New Ministry Resources to Support the Creation of Positive Futures · 2009. 8. 3. · New Ministry Resources to Support the Creation of P ositive Futur es Recognized the importance

New Ministry Resources to Support

New Ministry Resources to Support

the Creation of Positive Futures

the Creation of Positive Futures ––

Nell Ross and Jeff Hopkins

Nell Ross and Jeff Hopkins

New Ministry Resources to Support the Creation of Positive Futur

New Ministry Resources to Support the Creation of Positive Futur eses

Welcome

Our purpose for today . . .an overview:

1. Where we have come from

2. Where we are now

3. Where we are going

What today will look like . . .a conversation:

(with a parking lot)

1. Providing background

2. About where we are going next

Providing Background

Providing Background

Some resources were developed some time ago:

•Focus on Bullying

•Focus on Harassment and Intimidation

•BC Performance Standards for Social Responsibility

Or recently created or updated:

•Safe, Caring and Orderly Schools

•Diversity Framework

•School Act Changes

•Provincial Standards for Codes of Conduct Order

•Developing Codes of Conduct (companion to new Standards)

•Making Space



Providing Background, continued . . .

Providing Background, continued . . .

And some new resources are currently under development:

•Cultivating Positive School Cultures

(work

ing t

itle

, am

ong m

any…

)

•Keeping Kids Safe (

pare

nt

bro

chure

)



Started with the idea of only updating F

ocus o

n B

ully

ing and

Focus o

n H

ara

ssm

ent and Intim

idation

Started with the idea of only updating F

ocus o

n B

ully

ing and

Focus o

n H

ara

ssm

ent and Intim

idation



Realized that thinking had evolved, so this would be more than just

an update

Focus has changed since original resources were written . . .

•fromhow to prevent what we don’twant

•tohow to cultivate what we dowant

�positive school cultures

�pro-social behaviour

�social-emotional learning

�optimal learning environments



Recognized the importance of harmonizing the messages in

existing resources in a new resource

New resource would need to be . . .

•consistent with the principles of PBS

•consistent with the principles of Social-Emotional Learning

•consistent with the restorative approaches

•reflective of evidence-based approaches

•helpful for operationalizing codes of conduct

•helpful in making use of the Performance

Standards for Social Responsibility; Safe, Caring

and Orderly Schools guidelines

•A safe, caring and orderly learning environment is everyone’s responsibility.

•Individual differences are valued and celebrated.

•Problem behaviours are learned behaviours and can be replaced with more socially

acceptable ones.

•Positive learning environments are ones that clearly identify and actively encourage pro-

social behaviour.

•A continuum of support for students exhibiting problem behaviours is required, based on

the individual needs of those students.

•Safe, caring and orderly schools will always look for ways to strengthen human

connections, especially when resolving conflict.

•Positive adult modeling and relationships are necessary ingredients of any positive

learning environment.

•Students must be able to observe and encounter positive social values in action in their

daily lives.

•Unmet needs for safety, belonging, power, or attention often motivate problem behaviour

and must be addressed as part of a holistic resolution.

•Discipline, in its best form, is an internalized condition rather than an external set of rules

or penalties to enforce desirable behaviour.

Guiding Principles for the new resource:



A growing body of research has found that socio-emotional

competence is critical for both academic performance and life

success, and that caring relationships and support within the

school community are essential for optimal student learning

Guiding Principles for the new resource



Social Emotional Learning:

A major advance in school-wide discipline is the emphasis on

systems of support that include proactive strategies for

defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate student

behaviours to create positive school environments.

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS):

Many BC schools have embraced PBS as a helpful approach

in developing school-wide plans for cultivating positive school

cultures.

Guiding Principles for the new resource



Restorative Approach:

A well-established and growing body of research tells us that

approaches that consider accountability, community safety, and

competency development –as opposed to those based on the

simplistic reward and punishment paradigm –will help to

establish a safe and caring school climate that learns to regulate

itself.

"If you p

unis

h a

child

for

bein

g n

au

ghty

and r

ew

ard

him

for

bein

g g

ood, he w

ill d

o

right

me

rely

fo

r th

e s

ake o

f th

e r

ew

ard

; and w

hen h

e g

oes o

ut in

to t

he w

orld a

nd

dis

covers

that go

odness is n

ot alw

ays r

ew

ard

ed,

no

r w

ickedness a

lways p

unis

hed,

he w

ill g

row

into

a m

an w

ho

only

thin

ks a

bout how

he m

ay g

et

on in the w

orld, and

does r

ight o

r w

rong a

ccord

ing a

s h

e fin

ds a

dvanta

ge

to h

imself.“

(Kant)

Where

we are

now

Where

we have

come

from

Where

we are

going



A change of focus. . .

from“how to prevent

what we don’t want”

to“how to cultivate

what we do want”



Ask an Expert (they are all around us…even some of us!)

Lin

ks

Lin

ks

fro

m t

he t

riangle

to s

pecific

appro

aches o

r to

pic

s t

hat

matc

h e

ach level



Few

Intensive individual interventions, Functional Behaviour Assessment,

wraparound, integrated case management, academic and behaviour

plans, monitoring and review, intensive collaboration/teaming (parents,

agencies, students..), alternative education, counselling

Some

Social skills curriculum, check-in/check-out, restorative practice,

teaching enabling skills, alternatives to suspension, group and individual

counselling

All

Code of Conduct, monitoring and supervising, school-wide proactive

and preventive practices, teaching expectations, teaching social

responsibility, threat assessment, social-emotional competencies

Ask an Expert, continued . . .

A r

epository

of

info

rmatio

n,

researc

h,

evid

en

ce-b

ase

d p

rogra

ms,

etc

. th

at

would

help

sch

ools

make info

rme

d d

ecis

ions a

bout

pro

gra

ms a

nd

appro

aches.



Who do I ask about _______________________?

I have heard about “Program X”based on the ____________ approach.

Is it a good one? What are the principles upon which the __________

approach is based?

What is the latest research on ___________________. We are thinking

of adopting it for our school, but we are not sure if applies well to our

context.

Our data shows _________________. What approach(es) would be the

best way to address these findings?

“Everybody Knows”




How are you using your code of conduct to cultivate positive school

culture?

Everybody knows:

•content

•process

•that everybody knows

Includes everyone

in development

and review

Communicated

widely

Consistently taught

and actively

promoted

Continuously

monitored

Reviewed and

improved (based

on evidence

gathered and in

light of research)

Is compatible

across schools and

between schools

and community





How do schools know what they need to know? How

do they plan for improvement in a systematic way?

•Standards for safe, caring, and orderly schools

broadened to include a continuum of knowledge,

activity, effectiveness

•to be used as a formative assessment tool and as

part of an ongoing policy, procedure, and practice

cycle of review

You are here

Resource Format

Resource Format



How do we present something that will be used?

(see “

dusty

bin

der

syndro

me

”)

•Properly focused so that people want to use it

•Organized in a way that it stays current

•Formatted in a way that is both convenient

and flexible

Stable Core

Resource

Dynamic

Supporting

Modules



•Intellectual Development–to develop the ability of students to analyze critically, reason and think

independently, and acquire basic learning skills and bodies of knowledge; to develop in students a lifelong

appreciation of learning, a curiosity about the world around them and a capacity for creative thought and

expression.

•Human and Social Development–to develop in students a sense of self-worth and personal

initiative; to develop an appreciation of the fine arts and an understanding of cultural heritage; to

develop an understanding of the importance of physical health and well being; to develop a sense of

social responsibility, and a tolerance and respect for the ideasand beliefs of others.

•Career Development–to prepare students to attain their career and occupational objectives; to

assist in the development of effective work habits and the flexibility to deal with change in the

workplace.

Goals of Education

Prime Goal of Public Schools –Supported by the Family and Community

Goals that are shared among Schools, the Family and Community

Schools

are

expecte

d to p

lay a

majo

r ro

le, th

rough learn

ing e

xperiences a

nd s

uperv

ised p

ractice,

in

help

ing s

tudents

to a

chie

ve the follo

win

g g

oals:

Parting Thoughts . . .



Addressing safe, caring, and orderly schools is not in competition

with the intellectual development goal of the BC public school

system, but rather in support of it.

Addressing safe, caring and orderly schools is a goal of the BC

public school system in and of itself.

Everyone has a role to play –a right to participate as well

as a responsibility to participate. The school culture will

benefit if everyone is playing a role.



Th

an

k Y

ou

!

Qu

estio

ns?

Co

mm

en

ts?

Nell Ross

Ministry of Education

[email protected]

Jeff Hopkins

School District 64 (Gulf Islands)

[email protected]

Documents

New Ministry Resources to Support the Creation of Positive Futures · 2009. 8. 3. · New Ministry Resources to Support the Creation of P ositive Futur es Recognized the importance