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Support school-community partnerships

Support school-community partnerships

American schools can no longer afford to operate in isolation. As a result, many school-based and school-related health and human services programs have sprung up across the country. Schools are also reaching out to parents and the community to strengthen the educational foundation for students. State education agencies play a role in supporting many of these school-community partnerships, primarily for two reasons: they seek to ensure the educational success of all students (collaboration is a means to that end); and second, they see themselves as key partners in broader and more broad-based efforts to ensure the overall well-being of children and families. The highest levels of state government have made collaborative efforts on behalf of children and families. The goal is to develop a comprehensive local service delivery model with an emphasis on community-led initiatives. The effort has focused on children placed out of state and those at risk of being placed out of the home. While everyone agrees that collaboration is the call of the day and necessary to create the systems that support children, youth, and their families, there are still many barriers and challenges to overcome, including:

– Bureaucratic and cultural differences between education and collaborating agencies.

– Pressure on educators to be held accountable for discrete educational outcomes, and

– The time, money and frequent contact it takes to build working relationships and collaborations.

Despite barriers, support for the child and family agenda at the highest levels can help collaborative efforts in communities. A formal structure, such as a “cabinet” for children, can facilitate and establish collaboration as an expectation. While high-level state support is vital, collaboration at the school and community levels is just as important. The degree of support from government agencies to local associations falters depending on many factors. However, despite these bureaucratic challenges, state education agencies increasingly support and collaborate with collaborations at the school and community levels. It is at this grassroots level that diverse, interdisciplinary groups of professionals are working together to support children and families. The increase in collaborative activities in recent years is testament to educators’ recognition that they can no longer operate in isolation if they hope to ensure student success in school. Despite difficult family and community circumstances, some children are successful in school and in life. Because they have persevered through severe, often long-lasting and multiple challenges, they are called “resilient.” If we can understand what creates such resilience in some children, we could enhance that development in others.

A classic 25-year study of psychological resilience followed Florida-born babies in adverse circumstances, including about 350 who were deemed high-risk. About one-third of those children showed no problems, and while the other two-thirds did have problems, by their mid-30s almost all had become constructively motivated and responsible adults. One of their distinctive experiences as children was a close, long-term relationship with a caring and responsible parent or other adult. Other studies have been carried out on the resilience of the children of parents with mental illness and adolescent mothers, those who are in foster homes and those who have been mistreated, chronically ill and / or delinquent. Of these children, the majority of those who achieve adult success tend to have long-term connections with competent adults, religious faith, and perceptions of themselves as worthy and competent. The parents or mentors of these children make the child feel valuable and valuable. They demonstrate competence that children can emulate and provide constructive feedback and guidance on the child’s progress. In addition, they provide experiences that foster competence and confidence. But changes in American families, such as the increase in teenage mothers, divorce, separation and children “of the key”, have made it difficult to develop resilience. In some areas, the stabilizing influences of religious and social institutions have also diminished. Unfortunately, educators have little impact outside of school on early childhood development. Urban educators face even greater challenges. Their schools are often large and often serve poor and highly mobile families, making communication with families and communities difficult. Research suggests that despite such difficulties, educators can reach out to promote educational and psychological resilience. First, educational practices that have been shown to improve achievement can be used to help students be successful not only in school, but also in learning the skills that contribute to success in life. Second, educators can work with others to improve conditions in communities that promote psychological well-being. Only one in four children born to alcoholic parents becomes an alcoholic. What are the general characteristics of children who overcome this and other risk factors? Researchers have identified several key competencies of resilient children. They include:

– Social competence: Resilient children have mild temperaments and generally avoid “getting out of control.” They are malleable and can be easily adapted to different situations. These traits and abilities allow them to attract the attention, support, and affection of adults and their peers.

– Intellectual competence: resilient children perform better on intelligence tests, particularly verbal ones, and are able to think of novel solutions to problems. This novel thinking often manifests itself in humor, which can dissipate anger and anxiety from confrontations.

– Planning: Resilient children can think about their problems, set lofty but realistic goals for themselves, and monitor their own progress. They believe they are critical to their own success.

– Ingenuity: Although they have good social skills and respond well to others, resilient children can be independent when necessary. For example, they may differentiate themselves from abusive and disorderly families and form bonds with other people outside the family.

These four areas of competence are hardly predestined; they can be learned in families, schools and communities. To the extent that parents, educators, and other adults in the community encourage the development of such resilience competencies, children are likely to be successful in school and in life. The first priority of the school is learning, and anything that enhances learning is in the educational interest of the student. However, some practices seem especially important for children living in high-risk circumstances. For example, local, state, and national movements toward curriculum standards have made it possible for teachers at various grade levels to build on what students have learned in previous grades. This is particularly important for children on the move, who often experience performance and grade-level setbacks when they move to a new school. New metacognitive learning methods encourage students to set and monitor their learning goals. In reciprocal teaching, for example, children prepare a lesson and then teach each other, following the saying: “To learn something well, teach it.” The need to plan and organize such activities not only helps learning, but also improves children’s capacity for independence and teamwork, both valued in adult life. Research shows that children in categorical programs, such as special education and Title I of elementary and secondary education, often receive poor services in segregated settings. They can be detrimentally stereotyped and receive inferior lessons and consequently may learn less and suffer from low self-esteem. Many of these vulnerable children would do better in regular education classrooms that are designed to accommodate individual differences among students.

Teachers, principals, and other school personnel can serve as role models for at-risk children by demonstrating what they do to solve real-life problems. When problems arise, educators can discuss with students the causes, possible solutions, and ways to implement the best solution. When educators sense that a student is going through a crisis, a confidential talk, a little encouragement, or a referral to a professional specialist can work wonders. Sometimes just listening can help. Educators who form strong and lasting bonds with students can be of great benefit to children in crisis. Families that have a variety of educational and psychological resilience resources at their disposal are more likely to raise children effectively. For example, families can consult educators for useful information and knowledge on effective parenting and educational practices. Educators can also provide confidential advice and support to families seeking guidance in dealing with risk factors and deterrents that hinder resilience. Parents can provide a healthy environment for their children in many ways:

– Avoid violent conflict and abuse.

– Show warmth and affection

– Encourage joint activities

– Encourages responsibility through family tasks.

– Provide positive role models

– Introduce adequate expectations

– Show interest in achievements.

– Enroll children in school and community programs.

– Encourages the development of skills

– Seek professional help when needed

– Participate in organized programs for adults and children.

Healthy communities are likely to nurture resilient children. Public safety is obviously important, as are agencies that provide effective library, medical, psychological, and social services. Schools can connect with community agencies to provide referrals to collaborative services and cooperative programs. As in medicine, preventive actions can be wiser and more profitable than post-hoc remedies. Schools can help by informing students and parents of the resources that communities have to offer. Cooperative programs are especially effective. Resilience programs are not a panacea for the problems many children face in school and in life, although various strategies and approaches have met with some success. Given the problems and challenges facing children today, expanding such efforts through the loving support of all adults who work with children seems highly in our national interest.

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