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Steps, Measures and Programmes for Equality

Steps, Measures and Programmes for Equality. Dr. Paul Downes Director, Educational Disadvantage Centre Senior Lecturer in Education (Psychology) St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, paul.downes@spd.dcu.ie ASTI/SIPTU conference Liberty Hall November 28 th 2009.

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Steps, Measures and Programmes for Equality

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  1. Steps, Measures and Programmes for Equality Dr. Paul Downes Director, Educational Disadvantage Centre Senior Lecturer in Education (Psychology) St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, paul.downes@spd.dcu.ie ASTI/SIPTU conference Liberty Hall November 28th 2009

  2. The Irish Santa in Education Myth

  3. OECD 2008: EDUCATION AT A GLANCE EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AS A % OF GDP: IRELAND 2005: 4.6% OECD AVERAGE 2005: 5.8% IRELAND 2000: 4.5% IRELAND 1995: 5.2% JOINT 20TH OF 29 COUNTRIES FOR PRIMARY/SECONDARY/POSTSECONDARY /NONTERTIARY

  4. BUILDING ON STRENGTHSDO YOU THINK YOU WANT TO STAY ON AT SCHOOL UNTIL THE LEAVING CERTIFICATE? • Primary Pupils: 5th/6th Class Number of Primary Schools engaged in studies: 18 • Total: 750 yes 80 no 2 probably 15 don’t know. 15 no answer • Number of Post Primary Schools engaged in studies: 9Questionnaires returned:Primary Schools: 862; Secondary Schools: 677Total: 1,539 Focus Groups 57

  5. Downes, P & Maunsell, C. (2007) Count Us In. Tackling early school leaving in South West Inner City Dublin: An Integrated Response.SICCDA and South Inner City Dublin Drugs Task Force • - Downes, P., Maunsell, C & Ivers, J. (2006) A Holistic Approach to Early School Leaving and School Retention in Blanchardstown.Blanchardstown Area Partnership. • -Downes, P (2004) Psychological Supports for Ballyfermot: Present and FutureURBAN Ballyfermot. • - Downes, P. (2004) Voices of children: St. Raphael’s Primary School BallyfermotURBAN Ballyfermot.

  6. Era 1: Professor Joe Lee (1989) – no policy Ryan Report (2009) Era 2: Isolated programmes, territories, some attempts at strategies: Some progress and many pilot projects Teachers’ Unions as Key Driving Forces For New Initiatives for Equality in Education INTO(1979) – The Educational Needs of Disadvantaged Children INTO in 1979 called for setting up of preschool programme in each disadvantaged area Programme of Special Measures for Schools in Disadvantaged Areas (1984), later HSCL (1990), Early Start INTO (1994) Poverty and Educational Disadvantage: Breaking the Cycle ASTI – School Matters (2006) NBSS - Initially Ad hoc SCP, Isolated HSL, Teacher Counsellor/Support not therapeutic, Narrow Behaviour Support Service, Unfocused In-service for Contexts of Disadvantage Era 3: ???

  7. ERA 3: ??? • HENRY KISSINGER: “EVEN THE MOST AFFLUENT COUNTRIES WILL CONFRONT SHRINKING RESOURCES. EACH WILL HAVE TO REDEFINE ITS NATIONAL PRIORITIES” • 20 JAN 2009 THE INDEPENDENT- A PEELING AWAY OF INVESTMENT? • Social control through medication of socioeconomically marginalised children ??

  8. ERA 3: ??? • The Drive for Evaluation and its Limitations: Interventions that ‘work’ may be a function of filtering out the most marginalised • Downes (2007) Why SMART outcomes ain’t always so smart • Holistic Strategies: Teams not individuals, developmental and lifelong focus, community development and schools • School as community focal point ? • The key role of unions

  9. ERA 3: ??? • PRIORITY ISSUE: A mental health strategy and distinct DES funding strand for mental health for contexts of socio-economic disadvantage • NAMhA ! – No Alternative to a Mental Health Analysis ! • - at a system level of individual, group, class, school, family and community

  10. Elements of this mental health strategy: A) Developing school climate at post-primary level B) Community based therapeutic, care and outreach teams C) Alternatives to suspension D) Curriculum – constructivist teaching methods, SPHE E) Promotion of Arts and Emotional Expression, Sport and Self-Esteem as part of national out of school services strategy (see also QDOSS, Downes 2006) See also BEYOND EDUCATIONAL DISADVANTAGE (Downes & Gilligan Eds 2007). Dublin: IPA

  11. *Developing school climate at post-primary level *No sunlight ! Not money !……….. *NDP ……………………………….. *Transition – not merely a problem of the individual *H.Dip……………………………….

  12. Downes, P., Maunsell, C., Ivers, J. (2006). A holistic approach to early school leaving and school completion in Blanchardstown. BAP • The responses to the question: ‘If you had a problem with your schoolwork would you tell your teachers(s) about it ? Why/Why not ?’ SECONDARY • YES NO MAYBE N/A • 122 27 8 6

  13. While a large majority of students (approximately 75%) do feel comfortable in raising a problem with their schoolwork with their teachers, it must be acknowledged that a sizeable minority do not or are not sure if they do (more than 20%) PRIMARY YES NO MAYBE N/A 210 18 1 1

  14. It is of concern that: • -   there is a sharp increase in 1st year compared to 6th class responses in those students who are not willing or are not sure if they would tell a teacher about an academic problem – from 8% (Primary) to more than 20% (Secondary) • -   there is a sharp decrease in 1st year compared to 6th class responses in those students who are willing to tell a teacher about an academic problem – from approximately 91% (Primary) to 75% (Secondary) • -    these differences between primary and secondary level are statistically significant ones

  15. Sharp Increase in Students who perceive that they are not treated fairly in Secondary School compared to Primary School • Quinlan (1998a) observed that one of the interviewed teachers in Blanchardstown referred to alienation of young people from an authoritarian educational system. • Teacher-student relations was also a pervasive theme in Fingleton’s (2003) interviews with eleven early school leavers in the Canal Communities Area of Dublin. These interviews highlight their alienation from the school system as well as the desire of many for further paths to education though not through traditional routes.

  16. ·        US adolescents cite a sense of isolation and lack of personally meaningful relationships at school as equal contributors to academic failure and to their decisions to drop out of school (Institute for Education and Transformation 1992; Wehlage & Rutter 1986). ·        Meier (1992) cites personalized, caring relationships with teachers as a prerequisite for high school-level reform

  17. The responses to the question: ‘Are you treated fairly by teachers in school ? Why/Why not ?’ were as follows: • PRIMARY: 6th Class • YES. DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER. NO. YESBUT. 170 3 36 21   • SECONDARY: 1st Year • YES. DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER. NO. YES BUT. 90 10 41 21

  18. -         Approximately 74% of pupils at primary level (6th class) state that they are treated fairly by teachers in school -     Approximately 55% of students at secondary level (first year) state that they are treated fairly by teachers in school -      Approximately 15% of pupils at primary level (6th class) state that they are not treated fairly by teachers in school -      Approximately 25% of students at secondary level (first year) state that they are not treated fairly by teachers in school *These differences between 6th class primary and 1st year secondary are statistically significant i.e., there is a statistically significant increase in perception of being treated unfairly by teachers in secondary school compared to primary school.

  19. CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS FOR TEACHERS Downes & Maunsell (2007) * Perceptions of being treated unfairly by teachers were exceptionally high at 50% of student responses in the fifth year group of one school, with 29% who stated that they were treated fairly by teachers being an exceptionally low figure. * The finding, in the US, of MacIver et al (1991) is relevant in this context, namely, that external pressure did bring increased motivation among middle school students but not among high school students. * Perceptions of being treated unfairly by teachers were particularly high in the school which was observed to have a particularly high proportion of 5th year students who stated that they did not want to stay on at school until the Leaving Certificate.

  20. Downes and Maunsell (2007) Responses from students who perceived that they were not treated fairly by teachers include the following: “No some think they own the school” “The students aren’t treated fairly, I don’t know why, they just don’t and it’s very clear” “No they pick on certain students” “Fairly by some but teachers that hated another family member they think you’re like them when you’re not” “Most of them are very, very nice but there is just 1 or 2 that I don’t like one bit’ “Mainly yes but 1 or 2 can be discouraging towards me. I am a good student and do my work mostly so they shouldn’t have a reason to be unfair” “No some teachers would talk to you rashly & then act so sweet in front of your parents” “No they pick on certain students” “No cause some teachers are bullies towards the students” “I’m leaving after the Junior because I hate it” Would change “the way the teachers treat the students” “I can’t wait to leave, I would leave tomorrow if I had the choice because I get picked on by a teacher”

  21. * INTO (1993) Discipline in the Primary School: • “To focus on the pupil alone is to ignore the interactive nature of human relationships and the very special context that exists in schools and classrooms. The quality of relationships and the nature of the social context created are vital elements in the whole process of control and discipline”

  22. * The issue of perceptions of being treated fairly or otherwise in school needs to move beyond ‘blame’ and an individualised focus on the individual teacher or student to a systems’ level analysis. * Barnardos ‘Make the Grade’ (2006): H.Dip and In-service focus on Teachers’ Conflict Resolution Skills

  23. School Matters (2006) P 59 There are individual teachers whose classroom management skills need to be improved or modified in ways that support the smooth functioning of lesson presentation...It can also be that there are some teachers whom students perceive to be partisan and not even-handed in their interactions with all students. P 98 There were repeated calls for professional development inareas that could help to diffuse some of the anger and frustrations that some young people in our schools exhibit. Suggested areas include Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Restorative Practices, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy etc. The Task Force considers these calls are well grounded and advocates that these themes form the focus of future CPD initiatives

  24. ASTI survey on Discipline in Schools 2004 – 67% and 28% of teachers strongly agreed/agreed respectively that a Stress Prevention Programme was necessary for teachers • Phillips and Eustace (2009) – survey of Parents Ballymun/Whitehall – Children in 10 secondary schools School Matters (2006) P 69 “The Task Force sees the school as the centre, nested in its unique ethos and culture… A school is imbued with its own unique ethos and culture”.

  25. A mental health strategy and fund for contexts of socio-economic disadvantage Not one early school leaving problem: ESL is a behaviour with a range of motivations More medium-term planning for SCP, staff contracts beyond year to year, beyond 8 week bereavement courses Wider referral processes – reach withdrawn kids: ‘a slap in the face’ Need for prevention and early intervention: non-verbal therapeutic intervention Cf. Familiscope NEPS – Reactive to critical incidents Alternatives to suspension Drug prevention issue EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING IS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE !

  26. Stokes (2009) survey of reported difficulties of Youthreach participants: 37% Dysfunctional family background 22% Need for sustained psychological support 20% Substance misuse problems 23% Literacy and numeracy problems 13% Specific learning needs School Matters (2006) P 35“Many of the behaviours ‘acted out’ in the classroom are linked to events happening outside of the school itself, including family relationships, alcohol and drug use or mental health issues”. School Matters (2006) P 36 “considerable numbers of students in our schools who have mental health difficulties that may not be school related in their origin. Issues relating to students’ personal difficulties are now a pressing reality for the majority of our schools”

  27. Downes and Maunsell (2007) Suicide risk • There is an urgent need for increased provision of emotional support services locally which target young people. A large majority of the two focus groups who raised the issue of suicide prevention had personal acquaintance with people aged 16-18 who had committed suicide. Only 2 out of 14 people between ages 16-18 knew no one who had committed suicide: - “Why do you think some people are dying ? Because there is no one to talk to” - “fellas wouldn’t tell about their problems, wouldn’t use counsellors” - “we should do more personal development” - “girls slit their wrists” - “girls take tablets and slice their wrists” - “girls sleeping around to hurt themselves, other ways instead of slitting wrists”

  28. Cont., • “6 committed suicide one summer coming up to the Leaving Cert results, 1 owed money for drugs, 1 wanted by 1 other fella, 2 of the 6 were girls” • “about 7 my age or younger [killed themselves]” - “about 2 committed suicide, a dozen who’ve threatened to” - “know a couple on the verge of doing it” - “In Clondalkin 40 people hung themselves, mostly fellas” - “because of depressions and being on your own, feel like no one pays attention and if no feeling inside you and you can feel pain you’re going to do it” • “know 6, all girls, tablets and slitting wrists, 1 fella who hung himself ” - “3 close friends and a guy who hung himself ”.

  29. • An explicit link between suicide of young people and owing money for drugs was raised by a number of respondents and is a matter of extreme concern: - “a couple of my friends killed themselves because they were in debt to drugs” - “drug related 2 or 3, mainly owing money” - “they kill themselves because they owe money for drugs”. • The need for clearer information locally about emotional support services for young people is evident: - “suicide support not made public enough, only know the Samaritans” - “no information about counselling services” - “would go if they were encouraged to use them”.

  30. Kaplan et al’s (1994) North American study of 4,141 young people tested in 7th grade and once again as young adults which found a significant damaging effect of dropping out of high school on mental health functioning as measured by a 10-item self-derogation scale, a 9-item anxiety scale, a 6-item depression scale and a 6-item scale designed to measure coping. This effect was also evident when controls were applied for psychological mental health as measured at 7th grade. The significant damaging effect of dropping out of school was also evident even when controls were applied for gender, father’s occupational status, and ethnicity

  31. THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY BASED EMOTIONAL SUPPORTS • Would you talk to an adult working in the school about your problems? • Yes Primary 240  • No Primary 300 • Maybe/depends Primary 25 • Don’t know Primary 6  No Answer Primary 46 • Yes Secondary 131 • No Secondary 312  • Maybe/depends Secondary 23

  32. COMMON FINDINGS • evidence that some of the pupils and students that are most at risk of early school leaving are falling through the gaps and not accessing existing afterschool services, • the high levels of pupils experiencing problematic sleep patterns potentially affecting their academic performance and linked in some responses to levels of anxiety affecting their sleep,

  33. Cont., • a notable minority of pupils and students who stated that they have no one to talk with about their problems,  • the limited availability of drug prevention programmes in local schools, • the need for system level work with parents, for example, regarding early intervention strategies for their children’s literacy and speech and language development, • the need for early referrals, • the need for early intervention regarding speech and language development, and therapeutic emotional intervention.

  34. ALTERNATIVES TO SUSPENSION • * Suggestions for alternatives to suspension in secondary schools made by a range of local services strongly resonate with recommendations made at a national in-service of School Completion Programme to ‘improve the climate for teaching and learning in classrooms’ included at the ‘school systems’ level’: • ‘Requirement for alternative needs based individual curriculum with elements of youth work approach’ * Behaviour support classrooms – School Matters (2006)

  35. Though there are extremely important issues highlighted, there are significant limitations to School Matters (2006) pointing to the need for a wider mental health strategy than the NBSS • No direct empirical data (see s.2.10) • No unmediated voices of students and parents • Sleep, Hunger needs more focus re: misbehaviour • A wider focus needed on students’ experience and not simply their behaviour • Substance abuse and reasons for engaging in this beyond ‘hedonism’ and ‘a lack of personal responsibility’ – intervention through a preventive approach examining students’ life experiences and searches for meaning • Trauma/Stress related experiences (bereavement, suicide, rape, sexual abuse, bullying, divorce etc) conflated with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders

  36. Cont., • The ‘Care Team’ (Level 4) is not a care team with emotional counselling training !! Principal/Deputy P/Year Heads/Guidance Counsellor/HSL/Chaplain What are its procedures for confidentiality and how are they communicated to students ?? • Little focus on conflict resolution through promotion of positive experiences in school (e.g., through arts and emotional experience) and beyond, but more on avoiding negative behaviours • Danger that the withdrawal strategy of Behaviour Support Classrooms falls between two stools of a) not engaging students where therapeutic help needed, b) not challenging interpersonal dynamics but focusing simply on the individual (see also INTO 1994 p.39 on exclusionary effects)

  37. Lack of strategic connection between the teacher counsellor/support service and the NBSS • Reactive to misbehaviour rather than preventive of misbehaviour • Focusing on externalising behaviour and not on internalising behaviour • Institution centered more than student centered • A potentially vital service to engage potential early school leavers is narrowed to a focus on their behaviour • Limited role for evaluation of the interventions by students and parents ?

  38. ‘Equality in Education ?’ Sean Flynn - The Irish Times – November 6, 2009 • 100 million euro for private schools from taxpayer • St. Andrew’s Booterstown, Dublin – over 5 million euro • Blackrock – 4.2 million plus 114,000 for building • Wesley College – 3.7 million plus 359,000 for capital works • 17 fee paying schools – additional 2.1 million for capital or building works

  39. "The great only appear great because we are on our knees. Let us rise.“ James Larkin Galbraith – Culture of Contentment

  40. COMMISSIONED REPORTS • Downes, P & Maunsell, C. (2007) Count Us In. Tackling early school leaving in South West Inner City Dublin: An Integrated Response.SICCDA and South Inner City Dublin Drugs Task Force- Downes, P., Maunsell, C & Ivers, J. (2006) A Holistic Approach to Early School Leaving and School Retention in Blanchardstown.Blanchardstown Area Partnership.-Downes, P (2004) Psychological Supports for Ballyfermot: Present and FutureURBAN Ballyfermot.- Downes, P. (2004) Voices of children: St. Raphael’s Primary School BallyfermotURBAN Ballyfermot.

  41. REFERENCES Ballymun Whitehall Area Partnership (2009) Family involvement in education – research study Barnardos (2006). Making the Grade. Dublin: Barnardos Darmody, M. (2007) Strengthening the school social climate in Downes & Gilligan (Eds 2007). Beyond Educational Disadvantage. Dublin: IPA Downes, P (2006) QDOSS (Quality Development of Out of School Services): Agenda for development Downes, P & Gilligan, A.L. (2007) Beyond Educational Disadvantage. Dublin: Institute of Public Administration Downes, P (2007) Why SMART outcomes ain’t always so smartin Downes & Gilligan (Eds 2007). Beyond Educational Disadvantage. Dublin: IPA Downes, P., et al (2007) The jolt between primary and post-primary in Downes & Gilligan (Eds 2007). Beyond Educational Disadvantage. Dublin: IPA Fingleton, L. (2003). Listen B 4 I Leave: Early school leavers in the Canal Communities area and their experiences of school. Canal Communities Partnership Ltd. Flynn, S. Tax payers fund private schools to tune of 100 million euro The Irish Times November 6, 2009 Forkan, C. (2005). Joint Education Development Initiative (J.E.D.I): An audit of issues relating to early school leavers in the Greater Blanchardstown Area, Dublin. Fingal County Council Galbraith, John (1992) The Culture of Contentment. London: Penguin Institute for Education and Transformation (1992). Voices from the inside: A report on schooling from inside the classroom – Part I: Naming the problem. Claremont, CA: Claremont Graduate School.

  42. Kaplan, D.D., Damphousse, J.R. & Kaplan, H.B. (1994). Mental health implications of not graduating from high school. Journal of Experimental Education, 62, 105-123 Lee, J.J. (1989) Ireland, 1912-1985: Politics and Society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Maunsell, C., et al (2007) Primary to post-primary: Perceptions of pupils with special educational needs in Downes & Gilligan (Eds 2007). Beyond Educational Disadvantage. Dublin: IPA Meier, D. (1992). Reinventing teaching. Teachers College Record, 93, 594-609 MacIver, D.J. (1991). Enhancing student to learn by altering assessment, reward & recognition structures: an evaluation of the incentives for improvement program. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association. Chicago April 1991 OECD (2009) Education at Glance OECD Indicators Quinlan, C.M. (1998a). Early school leaving in Blanchardstown. BAP Ryan, S (2009) The Commission to Enquire Into Child Abuse Stokes, D. (2009). One system, two modes: The role of the Youthreach programme in Irish education. Presentation given in Dublin City University, January 2009 The Report of the Task Force on Student Behaviour in Second Level Schools (2006) School Matters Wehlage, G.G & Rutter, R.A. (1986). Dropping out: How much do schools contribute to the problem? Teachers College Record, 87, 374-392

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