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
2007 Pawley’s Group Report
West Virginia must move from “random acts of progress” to a system based on the 4 Ss –
Strategic Synergistic Sustainable Scalable
2007 Pawley’s Group Report
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.
2007 Pawley’s Group Report
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.
2007 Pawley’s Group Report
14
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.
American Student Achievement Institute
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
American Student Achievement Institute
BUILDING COMMITMENT
Trust
Passion / Excitement
Clear Communications
High Expectations
Low Ego / High Results
Toughness
American Student Achievement Institute
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
American Student Achievement Institute
THE BALANCE OF TENSIONPeter Senge
EVISION DATA
CURRENTDATAF
American Student Achievement Institute
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.
American Student Achievement Institute
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
American Student Achievement Institute
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
American Student Achievement Institute
RESISTANCEis the
outward
expression of the fear
of losing something
American Student Achievement Institute
RESISTANCE What FEAR might be
triggering the resistance? “Fear of losing _____.”
How can we help someone who has this fear?
American Student Achievement Institute
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
American Student Achievement Institute
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]