;- A change of direction Po Kok Secondary School Elizabeth Petersen Rita Wong Kam Ngun

The Rationale for Change

Who are our students?? We are a band 2 school Our school has students from a wide range of backgrounds Some students come to us with very limited English. The pattern of disengagement among our students is quite profound and embedded

The issue is never just temporary disengagement The issue is the pattern that this disengagement forms over time Our students have had up to 7 years of disengagement with English

What does an “engaged “student look like? What pedagogy produces high levels of engagement ?

Engagement. What does it look like ?????.. “Throw the ball just beyond reach”.The activity can’t be too easy and it can’t be too difficult. Question??? How can we adapt the material to the level of each child?

How do we close the gap??

DRIVING QUESTIONS:_ What do I want the students to learn? Why does that learning matter? What am I going to ask them to produce ?

In one of our NETs, Tim Robson, analyzed the reading levels and skills of the students in the junior forms. He found that :-. 1.The students had difficulty putting words in context. They could read some texts but their comprehension of those texts was minimal. 2.The students ability to manage phonics was limited. Students found it hard to associate letters with sounds.

3.The text books given to the students were well beyond their ability level. They were non-motivating as the subject material was pitched to a much younger audience. 4.Students did not read.!! (This is the major criteria in word recognition. Immersion cannot occur if students are switched off, and don’t access reading materials.)

5.The only English that was spoken for students, with very few exceptions, was in class. Most did not speak it at home, most students lived in families who did not use English, and many in neighborhoods where it wasn’t used. Most students’ parents were non English speakers. 6.School lessons and English activity provided the only exposure. 7. It was also accepted by most students that English was necessary if they wish to have a tertiary education.

The difficulties the school faced were;- English is the lingua franca of the world. English was non –motivating English had a history of necessity but not enjoyment English lessons were text book driven The requirements in English exceeded the staff capacity to manage them The work presented was not engaging because it was not significant, relevant or meaningful to the students’ lives.

At the same time we know that the students of the future should be able to: Solve problems Think creatively Think critically Make decisions Generate new ideas Analyse information Plan for the future Today, there is a demand for men and women who can think, reason, and use their minds well. We must provide an education that meets this for every child.

What’s my future?

Based on these thoughts Where are our students?????

Authentic Engagement: The task, activity or work students are encouraged to undertake has inherent value and meaning to the student. That meaning is connected to ends or results that truly matter. Students will do “boring” tasks because they can see the connection between that and a task related end that is of consequence. They see value in the work and don’t stop when difficulties arrive. They experience a sense of satisfaction, accomplishment, pride, and even delight in their work. Authentic Engagement Strategic Engagement Passive Compliance Retreatism Rebellion Profile Elements

Strategic Compliance The task, activity, or work has little or no inherent meaning or value to the student, but it is associated in the student’s mind with outcomes and results that are of value (e.g. results, pleasing parents etc.) There is a separation of the means from the end. Students carry out the tasks for reasons disassociated with the task itself. What is important is the impact that the successful completion of the task will have on other areas of the student’s life.The grade will matter not the work. They meet expectations for work more from obedience than from commitment. Strategic Compliance Authentic Engagement Passive Compliance Retreatism Rebellion Profile Elements

Passive Compliance: Students are willing to expend whatever effort is needed to avoid negative consequences. They see little meaning in the tasks assigned,or in the consequences of doing those tasks. This suggests acceptance and resignation rather than enthusiasm and commitment. Children here are seeking minimums. What will it take to get by here? Not,what will I need to do to excel? The motivation is to avoid the unpleasant consequences of not achieving success. Passive Compliance Authentic Engagement Strategic Engagement Retreatism Rebellion Profile Elements

Retreatism: The student is disengaged from the task, expends no energy in attempting to comply with the demands of the task, but does not act in a way that disrupts others and does not try to substitute other activities for the assigned task. This carries with it the suggestion of disengagement. The task has no attraction and there is no other considerations that will attract the student to do it.e.g. the grade is unimportant, no need for peer acceptance,etc. These students don’t want to substitute their own demands to replace the task, they simply withdraw. Retreatism Authentic Engagement Strategic Engagement Passive Compliance Rebellion Profile Elements Reference: Shlechty, P (2000)

Rebellion: The student summarily refuses to do the task assigned, acts in a way that disrupts others and/or attempts to substitute tasks and activities that he or she is committed to in lieu of those assigned by the school and the teacher. These students will reject the task, refuse to comply and want to substitute their own agenda instead. They are not passive about their failure to comply. Key words: refusal, rebellion, disruption. Authentic Engagement Startegic Engagement Passive Compliance Retreatism Rebellion Profile Elements

Levels of engagement Rebellion “I want to do it” “I should do it” “I’ll do it if I have to” “I won’t do it” “Just try to make me do it” Rebellion Authentic Engagement Strategic Engagement Passive Compliance Retreatism Reference: Shlechty, P (2000)

work on the students, work on the teachers, or work on the work. Which do you think is the most effective? Why? If student performance is to be improved, there are at least three ways to approach the problem:

What Teachers Cannot Control Resources available School calendar Level of parental involvement Socioeconomic Status of Students Primary Language

What Teachers Can Control The content of the curriculum that they deliver to students The qualities and characteristics of tasks assigned to students.

What else?….(some options) Choose 3 students. Collect work over a term and ask yourself Was it connected? How was it connected? Does it show kids being extended? Find the “wriggle” room…..”trouble the thinking”

High above the hushed crowd, Rex tried to remain focused. Still he couldn’t shake one nagging thought: He was an old dog and this was a new trick!