University of Kansas

Introduction

There were five main elements in the Supportive Schools Model

Student goal setting and attainment.
Student behavior management.
Social skills training.
Learning strategies.
Self awareness training.

Supportive Schools Model
Student Goal Setting

Once students and their families were introduced to the project and consented to participating, students began working with the Supportive Schools Model. During an initial assessment, a case manager would take students through a series of tests, conducting lengthy and thorough interviews to get to know the students. They would discuss the youth's history, interests, problems, and strengths. To aid the process, the case manager would show the student a menu of strengths from which they could choose. The interview was a discussion about the students "possible selves". The case managers discussed how the youths might be as learners, workers, and the roles they might take on in their personal lives. Then, the two brainstormed the students' strengths and weaknesses in each of these areas of life. Next, youths were asked to visualize their expected future selves, then their feared future selves, and finally, the youths were asked to articulate their hopes and dreams.

The next step was to have students draw a picture of a tree to create a visual metaphor for their attributes, the challenges they faced, and their future. The roots could depict personal attributes. For example, long, thick roots were strengths and short, spindly roots signified weaknesses. Each element of the drawing was labeled with words for strengths such as courage, intelligence, resilience, or words about challenges such as "short temper," Fears were depicted by things in the environment which might threaten the tree, such as axes, lightening, or fire, and were labeled with words like "drugs", "peer pressure", or "abuse". The branches might signify the students' hopes. The case manager might also get information from other staff or family members about perceived strengths, weaknesses and threats to help the student gain perspective. These suggestions were also included in the picture of the tree. Once the picture of the tree was completed, the student used this visual depiction to form meaningful goals, based on what s/he had identified as hopes.

The final step was for the student to lead a meeting with key school staff, family members, and the case manager about how s/he visualized the future. The student described the goals s/he intended to meet and also described how s/he would meet the goal. The meeting was an occasion for the student to learn self advocacy strategies, and provided a forum for him/her to ask for help in meeting this goal from key adults in her/his life. Goals might include maintaining a B average, learning to control a hot temper, quitting smoking, or learning how to drive. The important thing wasn't the content of the goal itself, but that the students set a goal, take proactive steps to fulfill it, and learn how to rally support in their community to achieve their goals. The case manager's relationship with the student, her/his teachers, and family was defined by supporting the student in striving toward her/his goals.

Supportive Schools Model
Social Skills and Behavior Management

Social Skills Training

The Supportive Schools Project performed individualized social skills training with students. There were four steps for social skills training in the Supportive Schools Model.

The case manager began by targeting a particular problem behavior a student had been exhibiting at school.
Then, with the student, the case manager identified a particular social skill that might counteract the behavior.
Next, the case manager described the skill and why it was useful.
Finally, the case manager practiced the skill with the student by role playing using a hypothetical or real situation from the student's life.
After the student had used the skill in his/her life, the case manager processed with the student how it worked. If the skill was still difficult for the student to master, the case manager thought of ways the student could improve in using it.

For example, a young man was spending time with an older person who was constantly trying to get him to skip school. After talking about it, the case manager and student came to the conclusion that he needed to work on the social skill of resisting peer pressure. The case manager explained to the student that if he continued to let himself be manipulated into skipping school, he may not graduate, and that this could have very real consequences for him in the future. The case manager also talked about how it was important as an adult to be able to make one's own decisions and be an individual. Then, the case manager and student thought of how he could deal with his friend next time he tried to get him to skip school. They wrote a script in which he was to say, "I like you, but I can't skip school with you because if I do I might get expelled." If his friend persisted, he was simply to keep saying no, and leave as soon as possible. The case manager and student practiced this dialogue several times, switching roles with each other so the case manager could model how one resists peer pressure. They practiced until the student felt he could use the dialogue with his friend. Once the student had a chance to talk with his friend and resist him, he and his case manager talked about how it went and how it might have gone better. The case manager praised the student for resisting peer pressure successfully.

For further explanation of the Supportive Schools social skills curriculum, you can refer to ASSET: A social skills program for adolescents (Leader's Guide) by Hazel, Schumaker, Sherman &Sheldon-Wildgen, 1981; and Social skills for daily living: A curriculum, by Schumaker, Hazel, & Pederson, 1988.

Behavior Management

The Supportive Schools Project found that students' problems tended to fall into two main categories --either failing classes or disrupting classes. To help students cultivate self control, case managers developed a report card students carried from class to class, which was filled out by teachers. For students who needed extra support and monitoring, teachers might fill out a report card daily while some students only needed to check in with teachers on a weekly basis. Report cards for students were individualized, based on goals students set for themselves each week. Report cards were designed to monitor problem behaviors the student had exhibited in the past. For instance one student had a goal to improve his grades but had a great deal of trouble sitting still. His case manager created a report card asking teachers whether the student stayed in his seat during the class, paid attention to the lessons, and turned in homework. The teacher circled yes or no each day, and wrote relevant comments. The student then brought the report card back to the case manager, who processed the report with the student. The case manager might brainstorm with the student ways he could improve classroom behavior, and would praise any positive behavior the student exhibited. When students achieved their weekly behavior goals, the case manager rewarded them with a prize they had previously agreed upon.

Supportive Schools Model
Academic Support through Learning Strategies

The Supportive Schools Model helped students who were having difficulty in academic classes by using strategies to help them perform better as students. The Strategic Instruction Model could be taught in different ways, according to the needs and resources of the school. Some schools chose to teach Strategic Instruction in a class for students who needed to improve their academic skills. Another way to use Strategic Instruction was to teach students in the context of core academic classes. If a student had trouble with a particular aspect of a lesson, his regular classroom teacher would try and identify his or her particular learning challenge, and then go over the lesson for him using an appropriate learning strategy. For example, one student had trouble with his reading comprehension. His history teacher, trained in the Strategic Instruction Model, went over the steps of Visual Imagery with the student, a strategy that would help the student visualize reading material, comprehend and remember it.

First, the teacher explained the strategy of visualizing what is read.
Then the teacher read a passage aloud, and modeled her own process of visualizing the material by describing her mental picture of the material to the student.
Next, the student memorized the steps involved with the Visual Imagery Strategy so that she could recite them from memory.
She then practiced using the strategy with the help of the teacher, visualizing reading passages and describing what she saw.
Finally, the student was encouraged to generalize what she learned from the Visual Imagery Strategy so that she could use it on her own in other subject areas without prompting from her teacher.

Teachers have used standardized tests to ascertain where students' academic weaknesses lay, or have relied on their own observation of students' performance in class. In any case, the Strategic Instruction Model required technical assistance from special trainers. There are more than 1,000 certified trainers in the Strategic Instruction Model throughout the United States and Canada. For information about obtaining training in the Strategic Instruction Model, contact the University of Kansas CRL.

Supportive Schools Model
A Supportive Relationship with a Case Manager and Self Awareness Training

The students at risk for emotional disorders in the Supportive Schools Project often needed help processing life problems, and had trouble creating viable solutions for their own difficulties. To help students develop an awareness of their own limitations and strengths in a way that helped them navigate difficulties in their personal lives, case managers worked with them using a problem solving method called Surface Counseling. There were five steps to surface counseling.

The student described his or her problem, answering questions of who, what, when, where, why.
The case manager and student brainstormed possible solutions, and wrote them down.
Then, they rated the solutions from best to worst, or combined solutions that seem complementary.
Based on their ratings, they chose the best solution.
Then, they made a plan to carry out the best solution.
Afterward, the case manager followed up with the student about how the solution worked, and processed what happened by evaluating the solution, discussing what might have worked better.

For example, one student came to his case manager upset because he had left his math homework at home and his teacher would not accept it if it was late. The counselor got all the information from the student about the situation, including where he lived and making certain the homework had been done. Next, the two brainstormed several possible solutions, such as calling a parent at work to have them pick it up and bring it to him, walking home for it during a free period, or asking a neighbor to bring it to him. Then they thought about the positive and negative points about each solution. For instance, he knew his father would probably get pretty mad, but his mother might not. His neighbor might not be home, or might be unwilling to make the trip. Next, they made a plan for how the student would call his mother. The student practiced what he would say, and planned where and when he would make the phone call. Finally, the student made the call, his mother was very understanding and brought him his homework. After the ordeal, the case manager and student worked out a plan for how he would prevent forgetting his homework in the future.

For students who needed extra attention, the Supportive Schools Project provided Somatic Experiencing, a form of individualized therapy administered by a specially trained child psychologist. Some students had suffered significant trauma in their lives that made participation in school very difficult for them. These students needed attention from specially trained therapists, and many needed long term mental health care. The Supportive Schools Model found that it was important for this therapy to take place outside of school, in a place that was removed, safe, and free of interruption. Perhaps most important was to find a therapist who had experience working with traumatized youth, or was a certified trauma therapist.

Supportive Schools Model
Family Involvement

Although the Supportive Schools Model did not have a formalized method for encouraging family involvement, families were involved in every aspect of the project. Parents came to meeting regularly with students and case managers, especially around the student goal attainment component. Families were consulted about recurring problem behaviors, and were used as an important information resource and the case manager was getting to know a student and his or her situation.

Supportive Schools Model
Resource Requirements Summary

Population receiving services from Supportive Schools

75 students with or at risk for emotional / behavioral problems, out of a total school population of 650.

Supportive Schools Staff Position Titles Total Staff Time Duties

One Case Manager 1 FTE Implement Student Support Services

Learning Strategies Teacher 1 FTE Teach Learning Strategies

Categories of Activities

Activity Category Staff Hours Required Staff Responsible

Meet/Communicate with Parents, Teachers, Mentors, Tutors 10 Hours/Week Case Manager

Work Individually with Youths (teaching, counseling, assessing) 27 Hours/Week Case Manager

Classroom Observations 3 Hours/Week Case Manager

Teach Learning Strategies 42 Hours/Week Learning Strategies Teacher

Meetings with Parents, Teachers, Students 2.5 Hours/Week Learning Strategies Teacher

Collecting/Scoring Assessment Data Ongoing with instruction. Learning Strategies Teacher

Resource Requirements for Start-Up

Start-Up Duties Staff Responsible Time Required Supplies Required

Recruit and Hire Learning Strategies Teacher. Administrator, University (KU) Staff 8 Hours Advertisement

Recruit and Hire Case Manager Administrator, KU Staff 8 Hours Advertisement

Train Learning Strategies Teacher KU Staff 1 Week, Ongoing Manuals

Train Case Manager KU Staff 1 Week, Ongoing Manuals

Set Up Screening Process with School KU Staff, Administrator 2 Days

Set Up Regular Referral Meetings KU Staff, Administrator, Teachers Ongoing

Resource Requirements for Continuous Operations

Operations Duties Staff Responsible Time Supplies

Hold Referral Meetings Regularly Case Manager, Regular School Staff 1 Hour/Week

Family Meetings Case Manager 2 Hours/Week

Meet with Individual Teachers Case Manager, Various Teachers 5 Hours/Week

Work Individually with Students Case Manager 22 Hours/Week Manuals, CD-Rom

Observations in Classes Case Manager 3 Hours/Week Observation Forms

Communicate with Staff Via Computer Case Manager 1 Hour/Week Computer, Software

Collect Assessment Data Case Manager 5 Hours/Week

Meeting with Individual Mentors Case Manager 1 Hour/Week

Teach Learning Strategies to Groups Learning Strategies Teacher 30 Hours/Week Overhead Projector, Paper

Meet with Individual Teachers Learning Strategies Teacher, Various Teachers 1 Hour/Week Pencils, Reading Passages

Score Student Projects Learning Strategies Teacher 10 Hours/Week Manuals, Transparencies

Communicate with Staff Via Computer Learning Strategies Teacher .5 Hours/Week

Conduct Parent Meetings Learning Strategies Teacher 1 Hour/Week

Collect Assessment Data Learning Strategies Teacher Ongoing

Meet with Individual Students Learning Strategies Teacher 1-2 Hours/Week

For more Information about Supportive Schools, go to: www.ku-crl.org University of Kansas Center on Research and Learning, 517 J.R. Pearson Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045

SAFETY NET HOME

Supportive Schools Staff Position Titles	Total Staff Time	Duties
One Case Manager	1 FTE	Implement Student Support Services
Learning Strategies Teacher	1 FTE	Teach Learning Strategies

Activity Category	Staff Hours Required	Staff Responsible
Meet/Communicate with Parents, Teachers, Mentors, Tutors	10 Hours/Week	Case Manager
Work Individually with Youths (teaching, counseling, assessing)	27 Hours/Week	Case Manager
Classroom Observations	3 Hours/Week	Case Manager
Teach Learning Strategies	42 Hours/Week	Learning Strategies Teacher
Meetings with Parents, Teachers, Students	2.5 Hours/Week	Learning Strategies Teacher
Collecting/Scoring Assessment Data	Ongoing with instruction.	Learning Strategies Teacher

Start-Up Duties	Staff Responsible	Time Required	Supplies Required
Recruit and Hire Learning Strategies Teacher.	Administrator, University (KU) Staff	8 Hours	Advertisement
Recruit and Hire Case Manager	Administrator, KU Staff	8 Hours	Advertisement
Train Learning Strategies Teacher	KU Staff	1 Week, Ongoing	Manuals
Train Case Manager	KU Staff	1 Week, Ongoing	Manuals
Set Up Screening Process with School	KU Staff, Administrator	2 Days
Set Up Regular Referral Meetings	KU Staff, Administrator, Teachers	Ongoing

Operations Duties	Staff Responsible	Time	Supplies
Hold Referral Meetings Regularly	Case Manager, Regular School Staff	1 Hour/Week
Family Meetings	Case Manager	2 Hours/Week
Meet with Individual Teachers	Case Manager, Various Teachers	5 Hours/Week
Work Individually with Students	Case Manager	22 Hours/Week	Manuals, CD-Rom
Observations in Classes	Case Manager	3 Hours/Week	Observation Forms
Communicate with Staff Via Computer	Case Manager	1 Hour/Week	Computer, Software
Collect Assessment Data	Case Manager	5 Hours/Week
Meeting with Individual Mentors	Case Manager	1 Hour/Week
Teach Learning Strategies to Groups	Learning Strategies Teacher	30 Hours/Week	Overhead Projector, Paper
Meet with Individual Teachers	Learning Strategies Teacher, Various Teachers	1 Hour/Week	Pencils, Reading Passages
Score Student Projects	Learning Strategies Teacher	10 Hours/Week	Manuals, Transparencies
Communicate with Staff Via Computer	Learning Strategies Teacher	.5 Hours/Week
Conduct Parent Meetings	Learning Strategies Teacher	1 Hour/Week
Collect Assessment Data	Learning Strategies Teacher	Ongoing
Meet with Individual Students	Learning Strategies Teacher	1-2 Hours/Week