Teach the Secret in Schools ? - Part 3

As a counselor at a continuation high school for the past 4 years, watching failing children for one reason or another succeeding in school for the first time, coupled with the 3 years of counseling at the elementary level; I've probably learned more about what works than I have in the 20 + years prior to that. These experiences gave me a first-hand look at what it takes for kids to be successful.

First a little background information: a continuation school is where children are shipped out to when they fail so many classes that there is no way they can catch up in credits to graduate from the traditional high school. Other students have failed to attend school regularly or have had discipline issues at the school they are being transferred from. For many of these kids they have failed since the first grade. Yes... they come to us with a pretty negative outlook towards school and usually themselves as well. Most of them initially do not want to be here. To them it's more of the same thing... a further humiliation that they have 'failed' out of their 'home' school with an expectation of more of the same.

About 90% of these students become successful- and end up returning to their home school to graduate on time or graduate from the continuation school. Why is this so? When these students arrive they are feeling totally disempowered...with little control over their lives. Many beleive that this will be yet another school experience to fail in. The transformation comes when they change the way they view school or what they think about learning.

When they enter, they are bombarded with messages daily from the principal, counselor, teachers and all staff that say just the opposite: It's up to you... you have the control...you are responsible for your learning. You can choose to succeed or not. Wherever you are now...you CAN move on and graduate. Call it brainwashing, but once these kids buy into these beliefs...the old adage if you think you can or you think you can't, you're right never was truer and it is amazing how quickly they progress.

Students when they enter are put in classes and levels where they can succeed and allowed to move at their own pace. In any classroom children are working at different levels and receive individual help as needed from the teachers. It is amazing to watch the changes in attitudes and the transformation as students start to realize they CAN succeed. Some are very slow to start, 'dragging their feet' as they had always done. Then all of a sudden the 'light bulb' goes on as they begin to successfully complete 1 class, then another and another. Yes...success does breed success and being in a positive environment that says we will support you if you want it ; we believe in you does help. For the first time they feel EMPOWERED- they know they can DO IT. That's when it happens.
to be continued....