c ommitted to empowering learners of all ages to take an active role in improving their communities...
TRANSCRIPT
Committed to empowering learners of all ages to
take an active role in improving their communities© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved
Creating A Strong Foundation for Youth
2009 Missouri Service-Learning ConferenceOctober 5-6, 2009
Communities Under Construction
Joan Lennon Liptrot
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Asked by his teacher to summarize the life of Socrates in four sentences, a student said:
Socrates lived a long time ago.
He was very intelligent.
Socrates gave long speeches.
His listeners poisoned him.
- Anonymous
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While Socrates knew a lot about many things…
he apparently didn’t know much about how to:
engage participants,
ignite their passion for learning, or
take advantage of the ways the brain learns best!
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What Does It Take?
What helps a young person to grow up to be a healthy,
responsible, successful adult?
1. Each person gets 2-4 note cards
2. Write one idea per card
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What Does It Take?3. Use the piece of yarn to make a circle in the
center of your table.
4. Share your cards.
5. As a group divide your cards into 2 groups:
Inside the Circle- things that a person needs in him/herself such as interpersonal competence and planning and decision making skills
Outside of the Circle- things that a young person needs as an influence in his/her life such as family, school, or the community
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Developmental Assets
Studies• Beginning in 1989 Search Institute began
surveying students in grades 6-12 in communities across the United States.
• The work continues today in almost every state with hundreds of thousands of youth!
• The assets build on the work and research of people in the area of child and adolescent development, prevention, youth development and resiliency.
Benson,P. , J. Galbraith and P. Espel, What Teens Need to Succeed, Free Spirit Publishing.
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Focus of Studies• They focused on why some
kids prevail, not fail.
• What positive factors allow some to beat the odds while others get trapped?
• Why do some get involved in dangerous activities while others lead productive lives?
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Findings
• The more a young person has the more likely he/she is to succeed.
• The assets promote outcomes such as doing well in school or having successful peer relationships.
• The more assets a person has the less likely it is that he/she will engage in problem behaviors such as illicit drug use or cutting school.
• They found the effect of assets to be cumulative.
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Research shows that assets both promote positive behaviors and attitudes and help protect young people from many different problem behaviors regardless of
» Gender,» Ethnic heritage,» Economic situation, or» Geographic location
2006 Search Institute
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There are 40 assets grouped into two
categories.
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External Assets• Outer factors that a young person needs as an influence
in his/her life such as family support or the community values youth.
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Internal Assets• Items that a person needs in him/herself such as
interpersonal competence and planning and decision making skills
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The average 6th through 12th grader surveyed has 18 of the 40 assets.
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The Power of Assets to Promote
SUCCEEDS IN SCHOOL
7
19
35
53
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0-10Assets
11-20Assets
21-30Assets
31-40Assets
MAINTAINS GOOD HEALTH
25
46
69
88
0
20
40
60
80
100
0-10Assets
11-20Assets
21-30Assets
31-40Assets
Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN
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The Power of Assets to Protect
ALCOHOL
53
30
113
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0-10Assets
11-20Assets
21-30Assets
31-40Assets
DEPRESSION/SUICIDE
40
25
13
4
05
1015202530354045
0-10Assets
11-20Assets
21-30Assets
31-40Assets
Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN
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The higher students current asset levels, the higher their GPA. In addition, the more assets a students reported, the higher their GPA three years later.
Students' asset levels are twice as important in predicting achievement as demographic factors such as gender, family composition, socioeconomic status, or race/ethnicity.
Low-income students who experience more developmental assets appear to be more likely to do well in school than low-income students who do not experience many developmental assets.
Research Reveals:
2003, Insights & Evidence, Search Institute
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2 X 2Stand up and find someone
from a different table and discuss this question?
Which assets do you promote and help students develop?
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• Take another note card
• Think about what life was like 20 years ago…
• Make a list of all the things young people stressed or worried about every day.
Resiliency
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• Take another note card
• Think about what it is like to be a teenager today…
• Make a list of all the things young people stress or worry about every day.
Resiliency
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Resilience can be defined as:
the capacity to spring back, rebound, successfully adapt in the face of adversity,
and develop social and academic competence despite exposure to severe stress…
even the stress of everyday life.
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Young people have specific developmental needs:
Safety
Love Respect Accomplishment
Power
Meaning
Adapted from “Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Factors n Family, School, and Community” by Bonnie Bennard; Resiliency in Schools: Making it Happen for Students and Educators by Nan Henderson & Mike Milstein; and original Kauai study by E Werner
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Provided with the following environmental strategies:
Caring and Supportive Relationships
High Expectations Opportunities to Participate Life Skills Development Clear Consistent Boundaries
Adapted from “Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Factors n Family, School, and Community” by Bonnie Bennard; Resiliency in Schools: Making it Happen for Students and Educators by Nan Henderson & Mike Milstein; and original Kauai study by E Werner
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Social Competence Problem Solving Skills Autonomy – Opportunities for
Mastery & Self Awareness Bright Future – Belief in Self, Hope, Goals
We can expect the following
youth outcomes:
Adapted from “Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Factors n Family, School, and Community” by Bonnie Bennard; Resiliency in Schools: Making it Happen for Students and Educators by Nan Henderson & Mike Milstein; and original Kauai study by E Werner
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RICCO
• Relationships• Independence• Competence• Creativity• Optimism
Bouncing Back- Strengthening Resilience Through Service Learning, National Dropout Prevention Center, Marty Duckenfield, Sam Drew, & Rebecca Flood, 2008
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Picture this!
Create a picture or symbol that represents
the concept of resiliency
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Does service learning promote developmental
assets or develop resiliency in
youth?
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As you watch this project profile identify Assets being developed or
Resiliency traits being strengthened.
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Assets and resilience are traits and behaviors that youth can learn and
practice in school, and which can help achieve success beyond the
classroom!
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So, What can you do to help others
understand the how service learning builds a strong foundation for youth?
Be specific.Give an example.
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“… public education does not serve a public.
It creates a public.”
Neil Postman
Final Thoughts/Reflections
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Have a great day!
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