They are All Putting our Nation’s Students At-Risk
[CLICK HERE to read this Blog on the Project ACHIEVE Webpage]
Dear
Colleagues,
Introduction
Last week, I
was in the Student Center of a suburban high school that could be anywhere in
this country just outside a major U.S. metropolis. . . listening to a group of
high school students. The focus group and the ensuing open-ended conversation
was set up because I did not feel that the high school was listening to its
students’ voices as it tried to address its current climate and culture, and the
social, emotional, and behavioral needs of the students in general and
as related to the Pandemic.
Approximately
25 students were in the focus group—the Presidents, Vice Presidents, Public
Relations Officers, Secretaries, and other student government leaders from the
Freshman through Senior classes. While the participating Freshmen were brand
new to the High School, both the Junior and Senior class students noted that
they were almost as new to the school and their peers given their all-virtual
instruction from March, 2020 through August, 2021.
Significantly,
the racial composition of the focus group reinforced the reality that there are
more students of color in our nation’s schools than White students. Indeed,
more than 90% of the group were students of color— Black, Hispanic, Islamic, and
Asian. Some of the students shared their different sexual orientations. And
religious points and differences periodically infused the cultural and racial
discussions.
With the
Principal and other school staff (e.g., counselors and staff sponsors/advisors)
in attendance, my District colleague and I introduced the session by telling
the group that we wanted them to share their perspectives, feelings, and recommendations
relative to how the school and District were meeting their social, emotional,
and behavioral needs—discussing what was working, what was not working, and
what was missing.
There was almost
no delay between our introduction and the first student’s contributions. The
discussion then went non-stop for the next 90 minutes with virtually everyone
contributing. The students were honest and candid, articulate and passionate,
and mindful to include all of their peers in the conversation while maintaining
full respect for differing perspectives.
In so many
ways, these students handled this forum better than many adults. . . for
example, in school board meetings, candidate forums, and town meetings. . .
over the past few months.
In the end,
three important themes emerged. . . themes that could only be fully understood
by listening to the “student voice.”
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jeopardy
Answer #1. Why are many students handling their diverse,
multi-cultural communities better than the adults?
The very first comment was about how the
High School avoided, stereotyped, misrepresented, or oversimplified race and
culture in the curriculum. This comment was echoed by many of the Islamic,
Black, and Hispanic/LatinX students in the Focus Group.
Two students stated:
“Islamic students are forever connected to
911, and the curriculum rarely extends beyond that event.”
“Black history is consumed with slavery.
Notable Black writers, activists, inventors, politicians, and others are
under-emphasized, and issues of implicit bias and white favoritism are avoided
altogether.”
This conversation evolved to include religion
and religious holidays, as well as different students’ gender/sexual
orientations and explorations.
For example, the Muslim students noted
teachers’ insensitivities to the effects—on students—of the month-long fasting,
from dawn to sunset, during Ramadan. The students noted that the fasting
sometimes made it difficult to concentrate in class and complete work.
Other students noted that some staff would
not use specific students’ preferred gender identification pronouns.
Relative to the former, one student noted a
comparative religion class at the High School and suggested that many of its
topics should be integrated into periodic “student professional development
days” so that all students are educated in the racial, cultural, and religious
backgrounds of the students represented in the school.
Relative to the latter, one student
expressed her feelings that the rejection of her preferred gender
identification pronouns equated to disrespect and a rejection of her—as a
person—in the involved teachers’ classrooms.
_ _ _ _ _
In the end, the Focus Group students most-communicated
the need for ongoing education, discussion, and understanding of the individual
racial, cultural, and religious histories, traditions, and current practices of
students and staff at the High School and across the community.
This should be supplemented by including
issues related to gender, gender identity/sexual orientation, national origin,
socio-economic status, disability, and age.
All of this could be accomplished by:
· Completing a comprehensive needs assessment and
current status review in these areas—resulting in a five-year Action Plan;
· Reviewing and upgrading the quality, equity, and
comprehensiveness of the curriculum and its instruction in these areas;
· Infusing the discussion and training of these areas
into the professional development (for students and staff) and extracurricular
clubs and activities, respectively, at the High School; and
· Motivating and holding students and staff
accountable for translating the discussions and trainings above into
consistent, positive, and respectful interactions and practices.
One incredibly articulate Focus Group
student noted the importance of communication in addressing their needs
in this area.
A second student noted that staff and peer respect
and validation in these areas were essential to establishing the positive
climate, culture, and collaboration—and the individual feelings of acceptance
and inclusion—that everyone wanted from their school and for their educations.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jeopardy
Answer #2. Why are parents and educators so focused on having
students “catch-up” academically?
A second theme from the Focus Group centered
on the academic pressure that they were feeling from parents and
teachers, and experiencing (as a result) in their classrooms and
courses—currently, due to the Pandemic.
[This academic pressure is symbolically
represented in the title of this Blog in the reference to “Reading.”]
While this may vary from student to student,
many students emerged from the academic and instructional disruptions of the
last two school years with content, information, skill, and mastery gaps in
different academic areas (especially reading/literacy, mathematics, writing,
and science).
But now instead of teachers identifying and helping
to remediate these gaps—even when new or more advanced topics and skills are
being taught, the students felt that they were singularly responsible both
for doing their own remediation and mastering the new material.
Beyond this, the Focus Group students also
noted that (a) some teachers were “doubling-up” their instruction and homework
in order to “catch up” for the last two years; (b) many teachers were not
coordinating their assignments and tests across teachers so that
students had the quality time for work completion and test preparation; and (c)
many students were “completing assignments,” but not deeply understanding and
mastering the material.
While this discussion fed into the third
Focus Group theme (see below), I commented in this area by saying:
If you teach students at a
level of academic frustration, they will not effectively learn and master the
material—education’s ultimate goal.
If you academically frustrate
students enough, you will also create social, emotional, and behavioral
frustration. At its extremes, this will result—along a continuum of
responses—to some students getting angry, aggressive, and acting out, and other
students getting anxious, depressed, and checking out.
[Cue the head nods of the students.]
_ _ _ _ _
Another student, reflecting on this area,
noted that many Advanced Placement courses in the High School were more about
“more work,” than “advanced and higher conceptual level work.” In some ways,
the Focus Group students taking AP courses almost felt that it was not worth
taking these courses given this “more work” status.
This, of course, is both philosophically and
functionally antithetical to the availability of AP courses in a high school curriculum.
What would happen if some of these students “abdicated” and simply avoided
these AP courses? Would any high school continue to offer these courses with
low student enrollments, and given the absence of its most-capable students?
_ _ _ _ _
In the end in this area, the Focus Group students
most-communicated the need for:
· A student- and mastery-centered focus and
modification of their coursework that integrates the need for content and skill
remediation into the realistic and scaffolded introduction of new information
and material;
· The coordination of assignments and assessments
across teachers so that the student- and mastery-centered goal can best be
accomplished; and
· The recognition that academic learning and mastery
is interdependent with the social, emotional, and behavioral status of
students, and that academic pressure can trigger negative social, emotional,
and behavioral reactions and interactions.
Because I understand the dynamic
nature of this area in a high school, the suggestions above would need to be
accompanied, in some schools, by a concomitant modification of how teachers are
being evaluated.
This modification would need to (a)
adjust the depth and breadth that teachers are expected to teach in each
specific course; (b) reinforce the importance of embedding in-class remedial
instruction, as needed, to address the missing prerequisite skills of students;
and (c) adapt the teacher-evaluative criteria of “student success.”
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jeopardy Answer #3. Why are we
forgetting health, mental health, and wellness in the context of anxiety,
stress, and trauma?
A final theme from the student
Focus Group centered on their “mental health” status. Here, the students
emphasized their perceptions that teachers were almost
exclusively focused on academics to the detriment of students’ social,
emotional, and mental health status and correlates.
They experienced this because:
· The vast
majority of teachers, this school year, have never asked about or openly
discussed with students their social, emotional, or mental health status;
· The
school began in September by immediately immersing students in academic
instruction—without ever giving students an opportunity—after almost 18 months
of virtual instruction—to socially transition back to school, re-develop
important student-to-student and student-to-staff relationships, and debrief
the experiences and emotions of their “instructional quarantine”; and
· The only visible acknowledgement of students’
social-emotional needs is a “required” break in the middle of most classes to “give
students an emotional breather.”
Relative to the
“emotional break,” some Focus Group students saw that as inconsequential to
their needs, and others saw some teachers begrudgingly providing the breaks “because
they were required by the District.”
_ _ _ _ _
Without being
dramatic, if this High School had experienced a school shooting or a
significant collective crisis, the first days after would include a wide
variety of social, emotional, and behavioral services and supports.
How many
schools or high schools did not see this Pandemic as a similar crisis and
missed the mark by either (a) thinking that the “best” thing for students was
to re-establish the “normalcy” of their school experience by getting
immediately back into academics; or (b) were too uncomfortable—overtly or
covertly—to acknowledge the social-emotional “elephant in the room.”
As this Focus
Group discussion proceeded, I offered two reflections.
First, I
extended the students’ focus on their “mental health,” by noting the importance
of more broadly discussing their “health, mental health, and wellness.”
Here, I
expressed my concern about the students’ disrupted schedules and lack of sleep,
the stress (as opposed to trauma) that they are under, and the impact of their
own (sometimes unrealistically) high expectations.
My second
reflection (and I was saying this for the administrators and staff attending
the Focus Group session) was that the High School had an opportunity for a “re-boot.”
Here, I
suggested that a staff and student Task Group be established—including a subset
of the students attending the Focus Group, and that they plan a series of schoolwide
activities for the first day or two after the Winter Holiday break (to also
include additional days during the remainder of the school year).
These days—which
might involve no formal class or academic sessions—would be dedicated to
helping students (and staff) to socially transition back to school, re-develop
important student-to-student and student-to-staff relationships, and debrief
the experiences and emotions of their “instructional quarantine” and the first
semester of the school year.
These days
also could be used to begin discussions regarding (a) students’ gender, gender identity/sexual
orientation, national origin, socio-economic status, disability, and age
differences (Jeopardy Question #1); and (b) issues related to the academic
program and students’ need for a modified instructional pace and skill
remediation (Jeopardy Question #2).
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Summary
Over the past
few months, articles in the professional press have begun to discuss False
or Toxic Positivity in the educational arena.
False
Positivity occurs when you are experiencing situations that are inherently
stressful or emotional, and you “put on a positive or courageous face” in order
to (a) cope and maintain emotional control; (b) plan and act in behaviorally
beneficial ways; and (c) change your perceptions of reality in an attempt to
actually change reality.
All things
being equal, however, False Positivity can be organizationally,
interpersonally, and even psychologically harmful.
Indeed, I have
seen many district and school administrators practice False Positivity with the
students and staff. . . even to the point of ignoring their obvious stress and evident
emotions.
Toxic
Positivity, meanwhile, works at the extremes. Here, we not only ignore
stress, but we also reject or deny the stress and our emotions—telling
ourselves to focus only on the positive.
In schools,
this occurs when administrators remind teachers to “take care of themselves,” but
(a) maintain the pre-Pandemic routine of evaluating staff on their curricular
pace and student proficiency; (b) load teachers up with extra meetings and
responsibilities; (c) investigate how teachers cover topics that relate to
race, culture, and politics; and (d) arrange professional development sessions led
by “motivational” presenters who encourage, in essence, a toxic positivity
mindset. These presenters either have no clue what teachers and other
educators have experienced (and are experiencing) due to the Pandemic, or they
believe that their presentations have some kind of long-term impact (which they
don’t).
_ _ _ _ _
And what about
our students?
How many of them are receiving similar false
or toxic positivity messages?
And how many
of them then hide the pressure, stress, and other emotions that they are
feeling. . . from parents, peers, teachers, and even themselves?
_ _ _ _ _
So where does
Jeopardy and Bill Joel come in?
The discussion
and themes from the High School Focus Group (shared above) reinforce the
social, emotional, and behavioral pressure that our students are under, and the
mental health jeopardy that they are in.
These students
are under enormous pressure. . . something that a “15-minute” break is not
going to resolve. In fact, it is almost embarrassing that this is the primary
strategy used at this High School—from the students’ perspectives—to help them
to emotionally cope and maintain their social-behavioral balance.
At the same
time, I know that this High School is representative of other districts and
schools nationwide.
And so, once
the word “jeopardy” came to mind, I immediately connected the students’
questions regarding the school’s commitment to recognizing and responding to
their needs with the game show “Jeopardy.”
And when I saw
the pressures—real, self-induced, and perceived—that these students are
experiencing, I immediately recalled the Billy Joel song “Pressure.”
Pressure [Billy Joel]
You have
to learn to pace yourself
Pressure
You're just like everybody else
Pressure
You've only had to run so far
So good
But you will come to a place
Where the only thing you feel
Are loaded guns in your face
And you'll have to deal with
Pressure
You used
to call me paranoid
Pressure
But even you cannot avoid
Pressure
You turned the tap dance into your crusade
Now here you are with your faith
And your Peter Pan advice
You have no scars on your face
And you cannot handle pressure
All
grown up and no place to go
Psych 1, Psych 2
What do you know?
All your life is Channel 13
Sesame Street
What does it mean?
Pressure
Pressure
Don't
ask for help
You're all alone
Pressure
You'll have to answer
To your own
Pressure
I'm sure you'll have some cosmic rationale
But here you are in the ninth
Two men out and three men on
Nowhere to look but inside
Where we all respond to
Pressure
Pressure
All your
life is Time Magazine
I read it too
What does it mean?
Pressure
I'm sure you'll have some cosmic rationale
But here you are with your faith
And your Peter Pan advice
You have no scars on your face
And you cannot handle pressure
Pressure, pressure
One, two, three, four
Pressure
_ _ _ _ _
As a school
psychologist, I recommended a number of social, emotional, and behavioral
actions and activities to address the most essential student issues voiced
during the High School Student Focus Group.
But one additional
idea emerged that captures the importance of actively and frequently listening
to our students’ voices and functionally addressing their needs.
This idea
involved a recommendation that the students, staff, and administration at the
High School develop a Health, Mental Health, Wellness, and Individual
Differences Bill of Rights.
This Bill
of Rights would be created like a school district’s five-year plan. . .
utilizing surveys, Town Hall forums, retreats, strategic planning sessions,
guided debates, and open writing sessions.
The Bill of
Rights product would detail the principles, practices, and actions needed
to facilitate (a) the health, mental health, and wellness of all students and
staff; and (b) their right to be accepted—based on gender or gender identity, race
or national origin, religion or color, sexual orientation or socio-economic
status, or disability or age.
I would love
to see a school-centered Health, Mental Health, Wellness, and Individual
Differences Bill of Rights movement begin across this country. And I hope
to share this High School’s journey to this end in future Blogs.
_ _ _ _ _
I appreciate
everything that you do to support our students and colleagues in the field. Know
that many of my Blogs emerge from the interactions that I experience in real
schools with real staff and real students. While my interpretations necessarily
come from my psychoeducational background, the experiences described are accurate
and unexaggerated.
As always, I enjoy
the comments and reflections that you send to me. . . whether on-line or via
e-mail.
If I can help
you in any of the areas discussed in this message, I am always happy to provide
a free one-hour consultation conference call to help clarify your needs
and directions on behalf of your students and colleagues.
I hope to hear
from you soon.
Best,
Howie
[CLICK HERE to read this Blog on the
Project ACHIEVE Webpage]
