Keeping Kids Connected: How Schools and Teachers Can Help All Students Feel Good about School...and Why That Matters.

Oregon Department of Education, 255 Capitol Street NE, Salem, OR 97310-0203; Tel: 503-378-3310, ext. 485; e-mail: barbara.slimak@state.or.us.

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132

Academic Achievement; Change Strategies; Educational Environment; Elementary Secondary Education; Peer Relationship; Performance Factors; Resilience (Personality); Student Adjustment; Student Attitudes; Student Empowerment; Student School Relationship; Teacher Student Relationship

Noting studies showing a critical link between students' relation to the school environment and their academic performance, attendance, attitudes, motivation, and post-high school success, particularly for at-risk students, this guide compiles widely recognized strategies to develop students' sense of connection to their school environment. The strategies are organized around four types of connecting experiences: (1) Belonging--including creating schools within schools, promoting positive peer relations, building connections to the community, and providing special help for highly mobile students; (2) Competence--including holding high expectations for students, and providing opportunities for authentic learning and assessment; (3) Empowerment--including providing opportunities for students to work together, and promoting meaningful participation in policy and decision making; and (4) Usefulness--including organizing service learning projects. The guide also includes strategies for fostering connections beyond the school day, in co-curricular activities, extended-day programs, and summer learning programs. The guide's appendices include a school resiliency-building assessment checklist, analysis of extended-day program models, and a brief annotated bibliography. Contains a 178-item bibliography. (HTH)

2001

ED446873