J. Douglas Willms University of New Brunswick School Completion in Canadian Schools: Findings from Tell Them From Me

I. Pathways to Success

II. Personal Assets Leading to Completion

Demographic Academic Engagement Social Institutional Intellectual Mental Health Learning Climate of the School

Academic Skills

Learning is a function of: Context Quality Instruction Learning Time Engagement 12

Engagement is a function of: Context Quality Instruction Learning Time Learning 13

14 Context Quality Instruction Learning Time Engagement begets Learning Learning begets Engagement Learning Engagement

Engaged Students

TELL them FROM me is a dynamic web-based evaluation system designed to meet the ongoing needs of teachers, principals, and school district administrators.

Tell Them From Me Measures of Student Engagement in Tell Them From Me

Positive Mental Health

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Learning Climate of the School

Tell Them From Me Drivers of Schooling Outcomes

Setting Visible and Challenging Goals (1) Teachers clearly state the goals of each class lesson. (2) Teachers provide a summary of what we will be learning. (3) Teachers provide examples of successful work. Structure and Pacing (4) Students have opportunities to revise and practice the things that are important. (5) When students do not understand something, teachers explain it another way. (6) At the beginning of each lesson, teachers review what students did in the last lesson. Quality Feedback (7) The feedback from tests and quizzes helps students learn. (8) Teachers quickly give students specific feedback on their work. (9) Teachers check student understanding before beginning a new topic. Learning/meta-cognitive Strategies (plan, evaluate, and monitor) (10) Teachers show students how to make a plan to successfully finish an assignment. (11) Students are taught strategies for thinking about how to solve problems. (12) Students know how they are doing in this class.

III. A Prediction Model Based on Leading Indicators

Percentage of Students Low Risk 77% Moderately at Risk 14% Hi Risk (Low Probability) 9%

IV. Five Types of Students

Engaged Dis- connected Dis- Engaged StrugglingAlienated Grades Social Engagement Institutional Engagement Intellectual Engagement Mental Health Percentage of Students Probability of Completion93%82%79%61%45%

V. Action research in 3000 schools to increase school completion

Tell Them From Me (1)Build assets with school-wide reforms Focus on engagement Develop caring schools Smaller learning communities Cross-grade teams

Tell Them From Me (2) Develop an Early Warning System Early Years Evaluation – RTI Provincial Test Results as Leading Indicators Attendance and behavioural markers

Tell Them From Me (3) Monitor student engagement In a typical school about 25% of all students have low engagement. low achievers behaviour problems anxiety and depression School leaders need to know who they are and regularly monitor their progress – “check and connect”. Encourage staff to look for warning signs of withdrawal

Tell Them From Me (4) Identify advocates for disengaged students Disengaged students most often do not have an adult they can turn to for advice. Building a strong relationship with an adult at school is key to student engagement. Develop a long-term plan for school success.

Tell Them From Me (5) Help students become affiliated with school through clubs, sports, volunteer activities or other school events. Disengaged students tend to have low participation in school activities. Participation in a school activity provides a way to connect with students on a day-to-day basis

Tell Them From Me (6) Implement an intervention to build literacy skills. Struggling readers are the most vulnerable to being disengaged from school. Building literacy skills is far more important than subject-matter content.

Tell Them From Me (7) Check-in daily with students that display behavioural problems. Develop strategies for problem-solving. Celebrate small successes. Help develop positive friendships.

Tell Them From Me (8) Develop effective programs to deal with bullying, exclusion and sexual harassment. School staff must be able to recognize different forms of bullying and be willing to step in when they observe a student being bullied. Positive school policies and practices can make it safe for students to report bullying when it occurs and ensure that there clear consequences for bullying that are consistently enforced. Schools can help to equip students with appropriate strategies to deal with bullying.

Tell Them From Me (9) Develop school-wide and individual interventions to help those suffering anxiety or depression. Equip students with the skills to develop emotional resilience: developing positive friendships coping with difficult situations positive thinking resolving conflicts Identify those who need professional help