HELPING ELEMENTARY STUDENTS SUCCEED AT SCHOOLPRESENTED BY:

BETTY WHITE, MED., LPC

TSCA PAST-PRESIDENT

746 CR 221

STEPHENVILLE, TX 76401

KIDTOOLS@ACADEMICPLANET.COM

WWW.KIDTOOLS.NET

PACK YOUR BAG FOR SUCCESS

WHERE ARE WE NOW?We now have 51% Poor in US Public Schools. These students have high needs for interventions of all types, including CSCP.

LACK OF EDUCATION=POVERTY

Poverty rate in single parent households headed by:

a high-school dropout, 60%.

a high school graduate, 40%.

some college, 30%,

a college graduate, 10%.

Poverty rate in two parent households headed by:

a high school drop-out, 24%

a high school graduate, 10%

some college, 5%

a college graduate, 2%

EDUCATION MATTERS ! FAMILY MATTERS!

Source: US Census Bureau 2010, American Community Survey 2005-09

BENEFITS OF SCHOOL COUNSELINGA meta-analysis of school counseling outcome research (117 studies, 153 school counseling interventions, and16,296 students) found an overall effect size of .30. Students who participated in the interventions improved almost a third of a standard deviation more than their peers who did not receive the interventions.

In other words, school counseling interventions have a larger effect size than aspirin for preventing heart attacks (ES of .06) and an equivalent effect size to sertroline (“Zoloft”) compared to placebo, for treating major depressive disorder (ES of .31).

Whiston & Quinby (2009). Review of school counseling outcome research. Psychology in the Schools, 46(3),

267-272. Schatzberg & Nemeroff (2009). Textbook of Psychopharmacology. Arlington, VA: The American

Psychiatric Publisher

COUNSELOR’S ROLE IN SUCCESS School Counselors are in a unique position to see the WHOLE

school, and to influence what happens throughout the school

YOU are the mental health professional for the school. You have the most training, expertise, and experience in the non-academic factors that influence achievement (and most of you have expertise in the academic factors as well.

YOU can establish a program that involves everyone in your school in contributing to the success of students in your school through a combination of classroom guidance, cheerleading, serving as a knowledge base, and promoting ideas that WORK.

You need to: AGREE on a clear personal path, BUY-IN to the ideas, and COMMIT to implementing them

SCHOOL SUCCESSWHAT DO KIDS NEED?Parental Support

(GETTING BEHIND THEM)Good Social Skills

(GETTING ALONG)Good Character

(GETTING BETTER)Good Study Skills

(GETTING AHEAD)Goals for the Future

(GETTING OUT!)

PARENTS MATTER !!A meta-analysis conducted by WH Jeynes in 2005 looked at 77 studies involving 300,000 students on the effect of parental influence on educational achievement. These studies were split between Elementary and Secondary students. He found that:

Strong parental involvement had an effect size of .5-.6

The greatest effect size was in parental expectations, followed closely by parental activities involving time spend with kids, such as reading and conversing.

Helping parents learn ways to be involved with their kids is a sure-fire way to build achievement.

By the way, student expectations have an effect of 1.44, and teacher expectations have an effect of 1.03. (Coe, R-2002)

RAISE THAT BAR!!!

PARENTAL SUPPORT

POSITIVE SCHOOL-WIDE ACTIVITIESAt the beginning of the year, sponsor an evening “Meet the Staff” event-which is informal, like a watermelon feed or a picnic. Keep everyone outside. Consider having parent-child games, door prizes, etc.

Activities in the early morning allow working parents to attend on the way to work. Consider AM events such as “Muffins for Moms” or “Donuts for Dads” Also consider having parents meet cars as they drop off students; “Smiling Dads”.

Family game nights are a way to help families to view school as a gathering place for the community. Have an evening where parents and children bring a game to school to play-provide refreshments and child care for younger sibs.

POSITIVE SCHOOL-WIDE ACTIVITIESAt the beginning of the year, send out a card to parents that lists things they could do for the school. Things such as designing class web pages, landscaping, building, painting murals, and so on are all ways parents can take ownership in the school. Utilize parents around the school in any creative way you can think of, from “locker helpers” to “reader/rockers” for young kids. An active parent volunteer program that allows parents to do something more than run off papers is essential.Consider making a home visit to each and every entering student. Kindergarteners can be visited throughout the summer before they enroll. New students can be visited during the period immediately they enroll. Take along a “Welcome to Our School” packet with a treat for the child and information for the parent. Keep the meeting short and informal, but ask the parent if there are any special concerns (BEFORE there are any!)

POSITIVE SCHOOL-WIDE ACTIVITIESMaintain an “Open Door Policy” for parents within your campus security guidelines.

Consider asking parents to teach enrichment activities such as Kite Flying, Rocketry, Scrap-booking, Painting, and so on. These can be offered after school, during specials time, or on Saturdays.

Sponsor a “Career Day” for your students, and either use parent volunteers or ask parents to coordinate the event and line up speakers. For older students, a Job Application and Interview process is useful and fun.

“Adopt-a-School” partnerships are useful, but consider an “Adopt-a-Class” or “Adopt-a-Program” as well

POSITIVE SCHOOL-WIDE ACTIVITIES

There are lots of creative parents who are just waiting for you to ask them to utilize their special talents in a variety of ways. A parent “hobby” inventory is a good way to surface these talents.

Have a Family History program in which students and parents are encouraged to bring family pictures that can be scanned into the computer and utilized in a multi-media program

Parent-Child Talent Shows can be fun and a way either to raise money for a program of simply have a few laughs

POSITIVE SCHOOL-WIDE ACTIVITIESParents are intimidated by such things as STAAR tests, Math assignments, and Science. Sponsor a “Math” night which you “guarantee” will remove all stress from helping your child with math homework. Another good bet is a night explaining the TAAS test and giving parents ways to help their children prepare for the test. Especially target SSI years.Have an awards night for children in Special Programs. These children are seldom recognized for more traditional awards, and a special night devoted to them can win lots of support.A Parent University is a good way to get parents to come to parenting classes, since it is limited to one day. Send out a needs assessment, them plan a day of break-out sessions related to these topics. Pre-register parents, and provide child-care and lunch or snacks. Use a high value activity for kids to help bring parents in.

POSITIVE SCHOOL-WIDE ACTIVITIES

“Info-on-the-Go” parent meetings can be a way to get parents to come to school-offer a short, 15-20 minute session with an academic focus and another session with a parenting focus-plan for right after work.

Food based fundraisers are a good way to get parents in-Chili Supper, Barbecue, etc.-then present information while they are there

SOCIAL SKILLS

STRESSStress can be good for us if it is:

1. Short term

2. Ends with more positive than negative

Chronic stress is toxic to the body and brain

1. Poor children are exposed to more and longer lasting stressors.

2. Poor children have fewer coping skills than their higher SES counterparts

(Evans, G.W. and Kim P., 2007)

Chronic stress creates emotional problems, lowers IQ and reading scores, causes memory loss, shortens dendrites, causes neuron death, and fosters inappropriate attachments.

SOCIAL SKILLS BENEFIT STRESSED CHILDRENKnowing how to respond socially reduces stress and increases feelings of control

Knowing how to respond socially improves relationships with adults

Knowing how to respond socially improves relationships with peers

Good relationships diffuse stress and make your life easier. (Miller-Lewis LR, Sawyer AC, Searle AK, Milinty MA, Sawyer MG, Lynch JW, 2014)

Supporting students relationally and socially helps them mitigate chronic stress in their lives.

SOCIAL SKILLSSocial Skills are “caught” by many students, but for difficult students, they must be “taught”

Teaching Social Skills is the job of everyone in the school-not just the counselor

Social Skills should be broken down into steps, rehearsed, and rewarded. Many opportunities to practice in a variety of settings are needed.

First 2 weeks of school should be devoted to teaching the social skills needed to follow the rules and expectations in all areas-classroom, lunchroom, halls, restrooms, playground, gym, etc.

System should be in place to reward appropriate use of skills-”caught you being good!”

RESEARCH ON SOCIAL SKILLS INSTRUCTIONA school counseling curriculum about positive social skills (Second Step) has been found to diminish physically aggressive behavior and to increase neutral/ prosocial behavior. Grossman et al. (1997)

Students in schools that provide counseling services indicated that their classes were less likely to be interrupted by other students and that their peers behaved better in school. Lapan, Gysbers, & Sun. (1997).

A pro-active, Schoolwide disciplinary approach including targeted Social Skills instruction improved behaviors significantly in the 3 targeted areas: cafeteria, recess, and hallway transitions (Lewis, Sugai, Colvin-1998)

There are many smaller research studies affirming the impact of Social Skills instruction on student behavior

SOCIAL SKILLSClassroom Guidance lessons can be used to teach skills-but are effective only if others reinforce between visits

Introduce using “Skill Steps” lesson

“Have kids model “Good” and “Bad” social skills through skits, videos, etc.

Best investment for Social Skills book is

“Skillstreaming the Elementary School Child”

By Ellen McGinnis and Arnold Goldstein

RESOURCES Julia Cook books

www.socialskillscentral.com

www.pbisworld.com/tier-2/teach-social-skills/

csefel.vanderbilt.edu/about.html (young children)

Michelle Winner-Garcia-for children on the spectrum

Becky Bailey materials

Creating the School Family-Becky Bailey

Others???

CHARACTER EDUCATION

CHARACTER EDUCATIONMandated by state-many good programs

Like Social Skills, Character must be an integral part of all school activities and expectations

10 minute lessons can introduce concepts, leave teacher with reinforcers and extensions to continue after you leave. These lessons also give teachers good ideas for lessons of their own

CHARACTER EDUCATION LESSONS

Included with this session are lessons on:

Citizenship

Fairness

Honesty and Integrity

Independence and Responsibility

Respecting Differences

Self Discipline

Courtesy

STUDY SKILLS

STUDY SKILLSLike Character and Social Skills, Study Skills are “caught” by some students but must be “taught” to most

Research suggests that in order for Study Skills to be effective, they must be “targeted” to the specific task/subject

Teach mnemonics, a “peg” system, and mapping to all students, campus wide, to help in organization and learning

Study Skills should be taught in all classes targeted towards the subject and task-this is a great opportunity to get into specific classes and partner with teachers

DO STUDY SKILLS WORK?

Generic Study Skills have an effect size of 0.45, slightly above average.

Relational or Subject Specific Study Skills have an effect size of 0.77. When you teach note-taking and study skills that are specific to a subject area and are in context, you increase their value tremendously!(Biggs and Purdie, 1996)

PEG SYSTEM

A peg system is useful when children have to remember lists of things

Students from 2nd grade up can remember a peg system

A peg system uses a picture matched to a number that remains the same

Students link to a peg system by imagining the things to be remembered associated with the peg images

PEG SYSTEM “PEGS”1. Sun

2. Shoe

3. Tree

4. Door

5. Hive

6. Sticks

7. 7-Up (Heaven)

8. Gate

9. Line

10. Hen

USING THE PEGSSuppose the list to be remembered is:

1. Orange Juice

2. Milk

3. Apples

4. Bread

5. Peanut Butter

6. Honey

7. Cereal

8. Dog Food

9. Tuna

10. Waffles

USING THE PEGS

1. Picture a sun pouring out orange juice

2. Picture a shoe filled with milk

3. Picture a tree covered in apples

4. A door opening and a giant loaf of bread coming through

5. A beehive spread with peanut butter

6. Sticks sticking into a honeycomb with honey dripping out

7. A bowl of cereal with 7-Up poured over it

8. Dog food pouring through a gate

9. Cans of tuna in a line

10. A hen with wings made of waffles

MNEMONICSMnemonics are memory aids to remember information-help students learn these and develop their own:

F-A-C-E Every good boy does fine.

My very excellent mother just served us nachos.

H-O-M-E-S

ROY G BIV

Others???

ORGANIZATIONAL FRAME

Consider teaching a “frame” or scaffolding technique school wide to help students organize information

This format can be an outline, a mind map or a web

The advantage of teaching a school wide system is much like teaching a peg system-students can use the system throughout their school career and transfer from one situation to another

STUDY SKILLS-WORKING MEMORY

K-2 CONTENT

Simon Says

Sing Alongs

Clapping Games

Spelling games-forwards then backwards (2-3 letters)

Word or Number Basket

When I go to the moon..

3-5 CONTENT

Word or Number Basket

Simon Says with add ons

Spelling games-3-7 letter words-forward/ backwards

Grow sentences

Grow stories

Mental Math

WORKING MEMORY

http://www.memory-improvement-tips.com/

http://www.memoriad.com/exerciese.asp

http://www.knowledgeadventure.com/games/memory/

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/memory_games/

MORE STUDY SKILLS

1. Reasoning is a teachable skill. The two ways to teach reasoning with the highest success rate are:

Interactive Dialogue

(Questions and Answers)

Thinking Models

(Davis, Haworth, Plomin,2009)

BUILDING REASONING SKILLS WITH QUESTIONS What led you to say that/

How does this differ from ______________?

If that is true, what else could be true?

How do agree with _______________?

How do you disagree with _______________?

Tell me more about your answer.

How does that tie in with ________________?

What is the evidence for saying that?

Can you show me why that’s true/false?

QUESTIONING SEQUENCE1. Discovery Questions

(Let’s do word associations. I say environment, you say_____.”

2. Essential Questions

(How does the environment impact your own life and whay does that matter?)

3. Elaboration Questions

(How does a natural environment differ from the environment in a lab or a building?)

4. Evidence Gathering Questions

(What evidence supports your case?)

Do Better Questions Support Achievement?

YES! Use of probing questions and affirmative inquiry had an effect size of 0.82 (Hattie, JA and Yates, CR 2013)

BUILD VOCABULARY

Effect Sizes:

Giving partner a description of the new word- 1.53

Working out meaning from context- 1.59

Express new word non-linguistically (gestures, movement, pictures, mind map)- 2.27

Redefine the new word in their own words-1.27

(Marzano, RJ 1998)

VOCABULARY BUILDING

Use words that are on the test and get their attention

Have a “Word of the Day”

Give credit for sharing the weekly word with 3 others

Develop writing assignments with the new words

Kids “catch” teacher whenever new word is used

Extra credit for speaking or writing the new word

Teacher role models complex words

Give concrete, adult examples

Model adult response to unfamiliar words

If every teacher, every day, introduces one new word and reviewed the last 5 words, the Results are amazing!

BUILD READING

Adults throughout the school role model reading

Teacher shares a book a week and is enthusiastic

Provide books for their homes

Teach phonemic awareness (not just at lower grades)

Build working memory every day

Teach text comprehension tools

Read daily for fluency

Add 5+ words to vocabulary per week

BUILD WRITING Start small daily and build (Summarize ______ in 5 words.)

Ask them about problems in the world or community that need to be solved. Have them pick the one they are most passionate about, and write about it. This gives them voice.

Allow them to write about, “Five things to do before I die.”

Daily journals-be sure to read and comment

Weekly gratitudes

Affirmations

Personal reflections

GOAL SETTING

GOAL SETTINGResearch shows that students who have goals are less likely to make poor grades, drop out of school, become pregnant, get involved with drugs, or get involved with illegal activities

Some students naturally set goals or are taught by their parents, but most need help learning to set goals

Goals setting should begin with short term goals and progress to longer term goals

All teachers should participate in goal setting for themselves and for students

GOAL SETTING-BUILD EFFORT

Invest in Relationships with Students- Effect size of .72- Students who like you will work harder in class.

Big Goals and Engaged States- Effect size of 1.44-Eric Jensen calls them “gaudy goals”- These are not just individual student goals-they are class goals that inspire, engage, and connect student outcomes to their goals.

3:1 Feedback Ratio-Effect Size .81-1.44- Create a positive classroom climate with unceasing affirming interactions and thoughtful error correction.

RELATIONSHIP BUILDERS

1 and Done Do one favor or connection or show of empathy so powerful students remember it

2 for 10Invest 2 minutes a day for 10 consecutive days with a student who most needs a connection

3 in 30

Discover 3 things in addition to names about every student you have in the first 30 days of school

GOAL SETTING

GOAL SETTING

BIG Goals are long term goals-

You also need short term or micro-goals-

Let’s try it:

What is one BIG goal for your school upon your return from this workshop?

What are the smaller goals you will need to accomplish to reach it?

RESOURCESBy Eric Jensen

Teaching Students with Poverty in Mind

Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind

Tools for Engagement

By Doug Lemov

Practice Perfect

By Martin Seligman

Learned Optimism

By Barbara Frederickson

Positivity