school climate matters - the colorado education initiative · feelings and school success...

School Climate Matters

SCHOOL CLIMATE MATTERS:

The Link Between Climate,

Social-Emotional Skills

and Student Success

Why Focus on School Climate?

The myth of attendance:

Underlying assumption:

Our schools are failing because kids aren’t attending.

Lesson:

Although it is true that for a student to be successful they need to attend, it is not true that attending school results in success.

Title/Date Footer Info

Attachment is the Missing (and Critical) Piece


What Do Kids Say?

HS: Teachers are mean, classes are boring, no body helps me,

nobody cares if I’m there or not, it’s too hard, it starts too early

MS: Teachers are tired, students are mean, it’s harder than

before, teachers have favorites, you get in trouble for stuff

you’ve always done before (unfair); you’re either in or you’re out.

Elem: (85%) It was awesome. My teachers liked me. I liked

my teachers. I liked the principal. The stuff we did was fun.

There was recess. I had lots of friends. Lunch was good. Yeah,

I really liked going to school then. It was kind of like, you know,

a family.


The Whole Child as a Learner


Feelings Matter: Hope


From the workforce perspective, what is the ultimate end goal of K- 12 education?

Answer: A foundation (and credential) that leads to self-sufficient employment

According to the last decade of Gallup polling, one variable predicts drop out & graduation more than any other, including grades and test scores:

The extent to which students feel hopeful about their future.

Source: Jim Clifton, K-12 Schools – Where Entrepreneurs Are Created, The Coming Jobs War, Chapter 10, p. 133

Feelings and School Success


Bullying: Upstanders, Caring School Climate, Social Emotional Skills

Peer Victimization: Internalized feelings

Response to Intervention (RTI)

Best predictor of success: student motivation to change

Source: UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools

Social Emotional Skills and Academic Performance


A study estimating the relative influence of

30 different categories of educational,

psychological, and social variables on

learning revealed that social and emotional

variables exerted the most powerful

influence on academic performance”

(CASEL, 2003, p. 7).

Sources: CASEL. (2003). Safe and sound an educational leader’s guide to evidence-based social and emotional

learning (sel) programs. Retrieved from http://casel.org/publications/safe-and-sound-an-educational-leaders-guide-to-

evidence-based-sel-programs/

http://casel.org/publications/safe-and-sound-an-educational-leaders-guide-to-evidence-based-sel-programs/

Social Emotional Skills and Academic Performance


A meta-analysis of school-based social and

emotional learning programs involving more

than 270,000 students in grades K-12 revealed

that students who participated in these

programs improved in grades and standardized

test scores by 11 percentile points compared

to control groups (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki,

Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011).

Charvat, J. (2012). Research on the relationship between mental health and academic achievement. National

Association of School Psychologists. Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/advocacy/Academic-

MentalHealthLinks.pdf

http://www.nasponline.org/advocacy/Academic-MentalHealthLinks.pdf

Feelings and School Success:TRUST


• Why do kids go to class?

Best predictor of attendance:I trust my teacher

My teacher cares about me

Source: University of Chicago, Consortium on School Research

Feelings and School Success:TRUST


In a study out of Chicago, the best predictors of class attendance were:

1. whether the student trusted their teacher

2. perceived the teacher to care about them

Student-Teacher Trust

• Teachers always keep their promises

• Teachers always try to be fair

• I feel safe and comfortable with my teachers

• My teachers always listen to my ideas

• My teachers really care about me

• When they tell me not to do something, my teachers have a good reason and they explain that reason to me

• My teachers treat me with respect

Feelings and School Success:Perceptions of Care


How do students decide whether teachers care about them?

Quality explanations

Individualized support

Monitoring and Feedback

The Classroom as a Community of Care


Classrooms have “climate and culture” too

Story: The power of defining fairness

Creating a classroom community has substantial

advantages.

• Fewer disciplinary issues

• Engaged students

• Self-checking

• Tremendous opportunities for skill building and

teachable moments

Reflective Activity


• I always keep my promises

• I always try to be fair

• My classroom is a safe and comfortable place

• I always listen to their ideas

• I really care about them [explanations, individual, checking-in, follow up and feedback]

• When I tell them not to do something I have a good reason because I take the time to explain that reason to them

• I treat them with respect

Feelings, Skills & Behavior:Academic Mindsets


Are kids who demonstrate “academic behaviors” similar?

Yes. Students who go to class, study for tests, complete homework and organize their materials share a set of character traits.

Self-discipline, Delayed self gratification, Self control, Grit, Tenacity

They persevere

Feelings, Skills & Behavior:


Why do students persevere? [grit, tenacity, delayed gratification self-discipline and self-control]

Best predictor: Their academic mindset

I belong in this community

My ability and competency grow with my effort

I can succeed at this

This work has value for me

Source: Chicago Consortium on School Research, Teaching adolescents to become learners: the role of non-cognitive factors in shaping school success. June 2012

Feelings, Skills & Behavior:


My mindset - do I belong? Can I get smarter? Can I do it? Is it important to me? (how I feel)

I will try again. I will wait. I will focus and get this done. (skills)

Going to class. Doing homework. Organizing materials. Participating in class. Studying. (What I do/behavior)

Bias Bullying and Belonging


Elementary-aged students: • (75%) report that students at their school are called names,

made fun of or bullied with at least some regularity.

• Most commonly because of:– - students' looks or body size (67%) – - not being good at sports (37%) – - how well they do at schoolwork (26%) – - not conforming to traditional gender norms/roles

(23%) – - other people think they're gay (21%)

Harris Interactive and GLSEN (2012). Playgrounds and Prejudice: Elementary School Climate in the United

States



But things change by the time students get to high

school:



Non LGBT students LGBT students

Missed 1 day in last month 6.7% 30%

Missed 4 or more 1.8% 9%

Students bullied and harassed based on perceived sexual orientation

and gender expression are twice as likely to report they do not plan to

pursue post-secondary education.

GLSEN National Climate Survey, 2011

Discussion: Colorado LGB Data


What does this data say to you?

What stood out as important? How

could school & classroom climate

make a difference to these

students?

Climate Matters


This is why school climate matters to the core

mission of schools. Because kids don’t

achieve in school—in fact they avoid

attending school-- when they don’t feel cared

for, accepted, trusted and that they don’t

belong there.

Role of Adults


Adult feelings, skills, supports and opportunities to unite

Adult trust and care

Adults as mindset developers

Adults as classroom climate creators

Emotional Resilience:

50% innate

10% current circumstances

40% daily activities and habits

So half of our resiliency can be developed!

Teacher stress


10 Main Sources of Teacher Stress1. Teaching pupils who lack motivation

2. Maintaining discipline

3. Time pressures and workload

4. Coping with change

5. Being evaluated by others

6. Dealing with colleagues

7. Self-Esteem and status

8. Administration and management

9. Role conflict and ambiguity

10. Poor working conditions

Kyriacou, C (2001). Teacher stress: Directions for future research. Educational Review, 53, 28-35

What Can We Do?


Transform the climate and culture of your school by

addressing:

1. FEELINGS: How do you know how students, staff and

administrators feel?

2. SKILLS: What the most important skills to have? How do you build

them? Who builds them? How do you practice or measure?

3. SUPPORTS: How do students and adults get help when they are

struggling?

4. UNIFYING ACTIVITIES: How do your school traditions, activities,

messages and policies intentionally build a community of care?

What Can We Do?


STRATEGIES1. Empower Students to Be Change Agents

2. Create a Community of Upstanding Allies

3. Change Adult Practice Through Professional Development & Policy

4. Use Data to Drive Decisions

CEI Tools:

Transforming School Climate Toolkit-

http://www.coloradoedinitiative.org/resources/transforming-school-climate-toolkit/

Colorado Framework for School Behavioral Health Services-

http://www.coloradoedinitiative.org/resources/schoolbehavioralhealth/

http://www.coloradoedinitiative.org/resources/transforming-school-climate-toolkit/

http://www.coloradoedinitiative.org/resources/schoolbehavioralhealth/

Finessa Ferrell

Colorado Education Initiative

[email protected]

720-502-4709

mailto:[email protected]

school climate matters - the colorado education initiative · feelings and school success...

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