WHAT ARE WE FACING

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WHAT ARE WE FACING?

• 9th graders experience more depressive symptoms
  and lower levels of school belonging than 8th
  graders
• More pressure in high school due to no more
  playing and this determines where you are going
  to be in life can set the tone for entire
  school experience
• More failures in 9th grade most drop-outs occur
  at the age of 16 (10th grade)
• Single parent homes show less behavior control
  and parental warmth following disruption
• Decrease in intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
  from 8th-10th

• Increased stress, decreased self-esteem,
  deteriorated academic performance, and risk of
  maladjustment
• Increased number of students (little fish, big
  pond)
• Schools with 2 transitions experience more
  drop-outs
• Typically characterized by greater control and
  authority, more rigid discipline, and less
  personal attention
• Minority and low SES students 2x more likely to
  be retained
• At current rate, 1 out of 7 students born today
  in US will not graduate

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TRANSITIONING TO A POSITIVE SCHOOL RELATIONSHIP

• CONNECTING STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS WITH CHOICE
  THEORY AND CULTURAL-RELATIONAL THEORY

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CHOICE THEORYDr. William Glasser

• Relationship is the key.
• Unhappiness is the cause of all problems.
• We choose everything that we do.

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5 BASIC NEEDS

• SURVIVAL
• LOVE AND BELONGING
• POWER
• FREEDOM
• FUN

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TOTAL BEHAVIOR
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QUALITY WORLD PICTURES

• PEOPLE
• THINGS
• BELIEFS

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EXTERNAL CONTROL PSYCHOLOGY

• People and things outside myself make me behave.
• I can control the behavior of others.
• Not only do I know what is good for me, I know
  what is right for everyone.

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7 DISCONNECTING BEHAVIORS

• CRITICIZING
• BLAMING
• COMPLAINING
• NAGGING
• THREATENING
• PUNISHING
• BRIBING

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7 CONNECTING BEHAVIORS

• CARING
• TRUSTING
• LISTENING
• SUPPORTING
• NEGOTIATING
• ENCOURAGING
• ACCEPTING

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SCHOOLING

• INFORMATION ONLY USEFUL IN SCHOOLS AND NO WHERE
  ELSE

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QUALITY SCHOOL WORK

• Schools are the only places that accept
• non-competent work to succeed.
• School prepare students for an essay world with a
  fill in the blank curriculum.
• All schoolwork must be quality.

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6 CONDITIONS OF QUALITY SCHOOL WORK

• Create a warm, supportive classroom.
• Ask students to only do quality work.
• Always ask students to do their best work
  possible.
• Have students evaluate their own work and improve
  it.
• Quality work always feels good.
• Quality work is never destructive.

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QUALITY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

• Listen
• Accept no excuses
• Remain optimistic
• Remember total behavior
• Have confidence
• Stay in the present
• Avoid punishment
• Avoid coercion
• Allow consequences
• Keep your cool

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LEADER VS. BOSSDr. Demings Aspects of a Leader

• Engage students in discussion of quality work.
• Show work and ask for input.
• Ask students to evaluate their own work.
• Provide best materials and atmosphere possible.

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SUGGESTIONS FOR QUALITY CLASSROOMS
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CULTURAL/RELATIONAL ASPECTS

• Isolation is the major source of suffering.
• Mutual empathy and empowerment are at the core of
  growth-fostering relationships.
• Real engagement and authenticity are necessary
  for development of relationship.
• Power plays a major role. The more powerful
  person is responsible for encouraging growth of
  authenticity and full voice of less powerful
  person.
• Not about equality, roles are different. It is
  about the quality of engagement and being real
  with constant awareness of emotional impact.

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CULTURAL/RELATIONAL ASPECTS(cont.)

• Youth place high value on respect, mutuality, and
  authenticity in relationships with adults.
• Express a high desire for strong relationships
  with adults.
• Desire to just have fun and authenticity with
  adults-when you just play, you can build trust
• Need for genuine care for who student is rather
  than because of a certain behavior.
• Believe adults should provide limits and adjust
  relationship to meet developmental capacities.
• Capture attention by not downplaying authority
  but by coupling strictness with sense of respect.

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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Use caregivers as partners, not punishers.
• Use initial letters and/or contact.
• Stay in constant contact with caregivers.
• Utilize adults in community as tutors, helpers,
  etc.
• Use classroom sponsors.

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SUGGESTIONS FOR TRANSITION
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6 SYMPTOMS OF CYNICISM

• You start counting the hours before you finish
  your first cup of coffee.
• Nothing works. Youve tried it before, and it
  didnt work then.
• It is more important to teach material than for
  students to learn it.
• Everyday feels the same.
• You have lost your love of your own learning.
  Tedium has taken the place of wonder.
• You often question why no one is doing anything
  to make things better.

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6 SUGGESTIONS FOR FIGHTING CYNICISM

• Remember why you became a educator. Remember why
  you remain an educator.
• Adopt a hopeless student.
• Adopt a cynical educator.
• Do one activity you love everyday.
• Communicate with those who affect you in school.
• Apply Choice Theory and Relational/Cultural
  Theory.

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QUOTES

• To learn without thinking is in vain.
• -Confucius
• The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars,
  but in our selves.
• -Julius Caesar
• It is our choices, Harry, that show what we
  truly are, far more than our abilities.
• -Albus Dumbledore

• We are what we think
• All that we are arises
• With our thoughts.
• With our thoughts
• We make the world.
• -Buddha
• All we have to do is decide what to do with the
  time that is given to us.
• -Gandalf the Gray
• He who conquers himself is the mightiest
  warrior.
• -Confucius

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Transition References

• Alspaugh, J. W. (2001). Achievement loss
  associated with the transition to middle school
  and
• high school. Journal of Educational Research,
  92(1), 20-26
• Akos, P., Galassi, J. P. (2004). Gender and
  race as variables in psychological adjustment to
• middle and high school. Journal of Educational
  Research, 98(2), 102-108.
• Cangelosi, J. S. (2000). Classroom management
  strategies Gaining and maintaining students
• cooperation. New York John Wiley Sons, Inc.
• Carley, K. M., Jovanovich, D. (2006).
  Developing an effective transition program for
  students
• entering middle school or high school. Clearing
  House, 80(1), 15-25.
• Curwin, R. (2004). Motivating the hopeless,
  disinterested, and unmotivated learner.
  Presentation
• in Nashville, TN.
• Curwin, R., Menler, A. (1998). Discipline with
  dignity. Alexandria, VA ASCD.
• Cushman, K. (2006). Help us make the 9th grade
  transition. Educational Leadership, 63(7),
• 47-52.
• Deming, W. E. (1982). Out of the crisis.
  Cambridge, MA MIT.
• Dinkmeyer, D., McKay, G., Dinkmeyer, D. J.
  (1980). Systematic training for effective
• teaching. Circle Pines, MN American Guidance
  Services.
• Freeman, H. S., Newland, L. A. (2002). Family
  transition during the adolescent transition
• Implications for parenting. Adolescence,
  37(147), 457-475.

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Transition References (cont.)

• Holland, H., Mazzoi, K. (2001). Where everybody
  knows your name. Phi Delta Kappan,
• 83(4), 294-303.
• Hertzog, J. (2006). Planning for the transition
  to high school. Principal, 86(2), 60-61.
• Holcomb-McCoy, C. (2007). Transitioning to high
  school Issues and challenges for African-
• American students. Professional School
  Counseling, 10(3), 253-260.
• Jordan, J. V. (2001). A relational-cultural
  model Healing through mutual empathy. Bulletin
  of
• the Menninger Clinic, 65(1), 92-103.
• Jordan, J. V. (2000). The role of mutual empathy
  in relational/cultural therapy. Psychootherapy
• in Practice, 56(8), 1005-1016.
• Kline, A. (1989). The healing power of humor. New
  York Penguin Putnam, Inc.
• McIntosh, J., White, S. H. (2006). Building for
  freshmen success High schools working as
• professional learning communities. American
  Secondary Education, 34(2), 40-49.
• Mizelle, N. B. (2005). Moving out of middle
  school. Educational Leadership, 62(7), 56-60.
• Nelson, J., Escobar, L., Ortolano, K. (2001).
  Positive discipline A teachers A-Z guide. New
• York Random House, Inc.
• Newman, B. M., Newman, P. R., Griffen, S.,
  OConner, K., Spas, J. (2007). The relationship
  
• of social support to depressive symptoms during
  the transition to high school.
• Adolescence, 42(167), 441-459.
• Otis, N., Grorzet, F. M. E., Pelletier, L. G.
  (2005). Latent motivational change in an academic
  

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THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TODAY

• If you have any questions, comments, or
  suggestions, please feel free to contact me.
• Eric Davis
• edavis76_at_ufl.edu