April 2008

Support Matters

By Gene R. Carter, Executive Director, ASCD

Think of the people who had a positive influence on your life growing up. At the time, were you aware of how important they were? Without them, would you be who you are today? Consider your role now. Could you influence a child, teenager, or young adult in the same way?

As parents, caregivers, educators, coaches, mentors, and community members, the time we spend with children provides them with answers to their questions, confidence to try new things, and assurance that they are safe and cared for. In the classroom, for example, the teacher's ability to form positive relationships with students is essential to the learning process. "When students have a secure relationship with their teachers, they are more comfortable taking risks that enhance learning—tackling challenging tasks, persisting when they run into difficulty, or asking questions when they are confused," affirms Deborah Stipek from the School of Education at Stanford University (Educational Leadership, September 2006, p. 46).

Currently, educational practice and policy in the United States focus overwhelmingly on academic achievement, yet this is only one element of student learning and development. To ensure that successful learners are knowledgeable, emotionally and physically healthy, civically active, artistically engaged, prepared for economic self-sufficiency, and ready for the world beyond formal schooling, we must shift the focus back to the whole child. The support adults provide children through positive relationships is at the heart of this endeavor.

Who bears the responsibility for creating a supportive environment? The answer is: the whole community. To support students, educators need to work with community members, including business partners, health and social service providers, art professionals, recreation leaders, and policymakers at all levels. Partnerships between schools and communities must recognize that learning does not stop after the last class and that not everything learned can be tested. Often, true learning opportunities occur through meaningful experiences outside of the classroom that allow students to practice the skills, knowledge, and behaviors required for participation in society.

Students who do not have access to adult role models, advisors, mentors, counselors, or teachers who understand their social and emotional development are unlikely to do well academically. Experts recommend one counselor for every 250 students across all grade levels, but the current average ratio is 488:1, with several states exceeding 700:1 (www.schoolcounselor.org). Also, 15 million at-risk students need mentors but do not have them (www.mentorsinc.org).

The mentoring program at Parklawn Elementary School in Fairfax County, Va., underscores the benefits supportive adults bring to a child's life. Parklawn is a Title I school that serves students from more than 30 different countries, many of whom qualify for free lunch. Students are selected for the mentoring program for various reasons. Some are adjusting to life in a new country or to major family changes; some show their need for attention by acting out or by remaining quiet and withdrawn. "Regardless of their background, all students benefit from having someone to care about them, listen to them, and provide them with a little extra support," says Shelley Prince, the county's MentorWorks specialist.

The local business employees, teachers, and Fairfax County police and firefighters who visit their mentees each week offer academic support, advice on resolving conflicts with peers, and the comfort of having someone who listens. Most of all, by providing consistency and something to look forward to, the mentors boost confidence and self-esteem and give their mentees the opportunity to learn and grow in a positive environment.

To prepare them for the demands of a rapidly changing world, each child needs support like that given to the Parklawn students, but the numbers show that, for many, this is not the case. ASCD recommends that every student have an adult advisor or mentor as a role model and have access to school counselors or other student support systems. We call on schools and communities to connect students with caring adults by creating flexible schedules for mentoring programs and out-of-school learning opportunities. We call on states and the federal government to fund these programs and the professional development of the educators and mentors who participate in them.

Remember those who made a difference in your life and know that what you do does matter. You can influence a child, teenager, or young adult in the same way.

Raise awareness about the importance of supporting the whole child by encouraging your school board and local government to pass a whole child resolution (www.wholechildeducation.org/blackboard/resolutiontoolkit).

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