Moving From Parts to a Whole
Tools That Unite Partners Around
A Whole Child Vision
Youth in the Middle
Jessica Cameron
Project Manager, Whole Child Initiative
jcameron@ascd.org
Christina O’Guinn
Program Manager, Youth in the Middle
coguinn@stanford.edu
Youth in the Middle
Each child, in each school, in each of
our communities deserves to be
healthy, safe, engaged,
supported, and challenged.
That’s what a whole child approach to
learning, teaching, and community
engagement really is.
ASCD calls on parents, students,
educators,
policymakers, and community
members to join forces to ensure that
all children become productive,
engaged citizens.
www.wholechileducation.org
Middle schools have the opportunity
to positively impact the full
development of young adolescents.
Yet, initiatives that promote schools’
rigorous attention to specific
academic outcomes can result in
schools’ lack of attention to other
important and interconnected
domains of adolescent development.
Youth in the Middle is a guide and set
of tools based on one community
school's three-year effort to
intentionally situate its work –
inclusive of a significant focus on
academic achievement – in the
context of a school-wide youth
development approach.
http://gardnercenter.stanford.edu/
Today’s Session
Outcome: By the end of this session, we will have an increased
understanding of techniques and tools that can support a
community approach for supporting the whole child.
Through activities and overviews of:
Whole Child Community Conversation: A Guide for Informal
Discussion Groups
A model for engaging the school and community in working together to
support the whole child.
Youth in the Middle : A Guide for Envisioning and
Implementing a Whole School Youth Development Approach
A guide and set of tools based on the three-year effort of one community
school.
Today’s Session
Youth in the Middle (YiM) Paired Interview Activity
•
•
Increase appreciation for the perspectives of school members in different roles
Identify individual and school strengths
Whole Child Community Conversation: A Guide for Informal Discussion Groups
•
•
•
Increase understanding of the whole child approach to learning and teaching
Improve decision making that is informed by community input
Develop a shared commitment to pursue resulting recommendations
YiM Overview: Implementing a Whole School Youth Development Approach
•
•
•
Kennedy Middle School’s process
Four areas of work central to taking a whole school youth development approach
Resources and tools to support this process in other schools
Closing Questions and Reflections
John W. Gardner Center
for Youth and Their Communities
Youth in the Middle
Community Schools National Forum
Youth in the Middle

A guide and set of tools for implementing a
whole-school youth development approach.

Based on the three-year effort of one
community school.

Multi-year process of intentionally
connecting across roles to support the full
development of young people.
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Kennedy Middle School

Grade 6-8 Community School (since 2000)

Demographics: (~850 students)

73% Hispanic
16% White

38% English Language Learners

66% qualified for Free or Reduced Price Lunch

Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Kennedy’s Process
Year One
Develop a shared
youth development
vision
10 participants
Year Two
Develop an
implementation
process
23 participants
Year Three
Begin whole school
implementation
All staff

Participants = administrators, community school
coordinator, teachers, after-school staff, family
engagement specialist, and community partners

Parent and youth input informed process
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Key Work Areas

Work Area 1: Engage Cross-Functional Expertise in
Support of Youth

Work Area 2: Situate Academic Learning and
Achievement in the Context of a Youth
Development Approach

Work Area 3: Integrate Local and Research Knowledge
into Professional Development

Work Area 4: Create Conditions and Habits for Shared
Responsibility
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Work Area 1:
Engage Cross-Functional Expertise in
Support of Youth

Objective: to help adults in different roles understand,
value, and ultimately seek the perspective and expertise
of all who live and work in the school setting

Tools Include:

Dreams for Our Youth: Creating a Shared Youth Development
Vision with All School Members:

Paired Interviews

School Culture Chalk Talk
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Work Area 2: Situate Academic Learning
and Achievement in the Context of a Youth
Development Approach

Objective: to help all adults understand the
interconnection between young adolescents’ intellectual,
physiological, emotional and social development.

Tools Include:

Activities
 Youth Development and Learning
 Our School’s Youth Development Strengths and Dreams
Resources
 What is Youth Development?
 Educator Definitions of Youth Development
 Youth Development Rubrics

Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Work Area 3:
Integrate Local and Research Knowledge
into Professional Development

Objective: to deepen knowledge of site practices (local
knowledge) and research-based practices (research
knowledge) in support of youth development.

Tools Include:

Activities
 A Workshop Template for Integrating Research and Local
Knowledge
Resources
 Weaving Outside Ideas Into Our School:
 Building Supportive Relationships as a Foundation for Learning
 Motivation Menu of Sample Strategies

Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Work Area 4:
Create Conditions and Habits for Shared
Responsibility

Objective: to develop school members’ capacity to
share responsibility for a youth-centered vision through
collaborative structures and habits.

Tools Include:

Activities
 Inclusive Communication and Shared Decision-Making

Resources
 Renewing School, Renewing Talk Productive Dialogue and
Difficult Conversation
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Accessing YiM Tools

JGC Web site:
http://gardnercenter.stanford.edu/resources/tools.html

Contact info:
Christina O’Guinn
coguinn@stanford.edu
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
FACT
1.2 million US high school students
drop out every year.
That’s one student every
26 SECONDS.
Or
6,000 students every school day.
Research and common sense
tell us when kids are. . .
Unhealthy
Research and common sense
tell us when kids are. . .
Unsupported
Research and common sense
tell us when kids are. . .
Bored
Research and common sense
tell us when kids are. . .
Scared
Research and common sense
tell us when kids are. . .
Tuned Out
They cannot
become their
BEST!
Across the United States…
 8% of teenagers are not in school and not working
 33% of kids live in families where no parent works full time
year round
 18% of kids live in poverty
 8% live in extreme poverty (<50% of poverty income)
 31% are obese
 20% of children under age 17 do not have health insurance
(www.kidscount.org)
Healthy
Each student enters
school healthy and
learns about and
practices a healthy
lifestyle.
Safe
Each student learns in an intellectually
challenging environment that is physically and
emotionally safe for students and adults.
Engaged
Each student is actively
engaged in learning and is
connected to the school and
broader community.
Supported
Each student has access
to personalized
learning and is
supported by qualified,
caring adults.
Challenged
Each graduate is
challenged academically
and prepared for success
in college or further study
and for employment in a
global environment.
Imagine...
A child important to you has just
turned 25 years old. How do you
hope to describe him or her?




Community Conversation
1. What does the phrase “to educate the
whole child” mean to you?
2. What does a community that educates
the whole child look like to you?
3. What are your hopes and fears about
educating the whole child?
 What are some of the things that public
schools in your community are doing to
ensure this whole child approach to
learning?
 What’s missing?
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Future Steps and Recommendations
 What are some policy considerations and issues
that need to be addressed to educate the whole
child?
 What practices need to be implemented or
changed to educate the whole child?
 What one thing are you as a group willing to do
to help us get there?
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010
Download your facilitators guide
www.wholechildeducation.org
Email me at jcameron@ascd.org
Community Schools National Forum– April, 2010