School News For Spring, 2007

Follow the Child:
A State-Wide Initiative in New Hampshire
The Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations is proud to be working in partnership with Commissioner Tracy and the New Hampshire Department of Education on their exciting state-wide initiative, Follow the Child. Follow the Child represents new thinking in educational reform by putting students squarely at the heart of teaching and learning. This initiative goes far beyond the basic standards and requirements of NCLB. Educators in NH are asked to ensure growth in the personal, social, and physical development of each student, as well as progress in academics.

The state-wide response to Commissioner’s Tracy initiative has been truly outstanding. All major educational organizations in NH are supporting this initiative and are working in close collaboration with QISA. The Quaglia Institute will be providing ongoing professional development opportunities, as well as the My Voice survey to all New Hampshire students in grades 6-12.

QISA is honored to be working with such a dedicated staff in the NHDOE, and with committed professionals in the schools. We are confident the work we are doing in the state of New Hampshire will be a model for the rest of the nation to follow.

For more information on Follow the Child, please click on the Follow the Child icon in the navigation bar to the left.

Establishing Purpose for Schools and Students:
Developing a Working Partnership with the Center for Adolescence at Stanford University
For two decades, Dr. Quaglia has been talking about the importance of ensuring all students have a sense of purpose in our educational environment. We are pleased to be working with the Center for Adolescence at Stanford University establishing a research agenda that will inform our work with students and educators. In the short essay that follows, Dr. Quaglia talks about the three guiding principles that he believes will enlighten our efforts in schools and enrich our thinking regarding the 8 Conditions that Make a Difference for student aspirations.

Mind the Gap:
If students are to achieve, they must first participate
"We must close the achievement gap" has become a familiar phrase among today’s educators and politicians, reflecting the national focus on how students, schools, and districts perform on standardized tests. Yet how can students meet high academic standards if they don’t believe in their ability to do so? How can they learn if they aren’t academically engaged? How can they set and reach academic goals if they don’t see the purpose in doing so? In other words, how can students achieve if they don’t participate in their education?

The Participation Gap
Defined as the difference between students who are meaningfully connected to their learning and those who are not, the Participation Gap must be narrowed in order for student achievement to rise. Strengthening curriculum offerings and test preparation strategies are not enough; if students are to enjoy higher academic success, they must believe in themselves, be excited about their learning, and see the link between what they learn today and who they want to become tomorrow. When these pieces are in place, students are more likely to participate in the learning process; when they participate, they are more likely to achieve.

The Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations (QISA) is committed to eliminating the Participation Gap in schools. QISA believes increasing student participation depends on three key components of student experience: Self-Worth, Active Engagement, and Purpose. Self-Worth exists when students know they are valued members of the school community; have a person in their lives they can trust and learn from; and believe they have the ability to succeed-- academically, personally and socially. Active Engagement means that students are deeply involved in the learning process as characterized by enthusiasm and desire to learn new things and a willingness to take intellectual risks. Finally, when students have Purpose they take responsibility for who and what they want to become, in professional and career terms, as well as by being confident, responsible members of their community.

How can we lessen the Participation Gap?

1. Help students develop a sense of Self-Worth.
   For students to increase their participation in the learning process, they must experience a sense of Belonging. They must feel that they are part of the school community while being recognized, appreciated, and celebrated for their uniqueness as individuals. Students also experience self-worth when someone in their life believes in them. They must have a Hero, someone they can look up to, respect, and learn from. Finally, to develop self-worth, students must experience a Sense of Accomplishment. They must be recognized as much for effort, perseverance and citizenship as they are for high grades and good test scores. With self-worth students are more likely to persevere through difficult tasks and take the steps needed to reach their goals.
   
   
2. Foster students’ Active Engagement in learning.
   The participation gap will also lessen when students experience Fun & Excitement in their learning environment. Active engagement means that students become so involved in their own learning they lose track of time and space. At the end of a lesson they wonder, “Where did that time go?” Students who are actively engaged in their learning are also have a deep sense of Curiosity & Creative. They are not afraid to ask “Why?” or “Why not?” about the world around them. Finally, engaged students have a Spirit of Adventure. They are not afraid to try new things, regardless of whether they might succeed or fail. With active engagement, learning—and therefore participation in learning—becomes important in and of itself.
   
   
3. Encourage a sense of Purpose.
   Far too many students see no connection between school and who they are or who they want to become. In an effort to counter this trend, educators attempt to draw links between today’s learning and tomorrow’s careers, encouraging students to think about their education as tied to the type of job they want to one day hold. There is more to the picture than jobs, however. Schools must challenge students to think about the characteristics that accompany successful and rewarding work. They must challenge students to think about who they want to become as well as what they want to be. A sense of purpose involves developing a sense of Leadership & Responsibility and Confidence to Take Action. Students must have leadership roles in schools that carry with them a real sense of responsibility for themselves and others. When students find purpose in their lives they will have the confidence to imagine and act to ensure a meaningful, productive and rewarding future.

When students have Self-Worth, Active Engagement, and Purpose they are more likely to show marked improvements in academic achievement, social awareness and positive contributions to their school community. Only when all students are deeply connected to their learning will the larger goal of narrowing the achievement gap be finally met.

By Dr. Russell J. Quaglia
President and Founder, QISA
January 4, 2007