Mobile access to student information
Student Disengagement is the Root of Numerous School Issues
Improving student and school staff interpersonal relationships is the key to turning this state of disengagement around. “Research has shown that students who feel connected to school do better academically and also are less likely to be involved in risky health behaviors: drug use, cigarette smoking, early sex, and suicidal thoughts and attempts,” says Dr. Blum. “Strong scientific evidence demonstrates that increased student connection to school decreases absenteeism, fighting, bullying and vandalism while promoting educational motivation, classroom engagement, academic performance, school attendance and completion rates.”
It is vital for the success of our students that we improve the state of meaningful contact between school staff and students. This meaningful contact will not only improve a student’s desire to engage, but it will also enable school personnel to identify at-risk students and prevent violent incidents from occurring.
Dr. Blum continues to say “But it is not just teachers and administrators who create these important connections. Janitors, coaches, lunchroom servers, office assistants, counselors, parents and school volunteers in short, all adults are critically important in this dynamic. Simply put, when we create more personalized educational environments, students respond and do better.”
Improving these meaningful connections doesn’t have to be exceedingly time consuming. Sometimes some very small steps towards improving student connectedness can make a world of difference. “When we ask young people … how do you know a teacher or an adult in your school cares about you? The most frequent response was that the adult simply says hello and knows my name and greets me using my name.” (Bonnie Benard: www.cde.ca.gov/ls/yd/tr/schoolconnectach.asp ). This sentiment is reverberated throughout the field of education. The Stanford Center for Teaching and Learning says “…whatever the context, be it a cocktail party or a classroom, remembering names indicates respect and concern, and can be essential to building a relationship… Becoming an expert at memorizing names is a small but respectful step toward demonstrating personal investment in your students’ well-being. Building a mutually respectful relationship with students is as important as having an organized lesson plan, giving a dynamic lecture, or encouraging enthusiastic class participation.”
Also “momentary time sampling was used to measure on-task behavior during the first 10 min of class. Teacher greetings produced increases in students’ on-task behavior from a mean of 45% in baseline to a mean of 72% during the intervention phase.” (Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, v40 p317-320, 2007, Allday, R. Allan; Pakurar, Kerri)
Further, studies have shown that the positive effects of School Connectedness are heightened for at-risk students. “… The results suggest that social capital, as defined by a relationship that facilitates action, is especially high for at-risk students who feel their teachers are interested, expect them to succeed, listen to them, praise their efforts and care.” (The Role of Caring in the Teacher-Student Relationship for At-Risk Students: www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1475-682X.2001.tb01110.x )
Dr. Robert Blum closes his case, “As our research expanded, we learned that this is not just an association. It is a causal relationship. There is something in that bond, in that connection to school that changes the life trajectory — at least the health and academic behavior. It is very powerful — second only to parents in power. In some contexts it’s more powerful than parents.
It is without a doubt that we need to implement some measures in our schools so that school staff learn to recognize students by name. Implementing a school policy or recommendation combined with a fun tool to help school staff learn students by name is a great way to make improvements in your schools. Discovery Software, the creators of Principalm, which is student information on a hand-held PDA or Smartphone, also offer the NameGame at no extra charge. With this fun game, school staff match student names with pictures and watch your score improve. Discovery Software clients love the NameGame. Mark G. Taylor from Prospect High School says, “My security staff … are having fun learning who’s who. Keep up the good work!”
Student Connectedness is the Key to Improving Student Success!
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