Pedagogue Blog

Matthew Lynch published in Bullying

What works best to help stop bullying in schools?

Peter K Smith, Goldsmiths, University of London and Fran Thompson, Goldsmiths, University of London

Bullying in schools has been recognised as a serious and pervasive problem now for at least two decades. There is now also evidence, including from the UK and other European countries, North America and Australia, that traditional forms of bullying in schools have decreased modestly over the last decade or so. This is very likely due to the increase in work to prevent bullying.

Yet much still persists. In 2010, the EU Kids Online project found 19% of children were victims of bullying and 12% bullied others. A recent follow-up study in 2014 suggested an increase in cyberbullying, though not in traditional bullying. Figures elsewhere are not dissimilar, although prevalence rates vary greatly in terms of how it is measured and how bullying is defined.

Lessons from Scandinavia

Bullying is usually defined as intent to harm another person repeatedly; with an imbalance of power, the victim cannot easily defend themselves. It can take the form of everything from physical and verbal attacks, to social exclusion, spreading rumours and cyberbullying.

Internationally, there have been many school-based anti-bullying programmes that bring about, on average, a reduction of some 20% in bullying. The Norwegian Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme aims to provide a different structure to school classrooms to discourage bullying and reward more helpful behaviours. The Finnish KiVa programme uses virtual learning methods and enlists high-status peers as defenders of those who are being bullied.

These two methods have been successfully replicated in their home countries, but the extent to which this can be done elsewhere should become clearer in the next few years.

In the UK, the philosophy has generally been not to adopt or impose a specific programme to stop bullying, but rather to make a range of options and resources available for schools to choose the most appropriate. There are now many sources of support for children, parents and teachers, from organisations such as the Anti-Bullying Alliance and BeatBullying.

To provide a good foundation for effective anti-bullying prevention and intervention, it is recommended that schools use an anti-bullying policy with clear definitions and procedures that are communicated to the whole school community.

Schools should have multiple avenues for reporting bullying that don’t stigmatise children, and a central recording system for incidents (particularly important as evidence). Staff also need ongoing training in intervention and regular auditing to measure the impact of anti-bullying work. Research is starting to show the range of strategies available to schools.

Preventing bullying

To introduce proactive strategies that can help prevent bullying, schools need to think about the whole school environment, including the classroom and playground. Schools should promote adults as good rolemodels, and provide an “open door” policy for parents or carers.

Other strategies can include using assemblies to underpin a clear, anti-bullying message or to develop the school council as an effective reporting system. The curriculum can also be used to embed anti-bullying work, while in the playground, schools can create quiet zones and train lunchtime supervisors.

Peer-support strategies use trained students to prevent and respond to bullying. These can include buddy schemes, peer mediation, online mentoring, anti-bullying committees and lunchtime clubs.

But some schemes, such as designated “buddy benches”, can be stigmatising if accessing peer support is too obvious. Others can be underused, or even misused. While peer supporters generally have high morale and are very positive about the schemes, pupils who use the schemes tend to have more mixed views, depending on the quality of support, accessibility of peer supporters, and follow-up on mentoring sessions.

Providing the right support for these kinds of schemes is vital. This might be that a school recruits the right number of peer supporters to avoid drop-out, or provides regular supervision with a designated supervisor.

And when it comes to the transition from primary to secondary school, peer supporters can be particularly effective – if the supporter to student ratio is high enough. Outreach work in primary schools can also help establish good relationships and help make school induction day easier for newcomers.

Reacting to bullying

Strategies to respond to bullying incidents after they happen also need to be put in place by schools. And there are a range of various possible responses.

Direct sanctions range from a “telling off”, to permanent exclusion and can send a clear message that bullying is not tolerated. To be effective, sanctions need to be expressed as a clear set of consequences in a school’s anti-bullying policy and used in the framework of another more restorative approaches. Isolation rooms for “internal exclusion” and a re-integration process for excluded students are also recommended.

Restorative approaches can provide an effective, flexible range of strategies to prevent and respond to all types of bullying. Schools using these strategies systemically report the best results in terms of stopping bullying. If using restorative approaches, all staff need to be trained and sanctions are needed as a back-up if the restorative process fails.

A third strategy is the seven-step support group method. It has been used by some schools in England because it is non-confrontational and avoids “punishment”. But other schools have chosen not to employ it because it avoids directly assigning blame or responsibility. Support groups can be effective especially for relational bullying, between friends. The strategy works best with older primary students and younger secondary students, particularly as they transition between the two schools.

The Pikas method of “shared concern” – where meetings take place with children suspected of bullying – is also non-confrontational but more rarely used. It may be effective as one of a range of strategies when other group-based approaches have not worked – or for “provocative victims”. For both support-group and Pikas methods, teachers and school staff need both specific training and other back-up strategies.

Research on school bullying over the last 30 years has resulted in a broad accumulation of knowledge about the issues involved. Two or three decades ago, we knew very little, and were unable to provide effective support for teachers, schools, parents and young people. We now know that well-planned interventions can substantially reduce bullying, although there can be pitfalls along the way. But there is still much to learn about which interventions are most effective and in which circumstances.

This article is part of a series on bullying. Read the other articles in the series here.

The Conversation

Peter K Smith, Emeritus Professor, Unit for School and Family Studies, Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London and Fran Thompson, Researcher, Unit for School and Family Studies, Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in Ask An Expert, First Year Teachers, Teachers

The First Year Teaching: The self-discipline approach to classroom management

By Matthew Lynch

As your journey as a teacher starts to finally take shape, you will find that there is no single method to use to manage a classroom effectively. As different situations arise, you will discover that different approaches need to be taken. The root of the problem should be the key factor in deciding on which approach should be utilized.  Many teachers find that self-discipline approaches work the best for their students and there are several different sub-versions that you may find work the best for your particular classroom. The self-discipline approach is based on the belief that students are responsible individuals who can assess and correct their own misbehavior, and that teachers and students have trusting relationships built on respect. With its self-governing style, the self-discipline approach has four models:

Reality therapy

Developed by psychiatrist William Glasser in the 1960s, reality therapy is used to guide students in becoming responsible individuals who are able to satisfy their own needs for the benefit of themselves and others. Despite its maturity, this approach has stood the test of time and is still very relevant today. This approach was developed with the idea that students know their own needs and wants, and will make changes accordingly to get closer to where they want to be. Teachers are supposed to help students with making the right choices, while avoiding the wrong choices and rational students should make the final decision themselves. If students happen to opt for the wrong choice and misbehave, teachers and students work together to first evaluate the misconducts. They should then devise an applicable plan for students to make amends.

As trust and responsibility are given to students, students should work on their own to correct their misbehavior. If students fail and break the trust, engaging in misbehavior, teachers should remove them from the class until the students are committed to trying again to earn back the trust. This approach says that the different styles of parenting should not be the acceptable reasons for misbehaving. When misbehavior occurs, ask what the students are doing instead of asking the students for reasons, because students should be trusted to analyze their own misbehavior and seek plans to correct their bad behaviors.

In this model, holding classroom meetings and discussions are necessities. Students should participate to develop the class rules and determine the consequences for breaking those rules. When students agree, the rules will be adhered to at a higher level. When holding these meetings, you should ensure that students understand that the meetings are held for everyone’s benefit because rules and consequences might require adjustments, which all students should be aware of. As trust and responsibility are the essential components of the self-discipline approach, teachers and students should be able to communicate without barriers.
This approach implies that the parties who are unable to adhere to the rules are the cause of receiving the consequences. In a case where students are not prepared when they are expected to be, students are the cause for their receiving consequences. Given that this approach respects everyone, and encourages students to be responsible individuals, if unsatisfactory action takes place, anyone and everyone should express their opinions and dissatisfaction accordingly. Possible solutions should be decided upon by open discussions.

Inner Discipline

Developed by Barbara Coloroso, this discipline takes a longer route in correcting student misbehavior. As the name says, the goal here is to help students develop inner discipline. When they have self-discipline, students will have control and responsibility for their own actions. Whether it is a choice with a positive outcome or not, if there is no threat to the student, teachers should let students make their own choices.

In this discipline, when students misbehave, teachers should ask what students and teachers could do together to change. Students and teachers cooperate to build a community where they share the power. An underlying premise of this approach is that students do not have lasting discipline when quick-solutions such as reward systems are used.

Coloroso believes that there are three types of teachers: brick-wall, jellyfish and backbone. As the names suggest, “brick-wall” teachers are strict, demanding students to follow the rules without questioning and there are no exceptions. “Jellyfish” teachers enforce the rules like the way jellyfish moves. The rules are not clear and teachers often change the rewards and punishments, so students cannot expect consistency from these teachers. Lastly, “backbone” teachers give strong support, but allow students the opportunities to make their own behavior choices.

The Kounin Model

Research by Jacob Kounin in 1970 who was inspired by William Glasser, found that the difference between teachers is not how they deal with misconduct, but how they prevent it in the first place. His conclusion drew four factors that explain the classroom management success.

First is “with-it-ness” which refers to the teachers’ alertness and awareness of the classroom at all times. Teachers should let students know that they have the full view of the classroom, and as soon as the teacher spots a misbehavior, the teacher indicates visually (facial expression) to the student that he or she has seen the misbehavior, and this is usually enough to stop the behavior without the rest of the class being aware. Although such a look is enough in many cases, obviously some cases will require more action than that, with the teacher addressing the situation with everyone who was involved in the misconduct.

The second factor is “overlapping” which really is just another word for “multi-tasking.” When the teacher has divided the class into working groups to look at different topics and activities, this allows teachers to have easy access to every student, provide specific help if needed, and at the same time, keep an eye on the other students. The “overlapping” of activities in the classroom allows efficiency, and these activities are all controlled by the teacher.

The third factor is “group focus” which means getting every single student involved and concentrating on the classroom activity. One way of doing it is by having a portion of students’ grades attributed to participation. Teachers can ask students questions that are up for anyone to answer, then students will all be concentrating and thinking about the questions, eager to respond for good grades. Another method that is often used is randomly selecting students to answer questions. To avoid embarrassment, and not knowing who will be the next selected one, students’ focus is on their teachers.

The fourth and last model is “movement management” which includes momentum and smoothness. Teachers have to ensure that students are continually working and are not sidetracked or distracted. Students can raise their hand if they have questions, and this ensures the smooth flow of the class without interruptions. If the class is held often, another way could be for students to write down questions and/or concerns about the class materials on pieces of paper and turn them in at the end of the session. In the next class materials can be reviewed, with assistance from the questions previously written down by students. Teachers may also prepare more challenging questions.

The Jones Model

In an historical 1979 study, Frederick Jones found that nearly 50 percent of teaching time is wasted due to children’s misbehavior, of which approximately 80 percent is talking in class. Jones’ argument is that teachers can work on not losing the valuable time by implementing these techniques: limits, effective body language, incentive systems and resourceful help.

Setting limits will help students know what to do in every situation, from small matters like pencil sharpening, to big matters like being ill. By doing this, teachers are able to have students find their own ways of dealing with situations, without major disruptions to other students. Body language is very effective, and easily implemented, and students usually stop the misbehavior with mere eye contact from teachers. An incentive system concentrates on taking away benefits from students when they misbehave.

Efficient help is important as students start to misbehave when they start to fall behind. In Jones’ study mentioned earlier, he found that teachers use an average of four minutes to discipline students when they misbehave, and that, he says, can actually be reduced significantly. One of the ways to do this is getting others who are more settled to help the students who are struggling.

None of these methods will work in all cases, so teachers should always have back-up plans, such as isolation from class.

photo credit: ilmicrofono.oggiono via photopin cc

Check out all our posts for First Year Teachers here. 

  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education

Report: Southern states cutting higher ed funding the most

A new report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) shines a spotlight on how far funding for higher education has fallen since the start of the recession. Particularly for states in the south, funding “is down by more than 35 percent since the start of the recession.”

Overall tuition at public four-year colleges is up almost 30 percent since 2007. Even worse for students who attend schools in the south– like Florida, Georgia and Louisiana–the report states that tuition skyrocketed 60 percent.

Considering the government has cut Pell Grants and wage growth has been stagnant, such a steep rise in tuition has likely priced many students out of attending many schools that continue to raise tuition.

In addition to the cut in funding, the CBPP’s report also shows that schools have also been forced to layoff faculty, cease certain courses, shutter library services, and completely close down campuses.

But the report isn’t necessarily full of bad economic news for colleges and universities. Policy makers may restore pre-recession level funding if they simply chose to raise revenue. Of course that means some tax increases, but because many state legislatures are run by conservatives, that suggestion isn’t likely to fly in Republican controlled House and Senate chambers.

Other nuggets included in the report: 48 states have slashed per student funding, spending on higher education is down 20 percent nationwide since the start of the recession, Louisiana is trending towards cutting per student funding by 50 percent, and Kentucky chipped nearly $200 off of per student funding last year.

On the side of good news, some states did increase funding for higher education back to pre-recession levels. Alaska, Wyoming, and North Dakota all were in the blue compared to the rest of the nation.

To balance state budgets and keep the government funding, many lawmakers made the decision to stall funding for higher education. In turn, that made many colleges and universities raise tuition, cut faculty, and make other moves in an effort to save money.

Now we stand at a crossroads due to those decisions. Students are being priced out of attending post-secondary institutions, the quality of higher education has been compromised, and we’re still grappling with how to properly keep many colleges afloat.

This, unfortunately, is the price we pay for bad policy.

  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Policy & Reform

Why schools need to introduce computing in all subjects

Uri Wilensky, Northwestern University

In his recent State of the Union address, President Barack Obama said schools need to offer every student hands-on computer science classes to be better prepared for the workforce.

President Obama is right: the next generation of learners will require a high level of fluency with modes of thinking in which computers act as interactive partners.

The question is: how best to make sure they acquire that thinking? Are computing classes the only way to do this?

More computer classes

There is widespread agreement that computing should play a more prominent role throughout our education system. For this reason, there have been more concerted efforts to increase computing classes in the K-12 grade levels.

The STEM Education Act of 2015 was recently passed into law, expanding the definition of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) to include computer science and encouraging more STEM education efforts.

Seven of the nation’s largest school districts are adding more computer science classes. The Chicago Public School District, for example, plans to have computer science classes at all levels of education and make it a requirement of high school graduation by 2018. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently said the city will ensure there is computer science (CS) instruction in every public school by 2025.

I have been researching efforts to bring computing to schools and have participated in national efforts to design CS classes, train CS teachers and implement CS curriculum at a variety of grade levels.

I know that efforts to implement CS courses have encountered many challenges, particularly in teacher preparation and retention.

In contrast, efforts to train teachers to meaningfully employ computing in their own disciplines, for example, in biology or history classes, have met with significantly fewer difficulties.

So while I believe these efforts to add CS courses are good and necessary, they are not enough.

Shortage of students

The fact is that the success of such initiatives depends heavily on schools’ ability to hire and retain qualified teachers, and on students’ ability to make room for new coursework in their already-packed schedules.

Here’s what the current picture looks like:

Currently less than one high school student per 1,000 takes Advanced Placement computer science, which is the standard course for CS education for high schools.

In fact, according to Code.org, a leading nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to computer science, the number of high school computer science classes – both introductory and AP – has significantly dropped in the past decade. Since 2005, introductory classes have dropped by 17 percent and AP classes by 33 percent. Only 25 percent of high schools have any offering at all in CS, and less than 5 percent have an AP CS course.

Even in the best financial environments, not all schools offer or plan to offer courses in computing. In most of the schools that do, the courses are elective-only and reach a small percentage of students.

According to the College Board, which tracks AP exams, only 20,414 students took the AP computer science exam in 2014. By comparison, about 263,000 took U.S. history, and 438,500 students took English language. Of those who did take the computer science exam, only 18 percent were girls. And only 3 percent were African American.

There is a shortage of teachers for computer science.
Berkeley Lab, CC BY-NC-ND

Lack of qualified teachers

In addition, there is an acute shortage of teachers qualified to teach computing courses.

In 2010, the National Science Foundation launched the CS10K project, with a goal to train 10,000 CS teachers by 2015. However, at a recent meeting, the NSF reported that they were able to train only between 200-600 teachers per year, which is approximately 2,000 teachers, and vastly short of the goal.

There are other issues as well with the training: the project has not ascertained how many of the trained teachers are still teaching CS. We do know that the trainee population has shifted from mostly senior teachers to mostly younger teachers, meaning that the project could be training teachers, who are more likely to leave for industry and less likely to stay.

In addition, most states do not have certification for computer science, and among most of those that do, the certification is weak and doesn’t make them qualified for teaching high school CS.

All this makes the task more daunting.

What can schools do?

So a preferable strategy is to incorporate computing into every school subject.

Recent studies from my lab and at a few other university labs in the past 10 years show that it is much easier to train subject area teachers in computational thinking in their subject areas – such as chemistry or history – than to train and retain full-time computing teachers.

In this way, teachers learn the computing in the context of materials they already know and see the value added of the computing. Furthermore, since this strategy involves all subject areas, it ensures that all high school students, including traditionally underrepresented groups, will have access.

Using this strategy, a host of studies have found that a range of students – not just the “geeks” – can not only learn these computational skills, but they can learn them quite easily compared to print or mathematics literacy. And these skills can help them improve their learning in other areas.

Why does this matter?

Students who are exposed to computation think more deeply about their subject areas and are able to deal with complex content at significantly younger ages.

For example, computer modeling allows middle schoolers to understand many complex patterns of the world.

Computational thinking can make kids smarter.
hackNY.org, CC BY-SA

Students engaged in computer modeling can understand the fluctuations of populations of predators and prey in an ecosystem. For example, more than 50 years of data on moose and wolves in Isle Royale Michigan show fluctuating population levels. When there are a lot of wolves, there are fewer moose, and when there are a lot of moose, there are fewer wolves.

Such phenomena are usually studied at university level, using advanced mathematics of calculus and differential equations. Using computer modeling enables much younger students to have access to the ideas and calculations without needing to master the advanced mathematics.

At the Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling (CCL) at Northwestern University, we have done extensive research with children and adults, asking them to explain complex patterns in the world such as traffic jams, changes in the fauna and flora in a habitat, the flocking of birds or the housing segregation patterns of cities.
The overwhelming majority did not understand the causes of these phenomena.

In the CCL’s work developing computer-modeling-based curriculum, we have found that computationally literate students can use their computational thinking to make sense of complex patterns and understand the role of randomness in generating complexity.

Understanding the constructive role of randomness enables us to harness it, for example using computer algorithms to let self-driving cars react to changing traffic patterns to prevent congestion, or enabling groups of robots to “swarm” together to accomplish a goal.

Some may argue that we can’t afford the resources to transform subject-wide curriculum so extensively, and some others may feel schools first need to improve reading and mathematics skills, before adding yet another literacy.

I certainly agree there are always competing priorities, but we cannot ignore computing, especially in our increasingly complex world. These are the skills students will need to thrive as adults, and moreover, these skills help students with their other subject areas. By integrating computing across all classes, we can make it a true literacy.

The Conversation

Uri Wilensky, Professor of Learning Sciences, Computer Science and Complex Systems, Northwestern University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Read all of our posts about EdTech and Innovation by clicking here. 

  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Matthew Lynch

A Digital Future: K-12 Technology by 2018

Rapidly changing technology continues to make its mark on K-12 learning. Last fall the New Media Consortium Horizon Report released a report that details six up-and-coming technologies in the next five years for K-12 classrooms. Let’s take a closer look.

Horizon #1: In the next year, or less.

Mobile learning. Tablets and smartphones in the classroom are no longer a matter of “if,” but “when, and how quickly?” Administrators and educators can tap into the convenience of mobile technology in the classroom and the potential for student learning adaptation. Over half of school administrators say there is some form of mobile technology in their classrooms and that they plan to implement more when it is financially feasible. School districts should keep in mind that the purchase of mobile devices for K-12 use is only one piece in the learning puzzle. There must be funding for teacher training and maintenance of the devices too.

Cloud computing. When it comes to greater educational collaboration, cloud computing has unlimited potential. This is true for teacher-to-teacher, teacher-to-parent and teacher-to-student applications. By using a common location, academic expectations can be better accessed, along with actual student work. Instructors can also share learning materials and experiences through the remote opportunities that cloud computing provides.

Horizon #2: Within two to three years.

Learning analytics. This evolving concept in K-12 classrooms is different from educational data mining in that it focuses on individual students, teachers and schools without direct implications to the government. Learning analytics is the education industry’s response to “big data” that is used in the business world for improvements and redirection of focus. Learning analytics essentially show students what they have achieved and how those goals match up with their peers. If implemented correctly, this technology has the potential to warn teachers early of academic issues while keeping students more accountable. Using the mobile and online technology already in place, students can better track and tailor their academic experiences.

Open content. The rise of MOOCs, or massive open online courses, in terms of college learning is having a trickle-down effect on K-12 education. The idea that all the information that exists on any given topic already exists, and does not need to be re-created or purchased, is gaining steam among K-12 educators. Within the next three years, expect more shared content available to teachers and to students. Open textbooks, resources and curricula are not the only benefit of an open content push; shared experiences and insights are also valuable teaching tools.

Horizon #3: Within four to five years.

3D printing. Also known as prototyping, this technology will allow K-12 students to create tangible models for their ideas. Many fields, like manufacturing, already make use of this technology to determine the effectiveness of ideas on a smaller, printable scale. In education, this technology will bolster creativity and innovation, along with science and math applications. The STEM Academy has already partnered with Stratasys, a leading 3D printing company, to start integration of the technology in programming classes.

Virtual laboratories. These Web applications give students the chance to perform physical science experiments over and over, from anywhere with Internet access. As in a physical lab, the performance of the student will determine the results of the experiment. While not a replacement for all in-lab exercises, the virtual version can provide extra practice and guidance. There is no pressure to “get it right” on the first run, and mistakes are allowable because the technology lends itself to no-cost repetition. It also may prove a smart solution to rekindling the American public’s interest in the scientific.

In coming posts, I will take a closer look at each of these technologies and their implications on K-12 learners. Which do you think will have the greatest impact?

Read all of our posts about EdTech and Innovation by clicking here. 

  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education

Why Making Decisions is Hard for High School Seniors

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**

A guest post by Kimberly Russell

Today high school seniors have so many choices regarding their future that it requires more thought than ever to decide what they want to do after graduation. There are a few variables that have made choosing if, where, and when to go to college a much more difficult decision.

Following in their parents’ footsteps. Often teenagers are faced with an enormous amount of pressure to follow in the footsteps of their parents. Those that come from a legacy family have, since birth, been living under the assumption that they will naturally choose the same Ivy League university that their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents chose. The more that these alumni push their children toward their school of choice, the more they may see them running in the opposite direction. The pressure of choosing a school outside of the family legacy doubles when a sibling chooses to go to a parental alma mater. Going against the grain and selecting a school that is not approved of can leave the other sibling feeling disconnected or even ostracized by the rest of the family.

Adventure seekers. Taking a year off to travel was unheard of 30 or 40 years ago. The number of opportunities for young adults to travel has increased thanks to more overseas and remote opportunities and less expensive travel options. A recent Verge Magazine article stated that you don’t need thousands of dollars to get yourself on the road. In fact, all you need is a little originality, some guts and enthusiasm, and some ideas to get you started. Additionally, the availability of online classes and more stable Internet services around the world make it easier for college students to continue their studies from anywhere in the world.

The desire to be better. Students that come from diverse backgrounds, through adversity, and dream of success want to go to college. They want a better life, a better career and a better future than what life has shown them so far. These students are the ones that work hard because nothing has ever been handed to them or been made easy for them and that’s all they know how to do. The driving force for these young adults is the belief that without a degree or a purpose, things will remain challenging and success may never be achieved.

Money matters. Paying for college or rather who should pay for college is the subject of heated debates among politicians, educators and parents. The right to an education is considered to be a basic right for all Americans. Loans, work-study programs, private and public grants and scholarships, in addition to parental contributions are all financial aids that help cover the cost of college. However, the idea of college debt is daunting considering that beginning wages hardly cover living expenses for most graduates. President Obama’s stance on affordable education is well known and represented through his actions. As president he has increased Pell Grant awards, created new tax credits to help parents pay for education, reformed student loan programs, and taken steps to combat rising costs and improve value of college education. It will be up to our next president to continue his work and make postsecondary education accessible for all.

Who needs college anyway? Success stories are wonderful and inspiring especially when they come from those that grew up in a less privileged environment. However, when the success stories are from those that didn’t go to college yet became successful, college students may be inspired to throw their education to the wind and just jump into their career. Whether a college education really matters has become such a hot topic that even Time magazine recently published a Pew Research Center study that gave statistics related to the subject. One of the most convincing numbers in favor of college education was that 86 percent of graduates thought that college was a good investment. People who argue that college is not worth it contend that the debt from college loans is too high and delays graduates from saving for retirement, buying a house or getting married. They say many successful people never graduated from college and that many jobs, especially trade jobs, do not require college degrees according to ProCon.org.

There are still other but less profound categories of the ‘undecided life choices’ of a high school senior. Luckily, there are so many resources available that making decisions doesn’t have to be a lonely, tiresome or stressful process. Using friends and family to get opinions and information, asking questions and reading about experiences of others online, and avoiding pressure from self or family are all great decision making aids. Lastly, all future life decisions don’t have to be during the last year of high school. Some people may not discover what they really want to do in life until they reach their 40s. In the meantime, our life goals are constantly changing.

__________

Kimberly Russell has spent nearly 15 years in the field of education. She has served as an international educator and administrator in underdeveloped areas throughout the world. The desire to promote quality education and make a difference in the lives of underprivileged children is what drove her to teach overseas. Kimberly now spends her time as an Education Consultant between Louisiana and Cairo, Egypt while homeschooling her 3 children. She can be contacted via email at [email protected], and can be followed on Twitter @startrighted.

  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in Policy & Reform, Teachers

How to Build, and Keep, the Best Teaching Staff

By Matthew Lynch

In order for school reform in the U.S. to be successful, we must recruit, train, retrain, and fairly compensate teachers. School districts continuously engage in the complementary processes of recruiting and retaining teachers. The strain on school budgets impacts the ability of school districts to hire and sometimes to retain high quality teachers. There are steps that every school and district can take, however, to strengthen its staff no matter what the financial situation. But first, a look at patterns that impact the staffing of teachers.

Teacher Entry, Mobility, and Attrition

The highest proportion of new teachers in any given year is female, with White women accounting for higher numbers than women in ethnic minority groups. There is evidence, however, that in the early 1990s the number of new minority educators increased. No matter what their gender or ethnicity, teachers show a similar trend in high turnover and drop-out rates, both in their early years of teaching and when nearing retirement, producing a pattern related to age or experience.

Higher attrition rates have been noted in Whites and females in the fields of science and mathematics, and in those who have higher measured academic ability. Location of teaching position also impacts mobility and attrition rates. Most studies show that suburban and rural school districts have lower attrition rates than urban districts. Public schools, on average, actually have higher teacher retention rates than private schools. Not surprisingly, higher salaries are associated with lower teacher attrition, while dissatisfaction with salary is associated with higher attrition and a waning commitment to teaching.

Compensation and Working Conditions Impact Retention

Entry, mobility, and attrition patterns discussed above indicate that teachers are looking for increased salaries, greater rewards, and improved working conditions. Educators tend to transfer to teaching or even non-teaching positions that meet desired criteria. Higher compensation results in lower attrition. These findings suggest teacher recruitment and retention is dependent on the desirability of the teaching profession in relation to other opportunities. The inherent appeal of teaching depends on “total compensation” which compares the total reward from teaching, both extrinsic and intrinsic, with possible rewards determined through other activities.

Schools with high percentages of minority students and urban schools are harder to staff, and teachers tend to leave these schools when more attractive opportunities become available. Certain factors, which can apparently be influenced by policy change, may affect individuals’ decisions to enter teaching, as well as teachers’ decisions to transfer within or leave the profession.

Lower turnover rates among beginning teachers are found in schools with induction and mentoring programs, and particularly those related to collegial support. Teachers given greater autonomy and administrative support show lower rates of attrition and migration. Better working conditions, intrinsic rewards, and higher salaries remain the most compelling elements of concern to teachers. The traditional system, whereby teachers are paid based solely on their years of experience and level of education, has caused many critics to claim that it does not promote good teaching, or is not as fair as other systems that pay based on performance, ability in certain skills, or willingness to teach in areas of high need.

Proponents of the traditional system argue that teachers’ experience and education are crucial indicators of their performance, and that because of its open and fair assessment it is the only logical choice. To reach an optimum balance, educators and policymakers have created numerous methods for revising how teachers are compensated, each seeking to adjust teacher incentives differently.

As the scientific evidence on these methods’ effectiveness is extremely limited, it is difficult to choose among them. Historically, implementing any pay reform, let alone directing a critical study of one, can be a demanding issue. A number of ambitious and interesting reforms have folded, often within a few years, under opposing political pressure or from fiscal restrictions. Attempts to study the few surviving reforms have yielded little usable data to date.

Establishing Pre-service and In-Service Teacher Policies

Literature on the influence of preservice policies on teacher recruitment and retention are limited, however there are two important points that should command attention of school districts. One of the recommendations of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future in its report, What Matters Most: Teaching for America’s Future was that teachers be licensed based on demonstration of knowledge and skills.

This edict led states and teacher education programs to require teachers to pass a battery of tests before they exited teacher education programs and/or before they were licensed by states. These actions resulted in a reduction of the number of minority students entering and completing teacher education programs. Therefore school districts seeking more diverse teaching staffs will see a limited number of minority candidates available for recruitment.

A second pre-service teacher policy to which districts should attend is the difference between candidates completing traditional teacher education programs and those completing alternative route programs. Teacher candidates completing alternative route teacher education programs tend to be older and more diverse. Further, they tend to have higher retention rates than candidates completing traditional programs. Recruiting teacher candidates from these programs could address both the needs for more diverse teaching staffs and the desire to retain good teachers.

Districts wanting to retain their best teachers should strongly consider what matters to teachers who remain in their teaching positions. Mentoring and induction programs tend to matter to inservice teaches, as does class size, autonomy, and administrative support. It is also interesting to note that state accountability practices also impact teachers’ decisions to remain in their positions.

Financial circumstances notwithstanding, districts have control over some of these issues. They should consider publicizing situations favorable to inservice teachers, as a tool for both recruitment and retention. As districts develop their reform agenda, they should put at the forefront a vision for the type of teaching force needed to support their plans for reform, and use empirical studies as a guide to recruit and retain teachers.

  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in Equity, Higher Education, Parental Involvement

Is early childhood education the key to more American Indians going to college?

The Ké’ Early Childhood Initiative convenes today in Albuquerque and will bring together 45 representatives from four American Indian tribal colleges who will discuss strategies for better early childhood education and family involvement in the community.

The meeting is sponsored by the American Indian College Fund’s Early Childhood Education program which attempts to “strengthen the role of Native families in early learning opportunities, building culturally-responsive programming with families and tribal partners.” Specifically, the representatives will look at ways the American Indian community can better prepare children for long-term academic success, targeting learning opportunities from birth to 8 years of age.

In education circles, we talk a lot about the way black and Latino students struggle in K-12 classrooms through a combination of cultural circumstances and inequality. The reality is that American Indian K-12 students are the most at-risk of any minority group for either dropping out of high school or never making it to college. The American Indian Fund reports that American Indians who earn a bachelor’s degree represent less than 1 percent of all of these degree earners. It is not shocking then to realize that 28 percent of American Indians lived in poverty compared to 15 percent of the general population, according to 2010 U.S. Census figures. A college education opens doors for a higher quality of life.

The path to college starts long before the application process, of course.

Early childhood education has such an enormous impact on how students fare throughout their school careers. It’s the reason why President Obama has called on more states to implement universal preschool programs and has ushered more funding to Head Start and other early childhood education initiatives. There is a reason why an organization with “college” in the title is going back to early childhood to strengthen the potential of future students in the American Indian community. Better quality early childhood education, and families that are on board with supporting kids through the K-12 process, will lead to an uptick of interest in college degrees and a higher percentage of college graduates too.

  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in list, Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform

4 Bold Education-Related Promises from Presidential Candidates

This year has brought out many interesting candidates for the 2016 presidency, including Hillary Clinton, and Jeb Bush. It is not surprising that these presidential hopefuls are already making lofty claims related to education. Here are just four of those promises, ranging from the hopeful to the outrageous.

  1. Bernie Sanders wants to make four-year college free. Sanders proposed something almost unheard of from any candidate: free college tuition to students who attend four-year colleges and universities. Sanders wants to encourage future labor participation and to combat the ever growing problem with student loan debt.

In his press release about his college tuition bill, Sanders also said that he believes passage of this legislation will help place the United States back at the top of the world in the percentage of people who graduate from college.

According to the Boston Globe by way of commondreams.org, the class of 2015 will carry a student loan debt of $56 billion and is “the most indebted class in history.”

Sanders’ bill has a close to zero percent chance of passing. Still–one has to admire his way of thinking. Student loan debt is out of control and so is the price of tuition at many of the country’s best colleges and universities. For lower income students, they are usually preyed upon by for-profit institutions with promises of attaining a college degree and future job placement.

  1. Jim Webb emphasizes adult education. Webb isn’t necessarily known for his stances on education but Forbes.com has compiled a small list of where the former senator stands on matters regarding education.

He’s a proponent of “second chance education” as well as adult education. In talking about the latter, Webb said that he wants “to place renewed emphasis on our public education system, including the often overlooked area of adult education.”

His idea of ensuring that most adults are able to read beyond an eighth grade level is good, and it matches well with Webb’s want to give young adults another shot at attaining a good education.

Regarding second chances, Webb says that just “75% of the kids in this country finish high school.” Fixing that problem is ambitious and will take years of political capital to adjust.

  1. Bernie Sanders wants to erase student loan debt. Sanders would work to forgive some student loan debt if elected president. In a speech he gave to students at the University of Iowa back in February, Sanders said that the federal government has made billions of dollars off of student loan interest payments in the last 10 years.

“We must end the practice of the government making billions in profits from student loans taken out by low and moderate income families. That is extremely regressive public policy. It also makes no sense that students and their parents are forced to pay interest rates for higher education loans that are much higher than they pay for car loans or housing mortgages,” Sanders said.

Sanders’ numbers are correct by the CBO’s standards but have been openly challenged. According to the Washington Post, the math is fuzzy and there is no true way of knowing if the federal government is making a true profit off student loan payments.

Either way, numbers show and prove that the federal government has to pivot towards a new process for collecting payments from student loans or risk creating a new set of economic problems.

That, more than anything, seems to be part of the point that Sanders is making. He also acknowledges that if students weren’t forced to pay back so much of the loan or if the interest rates were lower, they would then have the ability to reinvest into the economy by purchasing a new car or a new home.

  1. Hillary Clinton wants to take on early childhood education. According to Bloomberg.com, Clinton visited a YMCA in New Hampshire to talk about her desire to increase funding for head start and other early childhood programs.

During her speech, Clinton took the opportunity to chide Republicans on their lack of interest in improving early childhood education.

“Republicans took care of those at the top and went after the kids. Republicans aren’t just missing the boat on early childhood education, they’re trying to sink it,” Clinton said according to Bloomberg.com.

In addition to fully funding early childhood programs, she wants extra tax breaks for “people who are taking care of kids” and wants to ensure that “every 4-year old has access to high-quality preschool” within 10 years.

Certainly striking a more progressive tone this go around, Clinton is likely trying to shore up the more liberal wing of the Democratic Party. With Senator Elizabeth Warren turning into a certified political rock star over the past couple of years, Clinton has to do all that she can to appease the part of the party’s tent that supports Warren.

What do you think of the presidential hopefuls’ plans to improve education in America?

Check out all of our posts on Hillary Clinton here.

  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation

How assistive technology is changing special education

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**

A guest post by Philip Murphy

The advancing technological landscape in which we live is changing ways we educate our children, and assistive technology is creating a world that helps special education students learn just like everyone else.

Broadly defined, assistive technology is any device or piece of equipment that helps compensate for a person’s disability.

In special education, assistive technology could be audio books and screen readers for students with visual impairments, hearing aids and visual learning tools for the hearing impaired or voice dictation software for students unable to move their limbs.

All are examples of how this technology is changing modern educational techniques, and particularly special education.

Providing a more productive learning experience for students in need of these devices was part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) revision of 2004. The revision requires Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams to consider what assistive technology can do for individual special needs students.

A variety of apps are available for iPad and iPhone serving as learning assistants and the number is increasing. Here are five popular ones:

Read2Go: Partnered with Bookshare, this software opens a digital library of over 170,000 books to students with dyslexia and impaired vision. The software requires a membership, but the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs can provide free memberships to students and schools meeting certain requirements.

Dragon Dictation: For students with disabilities that prevent them from being able to write, this free app enables the students’ mobile device to capture what they say.

Draw Free for iPad: Teachers say this software works well for kids who struggle with fine motor skills. It is a tool that can be used on any project that entails an artistic element.

Talking Calculator: Featuring large colorful buttons and a voice that informs the student which buttons they are touching, this interface makes using a calculator easier for children with visual disabilities. Performing a calculation on this app leads to a vocalized answer, turning math into a more enjoyable experience for the user.

Notability: A note-taking app that includes an audio recording function that can help visual and audio learners. It also allows users to mark-up photos, PDFs and store notes on iCloud.

Where assistive technology once caused special education kids to stand out, the integration of mobile devices that use apps is actually causing the opposite to happen.

“It has changed the way people look at people with disabilities,” Karen Gorman, director of Assistive Technology for New York City Public schools said in a 2014 interview with NPR.

She went on to say parents of children with special needs now feel that because their kids are using something that looks cool and modern, the social playing field is more level and “other kids will come over to them and interact with them.”

The number of devices is growing to the point that students have a wider variety of innovative electronics at their fingertips. A 2013 Arizona Republic story highlighted an 11-year-old’s use of assistive technology to compensate for her struggles holding a pencil. Her use of a $200 word processor called The Forte provided the freedom to keep up with a fast-paced sixth grade class.

Jan Cawthorne, director of special education for Mesa Public Schools in Arizona is well-versed in assistive technology and how far it’s come. She cited a coolness factor to these devices since the iPad came out that wasn’t there before.

“Assistive technology used to mean big, clunky things that kids were embarrassed to be seen with,” Cawthorne said. “Now, it’s a cool thing to use.”

Read all of our posts about EdTech and Innovation by clicking here. 

_____

Philip Murphy works at Bisk Education with the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. He writes about topics relating to Special Education, specializing in Austism Spectrum Disorders.

  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in Equity, Higher Education

Why many smart, low-income students don’t apply to elite schools

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**

A guest post by Carol Miller

It’s taken me a few days to respond, but when I went home the other day, the first thing my husband said to me when I got home was, “Did you listen to NPR today?  They were talking about Guidance Counselors.”

(Of course, before I could respond to his question, I had to correct him by saying, “You mean School Counselor.”)

But, I didn’t hear it, and I had to pull it up on the NPR website to listen.

You can listen to it here, or read the transcript here.

The basic premise of the report is that many low-income, high achieving high school students don’t apply to elite colleges because their “guidance counselors” steer them towards less expensive options. While NPR reports that recommending colleges is not always on the uppermost thoughts of many counselors due to high caseloads, they do state that  “guidance counselors may not have gone to selective colleges themselves.” and that your guidance counselor might not know “for a low-income high achiever, Harvard or Yale could be free.”

What NPR fails to report is that, while many low-income, high achieving students may be able to attend elite schools at a significant cost reduction, school counselors may not be privy to the net worth and financial backgrounds of each of our students.  In addition, when talking about different college options with students, we listen to their needs and concerns.  While Harvard or Yale might be free, transportation costs to and from these schools are not.

In addition, there is no magic wand that can guarantee a student’s acceptance into a college where the chance of admittance can be less than 10%.  Do we want students to apply to dozens of colleges on a chance that they will be accepted?  I know I want students to apply to a variety of colleges, but I also want them to apply to schools that would be considered reach schools, target schools and safety schools.  So throw a Harvard or Yale in the mix (because I DO know that the ivy league schools have a “no loan” program for students under a certain family income–I have encouraged a few to apply to Cornell), but also apply to a few state schools and also a few more small private schools that would have great financial aid packages with generous grants and fewer loans.

I also want students to think about the fact if they are majoring in Biology, Psychology, or Physical Therapy, that they will need more than 4 years of college.  I also want them to think about how they need to consider their indebtedness upon graduation.  I have seen more students come back to me with $60,000 or more in college loan debt by going to “elite schools” which they are then unable to pay back.

NPR fails to report that public schools have so many mandates for course requirements these days, with Common Core testing, Regents Exams, or State Exit Exam requirements, that school counselors do not have opportunities to  talk to students about these college awareness fundamentals.  Class time is a hot commodity, and is not given away by teachers easily.  Even at the middle school level, I struggle to find teaching time to talk about the things not covered in ELA, Math, Science or Social Studies but are important none-the-less.  Bullying, study skills, healthy behaviors, kindness, compassion, and college awareness are topics that are needed but not easily incorporated into the school day.

While I regularly listen to NPR, I was bothered by this article.  I would like those at NPR to know that first of all, I am a school counselor.  I am NOT a Guidance Counselor.  I am so much more than a paper pusher and a signer of transcripts to go on to colleges.  I am a teacher, a motivator, a cheerleader, and a coach.  I have inspired many low-income, high achievers to believe that college is an option.  I have taught them to understand financial aid packages, and what to look for on a college tour.  I have refused to give up on them and have helped them set goals.  I have encouraged them to take AP classes and helped to find them scholarships to cover the AP exam fees.  I have written letters to prestigious schools on their behalf carefully describing all the things that school would be missing if they didn’t accept my student.  I have given sound advice, but most importantly, I listened to my students, respecting their decisions, their values, and their goals.

I would like NPR to join me in helping to educate others on the important work of school counselors, and the need for school counselors in the lives of students.  We need smaller student caseloads and time with students.  We need an increased awareness of the importance of college planning and social emotional learning in the school day, as it can not be an afterthought to the Common Core and Teacher Evaluation System.  Our programs should be as developed as any other class curriculum, as we teach important life skills. This last report did not highlight the strengths of School Counselors.  I know, however, that every day, we do great things for these great kids.  It’s really unfortunate that you did not get the chance to see it.

This post originally appeared on The Middle School Counselor, and was republished with permission.
___________________
Carol has organized School Counseling Conferences for several years in Central New York through TACA and has presented at these conferences on College Admissions, Best School Counseling Programs, and Sharing Counseling Resources. She is a member and past President of the Tompkins Area Counselor Association, and  a member of NYSSCA and NACAC, and NYSACAC. Carol is a mom to three sons, a crafter at heart, and a soccer and basketball coach in her free time.
  • no reactions
0
Share
Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, list, Matthew Lynch, Teachers

7 Elements All Top Schools Have

Diverse school models exist, but a fundamental question remains—how do we know how effective a school model is? How can effectiveness be judged? There are several research studies which focus on the characteristics of effective schools. However, there is debate over which attributes to consider when describing successful schools.

Some researchers assert that student performance should be the primary indicator of a successful school. That makes sense, since the sole purpose of schools is educating their students. Other researchers propose that students’ social characteristics, such as personal growth, should be included when determining effective schools. Another issue with school effectiveness research is that findings are predominantly based on research conducted in elementary schools or unique school settings in the inner city. These findings might not be generalizable for all schools.

In truth, there is no one factor that can accurately determine the effectiveness of K-12 schools. This is really a multi-faceted conversation that evolves with each generation of students. However, there are some qualities that seem to apply in nearly all school contexts. Here they are:

  1. Quality leadership. In other words, students perform better where the principal provides strong leadership.  Effective leaders are visible, able to successfully convey the school’s goals and visions, collaborate with teachers to enhance their skills, and are involved in the discovery of and solutions to problems
  2. Having high expectations. This applies to students as well as teachers.  High expectations of students have repeatedly been shown to have a positive impact on students’ performance. More attention should be paid to high expectations of teachers. In other words, teachers who are expected to teach at high levels of effectiveness are able to reach the level of expectations, particularly when teacher evaluations and teacher professional development is geared toward improving instructional quality.
  3. Ongoing screening of student performance and development.  Schools should use assessment data to compare their students with others from across the country. Effective use of assessment data allows schools to identify problematic areas of learning at the classroom and school levels, so that solutions can be generated as to how to best address the problems.
  4. Goals and direction.  Administration should actively construct goals and then effectively communicate them to appropriate individuals (i.e., students, teachers, community-at-large).  School principals must also be open and willing to incorporate innovation into goals for school processes and practices. It is important to invite input from all stakeholders in the process of developing school goals. Student performance has been shown to improve in schools where all in the school community work toward goals that are communicated and shared among all in the learning environment.
  5. A secure and organized school. More learning happens when students feel secure.  Respect is promoted and is a fundamental aspect of a safe school.  There are also a number of trained staff and programs, such as social workers, who work with problem students before situations get out of hand.
  6. A smaller school. Research has found that the smaller the school, the better students perform, especially in the case of older students.  This is the rationale behind the concept of schools-within-schools. Students in smaller learning environments feel more connected to their peers and teachers, pass classes more often, and have a higher probability of going to college.
  7. Preschool education. A number of school districts view preschool education as a factor that will influence overall effectiveness across all schools located within the district. Evidence suggests that children with preschool experiences fare better academically and socially as they enter kindergarten and beyond. Experiences in literacy and numeracy among early learners not only prepares preschoolers for a kindergarten curriculum that has heightened expectations of prior knowledge, but also helps identify early learners who will need additional support to ensure they are able to have positive learning experiences later on.

Of course, we are not limited to these factors. Additional factors that influence effective schools include time to learn, teacher quality, and school and parental trust. There is no simple solution for labeling the effectiveness of a particular school – but it should certainly go beyond assessments alone.

What are some keys to school effectiveness in your opinion?

  • no reactions
0
Share
Latest Posts