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Spring Fever + ADHD = Headaches: How School Counselors Can Help

By Julia Taylor for American School Counselor Association

Spring has sprung. For students with ADHD, this time of year may be particularly demanding. For teachers with students with ADHD, it may be even more difficult, as it's not unusual for ADHD students to have more behavior disruptions this time of year.

School counselors can help teachers by offering the following suggestions:

• Sit ADHD students close to the teacher and board, away from the window if possible.
• Make up a "look" to give the student/s with ADHD if their behavior is getting out of control, this way they are not receiving "extra" attention for disruption and still are aware of their inappropriate behavior.
• Try to stay away from long lectures and large group work during this time. Break tasks up and allow students to work in smaller groups.
• Give snack/water/restroom breaks during examinations, if allowed.
• Sit student near students who are "hard" workers.
• If student is a disruption during testing, allow him/herself to test in your office or an empty space where he or she can work alone.
• Allow students to hold an object such as a squeeze ball, rubber band, or other toy to keep them focused.
• Give rewards for writing all assignments down in planner or assignment calendar.
• Don't lose your patience with students; instead, make up a point system with student offering rewards for positive behavior, and consequences for outbursts.
• Try to communicate often with parents – a quick email, phone call, or note home will suffice.

School counselors can offer assistance by:

• Starting a group for students with ADHD!
• Allowing students to eat lunch in your office and go for a walk with you around the building when finished.
• Teaching students relaxation techniques they can use when feeling fidgety.
• Helping students clean out their locker/notebooks and organize materials that may have collected over the year.
• Checking in with students periodically so they are reminded that you are staying on top of them!

It is important for everyone involved with ADHD students to constantly praise positive behavior and keep in mind that the school year is almost over!

FEATURED RESOURCE: THE STOP, RELAX & THINK COLLECTION

If you work with children who have behavioral problems, you'll want to own this collection. It offers dozens of ways to interest and engage hard-to-reach children, with activities to help them in individual or group counseling, the classroom, or the home You'll get…

The Stop, Relax And Think Game

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The Stop, Relax, & Think Workbook

This workbook contains more than 60 paper and pencil activities that teach children such important skills as thinking about consequences, staying focused and completing a task, engaging in quiet activities without disturbing others, and more.

The Stop, Relax, & Think Card Game

In this card game, players are dealt Stop, Relax & Think cards, as well as Stressed Out, Confused, and Discouraged cards. As they acquire more cards, they must choose different self-control skills, and they learn the value of patience and cooperating with others to achieve a goal.

The Stop, Relax & Think Scriptbook

In this uniquely designed book, children can practice what to say and how to act in eight different scenarios common to children with behavioral problems.

The Stop, Relax & Think Ball

This fun and educational ball teaches children to control their impulsivity by helping them understand and control their actions

When you order the collection, you'll also get a free canvas carrying bag, regularly priced at $19.95. With this roomy, sturdy bag, you can easily store your materials or carry them to different settings.

To find out how you can purchase this collection of powerful counseling tools, click here!

ABOUT JULIA TAYLOR

Julia Taylor is an intern at the American School Counselor Association. She is completing her master's degree in school counseling at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION

Professional school counselors everywhere share the same vision to support their schools by serving their students. School counselors know that guiding students toward personal and social development leads to improved academic achievement. Through their partnership with principals and teachers, school counselors help prepare today's students to become tomorrow's adults.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) responds to school counselors' unique needs, helping them grow individually as professionals and providing them with real tools to guide their students. As an international nonprofit organization founded in 1952, ASCA has the benefit of foresight and hindsight. It has grown to fit counselors' changing needs through social and educational movements from desegregation to standardized testing. Responding to the needs of counselors as voiced by counselors has enabled ASCA to remain vital and forward-thinking.

ASCA serves as the voice of school counselors on Capitol Hill and helps members ensure their voices are heard in state legislatures. ASCA has active government affairs representatives who monitor activities in Congress, the Department of Education and throughout Washington to advocate on behalf of school counselors' interests: funding, certification, student-to-counselor ratios and more.

A full-color bimonthly magazine, School Counselor provides practical information and how-to articles to help school counselors help their students and themselves. Each issue has a focus on something school counselors care about, from public relations to grief counseling, as well as departments and columns covering a range of topics. Professional School Counseling is ASCA's award-winning bimonthly academic journal, providing peer-reviewed articles on school counseling theory, research, practice and techniques. The journal and the magazine together provide counselors with the most well-rounded and up-to-date information in the field.

For more information, visit www.schoolcounselor.org or call (703) 683-ASCA.

LOOKING FOR HANDS-ON COUNSELING TOOLS?

Visit the Guidance Channel Shopping Mall! There you will find thousands of resources, many of them national and international award-winners, including reproducible handouts, therapeutic games, multimedia programs, videos, curricula, prevention-awareness items and much more. Be sure to check out our online Childswork/Childsplay catalog, as well as our At-Risk Resources and Wellness Reproductions online catalogs, for innovative tools to address the social and emotional needs of your clients.

FOR ADDITIONAL NEWSLETTERS...

If you've found The Counselor's Classroom useful and informative, you may also be interested in subscribing to some of our other newsletters. Dr. Playwell's Newsletter is a unique newsletter full of play therapy techniques to help you address the social and emotional needs of children and young adolescents. FYI From Wellness offers practical tips and suggestions for use in the clinic or classroom written by professionals from a variety of disciplines. The Guidance Channel Zine is a monthly online magazine that includes interviews, website reviews, statistics and articles by many national organizations such as the National Association of School Psychologists, the American School Counselor Association and National S.A.V.E. (Students Against Violence Everywhere).

African American Students Transitioning To High School

By Dr. Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy for American School Counselor Association

The process of transitioning from middle to high school involves a new environment and new roles and behaviors for students (Reyes et al., 2000). These include increased student body size and heterogeneity; changes in school day structure; more teachers with a variety of teaching styles, rules, and expectations; higher stakes grading; and stricter school policies. Research shows that a student’s grades, self-esteem, and sense of academic efficacy are likely to decline after the transition to high school (Fuligni, Eccles, Barber, & Clements, 2001). In addition to academic demands, beginning high school students may also become distracted by the increased complexity of social interactions that are fostered within the high school environment (Newman et al., 2000). Peers emphasize fitting in and belonging, and this can be a great source of pressure and anxiety for many students (Isakson & Jarvis, 1999). Also, due to the increase in the number of students, the high school environment can become a more anonymous setting than the middle school environment. For example, students who were top scholars and athletes in middle school may experience role loss when they arrive in high school (Newman et al.). Although a slight drop in grades and other adjustment difficulties may surface post-transition, the long-term outcomes following transition are largely determined by the ability of the student to cope with and manage change in the new environment (Isakson & Jarvis). A limited number of studies have examined the effect that the transition process has on the academic adjustment and achievement of minority students. Reyes et al. (2000) tracked eighth grade students from urban, minority, low-income backgrounds beginning in their final year of middle school through their transition to high school and up until their expected time of high school completion. They found that although the minority students who eventually graduated from high school and the minority students who dropped out of high school both showed a decrease in grade point average following the middle-to-high school transition, the students who dropped out of school showed a sharper decline in grades and attendance in the ninth grade. In a study of African American high and low performing ninth grade students, Newman et al. (2000) found that post-transition high achievers had greater notions of what was needed for them to be successful in high school and had more friends that were supportive of academics when compared with low achievers. The low performing students seemed to fall into three distinct categories: (1) students who were struggling with the fact that ninth grade was harder, (2) students who were distracted by the social aspects of the new environment, and (3) students who were showing a disconnection from school altogether (e.g., low attendance, not completing schoolwork). African Americans and Transitioning African American students face unique concerns that can impact their social development and academic lives. In addition to navigating the developmental milestones of adolescence and the transition to high school, these students may have to deal with negative academic perceptions and stereotypes based on their ethnic group that can be displayed blatantly or subtly by other peers and teachers (Kao, 2000; Ross & Jackson, 1991). In addition, these negative stereotypes may have also been internalized by these students and have undermined their ability to achieve. A developmental process that can have a major impact on transitioning to high school is the process of ethnic identity development. In middle school, many students are beginning to explore their identity by considering who they are and what makes them unique individuals. For ethnic minority students, this exploration usually involves considering who one is ethnically similar and dissimilar (Tatum, 1997). This process is important to the overall development of African American youth because it is implicated in the psychological adjustment of adolescents, including the development of a positive self-image and a sense of belonging (Phinney, 1989). McMahon and Watts (2002) report in their study that a greater sense of ethnic identity was significantly related to higher levels of cognitive decision-making, direct problem solving, seeking understanding, and positive cognitive restructuring in African American adolescent students. In turn, these attributes that are related to a higher sense of ethnic identity may also contribute to a more successful transition into high school. One factor that can impact ethnic identity development and transitioning to high school is the racial composition of the new school. French, Seidman, Allen, and Aber (2000) examined racial identity over the process of transitioning to high school as it was related to the level of racial congruence (match in race between the student and both the student body and school staff). The researchers found that a change in the racial congruence of the new environment was salient for the identity development of African American students. In other words, moving from a school in which one was part of the racial majority to a school where one is a racial minority impacted the group esteem and identity exploration process for African American students. It has also been noted that cultural attitudes towards achievement in school can impact an African American student's motivation to excel. Ogbu (1991) states that many inner city students do not associate academic achievement with being African American and therefore seek to affirm their racial identity by not putting forth maximum effort in school. Oyserman, Harrison, and Bybee (2001) investigated the relationship between racial identity and academics in a sample of African American eighth graders. It was found that students who viewed achievement as a part of being African American showed higher levels of academic efficacy. In other words, those students who included doing well in school as part of what it means to them to be African American had a greater sense that they could achieve in school. Kao (2000) also found that high academic achievement was equated with "acting White" among Black high school students. Actions that indicated a student was "acting Black" were usually seen as completely opposite to "acting White" and included images of low academic achievement. Implications for School Counselors Given the critical nature of the transition period for minority adolescents, it seems fitting that school counselors be cognizant of this process and include supports for students who are challenged by transitioning. For instance, school counselors might develop support groups for minority students who are entering high school. Likewise, middle school counselors may develop support groups for minority students before they enter high school. The goals of these groups would be to familiarize students with their new school's culture, to process feelings regarding the transition, and to discuss their identity in relationship to the new school. Also, school counselors should hold parent education sessions for minority parents of ninth grade students. These sessions would include information about the transition process and how they can support their students' achievement and development during this process. And lastly, it is critical for school counselors to share knowledge of minority students' transitioning process with other educators in the school. With increased knowledge, educators may be more able to provide not only the support that these students need but also additional programming that can enhance these students' academic and social development in high school. For instance, ninth grade students may be required to participate in peer mentoring with an older student. Or, ninth graders may be required to participate in student-teacher conferences as a means for students to have access to an understanding adult who is willing to discuss such issues as fitting in, peer pressure, and the new school culture. References French, S. E., Seidman, E., Allen, L., & Aber, L. J. (2000). Racial/ethnic identity, congruence with the social context, and the transition to high school. Journal of Adolescent Research, 15, 587-602. Fuligni, A. J., Eccles, J. S., Barber, B. L., & Clements, P. (2001). Early adolescent peer orientation and adjustment during high school. Developmental Psychology, 37, 28-36. Isakson, K. & Jarvis, P. (1999). The adjustment of adolescents during the transition into high school: A short-term longitudinal study. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 28, 1-26. Kao, G. (2000). Group images and possible selves among adolescents: Linking stereotypes to expectations by race and ethnicity. Sociological Forum, 15, 407-430. McMahon, S. D. & Watts, R. J. (2002). Ethnic identity in urban African American youth: Exploring links with self-worth, aggression, and other psychological variables. Journal of Community Psychology, 30, 411-431. Newman, B. M., Myers, M. C., Newman, P. R., Lohman, B. J., & Smith, V. L. (2000). The transition to high school for academically promising, urban, low-income African American youth. Adolescence, 35, 45-66. Ogbu, J. (1991). Minority coping responses and school experience. Journal of Psychohistory, 18, 433-456. Oyserman, D., Harrison, K., & Bybee, D. (2001). Can racial identity be promotive of academic efficacy? International Journal of Behavioral Development, 25, 379-385. Phinney, J. S. (1989). Stages of ethnic identity development in minority group adolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence, 9, 34-49. Reyes, O., Gillock, K. L., Kobus, K., & Sanchez, B. (2000). A longitudinal examination of the transition into senior high school for adolescents from urban, low-income status, and predominantly minority backgrounds. American Journal of Community Psychology, 24, 519-544. Ross, S. I. & Jackson, J. M. (1991). Teachers’ expectations for Black males’ and Black females’ academic achievement. Personality and Social Bulletin, 17, 78-82. Tatum, B. D. (1997). “Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?” and other conversations about race. New York: Basic Books. FEATURED RESOURCE: SCHOOL – MAKING THE GRADE This half hour video for teens looks a unique school programs that work ot help students improve their grades, keep them from dropping out, and communicate better with teachers. Originally appearing on PBS, this video is part of the ongoing In The Mix series where teens talk about heir world, their issues, and their concerns -- in their own way. To find out how you can purchase this fast-moving video that will keep teens interested while learning about how to succeed in school, click here! ABOUT DR> CHERYL HOLCOMB-MCCOY Dr. Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy is a faculty member at the University of Maryland in the Department of Counseling and Personnel Services. She is also the chairperson of the Diversity Interest Network for ASCA. ABOUT THE AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION Professional school counselors everywhere share the same vision to support their schools by serving their students. School counselors know that guiding students toward personal and social development leads to improved academic achievement. Through their partnership with principals and teachers, school counselors help prepare today's students to become tomorrow's adults. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) responds to school counselors' unique needs, helping them grow individually as professionals and providing them with real tools to guide their students. As an international nonprofit organization founded in 1952, ASCA has the benefit of foresight and hindsight. It has grown to fit counselors' changing needs through social and educational movements from desegregation to standardized testing. Responding to the needs of counselors as voiced by counselors has enabled ASCA to remain vital and forward-thinking. ASCA serves as the voice of school counselors on Capitol Hill and helps members ensure their voices are heard in state legislatures. ASCA has active government affairs representatives who monitor activities in Congress, the Department of Education and throughout Washington to advocate on behalf of school counselors' interests: funding, certification, student-to-counselor ratios and more. A full-color bimonthly magazine, School Counselor provides practical information and how-to articles to help school counselors help their students and themselves. Each issue has a focus on something school counselors care about, from public relations to grief counseling, as well as departments and columns covering a range of topics. Professional School Counseling is ASCA's award-winning bimonthly academic journal, providing peer-reviewed articles on school counseling theory, research, practice and techniques. The journal and the magazine together provide counselors with the most well-rounded and up-to-date information in the field. For more information, visit www.schoolcounselor.org or call (703) 683-ASCA. LOOKING FOR HANDS-ON COUNSELING TOOLS? Visit the Guidance Channel Shopping Mall! There you will find thousands of resources, many of them national and international award-winners, including reproducible handouts, therapeutic games, multimedia programs, videos, curricula, prevention-awareness items and much more. Be sure to check out our online Childswork/Childsplay catalog, as well as our At-Risk Resources and Wellness Reproductions online catalogs, for innovative tools to address the social and emotional needs of your clients. FOR ADDITIONAL NEWSLETTERS... If you've found The Counselor's Classroom useful and informative, you may also be interested in subscribing to some of our other newsletters. Dr. Playwell's Newsletter is a unique newsletter full of play therapy techniques to help you address the social and emotional needs of children and young adolescents. FYI From Wellness offers practical tips and suggestions for use in the clinic or classroom written by professionals from a variety of disciplines. The Guidance Channel Zine is a monthly online magazine that includes interviews, website reviews, statistics and articles by many national organizations such as the National Association of School Psychologists, the American School Counselor Association and National S.A.V.E. (Students Against Violence Everywhere).

Recognizing Depression (Part II)

By Dr. Sheri Bauman for American School Counselor Association

What tools are there for screening for depression?

It is important to clarify what is meant by screening. Screening is not diagnosing. Screening is a way to learn whether symptoms are present and how severe they are. Students who score above the cutoff should be referred for a more thorough evaluation by a physician and/or psychologist. The referral to a physician is important because there are some medical conditions that will produce symptoms similar to depression, and those should be ruled out and/or treated. There are several well-researched screening tools that are available and easy to use in the school setting. All are self-report measures. Each will be briefly described here, and the reader is encouraged to contact publishers or go to publishers' websites for further information. Counselors may wish to compare costs, ease of scoring, and psychometric properties in deciding which inventory would be most useful in their setting.

The Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) is appropriate for use with children and adolescents, ages 7 – 17, and is written at a first grade level. It has 27 items in the regular form, and also is available in a 10-item brief form of the most important items. This screening inventory has three statements after each stem, and the child marks the one that is most like him/her. It is quick to administer and score, and is also available in a Spanish version.

Reynolds Child Depression Scale (RCDS) can be used with children ages 8 – 12. The Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS) is designed for use with 13 – 18-year-olds. The children's scale is written at 2nd grade reading level, and the adolescent scale is written at third grade level. Each has 30 items, with easy administration and scoring procedures. The children's scale is available in Spanish.

The Beck Depression Inventory for Youth (BDI-Y) is one of the Beck Inventories of Emotional and Social Impairment that are designed for use with children ages 7 – 14, and the 20 items are written at second grade level. Students respond to statements by indicating how frequently a statement is true for them. No Spanish version is available.

The Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) is appropriate for adolescents ages 12 – 18, is written at a sixth grade reading level, and has 20 items. Scoring is straightforward.

What can school counselors do about depression?

The first step for the school counselor is to educate oneself and be alert for danger signals among students. Screening all students is not a recommended practice, but screening those students who exhibit one or more symptoms or behaviors described in Part I of this article is a helpful practice. The counselor must adhere to all ethical standards, including informed consent, when administering screening measures. If the student scores above the cutoff for the particular inventory, the school counselor must inform the parent or guardian, and recommend that a full physical and psychological evaluation would be in the child's best interest.

Counselors also need to educate teachers and other staff members that these behaviors and signals, which may be disruptive to learning, may also be clues that a child has an undiagnosed depressive disorder. Teachers are in daily contact with students, and may be the first to observe changes, or see a drawing or writing that is cause for concern. Encouraging teachers to work with counselors and refer these students is an important contribution to prevention efforts.

Parents also need information and education about depression. Many pamphlets and fact sheets are available, and some can be obtained online. Include such information in newsletters, when speaking at parent information programs, and in building a library of useful books that can be loaned to parents. These are all ways to partner with parents in helping their children.

Offering to communicate with treatment providers in order to learn what strategies might be most applicable in school is a way to form important links. Finally, offering support to students who are depressed is an essential service. That support might involve monitoring progress, checking with the student regularly, and/or inviting the student to be in a support group if appropriate.

In conclusion...

There is some evidence that depression is appearing at younger ages in recent years. Because depression interferes with a student's academic, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning, school counselors must be active in identifying children who may have this disorder.

Since depression in children is linked to increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, early intervention for depression is an effective measure to prevent suicide in youth. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents, and the sixth for 5- to 14-year-olds. Treatment has been found to be effective with children and adolescents, so identifying and referring students may be a matter of life and death.

References And Resources

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders (4th ed. text revision). Washington, DC.

Beck, J., Beck A. T., & Jolly, J. (2001). Beck Depression Inventory For Youth. San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessments, Inc.

Fendrich, M., Weissman, M. M., & Warner, V. (1990). Screening For Depressive Disorder In Children And Adolescents: Validating The Center For Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale For Children. American Journal of Epidemiology, 131, 538-551.

Kovacs, M. (1992). Children's Depression Inventory. Tonawanda, NY: Multi-Health System.

Reynolds, W.M. (1989). Reynolds Child Depression Scale. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.

Reynolds, W. M. (1986). Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.

FEATURED RESOURCE: SOMETIMES I GET SAD (BUT NOW I KNOW WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY)

The incidence of childhood depression has increased dramatically in the last 15 years, and it is affecting younger children than ever before. This storybook helps children ages 5-10 to learn about depression and what to do about it. The main character, Sara, is depressed for a variety of reasons but she gets help from a combination of individual and group counseling. Sometimes she still gets sad, but now she knows how to make herself feel better. To find out how you can purchase this tool to help children who are depressed, click here!

ABOUT DR. SHERI BAUMAN

Dr. Sheri Bauman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. She can be reached by email at sherib@u.arizona.edu

ABOUT THE AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION

Professional school counselors everywhere share the same vision to support their schools by serving their students. School counselors know that guiding students toward personal and social development leads to improved academic achievement. Through their partnership with principals and teachers, school counselors help prepare today's students to become tomorrow's adults.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) responds to school counselors' unique needs, helping them grow individually as professionals and providing them with real tools to guide their students. As an international nonprofit organization founded in 1952, ASCA has the benefit of foresight and hindsight. It has grown to fit counselors' changing needs through social and educational movements from desegregation to standardized testing. Responding to the needs of counselors as voiced by counselors has enabled ASCA to remain vital and forward-thinking.

ASCA serves as the voice of school counselors on Capitol Hill and helps members ensure their voices are heard in state legislatures. ASCA has active government affairs representatives who monitor activities in Congress, the Department of Education and throughout Washington to advocate on behalf of school counselors' interests: funding, certification, student-to-counselor ratios and more.

A full-color bimonthly magazine, School Counselor provides practical information and how-to articles to help school counselors help their students and themselves. Each issue has a focus on something school counselors care about, from public relations to grief counseling, as well as departments and columns covering a range of topics. Professional School Counseling is ASCA's award-winning bimonthly academic journal, providing peer-reviewed articles on school counseling theory, research, practice and techniques. The journal and the magazine together provide counselors with the most well-rounded and up-to-date information in the field.

For more information, visit www.schoolcounselor.org or call (703) 683-ASCA.

LOOKING FOR HANDS-ON SCHOOL COUNSELING TOOLS?


Visit the Guidance Channel Shopping Mall! There you will find thousands of resources, many of them national and international award-winners, including reproducible handouts, therapeutic games, multimedia programs, videos, curricula, prevention-awareness items and much more. Be sure to check out our online Childswork/Childsplay catalog, as well as our At-Risk Resources and Wellness Reproductions online catalogs, for innovative tools to address the social and emotional needs of your clients.

FOR ADDITIONAL NEWSLETTERS...

If you've found The Counselor's Classroom useful and informative, you may also be interested in subscribing to some of our other newsletters. Dr. Playwell's Newsletter is a unique newsletter full of play therapy techniques to help you address the social and emotional needs of children and young adolescents. FYI From Wellness offers practical tips and suggestions for use in the clinic or classroom written by professionals from a variety of disciplines. The Guidance Channel Zine is a monthly online magazine that includes interviews, website reviews, statistics and articles by many national organizations such as the National Association of School Psychologists, the American School Counselor Association and National S.A.V.E. (Students Against Violence Everywhere).

Recognizing Depression

By Dr. Sheri Bauman for American School Counselor Association

Until the 1980s, most psychologists did not believe that children and young adolescents suffered from clinical depression. Now we realize that as many as 2 percent of elementary students and 8 percent of adolescents are depressed. In addition to decreased academic performance, untreated depression is one of the most common causes of suicide among teenagers. In pre-pubertal children, males and females have similar rates of depression, but in adolescents, females are more often depressed than males. As 60 to 80 percent of victims of suicide have depressive disorders, recognizing depression and referring students with signs of depression for a professional evaluation and possible treatment may be one of the most effective strategies for suicide prevention.

What is depression?

Perhaps one reason that it took so long for professionals to recognize that children and adolescents do suffer from depression is that symptoms of depression look different in children and adolescents than in adults. First, let's make sure we are clear about the term depression. In casual conversation, it is not unusual for people to say, "I'm depressed today," when they mean "I'm sad today," or "I'm having a bad day." The clinical definition of depression is much more specific and precise. Clinical depression, in children and adults, refers to a mental disorder that exists for at least 2 weeks and has at least 5 of the following symptoms nearly every day that cause distress and/or interfere with daily functioning. The first 2 symptoms must be among the 5.

• Depressed or irritable mood (irritability is more common in children and adolescents)
• Decreased interest in ordinarily pleasurable activities
• Significant weight loss or gain or decreased appetite
• Sleeping a great deal or not sleeping well
• Moving very slowly or very rapidly compared to usual or feeling very restless
• Loss of energy
• Inability to concentrate
• Suicidal or morbid thoughts

Note that there are cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physical aspects of depression. Depression affects all systems, and some of those may predominate. There is also a condition called dysthymia, which is similar to depression but is longer-lasting (in children and adolescents, the symptoms must be present for at least a year) and less severe. This disorder may appear in children as young as 7, while depression may not emerge until age 10. Some children experience both depression and dysthymia at the same time.

Some children are at higher risk for depression than others. Children of depressed mothers are at higher risk than their peers, as are children with a family history of depression. Children with chronic medical problems, children with attention deficit disorders and conduct problems, sexual minority adolescents, and pregnant adolescents are also vulnerable groups. This does not mean that children and adolescents in those groups will necessarily develop depression, but they are more likely to do so than others.

What does depression look like in students?

In elementary age children, depression is often expressed as bodily complaints. Frequent stomach aches and headaches are observed. Anxiety about school (not wanting to go to school, excessive worrying about school performance) is another way depression is exhibited in children of this age. They may be extremely fearful of being separated from parents, and may develop temper tantrums and behavioral problems, and be irritable or agitated. Such symptoms may not raise a red flag to the uninformed observer, and children with these symptoms are often treated as discipline problems. Underlying sadness and hopelessness may not be easily detected, and poor self-esteem and expression of guilt may not be associated with possible depression. The counselor may be the only person who is aware of the link between such a pattern and possible depression, and as such has an opportunity to intervene and refer the child for further evaluation.

In adolescents, the sadness and hopelessness may be more obvious. Other visible signs could include withdrawal from friends and previously enjoyed activities, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, poor school performance, and low energy. The challenge with adolescents is that many teenagers experience these symptoms on occasion, and adults may dismiss them as "just being a teenager." We are more likely to find drug and alcohol abuse (which may be initiated as a kind of self-medication for unpleasant feelings) and suicidal thoughts and behavior in adolescents, so identifying untreated depression during this stage of life is particularly important.

What other clues shall we look for?

Children and adolescents may mask their feelings, and may have difficulty verbalizing what they are experiencing. The observant counselor can pay attention to other means of expression that provide clues to the inner world of the child. Play, art, and writing are activities that may reveal clues to a depressed child. Drawings that look sad and morose, or contain damaged or morbid images and gloomy colors, may signal sadness or preoccupation with fears and death. Stories and other writings, particularly in adolescence, may reveal thoughts and feelings that are not openly talked about. Adolescents may appear angry rather than sad.

Various behaviors might also lead a counselor to wonder about possible depression. When a child suddenly develops behavior problems, or seems unusually irritable, distractible, and easily frustrated, depression may be behind the behaviors. Disciplinary referrals are likely to increase, and the counselor should make note of this. In addition, unexpected changes in grades and school performance may be more than laziness or lack of interest; sleeping in class may also signal underlying mood problems.

Editor's Note: In next week's issue we will conclude this article by highlighting various tools counselors can use to screen for depression in children and adolescents.

References And Resources

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders (4th ed. text revision). Washington, DC.

Beck, J., Beck A. T., & Jolly, J. (2001). Beck Depression Inventory For Youth. San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessments, Inc.

Fendrich, M., Weissman, M. M., & Warner, V. (1990). Screening For Depressive Disorder In Children And Adolescents: Validating The Center For Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale For Children. American Journal of Epidemiology, 131, 538-551.

Kovacs, M. (1992). Children's Depression Inventory. Tonawanda, NY: Multi-Health System.

Reynolds, W.M. (1989). Reynolds Child Depression Scale. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.

Reynolds, W. M. (1986). Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.

Featured Resource: Kidpower Tactics For Dealing With Depression

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About Dr. Sheri Bauman

Dr. Sheri Bauman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. She can be reached by email at sherib@u.arizona.edu

About The American School Counselor Association

Professional school counselors everywhere share the same vision to support their schools by serving their students. School counselors know that guiding students toward personal and social development leads to improved academic achievement. Through their partnership with principals and teachers, school counselors help prepare today's students to become tomorrow's adults.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) responds to school counselors' unique needs, helping them grow individually as professionals and providing them with real tools to guide their students. As an international nonprofit organization founded in 1952, ASCA has the benefit of foresight and hindsight. It has grown to fit counselors' changing needs through social and educational movements from desegregation to standardized testing. Responding to the needs of counselors as voiced by counselors has enabled ASCA to remain vital and forward-thinking.

ASCA serves as the voice of school counselors on Capitol Hill and helps members ensure their voices are heard in state legislatures. ASCA has active government affairs representatives who monitor activities in Congress, the Department of Education and throughout Washington to advocate on behalf of school counselors' interests: funding, certification, student-to-counselor ratios and more.

A full-color bimonthly magazine, School Counselor provides practical information and how-to articles to help school counselors help their students and themselves. Each issue has a focus on something school counselors care about, from public relations to grief counseling, as well as departments and columns covering a range of topics. Professional School Counseling is ASCA's award-winning bimonthly academic journal, providing peer-reviewed articles on school counseling theory, research, practice and techniques. The journal and the magazine together provide counselors with the most well-rounded and up-to-date information in the field.

For more information, visit www.schoolcounselor.org or call (703) 683-ASCA.

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If you've found The Counselor's Classroom useful and informative, you may also be interested in subscribing to some of our other newsletters. Dr. Playwell's Newsletter is a unique newsletter full of play therapy techniques to help you address the social and emotional needs of children and young adolescents. FYI From Wellness offers practical tips and suggestions for use in the clinic or classroom written by professionals from a variety of disciplines. The Guidance Channel Zine is a monthly online magazine that includes interviews, website reviews, statistics and articles by many national organizations such as the National Association of School Psychologists, the American School Counselor Association and National S.A.V.E. (Students Against Violence Everywhere).

Group Counseling Interventions For Overweight Kids

By Julia Taylor for American School Counselor Association

Some parents in Florida and Pennsylvania received an alarming letter from their child's school district a few years ago. The letter had nothing to do with their academic performance or behavior problems; it was informing them that their child had a weight problem. These particular school districts now mail home a letter when the child is overweight, underweight, or at risk for becoming overweight –- suggesting they take their child to a doctor to rule out medical conditions and/or seek advice about nutrition and exercise. While some parents were outraged and believed the letter was doing nothing more than harming their self-image; Galley (2002) reported "The biggest boost for their self-image would be to get them to a healthier weight and a more active lifestyle."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2003) refers to adolescent obesity as "a public health epidemic." The percent of overweight children has risen to approximately 15%; nearly triple the rate from the 1970's. Being overweight refers to an increase in body weight in relation to height when compared to the average standard. Obesity is defined as an excessive amount of body fat or adipose tissue in relation to lean body mass.

The Surgeon General (2003) suggests that adults be good role models to children by making healthy food choices and exercising regularly. At the same time, it was noted that 61% of the American adult population is overweight. The Surgeon General listed three major health consequences associated with childhood obesity.

• Risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, occur with increased frequency in overweight children and adolescents compared to those with a healthy weight.
• Type 2 diabetes, previously considered an adult disease, has increased dramatically in children and adolescents. Overweight and obesity are closely linked to type II diabetes.
• Overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. This increases to 80% if one or more parent is overweight or obese.

The Surgeon General also noted that the most immediate consequence of overweight, as perceived by children themselves, is social discrimination.

The average public school student spends more waking hours at school than in the home. The Action for Healthy Kids (2002) believe that the school system has a responsibility to "promote knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among our children that help develop eating and fitness patterns that can improve health, intellectual development, and overall quality of life." Accordingly, teachers, counselors, school officials, and parents play a vital role in shaping a healthy future by providing students with a healthy school environment.

Emotional Factors

For overweight adolescents, the biggest concern of excess weight is not health problems, but emotional problems. To live in a society that values thinness often promotes feelings of guilt, depression, and anxiety in children who differ from societal norms. Leach & Morrill (1991) report that being overweight is a "nightmare" for children living in a culture purely obsessed with being thin. Strauss (2000) simply states, "Society does not tolerate excess weight."

Children are often intolerant of differences amongst one another. Barlow, et al, (2002) found that young people are taught the value of attractiveness at an early age. Children who grow up thinking they are different from other children often don't like themselves. In addition, Bartlow indicated that overweight children are at a significantly greater risk for becoming severely depressed, being bullied, developing an eating disorder, and having marked low self-esteem. Leach & Morrill added that feelings of alienation, anger, embarrassment, school avoidance, lower grades, and extreme social difficulties were also common emotional side effects of being overweight.

Successful Strategies in Group

The American School Counselor Association (2003) states that "groups and group counseling make it possible for students to achieve healthier personal adjustment in the face of rapid change and to learn to work and live with others." Overweight children face ridicule every day and are victimized because of their size. Students need to have a safe place to go to when they are feeling threatened. The collaboration, cohesiveness, and sense of belonging children experience in group counseling may help them to feel understood (Lowey, 1998).

Overweight children benefit by learning how to deal with emotional and social issues that often coincide with being viewed as different. Leach & Morrill (1991) provide many suggestions for helping overweight children cope in school. In a group setting, children can help each other identify locations where they have suffered abuse. The children can learn other routes and brainstorm ideas to reduce their vulnerability at locations that cannot be avoided. Discussions among overweight students with valuable information that can be used in many situations (Leach & Morrill).

Goal-setting is a common practice in group counseling sessions. Research shows that overweight children who have clear goals that are non-weight related have a more positive attitude and realistic outlook on life (Barlow, et al, 2002). In a group setting, children can discuss social goals and realistic strategies to obtain their goals without feeling threatened. Research by Strauss (2000) indicated that goal-setting may help children identify people whom they can trust to help carry out their goals.

Idealistic role-models help children to strive for excellence and to overcome negative feelings about themselves. Strauss (2000) believes that it is important for overweight students to have someone to admire for characteristics other than weight and appearance. In addition, children should feel comfortable talking about role models with other students to create a network of "positive people." Lowey (1998) believes that our society is filled with negative images that portray unachievable standards. Children who look up to and admire others for their non-physical achievements seem to be self-tolerant.

Perhaps the most important components of counseling groups of overweight students are the counselor's general knowledge about obesity and the level of empathy that is felt for the children. There seems to be mass confusion about the entire realm of obesity. Leach & Morrill (1991) believe that by not understanding the spectrum of obesity, school counselors often resort to using weight-loss, nutrition, and self-esteem programs to help overweight children. "These methods have been attempted by well-meaning school personnel, but evidence of success is lacking." A school counselor should be seen as someone who can provide support for children and make them feel competent about themselves both in and out of the educational environment (Hubbard & Rhyne-Winkler, 1994). In understanding the entire spectrum of obesity, Lowey (1998) assumes that counselors will come to the realization that "fat children need to be nurtured, not changed."

Unsuccessful Strategies in Group

If it were simple to lose weight perhaps obesity would not be our nation's second largest preventable health threat. School groups that focus on the physical aspects of obesity are doomed for failure. In attempts to intervene, Loewy (1998) found that overweight children are typically subjected to commercial weight-loss programs during group counseling sessions. These programs include, but are not limited to calorie restriction, weigh-ins, behavior modification, and torturous exercise programs. Some of these methods may prove short-term success, but are highly ineffective for long-term results. Lowey found these methods also result in metabolic dysfunction, which can lead to increased weight gain. "It is a vicious cycle -- weight loss, weight gain, social acceptance, social rejection -- overall, children just report increased frustration and lower self-esteem."

Self-esteem programs have not been proven effective in group counseling situations. Kaplan (1995) believes that our country is obsessed with self-esteem and that we are providing children with a disservice by focusing solely on techniques to raise it. Kaplan states that, "The media has oversold self-esteem as a national cure-all." Self-esteem is cyclic and goes through many phases, phases that cannot be taught in one particular setting. Leach & Morrill (1991) found that overweight children tend to bond with each other and show their authentic selves, leaving them isolated from other students. Many of these children do have a lot of self-esteem. By targeting obese children for self-esteem groups, school counselors are running the risk of children feeling further misunderstood.

How To Help

Nutrition and weight-loss programs need to be closely monitored by a medical doctor. Lowey (1998) feels that while dieting and weight control advice can be helpful to parents, it is often shrugged off by children because they typically do not want to feel "criticized or singled out." Leach & Morrill (1991) found that children may be going through a growth spurt and weight loss may be detrimental to future development. In addition, proper nutrition should be emphasized to everyone and should definitely not target overweight children. Group counseling that focuses on these factors has no evidence for success and long-term maintenance of weight loss. Therefore, Lowey suggests that counselor's just "steer clear" from anything not associated with the children's feelings.

School counselors have a responsibility to promote optimal mental health to help children function in the academic setting, but they should not be the one to assist in weight loss. Young people suffering from a physical or mental ailment may maintain a feeling of helplessness that needs to be addressed. A group setting is ideal for children who are overweight, children who harass overweight children, and children who may be at risk for becoming overweight to help children increase awareness and promote a positive sense of self. Such groups provide opportunities for social skill development, realistic goal-setting and providing children with the opportunity to explore their feelings in a non-judgmental, safe environment.

School counseling groups should focus on the emotional piece, school counselors have ample opportunities to provide teachers, administrators, and parent's information that can help to promote more physical success. A team approach can be used to help everyone become more aware of what is occurring in the academic setting. Before this can happen, everyone should be educated about the realm of obesity, take a look at their feelings towards obesity, and try to be empathic towards the children who are struggling. Everywhere I go (literally) I hear somebody talking about food or weight. Unfortunately, our society is obsessed with it. School counselors can help to increase the level of awareness teachers have about this sensitive subject. Parenting groups can be conducted to educate how to develop healthy lifestyles regardless of time and/or income. In addition, school counselors can provide parents with information that can lead to a more supportive environment both socially and academically. The bottom line is when school counselors learn to appreciate the value of each individual child, they may begin to truly advocate.

REFERENCES

Action for Healthy Kids (2003). Fact Sheet: The Healthy Schools Summit. Retrieved March 6th, 2003 from www.ActionForHealthyKids.org

American School Counselor Association (2003). The Role of the Professional School Counselor. Retrieved March 14th, 2003 from www.schoolcounselor.org

Bartlow, S.E., Buschbacher, V., & Jonides, L. (2002). Management of child and adolescent obesity: Psychological, emotional, and behavioral assessment. Pediatrics, 110(1), 215-222.

Galley, M. (2002). School Letters on Students' Obesity Outrage Some Parents. Education Week, 21(29), 11-12.

Hubbard, G.T., & Rhyne-Winkler, M.C. (1994). Eating attitudes and behavior: A school counseling program. School Counselor, 41(3) 195-199.

Kaplan, L.S. (1995). Self-esteem is not our national wonder drug. School Counselor, 42(5), 341-346.

Leach, J.N. & Morrill, C.M. (1991). Adolescent obesity: Rethinking traditional approaches. School Counselor, 38(5), 347-351.

Loewy, M.I. (1998). Suggestions for working with fat children in the schools. School Counselor, 1(4), 18-22.

Strauss, R.B.(2000). Self-esteem related to childhood obesity. Brown University Child & Adolescent Behavior, 16(3), 3-6.

The Center for Disease Control and Statistics (2003). Obesity Trends Among Children and Adolescents. Retrieved March 24th, 2003 from www.cdc.gov

The Office of the Surgeon General (2003). The Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity. Retrieved March 6th, 2003 from www.surgeongeneral.gov

ABOUT JULIA TAYLOR

Julia Taylor works as a high school counselor for Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia and is the Regional Conference Chairperson for the Virginia School Counselor Association (VSCA).If you've found The Counselor's Classroom useful and informative, you may also be interested in subscribing to some of our other newsletters. Dr. Playwell's Newsletter is a unique newsletter full of play therapy techniques to help you address the social and emotional needs of children and young adolescents. FYI From Wellness offers practical tips and suggestions for use in the clinic or classroom written by professionals from a variety of disciplines. The Guidance Channel Zine is a monthly online magazine that includes interviews, website reviews, statistics and articles by many national organizations such as the National Association of School Psychologists, the American School Counselor Association and National S.A.V.E. (Students Against Violence Everywhere).

Technology and Special Education Teacher Retention – A Special Educator’s Perspective

By Steve Kaplan

Almost 3 years have passed since President Bush released the results of the commission he appointed to study special education in this country. Two striking findings, although not unknown to those in the field, were the crisis of retention of special education teachers and the need to reduce paperwork.

The retention of special education staff is a complex issue, but is highly related to the excessive amount of time spent completing required paperwork in order to comply with state and federal laws. Teachers reported that more time was being spent on paperwork while less time was being spent teaching students. The catch 22 is that to be compliant in one-way results in being non-compliant in a more harmful way, i.e., less time involved in direct instruction.

As a seasoned special education administrator, my primary concern was to provide a support system to my teaching staff so that students with Individual Educational Plans received the highest level of direct teaching. I turned to technology and, in particular, software that allowed easy monitoring of compliance issues and provided teachers with a friendly tool to reduce paperwork.

A successful SPED Administrator must be able to take a snapshot of the various programs, services and compliance-related issues at any given time. With the use of an integrated database system that allows teachers to input educational plans, log parent contact information, log service contact with students, just to name a few features, more time can be spent in direct instruction of special needs students. Such an integrated system will increase effectiveness by giving teachers more efficient ways to monitor progress with goals and objectives and thus improve accountability. Accountability is one of the primary concerns voiced by parents and emphasized in President Bush's "No Child Left Behind." Thus, as the former assistant secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, Robert Pasternack, Ph.D, testified before the U.S. Senate, "we must change from a 'culture of process' to a culture of results." There is little evidence that the focus on compliance by state special education departments does not lead to an increase in student performance.

As SPED Administrators, we must enable our teachers to perform their primary responsibility of teaching while ensuring the rights of children and families. We must realize that powerful tools exist to provide this support to teachers in the form of technology. We must make technology available and provide ongoing training and supervision to teachers so that our students won’t be left behind.

Effective Transition Services: Helping Students with Mental Illnesses Reach their Hopes and Dreams

By Darcy Gruttadaro, JD

The transition for youth from high school to the “real world” can be overwhelming in the best of circumstances, however it can even more daunting for students living with mental illnesses. The transition years (17 to 21 years of age) may involve living alone for the first time, paying rent and managing money for the first time, entering the work force, or heading off to college. This transition time involves new experiences and the stress and anxiety that come with significant change. A smooth transition requires students with mental illnesses to begin preparing early for opportunities in competitive employment and higher education – ideally with the help of their families, teachers, caring school professionals, and community service agencies.

So what are considered effective and appropriate transition services that schools should offer to students with mental illnesses and other disabilities? Schools should:

• ascertain a student’s career aspirations and goals and work with the student and family to plan around those;
• determine a student’s desire or appropriateness for pursuing higher education;
• link students’ long-term transition goals (meaningful employment, higher education, or living independently) to the development of the student’s annual IEP goals, objectives and educational activities;
• assist and guide students in completing college applications and other documents related to higher education;
• help students identify campus based services and supports;
• support students in developing independent living skills – like financial planning and management, cooking, cleaning, preparing a resume, socializing and more;
• provide students with mental illnesses with work experience, career and academic counseling, job coaching and mentoring to prepare them for gainful employment and higher education;
• aid students in finding housing and appropriate residential placement services;
• work with state and local mental health treatment and service providers;
• collaborate with other state and local service agencies – including vocational rehabilitation (for services and job training related to finding gainful employment), the Social Security Administration and others; and
• provide students and families with appropriate information about community resources and educational opportunities and should work in close partnership with families on transition planning to help ensure the future success of young people with mental illnesses.

It is critical for schools to recognize the need to provide effective transition supports and services to help students with mental illnesses achieve their goals of either continuing in higher education or securing meaningful employment.

Unfortunately, many schools in our nation fail to provide appropriate or effective transition services. The lack of effective transition planning contribute to the following:

• Students with disabilities, including mental illnesses, attend colleges and universities at rates lower than their peers without disabilities;
• Unemployment rates for working-age adults with disabilities, including mental illnesses, have hovered at the 70% level for at least the past 12 years;
• Working adults with disabilities, including those with mental illnesses, earn markedly less income than their peers without disabilities;
• Only 34% of adults with disabilities, including those with mental illnesses, between the ages of 21 and 64, report being employed;
• Students with disabilities are less likely than students without disabilities to complete high school courses that prepare them to succeed in college; and
• Students with disabilities are less likely than their peers to earn a college degree.

(Source: President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education, A New Era: Revitalizing Special Education for Children and Their Families, 2002.)

Fortunately, Congress recognized the importance of ensuring that students receiving special education services also receive appropriate transition services. In reauthorizing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, Congress strengthened the transition provisions included in the reauthorized law. NAMI calls on schools to develop appropriate transition services for students with mental illnesses. Like all young people, students with mental illnesses have hopes and dreams. In many cases, they simply need appropriate services to help them achieve their goals and realize their dreams.

Teaching Teachers

By Sam Blank

"Iron rusts from disuse: stagnant water loses its purity: so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind." ~ Leonardo da Vinci

What is expected of our nation's schools and teachers? They are expected to be institutions fueled by subject area masters who understand the genuine nature of learning. They must possess the structure and mental framework to understand that they are not merely buildings filled with instructors, but with evaluators, facilitators, leaders, communicators, mediators and active advocates for students, their families, and the larger school community. Schools should not be places where teaching becomes routine, where creativity is minimized or where collaboration is minimal. School reform must have, at its heart, an emphasis on professional development.

Outstanding and innovative programs, coupled with high standards and current technology, are what schools desire, but schools can only be as good at their teachers. What teachers know and can do will make the difference in improving school and student performance. The curriculum, the body of knowledge and skills students are taught in schools, is never static. John O'Neil (1998) believes that the:

Three major school reform trends (providing "authentic" learning experiences, the standards movement, and a new sense of obligation to help all students achieve at a high level) have made an impact on what and how students are being taught in schools today. Curriculum developers and others have been hard pressed to keep up with the rapid changes in philosophy and goals.

With this emergent awareness of evolving change, today's teachers must learn new roles and ways of teaching. To support achievement, educators, administrators, parents and the larger school community must all work collaboratively to develop continual professional development activities to become SMART.

Upgrade teaching Skills
Learn new ways of Management
Develop new strategies for Assessment
Explore current Research in education
Infuse Technology in instruction

Many factors contribute to an effective and successful high-quality professional development program. It can be viewed as support to teachers and providers of learning to enhance their professional growth, improve peer collaborations, and help develop new insights into pedagogy. Professional development should include partnerships among schools, higher education institutions and other appropriate entities to provide inclusive learning communities composed of everyone who impacts students and their learning.

So what's wrong with holding an "in-service" workshop" for teachers every third Tuesday of the month for an hour after the school day? Isn't that professional development? Many of these presentations are often chaired by professionals who are out of touch with the changing needs and/or interests of students and teachers. Attendees at these sessions often comment about the waste of precious time and the lack of relevance the topic had on their daily work. A strong and fundamental lesson learned in the past fifteen years of school reform is that much more time is required for collaboration and professional development. There is a consensus that professional development principles must take into account the following concerns:

1. All must be drawn into planning their learning experiences.
2. Teachers, administrators and parents must be active, not passive recipients of knowledge.
3. It must become part of everyone's daily work.
4. There needs to be a connection to the larger learning community that can bring additional ideas, expertise and resources to complement the work in schools.
5. A win-win approach must be fostered that brings into balance the meeting of the needs of individuals, schools, and districts.
6. Districts and central offices must avoid quick-fix solutions and plan for sustained support and follow-through.

Professional development cannot be and should not be done from a district office; it has to come from the people in that school ~ Elaine Fink, Superintendent, Community School District 2, NYC

Teaching is constantly evolving. Those within and outside schools need to work together to create meaningful opportunities for professional development that address the complex educational issues facing our diverse student bodies. Unfortunately, implementing a professional development plan is often hampered by others' perceptions of teachers' work. According to McDiarmid (1995),

"Although reform has changed expectations for teachers, how the public and policy makers perceive teachers' work has not changed. They continue to think teachers are working only when they are with their students. As a result, there is little support for providing the time and resources teachers and others require to change their practice."

Thankfully, those views are beginning to change, and so the mission of professional development, to prepare and support teachers and other learning providers to help all students achieve high standards of learning and development, still remains our calling. To that end, professional development opportunities should:

• Enable teachers and others to develop further skills in subject content, teaching strategies, and uses of technology
• Reflect available research and best practices in learning and leadership
• Integrate individual goals with school and district goals
• Focus on individual, collegial and organizational improvement
• Promote continuous inquiry and improvement as part of the daily life of schools
• Respect and nurture the intellectual capacity of teachers, administrators, parents and others in the school community
• Create additional opportunities to assess current practices and develop further strategies for continual improvement

Imagine the constructive, cumulative impact of providing uplifting professional development experiences over a sustained period. Wisdom and competence is gained in school environments that support professional growth. Fullan (1991) suggests that:

We need a broader and more intensely developmental conception of teaching from day one onward - a conception backed up by structures and practices that integrate continual development into the regular work of becoming and being a teacher and administrator. Sustained improvements in schools will not occur without changes in the quality of learning experiences on the part of those who run the schools.

Where do we go from here? People at the frontlines offer an assortment of differing views - nothing new is happening at the school, we are being inundated by change, parents are confused about the new ways of teaching, teachers are resistant to change, administrators don't understand the classroom, standardized programs that work at one school can't be replicated at another, and so on.

Now is the time for those of us in the business and practice of education to take up the initiatives that will stimulate improvement in everyone's performance. We must also be cognizant of seeking to continually build relationships where open communication and trust can pave the way to collaboration, support, sharing, risk-taking and innovation. As we learn together, we will ignite a passion for continual renewal and improvement.

Do you have some ideas, concerns, thoughts or experiences about professional development? We'd like to share them with our readers, so please email us at The Guidance Channel.

Fullan, M., with Steigelbauer, S. (1991) The New Meaning Of Educational Change. (2nd ed.) New York: Teachers College Press

McDiarmid, G.W. (1995, April) Realizing New Learning For All Students: A Framework For The Professional Development Of Kentucky Teachers. (NCRTL Special Report). East Lansing, MI: National Center For Research On Teacher Learning

O'Neil, J, with Willis, S. (1998). Revitalizing The Disciplines. Alexandria, VA: Association For Supervision And Curriculum Development.

Dropout Prevention: A Relational Approach

By Emanuel Pariser

"We have created schools in which not only young people are powerless but adults are powerless. We have asked our young people to become grownups in the absence of grownups… in the absence of people who are powerful models of what it could be like to be a grownup." ( Meier, 1999)

The challenge to dropout prevention is, in a sense, the challenge of eliminating this sense of powerlessness. Students, teachers, administrators and the community feel powerless to "do something" about a problem that they perceive needs "fixing." We perceive dropping out as a narrow issue, but it is one that pervades and connects with every sector of our culture. Yet, it is not a simple problem that "exemplary programs" can rectify.

Roger Chesswass, Director of Evaluation at the North Central Regional Educational Lab, encourages us to avoid approaching prevention by "trying to change discrete behaviors, risk factors and deficiencies of individuals, by targeting specific students, programs or technologies in order to fix the problem'." (Chesswas, 1994) Rather he suggests that we take a comprehensive approach to "defining what we want young people to be and do, not what we don't want them to do." (Chesswas, 1994) By focusing on preventing a negative outcome, such as students dropping out of school, we create a context that only provides us with fragmentary, short-term solutions. The problem is construed as existing in the "at-risk" individual, rather than the conditions out of which the individual develops.

What can we do to create learning environments that will help young people and their teachers become what we want them to be? If we are serious about this issue, where do we start? I will try to respond to these important questions by offering my insight gained from practicing "Relational Education" at the Community School in Camden, Maine. "Relational Education" places a primary focus on the development of trusting, supportive, and resilient relationships between all members of the learning community.

The comments below are derived from my experience of 28 years as a teacher and director of an alternative high school. However, I think much of what I have to say is as applicable to middle and elementary schools as it is to high schools. It is important to recognize that elementary schooling is the foundation for successful completion of high school. Collaboration with preschool programs such as Head Start is essential. Making sure that each child in our grade schools can read, write and compute is an absolute prerequisite to their success in secondary education. But these factors alone are not enough. Young children and their teachers have to know that their lives in the present have meaning, they are a part of something, someone cares for them, and they in turn can care for others.

Creating School Communities

The twentieth century has brought us massive societal changes that our schools have not been able to keep pace with. Perhaps the most significant change has been the change in the structure of the family. More than fifty percent of the children in schools now have experienced the divorce of their parents and many students have always lived with a single parent. The extended family has also weakened. There are few aunts, uncles or grandparents to fill in when relationships at home get strained or stop working.

Economic and social forces have ripped traditional communities apart. Most of us do not know our neighbors well, we commute to work, and live in families where both parents work full-time. For many teenagers, informal time with adults is almost nonexistent. In school, they are in classes only with peers their age and teachers have limited time to develop authentic relationships with them. At home, both parents work, are tired, or absent.

How do we develop school communities that reverse these conditions? In our practice of Relational Education, we have found the following key elements essential for the creation of a successful school community.

An Environment of Trust

Many of our students at the Community School have histories of acute and chronic betrayal, abuse, neglect, or disinterest resulting in a lack of trust in adults. Their experience leads them believe that the future will bring much the same unhappiness as the past. For learning to take place, students must be able to trust their teachers, as well as themselves. Five key elements in the program at the Community School that help to build trust are(Pariser,1999):

• Choice
• Rational Program Structure
• Academic Engagement
• Democratic Governance and Decision-Making Processes
• The One to One

Choice
Offering enough alternatives to students so that they can choose an educational approach which fits them is critical.

Rational Program Structure
Programs and approaches should be clear and make sense to students. Day-to-day life at the Community School Residence makes sense to the students. They work at jobs in the community during the day, are responsible for daily household chores, and study at night. Performance expectations are known. For Passages students, rural teen parents who are tutored in their homes, the structure also makes sense. They can have their children close by, meet with other students regularly in group workshops, and use needed community resources to further their education.

Academic engagement
Students are involved in the structuring of their own courses; whenever possible, students choose curricular subject matter that is relevant to their interests and skill levels.

Democratic Decision-Making
Students are involved with faculty in making decisions regarding programmatic issues as well as developing codes and consequences for individual behaviors.

One-to-One
Each student is assigned a one-to-one advisor. The student meets regularly with his "one to one" to go over progress in the program, and on a more fundamental level, to develop a trusting and supportive relationship with an adult. In many cases, this is one of the first times that our students will have experienced such a reciprocal relationship.

In a successful one-to-one pair, the teacher/counselor focuses caring, respectful attention on the student, and encourages the student to focus the same attention on him or herself. Expectations of support and acceptance develop between the pair. At its very best, this powerful process allows the students to open up to other members of the school community, as well as to themselves.

Belonging: Finding a Place Where We "Fit"

Larger schools can only become communities if they create smaller subgroups, such as programs with distinct identities and functions through which students and faculty can experience each other directly and meaningfully. The relational fabric which is created in smaller sub-communities will connect community members to each other and to the larger school community. We can see the positive impact of this with students who are involved in "extracurricular" activities and clubs.

Responsibility

The relational approach is a response to the fact that adolescents have been forced to "grow up absurd," in Paul Goodman's words. Our society has extended childhood by increasing the amount of time kids spend in school, often without giving them meaningful enough roles in their schools, families, communities or economy.

Examples of the successful development of responsibility come from our experience at the Community School. Students at the Community School hold jobs in the community and pay for their room and board and will not graduate if they are not paid up. They have to find and hold these jobs in order to complete the program. Similarly, students are held accountable by the school community for their chores and for their behaviors at the school. We are continually trying to break down the barriers between the "real world" and the school because as one student put it, "What's the point of taking us out of the real world if the idea of school is to prepare us for it? " One aspect of this approach, giving students a practical part in the running of their schools, is feasible in any school. In our Passages Program, students are already immersed in the real world because of their parental responsibilities. The objective of our program is to help them face the challenges of being young parents.

Co-Creation of Knowledge

In the relational model, the teacher/counselor and student have reciprocal roles. The teacher/counselor learns the best approach for the student from the student's "learning autobiography." This oral history addresses the student's learning preferences, anxieties, strengths, and weaknesses. Thus, the criteria for academic success is collaboratively established.

In a speech at a conference this spring, Brenda Wentworth, a Community School graduate from 1979, shared her reasons for resistance towards traditional education. She explained that, as a student, she had difficulty accepting the power structure that seemed to support only the teacher's "truth" as opposed to the student's. "'Power over' is the nemesis of the traditional educational process. When a student feels less than and a teacher feels more than, there can be no real helpful educational exchange. When a student realizes that a teacher's beliefs are just that, beliefs, the student often begins to challenge the teacher. The teacher, fearing exposure, often perceives this as a personal attack, and attempts to hide behind his armor of adult status and authority. The teacher then imposes punitive measures to shut down the student's assault, and students often retreat into despair, depression and sometimes rage."(Wentworth, 1999)

It is our job as relational educators to keep a vigilant eye on this dynamic and challenge ourselves to work from a co-creative rather than "power over" position with our students.

Teachers: A Key To The Transformation Of Our Schools

To keep students connected with their education, we must create true learning communities. Teachers are a key to such a transformation. At the Community School, we call our teachers "teachers/counselors" because we feel it is critical for them to have skills generally associated with counseling, such as receptivity and reflection, along with more conventional teaching skills.

As a transformational teacher you will(Pariser, 1998):

1. Cherish the children you work with for who they are right now.
2. Be honest and self-reflective in your teaching practice.
3. Understand that you are a co-worker, co-facilitator, co-creator of students' knowledge.
4. Pay attention to your students as learners and human beings.
5. Understand that students need informal time with you to discover who you are as a person, and to identify with you on a deeper level than your role as teacher often permits.
6. Fill your classroom with choices so that students feel ownership of what they are studying.
7. Include all aspects of your student's lives as part of the curriculum.
8. Be respectful of your students and open to their truth while holding your own center.
9. Pay close attention to your reactions to your students.
10. Understand that learning, like evolution, is not a steadily paced linear progression of experiences. It comes in bursts and only when the learner is ready.
13. Give students roles and responsibilities in your classroom which are real.
14. Continually break down the barriers between schooling and the real world, by bringing the real world into the classroom, and by getting students out of the classroom for projects, independent study, trips, etc.
15. Take care of yourself!

Perhaps, if we turn our focus to the creation of the conditions which will result in the development of self-directed, productive, and compassionate students , we will see that the most important thing we can do for our students and teachers is to provide them with schools which are true learning communities, where the emphasis is as much on the heart as it is on the mind.

For more information on building learning communities, visit the following sites...

• Alternative Education Resource Organization
• Center For Inspired Learning
• National Dropout Prevention Network
• National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools
• Paths of Learning
• Rethinking Schools

References

Meier, Deborah, Panel Presentation, at the Conference on Relational Education, Camden, Maine, May 8, 1999.

Chesswas, Roger, "Being Clear About What We Mean By Prevention", pg. 4, Midwest Regional Center for Drug Free Schools and Communiities, June 1994. Chesswas@ncrel.org

Pariser, Emanuel, "Relational Education - an Antidote to Learning Despair" Woodbury Reports, October 1999, Issue#62.

Wentworth, Brenda, Panel Presentation, at the Conference on Relational Education, Camden, Maine, May 8, 1999.

Pariser, Emanuel, "Pay Attention: Twelve Suggestions on Counseling in an Educational Setting", National Dropout Prevention Newsletter, Fall 1998, Pg. 5 - Complete version on their website: www.dropoutprevention.org

Parents, Schools and Communities: Working Together To Keep America'a Youth Drug-Free

The National Family Partnership's Red Ribbon Campaign, October 23-31, is a time to bring people together and make the drug-free message visible. The Red Ribbon Campaign, conducted annually since 1985 through local and nationwide volunteers, has made October a time to reinforce and introduce students throughout the country to the simple realization that they can choose to grow up drug-free.

The Red Ribbon media focus each October and the many in-school activities have helped to get this message across to our youngest children. School and parental involvement made a measurable difference throughout the 1980's. Great strides have been made in preventing our children from making damaging choices where schools, parents and communities have worked together.

But October is only one month in a full year of growing up with the peer pressures and the very tough realities of becoming a young adult in this country. Although we have made a difference at the earliest elementary school levels, success has been harder to achieve in the middle and high school levels, in large part due to a lack of parental involvement. In those crucial preteen and teenage years, parents are, in too many cases, missing from the equation that would equal greater success.

The lack of parental involvement has led to the beginning of an increase in drug use in the early nineties. This has been coupled with the casual acceptance by youth of drug use among their peers. It is a disturbing change that compels us to find new ways to effectively involve parents before we lose the ground we gained in the eighties.

For many of our young adults, drug and alcohol use has been the result of confused community norms and a low self-esteem. Coupled with peer pressure, wrong choices somehow become a "socially acceptable" behavior among peers. This peer group pressure can be counter-balanced by a strong, informed parental, school and community stand against the use of drugs and alcohol to cope with growing up. Without this crucial parental, school and community involvement, healthy societal and family norms break down.

We cannot afford to let this continue. We cannot let our young adults sacrifice their futures…or their lives. Parents, schools and communities must work together to prevent drug and alcohol abuse.

National Red Ribbon Week, a universal prevention program, sets the stage to deliver selected and targeted prevention programs. Informed Families, the Florida affiliate of the National Family Partnership, has developed two additional programs which allow schools, parents and the community to work together to prevent problem behaviors. The programs are Community Action Teams (CATs) and Safe Homes/Safe Parties.

A Community Action Team (CAT) builds a team within the school and a neighborhood coalition around a school. Members of the team within the school include- students, teachers, administrators, coaches, parents, grandparents, counselors, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers. Members of the team surrounding the school include police, civic and religious leaders, doctors, lawyers, business people, and representatives of all the community's service providers. Each CAT assesses the needs of their particular school, selects from a menu of programs, or designs programs to implement and involve the school and surrounding community in drug awareness, prevention and education efforts.

The goals of the CAT program are to:

• Increase parental involvement in their child's school
• Increase communication between and among parents, school administrators, teachers and students
• Create a sense of community belonging for parents, administrators, teachers and students
• Educate parents and other adults about the alcohol/drug problems and other detrimental issues facing our children today
• Involve everyone in drug prevention solutions

Each CAT offers training in their school/community including but not limited to:

• Workshops based on the Health Realization Model developed by Roger Mills, Ph.D.
• Recruiting
• Group dynamics
• Strategic planning
• Information about alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs
• Family management
• Parent peer groups
• Refrigerator News

Informed Families' Safe Homes/Safe Parties is one example of a select and targeted program the CAT may decide to implement. Through the Safe Homes/Safe Parties program, parents and others learn to set guidelines for their children's behavior. Parents sign a pledge stating that they:

• Will set guidelines for their children's behaviors
• Will not allow underage youth to drink alcoholic beverages or use tobacco or other drugs in their home or place of business
• Will not allow underage youth to have unsupervised parties or gatherings in their home or place of business
• Will encourage alcohol-free and drug-free parties and activities for underage youth

Safe Homes/Safe Parties pledge drives take place in schools where a designated individual collects hundreds of parent signatures. With permission from parents who signed the pledge, names and telephone numbers are published in a school directory. Directories are distributed to parents who now have a fast and reliable means for contacting each other.

Once the school directory has been published, parent peer groups are formed. Parents meet four times with set agendas including the latest research on teenage brain development, the influence of the media upon adolescents, the need for setting norms, and most importantly, defining and setting guidelines. You can visit the Informed Families site for more information on these programs.

Experiential education is powerful and acknowledged as one of the most important and effective forms of educating and training. Isn't it time we learned to fight fire with fire, work together, and design holistic coordinated programs to influence the individual, the peer group, the school, the family, and the community? We possess the knowledge, but do we possess the spirit and the quality of relationships to work together to help kids grow up safe, healthy, and drug-free? The Red Ribbon Campaign, October 23-31, offers us a time to demonstrate our team spirit and showcase our message. Together, we can help America's kids grow up safe, healthy and drug-free!