Reestablishing a Positive School Culture and Social Skills
Author: Jermaine Blount, Ed, M is a Consultant and Experienced School Admin/Speaker
Also Learn About: THE 5 KEYS TO UNLOCK GREATNESS IN EVERY KID'S LIFE
Click Here for Website: jermaineblount.com
Now That We are Back in School:
Reestablishing a Positive School Culture and Social Skills
As many educators have discovered now that schools have been in session across America, what once was a solid understanding of expectations and beliefs regarding in-person behavior social norms, now has to be reestablished. This suggests the need for an intentional systemic approach.
Many students would have learned and applied social skills through personal experiences while attending school in person with the assistance of teachers, support staff, and peers; however, due to remote instruction dating back to March 2020, many of these personal growth experiences did not occur. Imagine if you were not in school for 18 months of your middle school years? What would you have missed in terms of life experiences that you remember today?
Teachers are experiencing students exhibit what many consider immature behaviors associated with their current grade level. For instance, eighth grade students, who typically see themselves as leaders within the middle school and set examples for younger students, find themselves having difficulty with this leadership identity and require time for themselves to readjust to the school environment and social structure. Once student leaders at the onset, students need time to again understand and see their status as role models among their peers.
We also know that students with disabilities develop social skills and positive interactions that increase motivation and performance. (Schneider et al., 2012). As educators, we ask ourselves, “Would this have implications on the pace to close the learning gaps caused by remote learning and loss of instructional time?
Some schools across the country have seen an uptick in violence and behavioral concerns. Unfortunately, exclusionary practices are typical when students are involved in a fight. These practices seldomly solve the issue and result in resentment and compliance, rather than building empathy and intrinsically changing behavior.
So, what can we do?
Schools should anticipate and plan for more time and resources devoted to building the social skills of students during the school year.
Here are practical strategies every school should consider to reestablish a positive school culture:
Learning skills like mindfulness and conflict resolution will help. With the uptick in mental health concerns caused by the pandemic, a reteaching of these critical skills are necessary. While some schools may have implemented these practices in the past, a re emphasis may be necessary.
It’s important for parents, teachers, counselors, support staff and school leaders to talk together regarding their stress and be supportive of one another. As stakeholders, they are best equipped to identify, monitor, and implement interventions and programs customizable to their school community.
School staff and teachers getting to know students personally and building relationships is more important than ever as we reestablish school culture. Relationships are at the cornerstone of a school's positive school culture and with about half of the student body in middle and high schools being relatively new in the school building, a re-norming of respect, affirmations, and connections are essential.
An increase in peer led or adult led student mediation sessions should be designed and scheduled to handle the influx of student conflicts to immediately address them in a respectful and peaceful manner.
Student assemblies or workshops regarding respectful and healthy communications skills should be considered. Schools cannot take for granted that their students’ communication skills are the same as before the pandemic.
Provide additional staff in the cafeteria to monitor interactions and promote positive students inactions. Continued support for staff members should be provided who approach students that are in conflict, using foul language, or other behavior that violates the code of conduct.
Be aware to avoid harsh or punitive consequences due to staff stress associated with these new developments. A progressive discipline approach should be taken, starting with restorative practices, including restorative circles, conferences, and reduction of exclusionary practices, particularly disproportionate to the population size of students’ race, ethnicity or other characteristics. Helping students understand how their actions affect themselves, others, and the school community would be the first step in building empathy and redirecting behavior. Restorative practices have been found to reduce the number of suspensions. Augustine, et al. (2018)
Survey your classroom or entire student body regarding their peer interactions. Develop table top discussions with students to help peers resolve issues. Direct students to a confidential adult to assist in resolving their conflict, personal mental health, or possibly bullying concern.
A positive school culture begins with ensuring a high level of student self-esteem and confidence. This is as a result of students feeling successful with their academics in class. Schneider et al. (2012). This can only be accomplished through high yield instructional strategies, checking for understanding, and adjusting instruction based on learning.
An emphasis on small group work to encourage effective collaboration and peer to peer help can foster social skills, and as a result, academic achievement. Schneider et al. (2012). This would require clear norms and expectations early on with a gradual implementation process.
Identifying students who first exhibit aggressive or anti-social behaviors and providing immediate and ongoing in and or out of school support will likely reduce the likelihood of repeat behavior or decrease the likelihood of a domino effect. An emphasis in collaborating with parents, counselors, and support staff should be implemented much earlier on.
Allow students to take mental health breaks without consequence. For instance, students in Illinois will be able to take up to five excused mental health days starting in January, 2022. Under a bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, students take a mental health day will not be required to provide a doctor's note and will be able to make-up any missed work.
Increase the number of social activities during the day in small groups outside of the school building to promote exercise, positive social skills, and teacher/student relationships in a fun relaxing atmosphere.. Taking a break periodically from academics may be beneficial to students and their teachers’ feeling of well-being. This is particularly important for schools with mask mandates.
Use of morning announcements that promote positive affirmations encourage student self-awareness and a common language that both staff and students can utilize to foster a positive environment.
Create an oasis where students can seek refuge from the crowds and offices if they need to decompress for 10-15 minutes before resuming their day. This room can include a desk mini-waterfall, music for relaxation, bean bags, etc. Staff should monitor the room usage and provide support for students as needed. Parameters for usage should be well established.
Increase the number of clubs and intramural sports programs offered at the middle and high school levels. With the increased numbers of students wanting to participate in athletic programs across the country now that in-person instruction has resumed, intramurals may be the answer to maximizing student participation outside the classroom and building self-esteem and confidence in larger groups than ever before on the sports fields and indoor courts.
Schools should expect teachers and students to gradually bounce back to pre-pandemic mode. Implementation of the above strategies and collaboration among school based teams, parents, and the community to monitor and address particular local questions and concerns would be beneficial for the school staff and students to continue to address and heal from the effects of the pandemic.
Our school leaders are again called to reestablish themselves as visionaries; accelerate learning of not only the instructional program, but also the social emotional well-being of their staff, students, parents, and community.
Author: Jermaine Blount, Ed, M is a Consultant and Experienced School Admin/Speaker
Also Learn About: THE 5 KEYS TO UNLOCK GREATNESS IN EVERY KID'S LIFE
Click Here for Website: jermaineblount.com
Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understand and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Augustine, Catherine H., John Engberg, Geoffrey E. Grimm, Emma Lee, Elaine Lin Wang, Karen Christianson, and Andrea A. Joseph, Restorative Practices Help Reduce Student Suspensions. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2018. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB10051.html
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