Format

Poster Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

Valdosta State Universtiy

Second Presenter's Institution

University of North Georgia

Third Presenter's Institution

Valdosta State University

Fourth Presenter's Institution

Valdosta State University

Fifth Presenter's Institution

Valdosta State University

Strand #1

Social & Emotional Skills

Strand #2

Academic Achievement & School Leadership

Relevance

Relevance:

This proposal is directly related to Strand 2. “Heart” Social & Emotional Skills. This proposal is based on study is directly related to: Fostering social and emotional skills and the social climate for all children and youth, School climate, Student empowerment, Student leadership, Character education, Positive identity development, Cooperative learning skills, Life skills, Communication skills, Decision making skills and Learning skills. Persons familiar with Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Effective People, which the Leader in Me Program is based, will be familiar with these components.

Brief Program Description

Brief Description:

What was the impact on Title 1 students when the FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program was implemented to foster a positive social climate for all children and youth in a North Georgia school?

Summary

Summary:

This proposal is based on a study of a Title I school in North Georgia which adopted the FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program as a vehicle for reform and improvement. The results of this study relates to how the Program impacted Title 1 students when the FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program was implemented to foster a positive social climate for all children and youth. Data was obtained through observations, document analysis, and interviews with faculty members and administrators who received the training provided by FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program during the implementation process. Data analysis was conducted using the six phases of qualitative methodology as described by Rossman and Rallis (2010) and was focused on the components of the Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Program adapted for students. A constructivist epistemology was used to synthesize the data collected to create meaning from the transcripts, documents, and other artifacts. The findings in this study will be very helpful to Title 1 schools considering the implementation of the FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program as the number of schools implementing the FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program has increased from 2,035 in 2015 to over 3,000 in 2017 (FranklinCovey, 2017). Education decision makers may use the evidence provided as a factor when they consider implementing the Program or adapting program practices. Study results may add to the body of literature available on the benefits of adopting the FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program and identify significant changes and the impact on Title 1 students related to positive social climate for all children and youth. Universities, regional agencies, and school district leadership programs, both nationally and internationally, may use these findings to more effectively implement school reform and school improvement.

Evidence

Evidence:

The climate of a school impacts the operation of the learning institution. Tableman (2004) defined school climate as the “feel” (p. 1) of the school and explained each school in a district or system has a feel of their own. The climate of a school can be impacted and become either positive or negative based on decisions made by the school administrator or the district office (Tableman, 2004). Tableman (2004) further explained there are certain factors which contribute to school climate and include an environment that is physically appealing, encourages open communication, promotes a sense of belonging, focuses on the academic success of the students, provides a safe environment, and promotes positive interpersonal relationships. If any of these factors are missing, a negative climate may emerge. Schools with a positive school climate consistently have higher test scores and faculty and staff have a higher QWL (Sadlier, 2011; Tableman, 2004; Zullig, Huebner, & Patton, 2011).

The FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program for elementary school students

was created in 1999 after Muriel Summers, the elementary school principal

of A. B. Combs Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended a

workshop conducted by Dr. Stephen Covey. Ms. Summers had been

informed by the superintendent her charter school was in danger of being closed if something was not done to increase the number of students enrolled. Ms. Summers was intrigued so many successful adults were attending a Stephen Covey workshop which focused on building relationships. After the workshop ended, she approached Dr. Covey to see if he thought the concepts could be taught to elementary students as young as five years of age. Dr. Covey thought a minute and then replied, “I don’t know why not” (Covey, S. R., 2008, p. 190). This was the beginning of the Covey FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program. FranklinCovey (2015) stated the FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program, based on Dr. Covey’s book, The 7 Habits for Highly Effective People, is used by over two million students in over fifty countries (FranklinCovey, 2016). FranklinCovey (2015) cites many benefits of implementation of the FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program which includes increased student academic progress, improved school climate, and development of leadership skills.

Biographical Sketch

Ronny Green, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Valdosta State University. His school site experiences include serving as a guidance counselor, school administrator and school principal. He was recognized as an Outstanding Principal by the Florida Department of Education. He served for five years with the State of Florida coordinating leadership development for the State of Florida via the Florida Council on Educational Management. He has served for years as a mentor to new principals and principals at failing schools. His book Natural Forces: How to Significantly Increase Student Achievement in the Third Millennium focuses on systems thinking and leadership development and has sold in the thousands. His latest book is titled On Tour focusing on STEM and curriculum art integration, STEAM.

Paula Tench, Ed.S., is a Senior Lecturer in the College of Education at the University of North Georgia. Her school site experiences include working with students from kindergarten through college in the following areas: special education, English Speakers of other Languages (ESOL), gifted education, elementary education, undergraduate classes, supervision of clinical interns, and as a teacher coach through the Center for Latino Achievement and Success in Education (CLASE) Program at the University of Georgia. She is a life time trainer for Ruby Payne’s A Framework for Understanding Poverty Program. She is a doctoral student at Valdosta State University conducting research on faculty and administrator relationships in a school that has implemented FranklinCovey’s Leader in Me Program as a vehicle for school reform and improvement.

Lantry L. Brockmeier, Ph.D., is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology at Valdosta State University. His professional experiences include being a middle school health educator, high school Biology teacher, evaluator, and psychometrician for a statewide testing program. Dr. Brockmeier's research interests include educational measurement, research methodology, teacher efficacy, and teacher attribution theory.

William Truby, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Valdosta State University. He has 43 years of K-12 experience as a teacher, coach, club sponsor, assistant principal, athletic director, activities director, associate principal, principal (high, middle, and elementary levels), and school system superintendent. He has been recognized for excellence in his administrative roles on several occasions. He has taught as an adjunct professor for 3 other colleges before taking a full time position at VSU. He has authored a book and co-authored another.

Rudo Tsemunhu, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Valdosta State University. She has international school site experience that includes serving as a, school principal in Zimbabwe and program coordinator for an educational initiative in Boston, MA.

Kathy Nobles, Ed.D., is the Bureau Chief for Standards and Instructional Support in the Florida Department of Education. She has experience as a classroom teacher, school media specialist, school principal, and school district administrator. Other experiences include adjunct professor at Valdosta State University, a regional data coach and the state data captain in the Race To The Top project in the School Improvement office of the Florida Department of Education, and four years with the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium (PAEC) as a consultant providing professional development and technical assistance to districts in the panhandle region of Florida.

Keyword Descriptors

social skills, emotional skills, positive school climate, social climate, student empowerment, student leadership, character education, decision making skills, leaning skills, positive identity, and youth centered.

Presentation Year

2018

Start Date

3-6-2018 4:00 PM

End Date

3-6-2018 5:30 PM

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Mar 6th, 4:00 PM Mar 6th, 5:30 PM

FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program: The Impact on Title 1 Students - A Positive Social Climate for all Children and Youth

Brief Description:

What was the impact on Title 1 students when the FranklinCovey Leader in Me Program was implemented to foster a positive social climate for all children and youth in a North Georgia school?