Understanding the Behavior of an At-Risk Youth from the Perspective of an At-Risk Youth
Format
Individual Presentation
Location
Percival
Strand #1
Academic Achievement & School Leadership
Strand #2
Social & Emotional Skills
Relevance
The proposal relates to two of the five strands connected with the conference theme, strands one and two. Strand One - Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership will focus on success stories of Title 1 educators, equitable opportunity to learn, and reducing achievement gaps. Strand Two – Heart: Social and Emotional Skills will focus on school climate, achievement motivation, academic resilience, self-esteem, positive identity development, communication skills, decision making, and goal setting skills.
Brief Program Description
This powerful presentation is by an enthusiastic educator, U.S. Army veteran, and former Title 1 student who was raised in a low-income, at-risk family, with an alcoholic father. She will share why she still has her free lunch tickets and her personal story of how an educator, positively, encouraged her and assisted her in overcoming challenges and achieving her goals.
Summary
This powerful presentation is by a highly enthusiastic educator and United States Army veteran, Dr. Jacqueline Pennington, who is a former Title 1 student at-risk of dropping out of school. She will share why she still has her free lunch tickets as well as her personal story of how an educator, positively, encouraged her and assisted her in overcoming challenges and achieving her goals. Dr. Pennington will describe practical models, programs, methods, strategies, and/or practices and provide “take home” learning opportunities for all participants. She will provide various techniques to assist us in understanding ways of closing the academic, achievement, aspirational, and educational gaps. Dr. Pennington will, also, teach important skills and strategies to assist us in working with troubled youth. For example, she will identify and discuss three of the main triggers to at-risk student misbehaviors, which must be addressed to curtail and/or eliminate progressively violent behavior. She will teach the BASICS Model of interacting with at-risk youth to assist in changing their perspective and improving their behavior, their effectiveness, and their overall success rate. Although she is not a certified science teacher, she will teach how she used learning strategies to improve test scores, an average of 17 points, for students struggling with the science portion of the Georgia High School Graduation Test. In addition, she will teach the importance of implementing and practicing the CPR-RESPECT Model. This presentation will leave us energized and excited about helping each other and motivating our students to reach their full potential!
Evidence
One article, Closing the Attitude Gap, examined the concept of an attitude gap within at-risk student populations which could determine whether they will cooperate with or rebel against their education based on their perspectives. This article’s research showed the importance of effective school leadership for Title 1 schools. There was an emphasis on creating a climate and culture conducive to closing the attitude gap by educators genuinely knowing and having healthy relationships with their students. In the same manner, advice was provided for fostering positive student attitudes through relevant instruction, demonstrated compassion, and attention to the school’s psychological environment (Education Digest, Oct2014, Vol. 80 Issue 2, p15-19, 5p). This proposal is also based on known research and promising practices of a three year study that transformed science instruction and student achievement at two high-poverty ethnically diverse public elementary schools in Texas. Their instructional practices rapidly improved student-science learning outcomes and narrowed achievement gaps across diverse student populations (Journal of Science Teacher Education, v23, n7, p723-744, Nov 2012, 22pp).
Biographical Sketch
Jacqueline Pennington, Ed.D., is a School Counselor in the Newton County School System. With 17 plus years’ experience as an educator, she has additional certifications in CCAE-Coordinated Career Academic Education and middle grades social science and language arts. Dr. Pennington is, also, an educational consultant; learning strategist; professional tutor; former presenter of the National Dropout Prevention Center, Clemson University, Clemson, SC; and a United States Army veteran. Educationally, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Office Administration and a Master of Science degree in School Counseling with Middle Grades Certifications from Fort Valley State University. In addition, she has a Doctor of Education degree in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University. She has received all diplomas, since high school, with honors and/or high academic standings. She's excited and enthusiastic about helping others to reach their full potential, especially our at-risk youth!
Keyword Descriptors
triggers, anger, calm, patience, respect, caring, motivate, inspire, understand, perspective
Presentation Year
2015
Start Date
3-3-2015 10:15 AM
End Date
3-3-2015 11:30 AM
Recommended Citation
Pennington, Jacqueline L., "Understanding the Behavior of an At-Risk Youth from the Perspective of an At-Risk Youth" (2015). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 74.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2015/2015/74
Understanding the Behavior of an At-Risk Youth from the Perspective of an At-Risk Youth
Percival
This powerful presentation is by an enthusiastic educator, U.S. Army veteran, and former Title 1 student who was raised in a low-income, at-risk family, with an alcoholic father. She will share why she still has her free lunch tickets and her personal story of how an educator, positively, encouraged her and assisted her in overcoming challenges and achieving her goals.
