(Thanks in advance to Janis Whitlock for contributing this article to the latest issue of School Climate Matters. Janis Whitlock is a Research Scientist in the Family Life Development Center and a Lecturer in the Department of Human Development. To learn more about Janis's work, click here.)
When I set out to study the conditions in schools most likely to foster thriving in adolescents, I expected to simply document what most of us already know — that individual relationships with adults are central. What I gained, however, was a much more complex understanding of the importance and influence of student engagement. In order for students to thrive, they do need meaningful relationships with adults, but they also need much more than that.
After sifting through decades of research in this area, I found these 5 critical take home lessons for all educators, parents or student leaders focused on cultivating engagement and positive connection to school life:
(Thanks in advance to Jay Goldman, guest blogging for us below. As an organization dedicated to improving the school community, we take great pride in sharing the supports of colleagues in the field who make a particularly powerful contribution to the cause. Jay Goldman, a professional Youth Speaker and founder of the Never Quit Program is one such individual, who inspires students everywhere to become their best selves by sharing his own message of volunteerism, passion, and hope. Read his story below and visit his website to learn more about how Jay can help your students find their voice.)
I first shared my story nearly ten years ago in a small support group at my high school. I spoke to underclassmen about the negative decisions I had made as a teenager, which led me to be hospitalized for alcohol poisoning, depression, and a suicide attempt on my sixteenth birthday. Surprisingly, I felt a strange sense of relief after sharing what I had gone through with the group. Because of this, I then started speaking for non-profit organizations and began sharing my story with other local youth and support groups. I am proud to say that I have now shared my story with tens of thousands of students and have been professionally speaking to youth audiences for the past five years.
It’s important for us to realize that we all have a story inside to share. For me, it’s a story of childhood disappointment, violence, disability, and a broken home. However, it’s also a story of perseverance, courage, hope, and compassion. I went from a kid who was held back in first grade for developmental issues, placed into a special education math and reading program, and attempting suicide at age sixteen, to speaking at The White House, volunteering with charities around the world, and receiving an award from The President of The United States at age twenty-five.
When schools invite me to speak to their students, I share real life stories of the events that I have witnessed and the decisions that I have made which have helped me become the person I am today. I leave the young people with whom I speak an understanding that the decisions they make will dictate the life they lead. I strongly state that not fighting for a dream is something they can regret for the rest of their life, and that living from their heart with love, compassion, and understanding will help them become the most fulfilled and successful people in the world. Most importantly, I leave them with confidence and a belief that it takes just one person to make a difference.