Abigail Henry

10/14/2020

EDFD 460

Social Class Research Report

“Effort”

Parrett, W., & Budge, K. (2016, April 20). How Can High-Poverty Schools Connect With

Students? Retrieved October 14, 2020, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/high-poverty-

schools-connect-with-students-william-parrett-kathleen-budge.

William Parrett has a Ph.D. in Secondary Education from Indiana University Parrett is the

director of the Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies at Boise State University.

Parrett is co-author of nine books with his most recent, Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-

Performing Schools, being a 2012 award-winner. Kathleen Budge has a doctorate from the

University of Washington and has 26 years of experience in P-12 education. Budge works at

Boise State University as an associate professor where her work focuses on leadership,

education, school improvements, and poverty. Budge is also co-author of the award-winning

book Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools.

“In high-poverty schools, it’s critical to establish caring relationships, supporting

students through advisory programs, creating smaller learning environments, and

encourage participation in extracurricular activities.”

Section One
 The central argument made by Jenson on how effort affects engagement in the classroom

is that the primary factor of student motivation and engagement comes from the teacher and

school, rather than the environment of the student’s home. Jensen notes, “Effort can be taught,

and strong teachers do this every day.” It is important to realize that students who are showing

little effort are sending feedback to the teacher. That feedback should be used to create stronger

student engagement. To do this, there are five key classroom management techniques that

teachers need to perform.

The first classroom management technique is for the teacher to establish strong

relationships with their students. This is important to build respect as the students learn more

about their teacher and the teacher learns more about their students’ interests and home life. To

do this, teachers should offer choices so that the learning is more so the students’ idea. Next,

teachers need to make connections between academics and the student’s world. This helps to

make the learning more relevant to the students and helps keep them engaged in the learning.

When there is a disconnect between the students and the real world, students tend to give up. The

third classroom management technique is to acknowledge effort in the classroom every day.

Jensen writes, “When affirmed, challenged, and encourages, students work harder.” Jensen

recommends using a 3:1 ratio for comments. This is to say that a teacher should make three

positive comments for each one negative comment that is made. This method will enhance

learning and student growth. Next, teachers must set high goals in the classroom and help

students achieve them. Students need to believe they can reach these goals and to help them,

teachers need to provide real-world examples of success stories. These examples should show

adults who were in the same circumstances as the students and were able to successfully achieve

their goals. Lastly, it is important that teachers give daily feedback to their students. This will
show the students that they matter, show them that there is good inside them, and that they can

achieve great things.

Section Two

Parrett and Budge argue that students who feel safe and supported are at a greater

likelihood of success than those lacking health and safety at school. They state, “To learn,

children and adolescents need to feel safe and supported.” There are a few key ways to create

engagement between students and the school environment that lead to greater student efforts.

The first of these is the effects of building caring relationships with students. Next is the

importance of supporting students and the use of advisory programs to do so. Third is the use of

smaller learning environments to create engagement. Lastly is the encouragement of student

participation in extracurricular activities.

Caring relationships between students and their teachers and peers is important to

classroom effort. Parrett and Budge note that something as simple as reminders about late

assignments can foster a bond between teacher and student that shows the teacher cares as well

as that there are expectations that are to be met. The purpose of advisory programs is to help

students stay on top of their achievements. Parrett and Budge comment that to be effective, these

group meetings should last for 30 minutes each day. Students should be provided with support on

their homework, given career guidance and their individual needs should be addressed as well.

All staff members are given a group of 18 to 20 advisees with whom they will stay with for their

four years of high school. The staff members should help these students to navigate through high

school on their way to graduation and life after high school. Smaller learning environments are

an effective way to increase student effort because they authentically connect students with their
teachers and peers. These learning environments can be created by grouping students with a core

teacher or by creating an academy. Student participation in extracurricular activities can create a

bond between students and the school. This bond can lead to greater pride and inspire students to

achieve more in school, so they are able to participate in these activities.

Section Three: What educational strategies or interventions are offered by the outside author to

address the theme of the assigned section of the Jensen reading? How do these strategies or

interventions compare or contrast with those offered by Jensen in the assigned section of his

reading?

As allude to above, caring relationships are the foundation of successful students. It is

crucial that teachers set expectations and help their students meet those expectations to build a

strong bond of trust and understanding. Another way to grow those relationships is through the

use of small learning environments, in which students are given more direct and individualized

attention to help meet their needs. Teachers and administration may also use advisory programs

to serve their students. These give students individual academic and career help so that they are

successful throughout high school and beyond. Extracurricular activities, while seemingly

useless to academics, help build relationships between students and their school by providing

students with a safe place after school and giving a sense of pride and belonging.

Jensen, as well as Parrett and Budge, emphasize the importance of strong relationships

with students. They also both talk about the use of goals and/or expectations as well as support to

their students to achieve such things. While Jenson considers real-world connections to be

significance, Parrett and Budge believe that extracurricular activity could be an effective way to
increase student efforts. Both articles make great points on student efforts and how teachers and

schools can greatly affect student learning.