« Meeting new Friends is a Convention Highlight | Main | Can You Hear Me Now Session Comments »

March 29, 2008

Focus on Understanding Student Aspirations: Enhancing the Learning Environment

Saturday, March 29, 2008 3:45 P.M.

What makes a conference fun? It is the combination of learning new concepts, networking with other board members and superintendents, and (if you’re lucky) listening to someone who makes you laugh out loud while you’re being told some difficult truths. Positive change occurs when district leadership thoughtfully considers student, staff, and parent perceptions of school culture and climate.

Over the past twenty years Russell Quaglia (See http://www.qisa.org/about.php) has surveyed over 500,000 students and staff. Quaglia sums up his findings this way: “When administrators, teachers, and students become full partners in schools, self-worth is deepened. Everyone becomes more actively engaged in the teaching and learning environment. A sense of purpose permeates the efforts of all participants.”

Quaglia’s eight conditions that make a difference in student achievement fall into three categories: Self Worth (including belonging, heroes, and a sense of accomplishment), Active Engagement (including fun and excitement, curiosity and creativity, and spirit of adventure) and Purpose (including leadership and responsibility, and confidence to take action.) What surprised me is how important being recognized, supported, and valued contributes not only to a good climate but also to student and staff achievement.

In some ways Dr. Russell Quaglia’s three precepts parallel Dr. Willard R. Daggett’s three themes of Relationship, Rigor, and Relevance. (See http://www.leadered.com/) Both gentlemen base their hypotheses on research that provides a community-wide, common sense approach to increasing student learning, student achievement, and student success.

Posted by Molly O'Holleran, Blog Team, at 3:28 PM | Educational Sessions & Workshops

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry: http://boardbuzz.nsba.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/8081