BUILDING ETHICAL COMMUNITIES

Dr. Donald McCabe, also known as, “Dr. Ethics” is a recently retired professor of Management and Global Business at Rutgers University. He devoted his research to questions of student integrity in their academic work. He has also worked as a consultant to schools that wish to change their existing policies.

I asked Professor McCabe some questions about his research and beliefs regarding academic dishonesty.

Are there specific strategies that teachers need or can use to address academic dishonesty?

McCabe: There are a variety of strategies available, all of which have both supporters and critics…While at least some, and perhaps many, feel I am naïve, I feel that the only way to solve this problem of cheating in the long run is to create an environment in our schools that encourages honest work by students. While others keep looking for a quicker fix, I don’t think there is one that will have a lasting impact…In my view, teachers need to start the hard work of changing the environment in their classrooms away from an emphasis on grades to one on learning. Not an easy task and one that will require the cooperation of parents.

What is the parent’s role?

McCabe: Indeed, this will be a very challenging task for parents – perhaps impossible. (We live at a time) when the world economy is shifting in ways that may suggest lesser opportunities for the rising generation of American students, and staying in school probably will become an even more important barometer of future success…Basically parents need to help their children understand that integrity and honesty are more important than simple academic success. Unfortunately, few parents probably believe this in the case of their own children – especially when their children note that others are getting ahead by cheating. In many ways, for the sake of the larger society, we need parents who are willing to accept that their children may not do as well financially as their parents have done.

How does dishonesty evolve over a child’s academic career?

McCabe: Children in the early elementary grades are consumed to some extent with the question of fairness… I feel strongly that (middle school) is a point where friends are encouraging each other not to always listen to everything that their parents and authority figures have to say and, in most school systems, junior high is when students begin to have a variety of different teachers versus the one strong parental substitute we probably all remember from our early school years. The “removal” of such an authority figure at a time when children are starting to spread their own wings a bit seems to come together in a sort of “perfect storm” and there are data which suggests this is when cheating in school becomes a greater problem.

How has technology helped/hampered cheating?

McCabe: This is a double-edged sword. While allowing teachers to more effectively check for plagiarism, etc, it has also given students many new “weapons” to use to try to deceive teachers…It’s not clear yet where this will settle out but for a number of years the advantage has been with students who understand, and know how to use these technologies more effectively than most teachers – myself included.

  

Contact Margaret Lavin at elementarydays@gmail.com.

SEPTEMBER IS ATTENDANCE AWARENESS MONTH

They’re baaaack - at school. Many parents, myself included, are very happy that the new school year has commenced. Although summer will be missed, costly summer camps, fluctuating schedules and restless children will not. For working parents, kids being back at school is the best place for them to be. My mom worked nights and was thrilled to have all seven of her children at school so she could sleep. As a result, we didn’t miss much school.

It turns out, that was a very good thing. Absenteeism is a clear-cut predictor of a bleak educational future, which – no surprise – leads to less than ideal career opportunities. By 6^th grade chronic absenteeism (missing 10% or approximately 18 days of school) has a direct correlation to students dropping out of high school. By 9^th grade, missing 20% of the school year is a better predictor of dropping out than test scores.

The good news is the converse is also true, especially for children raised in poverty. One of the most effective strategies for providing pathways out of poverty is to do what it takes to get students to school on time, every day. This alone, even without all the school improvement efforts, will drive up achievement, increase high school graduation, and raise college completion rates.

There are a plethora of reasons why students miss school but for simplicity reasons we can break them down to three broad categories: students who cannot attend school due to illness, housing instability, or other poverty related problems, students who will not attend to avoid bullying, harassment, or embarrassment, and students who do not attend school because they, or their parents, do not see the value in being there and no one stops them from not attending.

So, what can we do? Get the word out. Bring up the importance of attendance at PTA meetings, back-to-school night, and any time you have an audience of parents. Discuss with administrators the climate of the school. Make sure there are positive discipline policies in place and a comprehensive anti-bully policy.

Help your child maintain daily routines, going to bed and waking up around the same time. Don’t let your child stay home unless he/she is truly sick. Complaints of headaches or stomachaches may be signs of anxiety. If so, talk to them and their teachers about school behavior and academic engagement. Ask for help from teachers, administrators, afterschool programs, or other parents if you’re having trouble getting your child to school. Maintain open communication with school staff by making sure they know how to contact you and vice versa.

Know your children’s friends. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school and students without friends can feel isolated. Keep track of when your child misses school. The number of days missed can sneak up on you.

The bottom line - attending school matters greatly. It matters most to students who live in poverty. Chronic absenteeism is a key determiner of high school graduation and continuing on to college. If chronic absenteeism is not measured, it cannot be monitored or acted upon so make sure your school is tracking attendance and ask what incentives there are for students to come to school every day, on time. As a community, it is imperative to ensure that our kids are ready, willing and able to attend school every day. Their future, and hence our future, depends on it.

Contact Margaret Lavin at elementarydays@gmail.com.

STUDENT SUPPORT WORKS, STUDENT SUSPENSION HURTS

 Parents and their young have begun the annual pilgrimage to numerous retailers, department stores and online sites spending a small fortune on shiny new shoes, snazzy backpacks, pencils, pens, binders, electronic tablets, folders, notebooks, markers, crayons, and cool new back-to-school clothes. Kids are beginning to miss their school friends and are eager – though perhaps not admittedly – about beginning the new school year. Tragically, however, not all are excited about returning to school. Many students have fear of failure because they have failed at school before. Not because they don’t complete their homework or do poorly on school assignments. They fail because of antiquated, ineffectual, and harsh discipline policies and practices that ostracize children. I’m referring specifically to out-of-school suspensions.

Schools have barraged parents with messages on the importance of kids being at school, on time, everyday, yet some kids are told, and in some instances told repeatedly, to stay home.

A study by the American Psychological Association found that zero tolerance policies not only fail to reduce violence in schools but have instead increased disciplinary problems and dropout rates. Students who have been suspended are three times more likely to drop out by the 10th grade. Dropping out, in turn, triples the likelihood that a person will be incarcerated later in life.

Research conducted by the Center For Civil Rights Remedies at the Civil Rights Project of UCLA found that American children are losing almost 18 million days of instruction due to suspensions. Yes, you read correctly, an astounding 18 millions days! The bottom line – out-of-school suspensions have proven counterproductive yet remain the primary form of discipline in schools.

So, what can we do? We can talk to our school officials. We can ask about suspension policies and the number of instruction days missed due to out-of-school suspensions last year and prior years. If the discipline policies are effective, the rates of out-of-school suspension should be decreasing. A conscientious administrator will also have suspension data disaggregated by student race, grade, and gender along with information on the types of infractions, and date, time and location of offenses in order to best implement future preventative actions.

We can ask what alternatives discipline strategies have been put into place to reduce out-of-school suspensions. Some examples include Saturday school, in-school suspensions, and mandatory community service. Even if your child has never been and is very likely never to be suspended, the whole school climate is negatively impacted by student suspensions, not to mention the financial impact. Many schools are funded by average daily attendance. We can talk to other parents or bring up the subject at a PTA meeting, underscoring the need for progress on reducing out-of-school suspensions.

We can all agree that students and teachers are entitled to a safe educational environment that is conducive to both teaching and learning. Of course there are times when a school’s authority to suspend a student plays an important role in securing a safe environment. Yet too often suspensions, specifically out-of-school ones, serve as a quick fix for student disciplinary problems that require more supportive remedies.

Contact Margaret Lavin at elementarydays@gmail.com.

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOTIVATION AND LEARNING?

With so much attention on test scores and budgetary concerns, it’s refreshing to learn some folks are keeping their focus on what matters most to parents and teachers – figuring out the best practices to motivate and educate children.

Redwood City School District and Stanford’s John W. Gardner Center continue a longstanding partnership in their efforts to gain a deeper understanding of the practices that effectively promote student motivation, engagement, and ultimately, achievement.

They surveyed all Redwood City School District middle school students in the spring of 2009 and again in 2010 regarding their experiences in their classrooms and their beliefs about themselves as learners.

The research is ongoing and they have already completed many rounds of data collection. They have learned some interesting and encouraging information about the relationship between student’s classroom experiences, motivational beliefs, and academic achievement.

The data clearly showed that a safe and caring setting is the ideal climate for learning. Caring classrooms have students that treat each other with respect and teachers who foster this by letting students know they are not allowed to make fun of each other for a wrong answer or mistake, stating that mistakes are part of the learning process.

 

They also set aside time for individual conferences and provide individual feedback regarding the student’s growth and areas for improvement (versus public feedback that make comparisons between students) and create opportunities for students to revise their work, give private feedback about grades and also time for students to work with each other.

These classrooms tend to inspire student motivation and benefit all students, especially and inclusive of low-income students.

Test scores back up these results. The JGC analysis showed that there is a relationship between higher motivation and higher achievement evidenced by elevated California State test scores. This is true for all students – regardless of prior achievement. This means that if teachers can improve student motivation, then they are also very likely to see improvements on standardized tests.

The JGC staff are encouraged by the outcomes hitherto.

“These results remind us that motivation is not a static trait. Motivation is not something that a student simply has or does not have. Rather motivational beliefs are malleable and very responsive to classroom practices. Perhaps even more exciting is the evidence that students' motivational beliefs can shift within the course of less than one academic year. It is also important to highlight that these motivating and caring practices are doable and already present in many classrooms in Redwood City. We hope these findings will serve as a catalyst for more reflection and conversations between researchers, teachers and parents about specific strategies for motivating students to deeply engage in their learning.”

When planning the new school year administrators and teachers should, in conjunction with analyzing and disaggregating test scores, have another conversation. Is the designated curriculum backed up with constructive strategies and teaching practices that improve proficiency as well as foster curiosity in a welcoming environment? What does that classroom look like?

Contact Margaret Lavin at elementarydays@gmail.com.

RESTORATIVE PRACTICES THAT WORK

Harriet R. MacLean, Ed.D. is the principal of Davidson Middle School in San Rafael. She presented some of her strategies at a Call to Action Meeting for San Mateo County educational professionals. Among the many restorative practices her school has implemented are a “Where Everyone Belongs” (WEB) program and a “No One Eats Alone” lunch policy.

WEB is a middle school orientation and transition program that welcomes incoming students feel comfortable throughout the first year of their middle school experience. It helps increase student achievement, enhances character development and creates an anti-bullying environment. “I would say the leadership development it engenders in the upper graders who become WEB leaders is an unintended benefit from a program that provides support, guidance, and a welcoming hand to incoming sixth grade students, so everyone involved benefits,” Dr. MacLean said.

“No One Eats Alone” is a campaign to prevent social isolation at school. Like WEB, a cadre of students are trained as team leaders. These student leaders monitor the lunch hour making sure students are not being isolated. Excluding someone is a type of bullying and studies have shown that this type of isolation has a significant impact on kids way beyond the lunch room. Dr. MacLean sees another benefit “I think it is important to note that it has brought social isolation into the lexicon.”

By implementing various positive behavior supports Davidson Middle School has dramatically decreased the number of suspension while conversely increasing their Academic Performance.

National, state, and local data on suspensions and expulsions show that out-of-school suspension is used frequently for managing student discipline and is applied disproportionately with students in particular subgroup populations, including race, gender and disability status. Out-of-school suspensions are often associated with low achievement, increased risk for dropping out and a greater likelihood of juvenile justice involvement.

By providing proven and promising alternatives to out-of-school suspensions, school climate become more positive, bullying behavior is reduced and students do better academically – certainly proof to start implementing these strategies at schools throughout our County and Country.

Contact Margaret Lavin at elementarydays@gmail.com.

IS MARIJUANA THE NEXT BIG TOBACCO?

California was the first state to legalize marijuana for medical use in 1996. In 2010, Proposition 19 would have made California the first state to legalize non-medical marijuana, but voters defeated the measure by a 53.5-46.5 margin. However, lawmakers will try again. There are two major initiatives that have a very good chance of qualifying for the November ballot due to their financial backing and political support.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) recently released a new report that evaluates the retail marijuana legalization proposals in California from a public health standard. According to the study, recreational marijuana will likely lead to a new profit-driven industry similar to Big Tobacco that could impede public health efforts.

Researchers said they began their study with the premise that legalizing marijuana makes sense because its prohibition has caused excessive incarcerations and cost taxpayers too much money. However, they concluded that legalized recreational marijuana would replace a crime problem with a public health issue.

“Evidence from tobacco and alcohol control demonstrates that without a strong public health framework, a wealthy and politically powerful marijuana industry will develop and use its political clout to manipulate regulatory frameworks and thwart public health efforts to reduce use and profits,” the report states.

Rachel Barry and Stanton Glantz of the UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education and Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy authored the study. In an interview, Glantz expressed his concern that a new marijuana industry would spend large sums of money to curry favor with lawmakers. “I think a corporate takeover of the market ... is very, very hard to stop,” he said, adding. “They are already potent lobbyist in California.”

Jason Kinney is a spokesman for the coalition that wrote the law for the legalization campaign. “This report inexplicably chooses to ignore the extensive public-health protections and mandate included in our measure – as well as the child safeguards, the small business and anti-monopoly provisions and the unprecedented investments in youth prevention, education and treatment,” he said.

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a well-known backer, established a panel of experts that recommended the best approaches to legalization in a blue ribbon report. The commission urged caution, stating marijuana “should not be California’s next Gold Rush.”

Newsom and other leaders of the commission said in a prepared statement that while a ballot measure needs to provide a strong framework for regulation, “it must also preserve some flexibility in order to evolve those regulations over time.”

Abdi Soltani, executive director of the ACLU of Northern California and a member of the Newsom commission’s steering committee also weighed in. He said he agrees with some of the concerns raised in the report but ultimately believes the initiative protects the public. “My middle school child will not walk into a corner store where tobacco and alcohol are marketed and see marijuana for sale,” Soltani said.

I hope Soltani is right. As a parent and former middle school teacher, my concern is not about the profit margin, but rather how our children with be detrimentally affected. Study after study has proven that marijuana use alters sense of time, impairs body movement, impairs thinking and problem-solving, and impairs memory, all critical to success in school. Marijuana use has been linked to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among teens. Also, contrary to common belief, marijuana can be addictive.

It doesn’t take a blue ribbon panel to realize that smoking pot can cause great mental, social, and physical harm to teens and tweens. Further, like Big Tobacco, whether legalized recreational marijuana will hurt or help our communities will not be the concern of those profiting from its sale.

Contact Margaret Lavin at elementarydays@gmail.com.

PLAYING OUTSIDE IS GOOD FOR THE BODY AND MIND

Most of us know that it is good for kids to play outside because it keeps them happy and adults sane. But, there is so much more to making sure kids have time to play with Mother Nature.

Two  studies published by “Ophthalmology,” the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, maintain that spending time outdoors may help prevent or minimize nearsightedness. This is a significant find considering in the United States, nearsightedness has increased by more than 65 percent since 1970.

That is not the only consequence of our children’s growing propensity to stay indoors. Childhood obesity rates have more than doubled in the last 20 years and we have become the largest consumer of ADHD medications in the world.

Kids need to connect with nature and each other in order to increase their physical fitness, improve concentration and reduce stress levels. Also, children who are exposed to natural settings receive benefits to their cognitive health, such as reduction of ADHD symptoms.

What steps can we take?

Start at school. Recess is an important part of the school day and should not be taken away as punishment. According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, unstructured recess provides psychosocial benefits where kids get to be creative and explore different things. It is a necessary break from the mental demands of a typical day at school. Loss of free time can also contribute to anxiety and depression.

“It is counter productive to take recess away from students because they need that time to refocus themselves,” said Melissa Vandermolen, 5^th grade teacher at Taft Elementary School in Redwood City, California. “I've found keeping students in class during recess only exacerbates problems and is not a long term solution.”

Andrea Garen is the Wellness Coordinator at the Redwood City School District in California. She advocates for outdoor recess and increased physical activities outdoors. “Students who play outdoors at recess are better able to concentrate and be attentive in school,” she said. “Some studies have also shown that regular time outdoors helps children develop better social skills and be better problem solvers.”

If your children will be in daycare or camps this summer, ask counselors about the amount of time spent on outdoor activities. You can also consider signing up the kids for an outdoor sport like soccer or softball. After a long day, there are benefits for children and adults alike to get some fresh air and a new scenic view. Start an after-dinner routine of riding bikes and taking walks with the whole family.

Also important is to set limits on the screen time. Kids may love wasting hours in various cyberworlds, but for their health and wellbeing, they need to spend more time out in the real one.

Contact Margaret Lavin at elementarydays@gmail.com.