Barbara Ashcraft, MA, LPC School Counseling Coordinator.

CREATING CONNECTIONS FOR ALL STUDENTS THROUGH LINKS

STUDENT ADVISEMENT PROGRAM

Barbara Ashcraft, MA, LPCSchool Counseling Coordinator

Students need to know….

Who they are…Where they want to go…

And how they are going to get there!

LINKS Student Advisement…

21st century students need more than reading, writing, and arithmetic; they must be able to solve problems, think critically, communicate effectively, and work in teams.

The advisor/advisee curriculum will bridge the gap between what is taught in the core curriculum and the skills necessary in the work place by addressing five major Skills Areas: Self-Knowledge, Life Skills, Educational Development, Work Ethics, and Career Planning.

A System of Support…

21st century Reality

“ In an ever-changing global environment where interdependency abounds, the best and highest quality of education is a necessity no longer reserved for the few, but demanded for all. ”

~Breaking Ranks: Changing an American Institution

Global Prosperity Means…

“ In an ever-changing global environment where interdependency abounds, the best and highest quality of education is a necessity no longer reserved for the few, but demanded for all. ”

~Breaking Ranks: Changing an American Institution

21st century Reality

Success in a world of change requires schools to ensure that all students have:

the capacity to be autonomous, lifelong learners

the ability to solve problems and create new solutions

the ability to collaboratively work with others

National Trends…Then and Now

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Workforce Mid 20th Century

21st Century

Professional 20% 20%

Skilled 15% 65%

Unskilled 65% 15%

2007 Pawley’s Group Report

Commissioned by 2006 Senate “Taking Career and Technical Education to the Next Level in West Virginia”

Overriding finding: West Virginia does not have a

“system” of career and technical education, at all


West Virginia must move from “random acts of progress” to a system based on the 4 Ss –

Strategic Synergistic Sustainable Scalable


recommended that West Virginia develop a systematic way to help students with career exploration. Recommendation # 6 is to

Enhance seamless alignment and rigor by developing Career Pathways.

Accepting the status quo or making small, incremental changes will fall short of preparing West Virginia and its citizens to compete effectively in the global marketplace.


Recommendation 7 – Develop a new model for career counseling, student support and academic advising.

We must face brutal facts…

Only 77of every 100 9th graders in West Virginia earn a high school diploma (our best data)

Only 16 of these graduates earn a four year degree within six years of graduation

At least 8,000 students drop out of high school each year in West Virginia

55% of West Virginia students qualify for free or reduced price meals

West Virginia employers report that West Virginia graduates do not have adequate work place readiness skills.


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Access to quality teachers Access to rigorous curriculum (AP Courses) Access to home computer Knowledgeable parents to support student learning

and career exploration Participation in Support Services

Tutoring, Mentoring, ESL Classes

Participation in Extra / Co curricular programs Special Needs Accommodations Test Prep Programs Dual Credit Programs Early enrollment in college courses

Opportunity Gap

Are some students provided more opportunities than others?

Contributors to Student Success

Career goal Connection with caring adult Connection with post secondary

institution

Introducing LINKS…

Individualized Needs, Knowledge and Skills

The purpose of a LINKS Advisement Program is to advance student learning and development in a proactive, deliberate manner to encourage individual success involving a personal relationship with at least one adult serving as an advocate for the student.

Expected Outcomes

Greater student satisfaction with the high school experience

Improved school attendance Fewer behavior problems Increased achievement (measured by

grades and test scores) Lower drop-out rate Higher graduation rate More informed career decision making

Expected Outcomes

Better interpersonal skills More informed about the vast array of

post-secondary opportunities Better prepared to enter the work force Better prepared to enter relevant and

appropriate post secondary institutions More students completing post secondary

education programs

LINKS is

Standards based Fluid (can be adapted to fit needs of school) Systematic and sequential Framework and curriculum Web based (under development) “Linked” to every educational component

of the school A system’s change that prepares all

students for the 21st Century Global Market Relational and Self directional

Relationships

If students know you care you can push even more

Who is most vulnerable?

Malcolm Smith “Why are kids so Angry and What Can We Do About It?”

Over 300 students who had murdered No relationship with a caring adult

Two Variables to Successful Schools

Culture Sense of inclusiveness Shared responsibilities…It’s everyone’s job to help

students succeed Understanding individual backgrounds

Assessing attitudes Willingness to take advice Desire to learn

Measuring motivation Leadership

Institutional Mission The belief that all students can succeed

Freedman Hrabowski, III

Must Read Books

A Whole New Mind – Daniel Pink Right and left brain

“Good to Great” – Jim Collins

Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done” Larry Bossidy

How will you get buy in?

Leadership is key Building Principal Must…

Be chief promoter of LINKS Actively monitor program Hold everyone accountable Solution focused… not problem focused

Don’t get caught up admiring the problem Provide ongoing professional development

See Do’s and Don’t

How will you get buy in? Clearly define roles:

Guidance versus Counseling versus Advising GuidanceThe help all students receive from teachers, parents,

community members, and others to assist with educational and career development.

CounselingThe help some students receive from credentialed professional

to overcome personal and social barriers to learning.AdvisementA process to help each student improve his/her chances for

long-term employment. A comprehensive system to provide students with skills and

background to make decisions about his/her education and career.

A plan to aid students in developing self-awareness, option awareness, and decision-making skills.

CHANGE LEADERSHIP

VISION

COMMITMENTTRANSITION

LEADER

American Student Achievement Institute

VISION

A lofty, bold statement of the wayour school will be if all of our dreams for

kids come true.


THE VALUE OF VISIONING

Without a common vision, the school becomes a

“collection of cottage industries operating in isolationunder the same roof.”

Source: Jerry Bamburg, North Central Regional Educational Laboratory


BUILDING COMMITMENT

Trust

Passion / Excitement

Clear Communications

High Expectations

Low Ego / High Results

Toughness


MANAGING TRANSITION

Systemic Change

Rate of Change

Value All People

Embrace the Resistance

Don’t Need the Credit

Don’t Take It Personally

TRUST THE PROCESS


THE BALANCE OF TENSIONPeter Senge

EVISION DATA

CURRENTDATAF


Asa Hilliard – Deep Restructuring

Fundamental change will occur in an environment supportive of change

Collaborative discussion, dialog, critique, and research

Everyone is a learner and a leader

Commitment to core convictionsSource: Hilliard, A. (1991). Do we have the will to educate all children?, Educational Leadership, 49(1), 31-36.


Collegiality VS Congeniality

Norm of Collegiality Spirit of inquiry Talk about practice Observe each other Work on curriculum Teach one another

Norm of Congeniality Avoid conflict Isolation Little team learning


STAGES OF CHANGE

STAGE QUESTION FOCUS ACTIVITIES

AWARENESS What is this?Answer questionsAddress fears

PresentationsSite VisitsTalk to / again

INTERESTWhy should I support this?

RationalePersonalize

PresentationsTalk to / again

PREPARATIONHow do I do this?

Provide knowledge, skill building, encouragement

WorkshopsSeminars

EARLY USEHow am I doing?

FeedbackSupport groupPeer coachingMentor

ROUTINE USEAm I making a difference?

Research Data analysis


RESISTANCEis the

outward

expression of the fear

of losing something


RESISTANCE What FEAR might be

triggering the resistance? “Fear of losing _____.”

How can we help someone who has this fear?


Relieve fears by…

Keeping positive Remember your vision… or BHAG

Big, Hairy, Audacious GoalA lofty, bold

statement of the way

our school will be if

all of our dreams for

kids come true.

Relieve fears by…

Helping teachers create a vision for their classroom

Relieve fears by…

Helping teachers understand their role of advisor

“go to” person for a few students ‘facilitator’ not traditional teacher Lessons are prepared for them Will have everything they need Can ‘team’ teach

RESISTANCE TIPS

Triggered by fear

Don’t take it personally

Listen to the message

Struggle = Engagement


RESISTANCE TIPS

Web communications forum Facilitators’ log…opportunity to vent …

and get results WVDE Coordinators ARCC

Speak with…

One Vision…One Voice

Questions???

Barbara Brady AshcraftSchool Counseling CoordinatorWV Department of EducationBldg. 6, Room 2211900 Kanawha Blvd. EastCharleston, WV 25305-0330Phone: 304-558-2348Fax: [email protected]

Barbara Ashcraft, MA, LPC School Counseling Coordinator.

Documents

west virginia students

west virginia graduates

system of career

career counseling

student support

career pathways

career planning

system of support