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Supporting Positive Futures and Transition

Dr Joan Mowat, School of Education, University of Strathclyde

© Dr Joan Mowat

+The Support Group Approach

Why support groups?

What are support groups? Who are they for?

What are the aims of support groups?

What are the influences underlying the approach?

How do they work in practice?

What do pupils do?

Measuring pupil progress

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+Why Support Groups?

An evidence-based approach

Built upon a strong theoretical foundation based upon how children learn

Focusses upon behaviour, learning, thinking skills and metacognition

Fully in line with CfE, GIRFEC, nurturing approaches, restorative practice, solution-oriented approaches, Rights Respecting Schools and ‘Better Relationships, Better Learning, Better Behaviour’

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+What are Support Groups?

groups of 4 pupils meet weekly with a Support Group Leader for a period a week [50-60 mins]

group may also be supported by other adults or senior pupils

groups will meet for a minimum of 20 sessions

pupils engage in activities to promote reflection, thinking skills and understanding

pupils are involved in individually negotiated target-setting

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+Who are they for?

Pupils in upper Primary/lower Secondary who:

are experiencing difficulty in coping with the norms of school life

are showing early signs of failing to cope with the norms of school life

need additional support to enable them to cope effectively with transition

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+The aims of Support Groups

Support Groups aim to develop in pupils:

Understanding of themselves [intrapersonal intelligence]

Understanding of others [interpersonal intelligence]

Understanding of their interpersonal relationships

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+The Aims of Support Groups

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Attitudes

Beliefs

Values Feelings

Motivations

+The aims of Support Groups

Through developing intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence, pupils will develop:

Self-regulation

Positive relationships

Empathy

Self-esteem and confidence

More positive dispositions towards learning.

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+Principal theories underlying the approach

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+Teaching for Understanding

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Teaching for Understanding Framework

David Perkins and his colleagues

Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education

+Teaching for Understanding Framework

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Generative TopicsWhat do I want my learners

to understand?

Understanding PerformancesWhat will they have to do to come to an understanding of

the topic?

Ongoing AssessmentHow will they gain

feedback to inform future learning?

Understanding GoalsWhat do I want my learners

to understand about the topic?

+Thinking Skills

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Activating Children’s Thinking Skills [ACTS]

Carol McGuinness and her colleagues

Teaching and Learning Research Project [TLRP]

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Searching for Meaning

sequencing, ordering, rankingsorting, grouping, classifyinganalysing, identifying parts and wholesnoting similarities and differencesfinding patterns and relationshipscomparing and contrasting

Creative Thinking

generating ideas and possibilitiesbuilding and combining ideasformulating own points of viewtaking multiple perspectives and seeing other points of view.

identifying why a decision is necessarygenerating optionspredicting the likely consequencesweighing up the pros and consdeciding on a course of actionreviewing the consequences

Decision Making

Critical Thinking

making predictions and formulating hypothesisdrawing conclusions, giving reasonsdistinguishing fact from opiniondetermining bias, reliability of evidencerelating cause and effectsdesigning a fair test

Metacognition

planningmonitoringreflectingevaluatingProblem-Solving

analysing and clarifying solutionsgenerating alternative solutionsselecting and implementing a solution strategyevaluating and checking how well a solution solves a problem

With kind permission of Carol McGuinnessTeaching and Learning Research Briefing no. 18, ESRC

+Multiple Intelligence Theory

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Intrapersonal Intelligence

The capacity to understand oneself, to have an effective working model of oneself … and to use such information

effectively in regulating one’s own life.

Interpersonal Intelligence

The capacity to understand the intentions, motivations, and desires of other people, and, consequently, to work

effectively with others.

(Gardner, 1999, p43)

+Emotional Intelligence (Goleman)

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Emotional Intelligence4 Domains of Ability

Self-Awareness of Emotions

Social SkillsSelf-Management

Social AwarenessEmpathy

‘Emotional Intelligence’ Conference Report, Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit and the Scottish Network for Able Pupils, 2003

+How do support groups work in practice?

Nomination to a Support Group

Consulting with parents and pupils

A whole school approach

What pupils do in groups

Evaluating pupil progress

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+Nomination Criteria

The pupil is experiencing difficulty in coping with the norms of school life (or showing signs of such)

It is felt that the intervention could be potentially of benefit to the child

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+Nomination Process

pupils are nominated by their Pastoral Care teachers or class teachers on the basis of identified criteria

a referral form is completed in which reasons for the referral and hoped for gains are clearly stated

the Support Group Leader, in consultation with the Senior Management Team and Pastoral Care Team, selects the pupils to take part in the approach and seeks the permission of both pupils and parents

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+Consulting with parents and pupils

It is very important that pupils and parents are fully consulted and understand the basis of the nomination and the hoped for gains

information leaflets are sent to parents and pupils along with letters of consent and an invitation to an information event [if this is the desired option] or a meeting with the Support Group Leader

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+A whole school approach

After consultation with senior management and staff, timetabling arrangements are made for the group and communicated to all parties

It is imperative that all staff (including support staff) are informed about the approach and understand its rationale

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+What pupils do

Participate within discussion/activity-based activities which are designed to promote reflection and develop thinking skills

Complete (aurally) a Support Group Diary which enables them to reflect upon their experiences

Set individual targets for improvement, negotiated with and monitored by the Support Group Leader

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+ Support Group Diary22

Choose a situation from which you think that you can learn.

Describe the situationHow did other people react to you at the time?How did you feel at the time?What happened as a result?How did you feel after the event?What have you learned from the experience?

If the situation did not work out for you, what could you dodifferently another time to lead to a better result?

Showing ConsiderationPut up my hand when I want to speakKeep still in class - don’t fidgitKeep quiet in class - don’t talkDo what the teacher is asking me to do

Developing Learning HabitsBring the correct equipment to classDo homework as well as I canTry to concentrate upon my workListen carefully to the teacherAsk for help if I get stuck

Developing good relationshipsListen to other people - don’t interruptAvoid getting into arguments - walk away or visualise traffic lightsBe polite to teachersTreat others the way I want to be treated

Developing self-responsibilityTry to be calm in classThink before I actSay sorry when I have done something wrongKeep calm if I get into troubleBehave responsibly around the school

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Target-Setting [exemplifications]

+Exemplars of Pupil Activities

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The beliefs and desireswhich make me

want to behave incertain ways

Introductory Activity 1a

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You work harderif you like the teacher

Introductory Activity 1b

+Exemplar of Pupil Activity

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The beliefs and desireswhich make me

want to behave incertain ways

My actions.What I do.

Introductory Activity 1c

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Disagree

Not Certain

Agree

Activity 1c

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I don’t think that mybehaviour makes any

difference to how I learn

Activity 1c

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You’ve got an important test coming up. Your Mum wants you to study but

you want to go to the match.

Activity 4a

Agony Kids

Promise that you’ll put time aside to study

if you can go to the match

No contest!…go to the

match

Stay atHome to

Study

+Evaluating pupil progress

informal observation of pupil participation within group

Informal observation of how pupils behave around the school

scrutiny of pupil target-cards/booklets and work

Pre- and post-attitudinal questionnaires

Interview with pupils at the end of intervention

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+References

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Gardner, H. (1993) (2nd ed.) Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, London: Fontana PressGardner, H. (1999) Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century, Basic USA: Basic BooksGoleman, D. (1996) Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ, London: BloomsburyGoleman, D. (2003) ‘Emotional Intelligence’ Conference Report, Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit and the Scottish Network for Able PupilsPerkins, D. (1998) ‘The Teaching for Understanding Framework’ in Blythe, T. et al., The Teaching for Understanding Guide, San Fransisco: Jossey Bass