Focused Area
Improving School Climate for Youth-At-Risk
Relevance to Focused Area
Of the three focus strands this presentation will most directly address school climate. For students living in poverty a safe place for the students to come to is often so important, without it the learning the school is responsible for will not take place. We will discuss the needs of the students and staff.
Primary Strand
Academic Achievement & School Leadership
Relevance to Primary Strand
This presentation would focus primarily on the hands. Three practicing professionals, two in Title schools one at the executive director of elementary education level will discuss strategies to help close achievement gaps, what is working our schools, including one community school in a balanced “year round” calendar. We will discuss the various differentiated strategies based on student data to close the equity gap for our students.
Brief Program Description
In this presentation these three professionals will share stories and research from time on the front line of educating students in poverty. Challenges will be acknowledged and successes will be shared from time in the classroom as teachers working in high poverty schools to becoming principals in schools with students of high poverty.
Summary
In this workshop the two current Title 1 principals and one former Title 1 principal will share experiences of working in a Title 1 school and working to create a school culture which has positive climate in which students feel safe to learn. Various strategies for differentiation based on student needs gathered from data will be discussed. One principal who is in the second year of implementation of a balanced “year round” school calendar will address how that has impacted the climate of the school and the challenges of making the transition as well as the educational and social benefits to this theory proven approach. Also the research of Eric Jensen into the brain of students in poverty will be discussed and how it is used in the classroom to meet the needs of the students where they are currently performing. Finally, a former National Distinguished Principal recognized during their time in the highest poverty school in the community will discuss strategies to address the needs of all learners where they are performing. In this presentation these three professionals will share stories and research from time on the front line of educating students in poverty. Challenges will be acknowledged and successes will be shared from time in the classroom as teachers working in high poverty schools to becoming principals in schools with students of high poverty. The research completed by these practitioners to help grow the students to what they can become and grow the staff to help meet the students will be shared. Participants will leave with information and ideas on the implementation of many of these strategies to the learners in their school. Also, we hope they leave with a renewed spirit in this mission field of working with at-risk students.
Evidence
Research will be shared from the work of Eric Jensen on the brain of students in poverty, information on the Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy will be discussed, information on Math Workshop will the basis being in the work of Debbie Diller will be used, as well as research from the community school movement.
Format
Individual Presentation
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Jason (J.) Anderson is the Executive Director of Elementary Education is Springfield Public Schools, the largest accredited school district in the state of Missouri. He is a former National Distinguished Principal from Missouri. His dissertation was on the servant leader meeting the needs of the school community.
Dr. Kevin Huffman is the principal at Robberson Elementary in Springfield, MO. His high poverty school in the second year of implementation of the community school approach, where the school serves as a community center to meet the needs of all who are around. He completed his dissertation in the use of year round school to meet the needs of all students.
Dr. Adam Meador is the principal at Bingham Elementary in Springfield, MO. He completed his dissertation on the achievement gap in Mathematics for high poverty students.
Start Date
11-6-2015 3:15 PM
End Date
11-6-2015 4:30 PM
Recommended Citation
Meador, Adam K.; Anderson, Jason (J.); and Huffman, Kevin, "The Challenges of Educating Students in a Growing Climate of Poverty" (2015). National Youth-At-Risk Conference, West (2015-2017). 7.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_vegas/2015/school/7
The Challenges of Educating Students in a Growing Climate of Poverty
In this presentation these three professionals will share stories and research from time on the front line of educating students in poverty. Challenges will be acknowledged and successes will be shared from time in the classroom as teachers working in high poverty schools to becoming principals in schools with students of high poverty.
