SCHOOLBASED EFFORTS A PLAN TO SUPPORT ATRISK YOUTH
SCHOOL-BASED EFFORTS: A PLAN TO SUPPORT AT-RISK YOUTH EDU 644: CHILD & FAMILY WELFARE (MTS 1624 A) INSTRUCTOR: KAREN CONZETT LASHAE NORWOOD OCTOBER 24, 2016
“INTRODUCTION” • Greetings my name is La’Shae Norwood. I am one of the Counselors at Alta Pointe. My role is to ensure that at-risk students are meeting the requirements needed to excel academically and overcome all obstacles that they have once faced. I am a firm believer that it takes a village to raise a child. • My role is to bring awareness to school principals, district administrators, social service providers, community outreach providers, medical professionals, and other related service providers. We all can pour into the lives of these children directing them into a new journey. Many of us have the power to make at-risk children dreams become an reality. “The dream begins, most of the • time, with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you on to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth ( Dan Rather). ” It is understood that a list of factors can lead to families becoming at-risk. • “Risk has become a catch-all term for a multitude of conditions that may lead to negative outcomes (Morrison & Cosden, 2010). ” We have the power to change the multitude of conditions and turn the negative outcomes into a positive outcome. Another reason I stand before you today is to bring awareness of at-risk amongst our youth. • I have faith that each of you have what it takes to build caring relationships, positive and high expectations and opportunities to participate and contribute to a new lifestyles for all youth whom have been labeled at-risk. I have prepared an presentation that I feel will be very informative and supply you with information that is effective to leading our children from the negativity to the positivity. At-risk children lives matter they are human and they deserve an equal opportunity, love, support and motivation to become successful.
“CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUTH AT-RISK” • • • According to “Youth out of School: Linking Absence to Delinquency”, unexcused absence is the first symptom that a student is likely to be at risk ( http: //schoolengagement. org/school-engagementservices/at-risk-youth). Today's children and youth are faced with many challenges, including changing family constellations, economic hardship, exposure to violence, availability of drugs and alcohol, and a general loosening of community bonds (http: //www. ldonline. org/article/6174/). At-risk youth are often identified after running away, skipping school, drinking under age, engaging in sexual behavior, displaying disruptive behavior, bullying/harassment, fighting, and committing acts of vandalism (http: //schoolengagement. org/schoolengagement-services/at-risk-youth). ” • The term at-risk youth typically implies a future with less than optimal outcomes. • At- risk youth are considered youth whom are Homeless or transient. • Many at risk-youth are Involved with drugs and alcohol. • Some at-risk youth have been abused sexually, physically or emotionally. • At-risk youth may become mentally ill and are students with learning disabilities. • At- risk youth are youth whom have experienced Neglect at home or live in stressful family environments. • At risk youth lack social or emotional support. • Many at-risk youths are Involved with delinquent peers. • (http: //schoolengagement. org/school-engagementservices/at-risk-youth).
“EFFECTS AND IMPLICATIONS” Eight behaviors associated with being at-risk include: • erratic or no attendance • low literacy or numeracy /poor attainment • lack of interest in school and/or stated intention to leave • negative interactions with peers • aggression Implications for Change • violence • social withdrawal This Issues. . . about Change began by asking what instructional leaders do that is most effective for at-risk students. A review of the literature revealed that in schools where at-risk students were making academic progress, principals take a proactive role in the instructional process. They address teachers' basic, professional, and individual instructional needs when they: • significant change in behavior, attitude or performance. • Three potential short- and long-term implications of these behaviors on a student’s ability to achieve academic success includes behavioral, emotional and cognitive difficulties. 1. support teachers' instructional methods, 2. allocate resources and materials, • participate in all areas of the school including academic, social and extracurricular activities (behavioral engagement) 3. visit classrooms frequently, • feel included in the school and has feelings of belonging to the school (emotional engagement) 4. provide feedback on instructional methods and techniques, 5. • are personally invested in and take ownership of their learning (cognitive engagement). use data to focus attention on improving the curriculum or instruction, and 6. use data and faculty input to determine staff development. http: //www. education. vic. gov. au/school/principals/participation/Page s/disengagedrisk. aspx http: //www. sedl. org/change/issues 13. html
“SOLUTIONS” We care about the lives of all youth regardless of their circumstances. • The most effective solution to help at-risk youth is to never give up on them regardless of their circumstances. • [Edutopia. ] (October 1, 2003). Biotech academy: A catalyst for change [Video file]. Retrieved from http: //www. edutopia. org/biotech-academy-school-careervideo. • Kids do better in school when their parents have good relationships with staff and are involved with their education. http: //schoolengagement. org/school-engagementservices/parent-engagement. • The first step for finding a solution is to prepare school principals, district administrators, social service providers, community outreach providers, parents, and medical professionals of techniques to use when determining whether a child is at-risk. • The second step is find out where the root of the problem begins. • The third step is to become acquainted with the youth letting them know that they are not alone and that we are there to help them. • Fourth we must prepare an initiative to change the negative perspective into a positive perspective by giving the children a better way of living. We must motivate, encourage and prepare our students for academic success. We must make learning interesting and teach them how to deal with the consequences of their actions without being disruptive or loosing focus.
“ MORE SOLUTIONS FOR AT-RISK YOUTH AT THE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL” • Principals support teachers' instructional methods and their modifications of instructional approaches and materials. • Principals allocate resources and materials. • • More Solutions • Promoting Positive Youth Development • Serving At-Risk Youth Principals frequently visit classrooms for instructional purposes. • Reducing Truancy Principals solicit and provide feedback on instructional methods and techniques. • Creating Positive School/Court Connections • Principals use data to focus attention on improving the curriculum or instructional approach to maximize student achievement. • Principals use data and faculty input to determine staff development activities that strengthen teachers' instructional skills. • http: //www. sedl. org/change/issues 13. ht ml • Increasing Parental Involvement • Customizing Graduation Pathways http: //schoolengagement. org/school-engagementservices/school-policy-reform. On-line Learning
“PARTICIPANT ACTIVITY” • • Play is a typical childhood activity that offers children opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them within settings where consequences of their actions are rarely more serious than a bump, a scrape, or a few hurt feelings; ultimately these well-being is attained by learning to make good decisions in the context of the uncertainties characteristic of age appropriate risk taking, balancing telic and paratelic motivations. Play generates positive emotions and offers children experiences that help them broaden and build skills for present and future challenges as they develop coping skills for resilience and well-being. Niehues, A. , Bundy, A. , Broom, A. , & Tranter, P. (2015). Parents' Perceptions of Risk and the Influence on Children's Everyday Activities. Journal Of Child & Family Studies, 24(3), 809 -820. doi: 10. 1007/s 10826 -013 -9891 -2 Our reach programs, mentorship program, job shadowing, assessment and experimental learning. Roets, G. , Rutten, K. , Roose, R. , Vandekinderen, C. , & Soetaert, R. (2015). Constructing the 'Child at Risk' in Social Work Reports: A Way of Seeing is a Way of not Seeing. Children & Society, 29(3), 198 -208. doi: 10. 1111/chso. 12115 • Planners of effective youth development programs establish areas of competence and specific outcome measures of achievement which might including: • Academic competence, measured by grades or standardized test scores • Social or interpersonal competence, measured by communication skills or by participation in age-appropriate school, work, recreational, and social activities • Creativity, measured by artistic efforts, such as performances, canvases, or manuscripts • Vocational competence, measured by job skills or employment outcomes • Healthy diet and exercise, measured by nutritional journals or exercise tests • Service to others, measured by hours of community service or participation in community activities. • http: //www. advocatesforyouth. org/publications-az/550 -youth-development-strengthening-prevention-strategies
“REFERENCES” HTTP: //SCHOOLENGAGEMENT. ORG/SCHOOL-ENGAGEMENT-SERVICES/AT-RISK-YOUTH. HTTP: //WWW. ADVOCATESFORYOUTH. ORG/PUBLICATIONS-A-Z/550 -YOUTH-DEVELOPMENTSTRENGTHENING-PREVENTION-STRATEGIES HTTP: //WWW. LDONLINE. ORG/ARTICLE/6174/). HTTP: //WWW. EDUCATION. VIC. GOV. AU/SCHOOL/PRINCIPALS/PARTICIPATION/PAGES/DISENGAGEDRISK. ASPX HTTP: //WWW. EDUTOPIA. ORG/BIOTECH-ACADEMY-SCHOOL-CAREER-VIDEO HTTP: //WWW. SEDL. ORG/CHANGE/ISSUES 13. HTML NIEHUES, A. , BUNDY, A. , BROOM, A. , & TRANTER, P. (2015). PARENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF RISK AND THE INFLUENCE ON CHILDREN'S EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES. JOURNAL OF CHILD & FAMILY STUDIES, 24(3), 809 -820. DOI: 10. 1007/S 10826 -013 -9891 -2 HTTPS: //SITES. GOOGLE. COM/SITE/POETICTHOUGHTS 29/HOME ROETS, G. , RUTTEN, K. , ROOSE, R. , VANDEKINDEREN, C. , & SOETAERT, R. (2015). CONSTRUCTING THE 'CHILD AT RISK' IN SOCIAL WORK REPORTS: A WAY OF SEEING IS A WAY OF NOT SEEING. CHILDREN & SOCIETY, 29(3), 198 -208. DOI: 10. 1111/CHSO. 12115
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