Creating Safe and Productive Learning Environments for ... definition of school climate was...

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03/14/2013 1 Creating Safe and Productive Learning Environments for Students Alternate Route to Certification March 2013 Introduction: How do I Know What I Know? Brief background Experience Education My “day” job at the Connecticut State Department of Education Bureau of Accountability and Improvement School Climate Improvement, Bullying and Character Education Professional Development “Bullying” Complaints © JAF 1999 - 2013 2 The Role of Positive Climate on Optimal Learning: Safe and Productive Schools Core reason: create climate that ensures every student is physically, emotionally and intellectually safe and has the optimal chance for high academic achievement Align practices with brain-based research on creating learning environments that support student engagement and attainment Students must be present to learn…it is a necessary prerequisite © JAF 1999 - 2013 3

Transcript of Creating Safe and Productive Learning Environments for ... definition of school climate was...

03/14/2013

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Creating Safe and Productive Learning

Environments for Students

Alternate Route to Certification

March 2013

Introduction: How do I Know What I Know?

Brief background Experience

Education

My “day” job at the Connecticut State Department of Education Bureau of Accountability and Improvement

School Climate Improvement, Bullying and Character Education Professional Development

“Bullying” Complaints

© JAF 1999 - 2013 2

The Role of Positive Climate on Optimal Learning: Safe and Productive Schools

Core reason: create climate that ensures every student is physically, emotionally and intellectually safe and has the optimal chance for high academic achievement

Align practices with brain-based research on creating learning environments that support student engagement and attainment

Students must be present to learn…it is a necessary prerequisite

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Absenteeism and Academic Success

Learning requires that students be in class Absent because of sickness Absent because of “vacations” Absent because of being fearful “Opt out” to visit the nurse or guidance

Learning requires that educators be present, available and use engaging and ethicalteaching methods Adult actions and reactions determine student

outcomes © JAF 1999 - 2013 4

Lessons Learned from My Own Bullying Case Load

Seven 1/2 years worth of data…trends are clear Bullying knows no demographic boundaries

Bullying takes ALL forms without patterns

Bullying affects all grade levels

Very slight increase in the middle school years

Bullying overwhelmingly involves children with special needs (IEPs & 504 Plans) Children who are “different”

The family perceptions about what is happening to the child is in a separate universe from what is objectively happening at school

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Known Risk Factors: Everyone Is Affected

Perpetrators of mean-spirited behaviors More likely to experience failure and crime

Targeted Individuals More likely to be socially isolated, depressed

and absent from school

Those individuals who are “bystanders” Experience guilt and trauma over feeling

powerless to intervene and help

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If Only It Was This Easy!

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Ultimate Remedy for Bullying

To Create and Maintain Positive School

Climate…Environments that do not support any form of mean-spirited

behaviors (physically, emotionally and intellectually)

Healthy and happy “Climates of Respect”

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A Positive and Respectful School Climate is one that is physically,

emotionally and intellectually safefor all school community members… which is the

antithesis of a school that is “violent”

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Physical Safety:Safety Violence Continuum

Early Manifestations

by Students and/or Adults

ExclusionTeasing

Name-callingRidiculeSarcasm

Threatening and/or Real

“Bullying” Behavior

Extreme Physical Violence

HomicideSuicide

Dangerous “Weapons” In School: Direct Negative Impact on Learning Words! The silent and most devastating

weapons used by school community members

Putdowns and slurs Degrading language heard daily by 90% of

school community Girls/women Gay/lesbian/bi-sexual/transgender individuals Special education students Racial groups Religious groups

© JAF 1999 - 2013 11

National School Climate Standards: Finalized March 2010

“There is growing appreciation that school climate – the quality and character of school life1 – fosters children’s

development, learning and achievement. School climate is based on the patterns of people’s experiences of school life;

it reflects the norms, goals values, interpersonal relationships, teaching, learning and leadership practices, and organizational structures that comprise school life.”

1This definition of school climate was consensually developed by members of the National School Climate Council (2007). The terms “school climate”, “school culture” and “learning environment have been used in overlapping but sometimes quite different ways in the educational literature. Here, we use the terms interchangeably.

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National School Climate Standards

(1) The school community has a shared vision and plan for promoting, enhancing and sustaining a positive school climate.

(2) The school community sets policies specifically promoting (a) the development and sustainability of social, emotional, ethical, civic and intellectual skills, knowledge, dispositions and engagement, and (b) a comprehensive system to address barriers to learning and teaching and reengage students who have become disengaged.

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National School Climate Standards

(3) The school community’s practices are identified, prioritized and supported to (a) promote the learning and positive social, emotional, ethical and civic development of students, (b) enhance engagement in teaching, learning, and school-wide activities; (c) address barriers to learning and teaching and reengage those who have become disengaged; and (d) develop and sustain an appropriate operational infrastructure and capacity building mechanisms for meeting this standard.

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National School Climate Standards

(4) The school community creates an environment where all members are welcomed, supported, and feel safe in school: socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically.

(5) The school community develops meaningful and engaging practices, activities and norms that promote social and civic responsibilities and a commitment to social justice.

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12 Dimensions of School Climate Measured

Safety (1) Rules and Norms

(2) Sense of Physical Security

(3) Sense of Social-Emotional Security

Teaching and Learning (4) Support for Learning

(5) Social and Civic Learning

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12 Dimensions of School Climate Measured

Interpersonal Relationships (6) Respect for Diversity

(7) Social Support – Adults

(8) Social Support – Students

Institutional Environment (9) School Connectedness/Engagement

(10) Physical Surroundings

Staff Only (11) Leadership

(12) Professional Relationships© JAF 1999 - 2013 17

“School climate is ‘much like the air we breathe’ – it tends to go unnoticed until

something is seriously wrong.”

H. Jerome Freiberg, 1998© JAF 1999 - 2013 18

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School Culture

Culture as…Descriptive of current situationMission or goal

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School Climate: It is All About the Quality of Relationships Defined as: how well the people within

the school treat each other Physically Emotionally Intellectually

Actions [+/-] Verbal and non-verbal exchanges [+/-] Tone of voice [+/-] Use/abuse of inherent power advantages [+/-]

Adult Adult

Adult Student

Student Student

Adult a a

c Cchild © JAF 1999 - 2013 20

Levels of School Climate

Personal (one to one interactions) Adult Adult Adult Student Student Student

Classroom (tends to have the most positive climate)

School (tends to have the least positiveclimate)

Community (tends not to have enough systemic focus)

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Why “School Climate” ? Issues with nomenclature

“Character/Moral Education” “Values Clarification” “Citizenship” and “Religious Education”

Politically correct: everyone is supportive No one questions the “content” of lessons Not a separate subject - integrated into all

subject matter School Climate Discipline Climate Focus on Climate > Intervening with Bullying

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School Climate Development Model

Adults Often Ignore “Bullying” Behavior

Adults in school do relatively little to stop bullying behavior at school

Adults overlook or wait to intervene when initial instances of mean behaviors or language occur

Adults in school who are physically present during acts of meanness

Uninvolved or ignored 71% of observed incidences

May be unintentional due to lack of knowledge about what to look for

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What is “Bullying”?: Abuses of Power

“Bullying” is a public activity needing a stage on which to perform…when the audience is not there, the show closes

Power imbalance, measured by effects it has on the vulnerable target

It’s about power and not about conflict Conflict resolution and peer mediation are

not appropriate as means of addressing bullying

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Solving “Bullying” by Passing State Anti-Bullying Laws

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Missouri’s Law only pertains to “Cyber-Bullying”CT and WY: Only two that combine Bullying and

School Climate legislation

1999 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

GA

2000NH

COLAMSORWV

CTNJOKWA

ARCARI

2004VT

AZINMDVATXTNMENV

IDSCAKNM

DEIAILKSMNOHPA

NEKYUTFLMO

ALNCWY

MAWINY

NDHIMI

SD

NO LAWMT

Columbine As Crucible . . . First of the Bookend Research

Since 1974, 65 American “rampage” school shootings have occurred:

1970s 3 shootings1980s 5 shootings (1 per year from ’85 – ’89)1992 3 shootings1993 2 shootings1994 3 shootings1995 3 shootings1996 4 shootings1997 4 shootings1998 4 shootings1999 5 shootings

(Columbine: April 20, 1999)27

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…And This Decade2000 4 shootings2001 6 shootings

2002 2 shootings

2003 3 shootings

2004 0 shootings

2005 2 shootings

2006 4 shootings

2007 5 shootings

2008 3 shootings

2009 0 shootings

2010 0 shootings

2011 1 shooting

2012 1 shooting 28

Honor the “Spirit” (intent) of the law, not merely the “Letter” of

the law to create truly physically, emotionally and intellectually

safe and positive learning environments for every single school community member,

student and adult alike.

The Reason for Legislation

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Even the “experts” do not agree about what

“Bullying”looks, feels and sounds

like…© JAF 1999 - 2013 30

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“Bullying” is about Abuses of Power

One person’s “bullying” is another’s… “Kids will be kids”

“They were only joking around”

“Oh, they’re really friends”

“It’s not bad enough yet”

They’re just roughhousing”

“That is just teasing”

And, so many more…..

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What Is “Bullying”: The Difficulty With Definition

No standard or consistent definition 49 States…49 different definitions

Most involved acts of harassment or intimidation that continue with regularity for a certain period of time (usually six months or more)

At the core, “bullying” is about power abuses Wideness or narrowness determines how

many children involved: 5% - 30%

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Sample Definitions

“Intentionally harmful behavior that occurs repeated over time.” (JAMA 2001 research study)

“Any overt acts by a student or group of studentsdirected against another student with the intent to ridicule, harass, humiliate, or intimidate the other student while on school grounds, at school sponsored activities, or on a school bus, which acts are committed more than once against any student during the school year. (My italics) Such policies may include provisions addressing bullying

outside of the school setting if it has a direct and negative impact on a student’s academic performance or safety in school.” (Connecticut General Statutes 10-222d)

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And More Definitions…

“Harassment, intimidation, or bullying” means any intentional written, verbal, or physical act that a student has exhibited toward another particular student more than once and the behavior both:(1) Causes mental or physical harm to the other student(2) Is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it

creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student.” (Ohio HB 276)

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And, More… “Bullying” means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act

or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:(1) Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s

or students’ person or property,(2) Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student’s or students’

physical or mental health;(3) Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ academic

performance, or(4) Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ ability to participate

in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school. Bullying as defined in this subsection (b) may take various forms, including without limitation one or more of the following: harassment, threats, intimidation, stalking, physical violence, theft, public humiliation, destruction of property, or retaliation for asserting or alleging an act of bullying. This list is meant to be illustrative and non-exhaustive.” (Illinois SB 3266)

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Public Act 11-232 (CT)

Effective July 1, 2011

Safe School Climate Coordinator District level

Safe School Climate Specialist School level

Safe School Climate Committee School level

School Climate Assessments© JAF 1999 - 2013 36

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Public Act 11-232 (CT)

Defines bullying Student to student only

Enumerates targeted groups Confuses protected with non-protected classes

Procedure for filing bullying complaints

School employees must be “trained”

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Looking For Bullying: We Miss What is Right Under Our Noses

To understand how difficult intervening whenever “bullying” occurs… As you watch the short video clip…

Count the number of ball passes that occur among the students with WHITE SHIRTS

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Two Questions…

How many of you are parents, aunts, uncles or mentors of children?

How many of you are raising/mentoring “BULLIES”?

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A TOXIC School Concept: A True Conversation Closer No school wants to have any of it**

No parent/guardian will admit their child is one**

No child will own up to being one** ** Bullying, Bully, “Bullier”, Bullying

Behaviors

Everyone avoids these terms except the Target’s family

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Another Way to Think About This…

Think about individuals in your lives…

Have they every been MEAN to anyone? You?

Peers?

Siblings?

Adults?

Anyone????

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‘BULLY’ and ‘BULLYING’ are OUT!!!“Mean” Is A Better Term/Concept

No one knows what “bullying” looks, feels and sounds like We miss what is right under our noses

Everyone knows what “mean” looks, feels and sounds like If “mean” is the standard, we are much

more likely to help make it safer

If it’s mean…Intervene!!!!© JAF 1999 - 2013 43

The World Of Inappropriate Behavior

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Bullying

Protected Class

Harassment

Criminal Behavior

Mean Spirited

Behavior

“Empathy” As True Antidote For Meanness

Having compassion for others Includes animals and property

Being able to perceive the feelings of others

Learning to be empathic diminishes levels of meanness

Core concept in both emotional and social intelligence

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Targets Of “Bullies” Are Vulnerable

A public activity requiring a willing audience Active: “egging on”, laughing, etc. Passive: standing by watching, but not

encouraging Power struggle Relationship between the aggressor and

target is always uneven Boys identify those they do not know or like Girls identify those within their friendship

circles © JAF 1999 - 2013 46

Research On Playground Supervision

Adult perceptions of successful intervention Adults believed they were intervening in 50% of

incidences Adults actually intervened in approximately 20% of

incidences When effectiveness of intervention considered, it fell to

12-15% of incidences Children’s ability to intervene successfully is

significantly higher than adults Effective student intervention was double that of adults

Lessons learned from research Adults need to listen and intervene more often Adults need to empower students to

intervene© JAF 1999 - 2013 47

“Negligent Privacy”“Negligent privacy occurs when those who supervise and

monitor children do not remain vigilant and unwittingly provide the opportunity for victimization to occur.

Negligent privacy can occur on a playground filled with second graders, in a crowded high school cafeteria,

during a youth group camping trip or even 10 feet away from a teacher in a classroom. Simply put, negligent

privacy occurs when adults are not paying close attention to children under their care.”

Weakfish: Bullying Through the Eyes of a Child by Michael Dorn, p. 62Safe Havens International, Inc.

www.safehavensinternational.org

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Video: Social Cruelty

Addressing Those Who Act in Mean-Spirited Ways

Apply appropriate identified disciplinary measures from policies

Respond quickly and firmly to any retaliation toward targets and/or witness(es)

Enforce policies consistently and fairly Students believe honor students, athletes, and students with

positive relationships with adults receive less severe punishment than known “bullies”

Inconsistent application leads to diminished school connectivity:

Distrust in faculty Increased cynicism Decreased willingness to follow school rules

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“School Connectedness”…The Other Bookend Research

Funded by the Military Looking at “student mobility”

Conducted by Johns Hopkins University

The University of Minnesota

Occurring simultaneously with the research on the rampage school shooters

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“When students feel they are a part of school, say they are treated fairly by teachers, and feel close to people at

school, they are healthier and more likely to succeed.”

“Improving the Odds: The Untapped Power of Schools to Improve the Health of Teens.” April 2002

The Power Of Connection To School

School Connectedness: Simple Measures

I feel close to people at this school I am happy to be at this school I feel like I am part of this school The teachers at this school treat

students fairly I feel safe (physically, emotionally

and intellectually) in this school

© JAF 1999 - 2013 53

Factors Associated with School Connectedness: THE SCHOOL

School size mattered (larger than 1,200 students matters)

…classroom size did not School type is not associated with

connectedness…public, private, parochial

Location of school is not associated with connectedness

…urban, suburban, rural

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Factors Associated with School Connectedness: SCHOOL POLICIES

No single school policy was associated with connectedness

A climate of harsh discipline is associated with lower school connectedness It is possible to write policies to make connectedness not

happen Zero tolerance policies tend to be unevenly applied The more punitive the policies, the less connected

students feel

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Factors Associated with School Connectedness: SCHOOL CLIMATE & CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

The single strongest association with connectedness was school climate

Kids feel engaged when the classroom environment is seen as a safe place

1) Physically2) Emotionally (no peer cruelty/”bullying”)3) Intellectually/academically (no ridicule for taking academic risks: not made to feel a

failure …this is often the least attended to

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Toward A Solution

We have a desperate need to reconnect and value one another. The solution will be:

Complex RTI Framework utilizing Tiers I, II and III

(prevention/intervention continuum) Multidimensional Long-term Culturally and ecologically grounded Never-ending

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Known Needs and Remedies

Perpetrators Develop a sense of empathy for others

Must be removed from the social group and earn their way back

Close supervision

Targeted individuals Develop healthy and meaningful friendships

Do not ask them to change who they are

Do not have to own what is being portrayed

Bystanders Need to be empowered to become “allies”

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Deal With the Individual Who Is Being Mean: Do Not Blame the Target

Isolate those individuals being mean rather than protecting and supervising the target Social access is required in order to hurt

others Those being mean must earn the right

to rejoin the social group Long term: help them develop empathy

toward others© JAF 1999 - 2013 60

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Popularity: Two Sides Of The Coin

Bad/”Evil” Popularity: Getting noticed Very odd notion of “popularity”

“The meanest to everyone” “People live in fear” “They have all the power and will retaliate”

Good Popularity: Teach THIS concept When a student is genuinely liked because

she/he is nice to everyone The legacy of Alex

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Creating A Caring Majority: Tapping Into The Here-To-Fore “Silent Majority”

20% of the population begins change Shared primary goal: 100 % of school

population must be safe Give students permission to stand up

for each other Adult role- modeling Adults cannot do it alone

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The Story about Marcus. . .

Cultural Change

Paradigm Shift

Years to Fully Realize

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Developing Common and Systemic Language That Works:

“We don’t do that in our school.”

And…

© JAF 1999 - 2013

If it’s mean… intervene!!!

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Adult Actions and Reactions Determine Student Outcomes: The Foundation for Building Safe & Productive Learning Settings

Student SuccessStudent Success

EducatorEthical

Behavior

EducatorEthical

Behavior

Quality of Adult Role

Modeling

Quality of Adult Role

Modeling

Adult Responsiveness to

Cultural Differences

Adult Responsiveness to

Cultural Differences

Adult Awareness of Mistreatment

of Others

Adult Awareness of Mistreatment

of Others

Quality of Adult to Student

Relationships

Quality of Adult to Student

RelationshipsAdult

Reaction to Student

Misbehavior

Adult Reaction to

Student Misbehavior

Use of Effective Teaching Strategies

Use of Effective Teaching Strategies

Ability to Differentiate Instruction

Ability to Differentiate Instruction

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We can create these kinds of schools, but only if we

demonstrate leadership – only if we stand up and speak up for

civility and respect.

We can create schools where every single school community member

feels respected and valued.© JAF 1999 - 2013 67

A Useful Reflection: Stories of favorite teacher

Think back to experiences in yourschooling…elementary, middle or high

Recall your most favorite teacher of all time Precisely…what did that teacher do to inspire,

motivate and make learning engaging for you? Share with your colleagues the word or phrases

which come to mind

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Success For Students In School

Single most important factor determining success is students’ perception that their teacher(s) like(s) them

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Administrators MOST Difficult Task: The Adults Recognizing and confronting

inappropriate adult interpersonal conduct Words Actions Abuse of power Non-verbal exchanges Unfair/biased treatment

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The “Golden Rule” as the ultimate measure:

Treat others the way in which you would wish to be treated

Even Better…The Platinum Rule: Treat others the way they

wish you would treat them

The Standard for the Treatment of Others

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Successful School Climate Improvement Requires:

Systemically implementing a comprehensive prevention/intervention continuum of practices (Tiers I, II & III in a RTI/SRBI Framework) Teach and model school-based expectations for

conduct Identify interfering behaviors early

Manage these behaviors appropriately Such behaviors must not be overlooked or

ignored Appropriate continuum of support (medical, social

and/or psychological) should be identified and utilized

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The school must be a true “destination”

Every school community member, adult and student, should leave his or her house in the morning with a smile, go through the entire

school day wearing that smile and arrive back home looking forward to returning to

school the following day

Mandates Make It Difficult…The IDEAL, However…

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A Call To Action:Improving School Climate

Improving school climate is among the most effective ways of

improving the lives of youth, preventing violence and creating

physically, emotionally and intellectually safe, supportive and

positive learning environments

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Synopsis: The Bottom Line

In other words, what we need to do is to create and

maintain healthy climates of respect

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Climates of Respect: True Professional Learning

Communities

Not an add-on: a necessitySchools and community

organizations should be modeling the best, not perpetrating the

worst

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Jo Ann Freiberg, Ph.D.

[email protected]

[email protected]

CSDE: (860) 713-6598© JAF 1999 - 2013 79