Abstract

The Grand Erie District School Board, a medium-sized urban school board located in the southwest area of the province of Ontario, has been a leader in promoting research-based learning for teachers for several years. To date the board has published two documents containing action research articles by many teachers. Passion in Professional Practice, Volume 1 and 2, contain research of varying topics. In the fall of 2003, teachers in the school board were provided the opportunity to carry out an action research project focusing on some area of special education.

The availability of time to complete such a project and the opportunity for professional dialogue around issues in my own practice captured my interest. Working with students with special needs, and those at risk for problems later in life, had given rise to a theory. I believed that at- risk students had not developed appropriate self-advocacy skills to help them make appropriate choices to seek out assistance and guidance. As a result, they could not become students that would make good choices, leading them out of a vicious cycle of being "at risk".

Background/Context/Finding a Question

Before steering my career in the direction of special education, I worked as a seventh grade homeroom teacher, teaching the core subjects of math and science and the electives art and healthy living. Working with adolescents in a large group setting, and trying to teach them academics as well as guide them emotionally and socially was a taxing, psychologically-draining job. I found the part of my job that was much more satisfying for me was providing counseling and support to students at risk.

In our schools, we have large populations of students at risk. Often we hear this term "students at risk". Who are they? Students at risk would be children identified as exceptional students, those limited in English proficiency, and those not attending or considering dropping out of school. Other at risk students would be those engaging in life threatening behaviours such as drug and alcohol use, those experiencing eating disorders, those in frequent trouble with the law and requiring police involvement, and those engaging in sexual behaviours at an early age. In addition, students living in foster homes or in homes with considerable family dynamic strife, economic strife, or lack of parental involvement would be considered at risk. Students with significant anger management issues and/or low levels of frustration tolerance would also be considered at risk. Students that bully or are bullied and those labelled as "followers" would also be considered to be at risk.

We can recognize students with these difficulties in all of our classrooms, but what happens to these children later in life? For what, exactly, are they "at risk"? In broad terms, students considered to be at risk are children who could be expected to drop out of school before completing their studies. They could also be expected to be frequently in trouble with the law and requiring police involvement later in life. Students at risk could be expected to be unable to find gainful employment. They could also be expected to have shortened life spans due to choices made that do not value or promote respect for self and others around them.

For example, Human Resources Development Canada (2003) reports statistics that high school students that engage in alcohol and substance abuse often leave school early and experience greater troubles later in life than those students that stay in school.

"Leavers are more likely than graduates to engage in a number of activities that involve a degree of rebellion or insubordination, and therefore, might be considered deviant. These activities include regular alcohol consumption, (and) soft and hard drug use...(also) leavers, whether male or female, generally reported that they had engaged in these practices more frequently and regularly than did their graduate counterparts.

Not surprisingly, since some of this behavior is beyond the limits of the law and many lead to other illegal activities, leavers also had a higher rate of conviction than did the graduates. If these deviant behaviours tend to be associated more with leavers than with graduates, are they potential early warning signs of students with an above average risk of dropping out?" (Leaving School, 2003)

As I thought about and observed these students, I realized that many did not have the appropriate skills to assist them to advocate for themselves when necessary. They were followers. They did not ask questions in class. They did not stand up for themselves when they clearly were not at fault. I thought about my own years as a student, and my own lack of self-advocacy skills. I had been taught in school to never speak out with my personal opinion, to accept the viewpoint of my teachers as the only acceptable point of view at school, and to never question decisions made by authority figures. It was fortunate that I was not a student at risk. Although I did not advocate for myself at school, I was taught at home to question and debate statements and viewpoints made by others, and to be a critical thinker. I was also taught to respect and value education above everything else as the gateway to success. Through this home-based teaching, I was able to experience success at school and remain motivated to move on to higher education, a satisfying career, and continue to be a life-long learner.

It is clear that many students in our classrooms today are not taught to be critical thinkers or to respect and value education. This way of thinking is not encouraged or valued in many homes. Therefore, critical-thinking skills and the valuing of education must be taught in the classroom, by the classroom teacher, or by another teacher in the school. It must be modeled and promoted as part of the culture of the school. Students need to develop self-advocacy skills. They need to be able to become informed thinkers, critically analyzing situations for themselves, while maintaining a respect for different viewpoints.

What do I value? I value the development and use of self-advocacy skills in students. Lynn Abbey, Curriculum Teacher Consultant Grades 7 to 12 with the Grand Erie District School Board, spoke with passion about her previous role as a high school English teacher at a recent OERC (Ontario Educational Research Council) conference. As our luncheon keynote speaker, she emphasized "the importance of listening to the voices of all students" (Abbey, 2003). Her words struck a chord inside me. Not only did I deem it extremely important to listen to the voices of my students, I later reflected,

"A strongly held value that I adhere to is hearing what children are actually saying. This may be listening to their voices, watching their actions, or observing their 'non-action'. It makes me crazy to see kids sitting out in the hall or at the office when I know they are usually just seeking attention or wanting to be heard, in any way possible.

Some would say that it's not my job to listen to and counsel students. I do not agree. A child cannot learn unless their basic survival needs are met. Who knows what may have happened at home before they arrived at school, or the night before?" (Thompson, 16 January 2003).

This idea is supported by research involving Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of human needs. Norman Kune (1992) investigated inclusion practices in school districts and the use of Maslow's hierarchy of needs as a paradigm for motivating learning.

"Maslow pointed out that belonging was an essential and prerequisite human need that had to be met before one could ever achieve a sense of self-worth. (He) maintained that our most basic need is for physiological survival: shelter warmth, food, drink, and so on. Once these physiological needs are met, individuals then are able to address the need for safety and security, including freedom from danger and absence of threat. Once safety has been assured, belonging or love, which is usually found within families, friendships, memberships in associations, and within the community, becomes a priority. Maslow stressed that only when we are anchored in community do we develop self-esteem, the need to assure ourselves of our own worth as individuals. Maslow claimed that the need for self-esteem can be met through mastery or achievement in a given field or through gaining respect or recognition from others. Once the need for self-esteem has been largely met, Maslow stated, we will develop a new restlessness and the urge to pursue the unique gifts or talents that may be particular to that person." (Kune, 1992).

Kune goes on to point out that

"in our society, especially in the field of education, it has been assumed that a child's sense of self-worth can be developed from a sense of personal achievement that is independent of the child's sense of belonging. If we concur with Maslow, however, we see that self-worth can arise only when an individual is grounded in community...what is needed is a collective effort among all of us to search for ways to foster a sense of belonging in our schools" (Kune, 1992).

Without the skill of self-advocacy, it becomes virtually impossible to experience success at school, and later, in the work world. How can this skill be developed in students, especially those at risk? I believe it can be nurtured and developed through a culture of "open communication" at school. Students need to be able to talk, express their viewpoints, discuss issues, and receive assistance with troubling questions or be directed to someone who can assist them. It was through these thoughts that the idea of KIDTALK was born.

Gathering Data

Setting/Set-up

One urban elementary school (K through 8) participated in the KIDTALK project. Only the seventh and eighth grade students were selected to take part in the project. Before creating KIDTALK, the intermediate students in the school exhibited the usual issues that most students encounter in grades seven and eight. A few were identified exceptional, many came from broken homes or homes in which little or no parental guidance was available, some were bullies and others were bullied, a few had sporadic attendance records and many were frequently late for school. Still others exhibited clear difficulty managing anger effectively and had very low levels of frustration tolerance. Many students were followers, choosing to make bad choices because their friends did so. Many were struggling with the academic curriculum.

Noting the different problems the students were encountering, and also noting that they rarely initiated conversation with the adults at school in order to discuss their problems, I began to think about how I could help these students. I knew that academic difficulties could not be addressed until the social and emotional issues were dealt with. Social and emotional problems could not be addressed unless students were comfortable talking about their own issues. Students could not be comfortable talking about their own issues until they learned the importance of advocating for themselves. Students could not advocate for themselves until they were taught how to do so.

In order to baseline relative self-esteem functioning, I searched the Internet for various self-esteem questionnaires that I could give to the students. I enlisted the help of a School Board social worker. She helped me find the most appropriate tool to use with students in grades seven and eight, the LAWSEQ Self-Esteem Questionnaire. I adapted the questionnaire, and used the secondary version. I also asked for the assistance of the grade eight teacher. He administered the questionnaire to all students in grades seven and eight and provided me with the data. Using the marking scheme provided with the questionnaire, I summarized the data for each student and flagged those that were experiencing particular difficulties with positive self-esteem. I then gathered first term report card marks for the students experiencing significant difficulties with self-esteem, and tracked their attendance for the first term. If report card marks were very low, I searched the OSR for cognitive testing results that would give me an idea of their actual ability.

KIDTALK was then created. In response to the perceived need for confidential dialogue between students at risk in seventh and eighth grades, I decided to use my skills as a caring adult willing to listen to any type of problem and provide the necessary support at school. My principal cautioned me about some of the problems that could stem from such a decision. He warned me about the time such an initiative would take and cautioned me around aspects of the project. "I don't know about this. You need to be very careful about confidentiality. Don't allow yourself to get too involved in the counseling aspect" (Kleven, 2003). I listened carefully to his advice and then proceeded to implement KIDTALK.

Students in grades 7 and 8 were provided with personal e-mail accounts at the school which could be accessed through the school board web page at school or at home. The Grade 8 teacher set up all the e-mail accounts. He then presented the KIDTALK program to the grade seven and eight students during TAG (Teacher Advisor Group) sessions or during computer period. All students in the two grades, and their families, were provided with a pamphlet outlining the service to be provided and its' parameters (Appendix 1). Students were then provided with a flier describing KIDTALK in brief, something they could put in their binders or hang up in their rooms at home (Appendix 2). Seventh and eighth grade students were selected because they, for the most part, exhibited the most extreme behaviours emotionally and socially. From the two classrooms, specific students displaying at-risk behaviours were chosen for the study. One seventh grade student (male) who used the online forum and one seventh grade student (male) who chose not to use the forum, and one eighth grade student (female) who used the forum were selected. The student who chose not to use the forum was a sample, to track the general output of students at risk, and to have some comparison when determining the effectiveness of the online chat and the concept of "open communication" on student self-advocacy skills, achievement, attendance, and increase in self-esteem. A female student in grade eight that did not use the forum to provide a sample group was not available. All grade eight females used the forum.

Case Study #1 -- L.

L. is a grade seven student. He attends school regularly, and his achievement levels have been average to above average until this year. He is now achieving at or just below provincial expectations in some academic areas. He rarely participates in class discussions unless he is called upon by the teacher to do so. His cognitive ability is average. He lives with his mother and brother in a loving, stable home. Recently, L. has found it difficult to behave appropriately in school. He talks out during lessons, and will disrupt in other ways. He is sent to the office for disrupting the classroom. At recess he has begun to associate with students that often cause a disturbance in the classroom and on the yard. Self-esteem rating on the LAWSEQ -- 5, (1.25 standard deviations below the norm) (mean score of 13).

Case Study #2 -- J.

J. is a grade seven student. He is often absent or late for school. His achievement levels in the classroom are well below provincial expectations, although a brief achievement test given to him showed achievement levels in language and math to be well above average. It is suspected that his cognitive ability is average to above average, although testing has not taken place to date. He never participates in class discussions, even when called upon to do so by the classroom teacher. He lives with his mother. His father and brother are absent from the home and he never speaks about them. J. rarely completes any classroom work. He often appears unhappy, and lacks focus, especially in the classroom. At recess J. usually walks around the grounds by himself. Self-esteem rating on the LAWSEQ -- 12 (3 standard deviations below the norm) (mean score of 6).

Case Study #3 -- H.

H. is a grade eight student. She attends school regularly, but her achievement levels are lower than cognitive ability suggests. She is achieving at or below provincial expectations. She rarely participates in class discussions, and will refuse to participate even when called upon to do so by the teacher. She experiences significant problems at home. Recently her father has decided to leave the home and this has left H. feeling hopeless. She is finding it difficult to function appropriately in school. She has friends, but they can exclude her at times. She engages in frequent conflicts with classroom teachers. She often appears unhappy, and lacks focus. Self-esteem rating on the LAWSEQ -- 11 (3.75 standard deviations below the norm) (mean score of 7).

Analyzing Data

I began by looking at the first entries on KIDTALK. The overwhelming part of this aspect of the study was answering all of the student questions. Most students were eager to use the forum at the beginning of the study, and as indicated on the information sheet, I needed to answer all questions within 24 hours! Many questions were very straightforward, but others were much more difficult to address. For example,

I am worried that I will not do good in high school, how will we get to used to changing rooms for different classes because we do not switch class rooms all that much. Please respond soon!

My problem is that some people bug me about my weight. What do I do?

I might get beat up (in high school). One problem I have at home is my sister. The reason for that is she is always fighting with me for stupid reasons, eg. Where is my hairbrush? And she puts all of the blame on me. My mom gets mad at her but she doesn't listen to her. She just storms right in my room without knocking and she never leaves me alone.

My problem is that people pick on other people so much, and I don't want to say something and get into an argument myself, but I don't want my friends' feelings hurt! What do I do?

L., Case Study #1.

Hi Ms. Thompson,

I hate my life, it really sucks. My dad moved out, my nana and papa are selling the house. I have to move away from my friends and everyone around me. One thing I did right in my life this weekend ... my best friend is now talking to me again. I have someone that I can really count on now. She is so much fun, she is so nice. I can tell her everything and I know that she won't tell anyone. She knows what I am going through because she went through it when she was my age. Well anyway, I have done everything. I need help.

H., Case Study #3.

J., Case Study #2 did not participate in the KIDTALK online forum. He was encouraged by the classroom teacher to send mail, and given classroom time to do so. He was assured that the forum was completely anonymous, and all discussions would remain confidential.

I answered L.'s question online like this:

Hi L.,

I understand that you don't want to start arguing with other people when you don't have to, but you want to protect your friends from feeling hurt and upset. Here's a situation: you're on the playground with one of your good friends and another student comes over and insults him or her. What might you do to help your friend not feel hurt and stop the other student from continuing to tease?

Let me know,

Ms. T.

L.'s response:

I would probably tell a teacher but sometimes I do, but it makes them more upset and when you see them in town with all their friends, you have to change your route, 'cause they're a tough group. But I guess I can tell anonymously, can't I? Thanks a lot for replying! )

I encouraged L. to follow his own advice and anonymously tell a teacher if he or his friends were being bullied on the yard. I explained to him that he must tell someone, he must advocate for himself, so that the people responsible would stop their inappropriate words and actions. L. did not choose to speak to me directly about further issues that were concerning him, but continued to use the online forum infrequently. At last online communication, L. wrote, "Thank you a lot for all your help! I'm glad they came out with this program here! Thanks again, L." (L., 2003). Although L. has found a way to participate in a culture of open communication through the use of KIDTALK, he does continue to experience social difficulties at school. He is reluctant to talk face to face about these problems to his classroom teacher, the principal, or me. I believe it would be advantageous to L. if he began to advocate for himself more assertively.

I tried a different method when responding to H.'s e-mail:

Hi H.,

Sounds like you need to talk. Would you like to meet face to face? I'll find you tomorrow.

Ms. T.

I realized that H. needed more than just an online response. I couldn't gauge her level of distress, and she was asking directly for help. We met the next day and spoke about her issues. She began the conversation with, "Ms. Thompson, I can't stand being at my house anymore. I just want to run away!"(H., 2003). We spoke at length about her issues at home, and I suggested that she might want to speak with a social worker about her problems. She agreed, and we immediately called her mother, received verbal permission, and prepared the appropriate paperwork to be sent home to gain consent for intervention from the social worker. H. began to see the social worker, but continued to come to me for "talks" when she was encountering problems at school. During our discussions I repeatedly pointed out the importance of advocating for oneself. I explained that this could mean speaking up for yourself in a situation that you felt was unfair, learning how to avoid conflict-producing situations, and always showing respect for differing opinions. H. continues to come to me when she is having difficulties, and has expanded her resources by asking to speak to the principal about different issues. Her involvement with KIDTALK was very short, but it was the impetus to a culture of open communication between H. and me, and now H. and the administrator.

J. did not choose to use the online forum. He does not seek out assistance with social or academic difficulties. J. has frequent intervention from the attendance counsellor, as he is often absent or late for school, despite repeated attempts by school staff to ensure he gets to school each day (telephone calls home, picking him up and bringing him to school in the mornings).

Findings

Looking back at attendance and academic records, not much changed over the course of this study. Students involved maintained attendance patterns and it is impossible to say whether academic gains or losses could be attributed to participation in KIDTALK because of the many extenuating circumstances in the students' daily lives (home, classroom, and community involvement). Obviously, these, and many other factors could influence changes in achievement, attendance, and self-esteem, as well as an increase or decrease in the use of self-advocacy skills.

I have found there has been a change in the school culture. More and more students are willing to seek help with issues that are not academically grounded. Students are able to express emotion without fear. Some teachers refer students to me immediately if they arrive at school visibly upset. Intervention takes place at once, and parents are always informed. Sometimes the intervention of the school board Social Worker or Behaviour Counsellor is necessary. It feels as if everyone at the school is more comfortable working in a collaborative culture, drawing upon the unique resources of everyone involved.

What have I learned about myself? I have learned that it is crucial to take time to listen to the voices of my students' everyday. I have learned that allowing myself to appear 'human' to my students, a person who has encountered or is encountering problems similar to theirs, is important. I have learned that I don't need to rely on only myself to assist students. I can reach out and ask for help from various resources, such as Behaviour Counsellors, Social Workers, administrators, and other teachers. I have learned that I have a particular strength in counseling students, and that I should pursue this aspect of my personality.

Next Steps

As an action/practitioner researcher, I must "consider the consequences of my findings, as action/practitioner research is intended to facilitate change" (McMillan& Wergin, 2002). I believe that giving all students, not only those at risk, a forum to communicate openly about personal concerns and having an adult available to speak with, receive advice from, and intervene in issues that may be beyond the coping mechanisms of an adolescent child is an absolute necessity in every school. Providing students with the skills to advocate for themselves is also of utmost importance. Until they can voice their concerns, students will not be able to access appropriate assistance that can help them work towards resolving problems that they may be encountering. Until they can address issues of crisis in their lives, students cannot be expected to learn. The basic needs of safety (security, stability, freedom from fear) or belonging (friends, family) cannot be met. Unless these two basic needs are met, needs related to self-esteem, such as achievement and mastery of skills, cannot be accomplished.

Jeanne Gibbs is an author that has developed a way of delivering curriculum through cooperative group learning that focuses on attentive listening, appreciation of others, the right to pass, and mutual respect. The program, called Tribes, supports the idea that education is more than just academics. Jeanne Gibbs states, "Intellectual, social and emotional learning is an interdependent growth process. It is influenced daily by the quality of the systems in a student's life. Schools of excellence are student-centered. They have caring cultures, supportive structures and pedagogy that respond and support the stages of development and the diversity of students' learning needs." (Gibbs, 2003).

To sum up my research, I've included a quote by Jeanne Gibbs. I believe this quote encompasses what I have discovered. "The goal of education is to develop greatness in young human beings, active constructive citizens who are valuable contributors to society. To educate is to call forth all aspects of a student's human development - intellectual, social, emotional, physical and spiritual" (Gibbs, 2003).

Appendices

Appendix 1: KIDTALK brochure

Appendix 2: KIDTALK poster

References

Abbey, Lynn, pers. comm., 05 December 2003.

Gibbs, Jeanne. The Research-Based Components of Tribes TLC - Tribes Learning Communities. Online [access 23 May 2003]. www.tribes.com

H., pers. comm., 16 December 2003.

Human Resources Development Canada. Leaving School. Online [access 23 May 2003]. http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca

Kleven, T., pers. comm., 06 January 2003.

Kunc, Norman, 1992. The Need to Belong: Rediscovering Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Online [access 23 May 2003] http://www.normemma.com/armaslow.htm

L., online comm., 21 March 2003.

LAWSEQ Self-Esteem Questionnaire. Online [access 09 Nov 2002].

McMillan, James H. & Wergin, Jon. F. (2002). Understanding and Evaluation Educational Research, 2nd Ed.. New Jersey: Merrill Prentice-Hall