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School Connectedness Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth

2. What is school connectedness?. School connectednessthe belief by students that adults and peers in the school care about their learning as well as about them as individualsis an important protective factor. Research has shown that young people who feel connected to their school are less likely

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School Connectedness Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth

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    1. School Connectedness Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth Presented by Yvette Mack, MSPH, CHES Director, Tennessee Adolescent & Young Adult Health Program

    2. 2 What is school connectedness? School connectedness—the belief by students that adults and peers in the school care about their learning as well as about them as individuals—is an important protective factor. Research has shown that young people who feel connected to their school are less likely to engage in many risk behaviors, including: Tobacco Use Alcohol & Drug Use Violence Early Sexual Initiation

    3. 3 What is school connectedness? Connected students are also more likely to have better academic achievement, including higher grades and test scores, have better school attendance, and stay in school longer.

    4. 4 Protective Factors Studies indicate that youth and adolescent health may be impacted by increasing protective factors known to help them avoid multiple behaviors that put them at risk.

    5. 5 Why School Connectedness? Students are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors and succeed academically when they feel connected to school The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health looked at 36,000 7th-12th grade students. The study found that school connectedness was the strongest protective factor for boys and girls to decrease substance use, school absenteeism, early sexual initiation, violence, and risk of unintentional injury, i.e., drinking and driving, not wearing seat belts.

    6. 6 Why School Connectedness? Research identified a strong relationship between school connectedness and educational outcomes, i.e., school attendance, staying in school longer, higher grades and classroom test scores. Academically successful students were less likely to engage in risky behaviors, i.e., smoking cigarettes, having sexual intercourse, carrying a weapon, or drinking alcohol.

    7. 7 Factors Improving School Connectedness Adult Support Children’s and adolescent’s beliefs about themselves are shaped by their perception of how adults in their lives care about them and are involved in their lives. When children feel supported and see school staff dedicating their time, attention, and emotional support they feel supported. Schools may form smaller “schools within a school” so a small group of teachers know each student and each has an advisor.

    8. 8 Factors Improving School Connectedness Belonging to a Positive Peer Group Students’ health and education success are influenced by their peers and their pro-social or negative behavior. Being part of a stable peer network helps students’ avoid being bullied or victimized. If peers exhibit irresponsible behavior students are less likely to be involved in school and connectedness as well as health may suffer.

    9. 9 Factors Improving School Connectedness Belonging to a Positive Peer Group Strong interpersonal skills help students maintain healthy relationships. Students with friends from various social groups integrated by race and gender report the greatest sense of connectedness. Students with more friends outside the school or are socially isolated with few friends inside or outside school report feeling less connected.

    10. 10 Factors Improving School Connectedness Commitment to Education Students’ dedication to their education is associated with the degree that the adults and peers in their lives 1) believe school is important for reaching their life goals, and 2) act on those beliefs. Students engaged in their own education exhibit persistence, sustained attention to tasks and a higher level of preference for challenge and mastery.

    11. 11 Factors Improving School Connectedness Commitment to Education Dedicated school staff allow students to develop emotionally, socially, and mentally, as well as academically. Committed adults engage students in learning, foster mutual respect and caring, and meet the personal learning needs of each student.

    12. 12 Factors Improving School Connectedness School Environment A safe school environment, i.e., free from graffiti, raises expectations for safety and sets the stage for positive, respectful relationships. A positive school climate is indicated by caring and supportive interpersonal relationships , opportunities to participate in school activities and decision-making, and shared positive norms, goals, and values.

    13. 13 Factors Improving School Connectedness School Environment Having set routines and guidelines, adequate planning, and fair consequences for misbehaviors contribute to good classroom management and is critical to establishing a positive school environment and increasing school connectedness. Students are more engaged in learning in well managed classrooms.

    14. 14 Promoting School Connectedness The CDC recommends six strategies to promote school connectedness:

    15. 15 Strategy 1 Create decision-making processes that facilitate student, family, and community engagement; academic achievement; and staff empowerment

    16. 16 Strategy 1 Lead the school community to develop a shared vision of high standards for learning and behavior Solicit teacher and staff input in all efforts to improve the school climate Work with students, faculty, staff, and parents to identify simple modifications to the school’s physical environment Assign students developmentally appropriate levels of responsibility for decision-making and management Engage community partners to provide a range of services that students and families need

    17. 17 Strategy 2 Provide education and opportunities to enable families to be actively involved in their children’s academic and school life.

    18. 18 Strategy 2 Provide opportunities for parents to increase their own skills, i.e., GED, English as a second language, and effective communication and leadership skills. Implement training workshops that provide parents with skills to better manage their children’s behavior, i.e., conflict resolution, listening skills, appropriate praise, etc. Provide parent workshops that teach academic support skills such as how to talk to teachers.

    19. 19 Strategy 2 Communicate via various media such as newsletters, parent-teacher conferences, or school Web sites. Encourage parents to provide a supporting learning home environment with homework guidance, computers and books, and helping with time management Reduce barriers to parent involvement by providing transportation services or meeting at difference locations Translate materials into languages commonly spoken in the community

    20. 20 Strategy 3 Provide students with the academic, emotional, and social skills necessary to be actively engaged in school.

    21. 21 Strategy 3 Support positive academic competition within and among schools Foster pro-social behavior by engaging students in helping activities like service learning, peer tutoring, and classroom chores. Teach refusal and resistance skills, including how to recognize social influences to engage in problem behaviors, identify consequences of problem behaviors, generate and suggest alternatives.

    22. 22 Strategy 3 Correct inaccurate perceptions about what normal behaviors are among students, i.e., how many students smoke or drink alcohol Engage students in planning for their future including career and personal goals Use school events and physical education classes to promote teamwork and sportsmanship and emphasize fair play and nonviolence.

    23. 23 Strategy 4 Use effective classroom management and teaching methods to foster a positive learning environment

    24. 24 Strategy 4 Communicate clear expectations for learning and behavior ensuring that expectations are developmentally appropriate and all students are held to the same expectations Ensure that lessons are linked to standards and are sequential to ensure students’ learning builds on prior lessons Be flexible to allow for teachable moments and personalization of the academic lessons Apply various classroom strategies conducive to diverse needs and learning styles

    25. 25 Strategy 4 Provide diverse opportunities for students to be meaningfully involved, learn, and be recognized Encourage open, respectful communication about differing viewpoints

    26. 26 Strategy 5 Provide professional development and support for teachers and other school staff to enable them to meet the diverse cognitive, emotional, and social needs of children and adolescents

    27. 27 Strategy 5 Educate school staff on strategies to effectively involve parents in their children’s school life, including regular communication, effective communication with parents from diverse cultures, involving parents in homework assignments, etc Enabling teachers to learn from each other by building learning teams to observe experienced teachers

    28. 28 Strategy 6 Create trusting and caring relationships that promote open communication among administrators, teachers, staff, students, families, and communities.

    29. 29 Strategy 6 Provide opportunities for students of all achievement levels to interact with one another and develop friendships and promote teamwork Create opportunities for students to work in partnership with adults in helping roles, i.e., field trips, community volunteer events, internships, etc Challenge staff to greet each student by name

    30. 30 Promoting School Connectedness

    31. 31 Definitions Risk Factors are individual or environmental characteristics, conditions, or behaviors that increase the likelihood that a negative outcome will occur.

    32. 32 Definitions Protective Factors are individual or environmental characteristics, conditions, or behaviors that reduce their effects of stressful life events; increase an individual’s ability to avoid risks or hazards; and promote social and emotional competence to thrive in all aspects of life now and in the future.

    33. 33 Definitions School Connectedness is the belief by students that adults and peers in the school care about their learning as well as them as individuals.

    34. 34 References CDC Healthy Youth. (2009). Strategies for increasing protective factors among youth. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/adolescenthealth/connectedness.htm

    35. 35 Helpful Sites Van Ryzin, M.J., Gravely, A.A., & Roseth, C.J. (2009). Autonomy, belongingness, and engagement in school as contributors to adolescent psychological well-being. J Youth Adolescence, 38, 1-12. http://www.springerlink.com/content/w8l57p0p85538458/fulltext.pdf Alignment Nashville http://alignmentnashville.org/ Coordinated School Health http://tennessee.gov/education/schoolhealth/index.shtml# Cultural Competency and Literacy in Health Care http://tennessee.gov/tenncare/forms/cultural.pdf National Association for the Education of Young Children http://alignmentnashville.org/ Tennessee Voices for Children http://www.tnvoices.org/

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