School Connectedness and Meaningful Student Participation

Introduction

Did you know that students who feel connected to school are:

  • Less likely to use alcohol and illegal drugs?

  • Less likely to engage in violent or deviant behavior?

  • Less likely to become pregnant?

  • Less likely to experience emotional distress and suicidal thoughts?

  • More likely to earn higher grades and test scores?

  • Less likely to drop out of school?

"School connectedness" refers to the belief by students that adults in the school care about their learning and about them as individuals. School connectedness has become a major focus for researchers and educators as studies show its critical importance in students' lives. When students feel connected to their schools, they show better health and academic outcomes. When they are disconnected, they are more likely to have a series of problems, including truancy and dropping out.

"Developing policies and programs that promote school connectedness is a good educational strategy and a good public health strategy," write Robert W. Blum and his colleagues in Improving the Odds: The Untapped Power of Schools to Improve the Health of Teens. "The challenge is to understand what promotes school connectedness."

This five-day facilitated event will enhance your understanding of school connectedness and provide you with examples, strategies, and resources on how to create connectedness in your schools. The on-line training will also guide coordinators in nurturing student participation that is meaningful to the students, their school, and the community. It will run for two weeks, from Monday, April 4 through Friday, April 15. During the first week, National Center staff will facilitate the on-line discussion among event participants on a regular basis. Staff will monitor and contribute to the discussion several times each day and provide daily summaries of participants' questions and comments. The second week is primarily intended for participants to continue their exploration of event resources and any discussions with fellow coordinators that began the week before. Center staff will provide periodic facilitation during the second week of the event.

During this event, you will have the opportunity to do the following:

  • Review the meaning of "connectedness" and why it is so important

  • Review the latest research on connectedness and academic achievement

  • Learn about tested approaches that schools can take to increase connectedness

  • Understand the key steps in facilitating meaningful student participation

  • Explore ways to involve all students - with special approaches to engage marginalized students - in leadership roles

You are ready to begin this event if you have done the following:

  • Received confirmation of your registration

  • Visited the Center's Orientation to On-Line Events Web site

Click here to begin this event

This on-line event is offered to you by the National Training and Technical Assistance
Center for Drug Prevention and School Safety Program Coordinators with funding
from the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education.
The content of this course was produced by Education Development Center, Inc.,
under U.S. Department of Education Contract No. ED-01-CO-0026/0013 with
the American Institutes for Research. Amalia Cuervo served as the
contracting officer's technical representative.


   1 | 2 | 3
TOC
Print this page Printable view Bookmark and Share
Last Modified: 09/18/2009