By Dr Geoff Plimmer
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Back to new Transitions - Re-Engagement Edition

Young adults are often pathologised as dangerous and unworthy. This helps existing power structures and mutes calls for innovation by deflecting attention from how schools can better serve their learners. Consequently teachers remain unsatisfied because they are in school environments that are often unresponsive to student needs. In this article I'll outline my own experience of developing student engagement approaches and what it is like to implement them in schools.

This article is political. It undermines calls for the education system to return to "basics", and instead argues for socio- emotional learning (SEL) as a means of engagement. Teaching emotional coping and social skills to school-aged youths is an effective means of improving academic achievement, reducing truancy and cutting anti-social behaviour, according to a review article in the American Psychologist (Greenberg et al., 2003). But changing practices in schools can be very difficult to do, because of the weight of practical, historical and cultural pressure to resist innovation. 

About Socio-Emotional Learning

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) provides a framework for teaching many of the attributes we expect youth to have, but often don't, and which often aren't taught to those who need it (Elias et al., 2003). SEL is defined as:

"the process of acquiring the skills to recognize and manage emotions, develop caring and concern for others, make responsible decisions, establish positive relationships, and handle challenging situations effectively". (From www.CASEL.org)

SEL programmers help youths to recognise and manage other people's emotions, respect others, set goals and make good decisions. It is similar to emotional intelligence, but includes goal-setting, motivation and performance.

SEL programmes tend to work best when they are focused on building competence, improving connections with others and contributing to the community (Greenberg et al., 2003).

How to make it Work

The evidence generally points to the increased success of approaches that focus on strengths, rather than those that concentrate on a specific problem such as drug taking (Greenberg et al., 2003). Ideally, programmes should:

1. Be sustained - because short-term behavioural programmes get short-term results
2. Cross school, family and individual domains
3. Consider the school's ecology and climate
4. Include the chance to practice the skills, using a model based on the individual's strengths, not weaknesses

This is an extensive list, but programmes can be effective with less. The idea is that if you get social and emotional skills right, then a whole basket of negatives such as drug taking and crimes diminish. It is a shift from a deficit model to a positive psychology model (Eliot et al., 2003).

What Goes Wrong?

However, the results of SEL programmes are often more disappointing than they could be because the tuition is applied in a fragmented, disruptive manner that fails to give teachers and other professionals enough resources to do them well. Programmes often seem remote and imposed, and don't give adequate voice to either teacher or student perspectives. Our approach is to see students and teachers as agents of change, in ways that give voice to students' personalised goals and help teachers help their students achieve.

Basics of a "Possible Selves" Approach

Possible selves are the thoughts, images, senses and thoughts that people have of their future (Markus & Nurius 1986). Unlike traditional views of people as having a single personality, or of being primarily socially constructed, possible selves theory sees people as having multiple selves, but with a core self concept. Those selves can be both positive and negative (hopes and fears); and people vary in their confidence or anxiety that those hopes and fears will become true. Possible selves deal with the 'total person' - they include family and relationships, identities, emotions, beliefs, values, skills and interests.

An example of a student "at risk" (defined by poor behaviour and poor attendance and achievement) values and beliefs graph is below. In the top right are items rated as likely hoped (termed opportunities in the subsequent discussion). In the top left are hopes rated as likely (termed dreams); in the bottom left are fears rated as unlikely (termed dreads) and in the bottom right are fears rated as likely (termed threats). Students use these graphs as gateways to explore personal meanings, connections across different part of their lives, personal strengths and resources and who they want to be. Once that had taken place career exploration, personal goals and planning take place.

Fig 1: An aggressive students responses to the FutureSelves questionnaire.
(click the image for a full size view)

Through a series of quick exercises the student identified a series of positive opportunities in personal behaviors that increased chances of being respected more likely, and reduced chances of being depressed, mean or lacking confidence. The focus of the exercises was around what sort of persona he wanted to be, and how to "get there".

In the top right of Fig. 1 - the green quadrant - the students identified personal strengths as busy, confident, happy and open. There were times when he was like this. In the middle are hopes that are less certain of coming true around being approachable, attractive, liked and proud. On the far left is an unlikely strong hope of being respected. This turned out to be strongly connected to likely fears of being depressed, mean and lacking confidence (bottom right).

When Things go right - A New Zealand Experience

This article outlines a program in a New Zealand secondary school that radically increased student achievement and motivation. It helped students think about their futures and their choices without pathologising them. It helped them discover their strengths and find matching career opportunities.

Huntly College is a New Zealand secondary school in the Waikato - a coal mining town set in a farming district just south of Auckland. Students are predominantly Maori (about 70%) and the school is classified as Decile One - indicating a high level social and economic disadvantage. In 2004 it trialled a computer based software system called FutureSelves in which students identified their hopes and fears, how likely they were to occur, and whether they had any experience of them. These were then portrayed graphically on graphs that covered skills and interests, career options, values and beliefs, and lifestyle. Student self awareness was enhanced by using the graphs in small groups and one on one settings. They selected career opportunities matching these findings and carried out a series of work book based exercises over 3 to 4 classes. They did this working alongside a trained careers teacher.

This approach differed from traditional career and course selection approaches in several ways. It didn't compare students against norms or tell them what to do, it was comprehensive in that it included personal beliefs and values, and it considered student lifestyles and cultural background. It specifically focussed on their strengths, relationships and emotions. The programme was refined over the following four years, with better work books and teacher materials to engage students - the initial ones were too stark and academic for students. As the program developed students became more receptive to it. Students now approach the teachers, wanting to participate in it.

FutureSelves was introduced to the school gradually, with an initial focus on students at risk of not successfully transitioning to further study, training or employment. In 2005 it was applied primarily to at risk students entering high school at year 10, and seniors (Years 11-13). In 2006 and 2007 all the next Yr10 intakes went through the programme, with some senior students as well.

Fig 2: Huntly College Achievement - NCEA
(click the image for a full size view)

From 2004 to 2007 academic achievement increased from an average pass rate of 25% to 75% in New Zealand's National Certificate in Educational Achievement Level 1, Levels 2 and 3 following as more students went through FutureSelves (see graph above "Huntly College Achievement - NCEA"). Gains in literacy (see graph below "Huntly College Achievement - Numeracy and Literacy") have been particularly strong: from 43% pass rate in NCEA prior to FutureSelves, to 80% in 2007 (achievement of formal qualifications)¹.

Fig 3: Huntly College Achievement - Numeracy & Literacy
(click the image for a full size view)

Student perceptions of the program were gathered through a graphically designed questionnaire in which they marked statements within images that they agreed with, and wrote comments of their own. 75% rated it very highly, and over 90% rated it well, providing positive comments such as "Gave me heaps to think about", "inspiring", "It showed me my future" and "Fun, simple, helpful, cool to do".

Students also wrote about the benefit that they got from it "I have learned to stay at school until I have finished"; "It's made me think about the future and what's in store for me, and "It showed me what I wanted" (and), "That I can work hard at things" and "To believe in myself". 8% of students were ambivalent, stating along with other positive comments that the process was "Not bad, not bad but not great".

Feedback from classroom teachers was it prepared students better for study and career choices and behaviours, and was also useful for data collection. One teacher wrote in an email to me:

"I first used the FS questionnaire as a School Counselor who frequently saw students referred through the disciplinary process for undesirable behavior or disengagement in school based learning. This exploration of a preferred future self quickly and effectively connected a student with their hopes and dreams, and gave them a reason for engaging appropriately in the learning activities school provides ...."

"The 'lights' would go on in a student's face. Their eyes would sparkle, their interest levels would rise, (and) heads (would come up and) to look at you face to face as they realised its relevancy to them. Students, especially the underachieving or uncertain student, appreciate being told ‘there are no right or wrong answers'. They realise you are interested in and are talking about 'them.' The (energy) engagement levels and their enthusiasm would increase dramatically!

And as a Careers Teacher -

"In introducing this FutureSelves questionnaire and Learning and Career Planning programme to students, I liken it to abseiling. The Harness - your questionnaire report - must fit YOU, to securely hold you as you connect your rope to a future destination - a future self career options and lifestyle choices - way ahead up the cliff.  When those are both in place, you can plan and climb your way up. You might encounter obstacles on the way that may require alternative pathways, facing options with each step, but ultimately with perseverance you will reach the place where you will have much wider view of options to choose from and hopefully the qualifications you need to become that future self you dreamed of.

I really like 'The FutureSelf experience' as an evaluation tool as it has been very effective in re-engaging students in their learning. We revisit and use their future self picture or mind map, to reassess how they are going in their progress to achieving these dreams. This facilitates a reconnection to their hope for a preferred future."

"As Dean of Yr 11 I am having far less hassles than I did with these same students last year. Those students who complete their LCP generally know where they are heading and can make informed and sensible decisions when it comes to subject choices in the following year. It also lets the school gather more data in order to satisfy MOE and ERO. This is where part of the careers is taught."

"These are the best prepared students we have had for Gateway. They know where they are going."

Although these changes are very good, they were not easy to implement - it certainly challenged the original program developer (myself), and it motivated the school to alter its offered curriculum subjects to cover the needs of the students. Wrote the principal:

"It's a program that allows me to get information about and for the students. ... It allows me to build a curriculum programme with that info to shift from what teachers think to what STUDENTS ACTUALLY NEED! This years YR 11's (2006) are a living testimony to that. They are not creating problems for us" [Caps are the Principal's].

The FutureSelves project was probably only kept afloat by some very committed and competent teachers. Since its introduction in 2004 the school has shifted from a substantially "below average" performer to one above average.

In 2007 Te Kotahitanga - a programme set up to train, equip and support teachers in raising the achievement levels of Maori students was introduced into the school. This programme is focussed on changing teaching orientations and behaviours, and so complements the student orientation of the FutureSelves programme.

Conclusion

Programs raising self awareness of future hopes to engage learners can be very effective in schools at raising academic achievement and in improving behaviours. The core purpose outlined here was increased self awareness tied to purpose and action in being at school. However, doing so challenges schools - it raises questions about what to teach, and how to organise socio-emotional learning programmes. These challenges are fundamentally political if education is framed within a back to basics or innovation conversation. Another way to look at it is that how to deal with others, their emotions, and your own, is a pretty basic indeed.

Geoff Plimmer ( This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ) has a PhD from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. His PhD was on the application of possible selves to career development. In an earlier life he was a public servant. He likes kayaking and tramping in New Zealand's outdoors.

For more information about the Future Selves program e-mail This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or phone +64 4 472 0776.

References

Elias, M., Zins, J.E., Graczyk, P.A., Weissberg, R.P. 2003. Implementation, sustainability, and scaling up of social-emotional and academic innovations in public schools. School Psychology Review, 32, 3, 303-319.

Greenberg, M.T.; Weissberg, R. P.; O'Brien, M. U., Zins, J.E.; Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., Elias, M. J. 2003. Enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning. American Psychologist, 58(6-7), 466-474.

Markus, H., & Nurius, P. (1986). Possible selves. American Psychologist, 41(9), 954-969.

Footnotes

1 Defined as literacy and numeracy achievement levels necessary to be awarded National Certificate of Educational Achievement.

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