Page 57 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Cooperation Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 57
how does community learning work and how does it help reduce esl?
educational beliefs and expectations, and connect the individual’s interests
with both school contents and community resources. It is also especially
important that ESL students have access to caring adults and a climate that
recognises their experiential, intellectual and cultural wealth (Rodriguez
& Conchas, 2009; Yosso, 2005). This allows them to start to realise their
own goals, strengths and aspirations, and develop their resiliency, prob-
lem-solving skills, self-esteem, willingness, maturity and confidence for ac-
tive participation in the school and the community at large (Benard, 1991).
The research results of Zarrett and Eccles (2009) also show that com-
munity-school partnership importantly affects the school’s approach to
students in general. Schools and teachers become more responsive to a stu-
dent’s needs and are less prone to immediate use of disciplinary actions
when they know that someone from outside school is looking out for the
student’s potential and best interests.
Community learning also has a valuable role not only in ESL preven-
tion-based programmes but also in offering programmes and opportu-
nities for students who have already left the school system early (Epstein,
2001). After reviewing ESL compensation activities in 12 USA communi-
ties, Martin and Halperin (2006) identified eight common characteristics
of such schools and second-chance, community-based programmes that
had proved to be successful in practice (graduation of an ESL student to
one of the programmes): Open entry/open exit (students proceed through
the curricula modules at their own pace and graduate when they complete
all state and district requirements), flexible scheduling (flexibility that ac-
commodates students with families and work responsibilities), teachers
are coaches, facilitators and crew leaders (emphasis is on close, support-
ive and informal relationships, students are respected as adults), real-world
and career-oriented curricula (success of the programme is employment
not only the acquisition of paper credentials, cooperation with local em-
ployer needs), arrangement of employment opportunities in summer or af-
ter school hours, clear codes of conduct with consistent enforcement (strict
standards of attendance and effort, no drugs, violence or bullying), ex-
tensive support services (ESL students need adults who counsel, mentor
and guide them – case managers, social workers, child care workers etc.), a
portfolio of options for various student groups (ESL students leave schools
for a variety of reasons and have many different barriers to their re-entry,
this way they have an option to choose between different programmes and
select the one that best suits their needs).
57
educational beliefs and expectations, and connect the individual’s interests
with both school contents and community resources. It is also especially
important that ESL students have access to caring adults and a climate that
recognises their experiential, intellectual and cultural wealth (Rodriguez
& Conchas, 2009; Yosso, 2005). This allows them to start to realise their
own goals, strengths and aspirations, and develop their resiliency, prob-
lem-solving skills, self-esteem, willingness, maturity and confidence for ac-
tive participation in the school and the community at large (Benard, 1991).
The research results of Zarrett and Eccles (2009) also show that com-
munity-school partnership importantly affects the school’s approach to
students in general. Schools and teachers become more responsive to a stu-
dent’s needs and are less prone to immediate use of disciplinary actions
when they know that someone from outside school is looking out for the
student’s potential and best interests.
Community learning also has a valuable role not only in ESL preven-
tion-based programmes but also in offering programmes and opportu-
nities for students who have already left the school system early (Epstein,
2001). After reviewing ESL compensation activities in 12 USA communi-
ties, Martin and Halperin (2006) identified eight common characteristics
of such schools and second-chance, community-based programmes that
had proved to be successful in practice (graduation of an ESL student to
one of the programmes): Open entry/open exit (students proceed through
the curricula modules at their own pace and graduate when they complete
all state and district requirements), flexible scheduling (flexibility that ac-
commodates students with families and work responsibilities), teachers
are coaches, facilitators and crew leaders (emphasis is on close, support-
ive and informal relationships, students are respected as adults), real-world
and career-oriented curricula (success of the programme is employment
not only the acquisition of paper credentials, cooperation with local em-
ployer needs), arrangement of employment opportunities in summer or af-
ter school hours, clear codes of conduct with consistent enforcement (strict
standards of attendance and effort, no drugs, violence or bullying), ex-
tensive support services (ESL students need adults who counsel, mentor
and guide them – case managers, social workers, child care workers etc.), a
portfolio of options for various student groups (ESL students leave schools
for a variety of reasons and have many different barriers to their re-entry,
this way they have an option to choose between different programmes and
select the one that best suits their needs).
57
