the student and their family

105

Some Examples

Fragmented, Quick, And Incomplete Measurement Can Yield Partial And Distorted Views Of Reality

David Osher

Need Regular Measurement/Monitoring of Youth Development and of School and Community Safety