Did You Know?

Forty to sixty percent of all students say they feel disconnected from school.

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Above the Rest

When you think of your favorite teacher, what makes him or her stand out from the rest? Was it the questions that person asked about your life beyond the school walls? Did that person expect more of you than even you expected from yourself? Or help you find your voice when it felt like the rest of the world wouldn't listen? In addition to being a great teacher, that special adult undoubtedly took a personal interest in you and your success.

Whether a student is high achieving, at risk of dropping out, or somewhere in between, supportive adults that understand students' developmental needs often mean the difference between an A and an F, experimenting with drugs and alcohol or getting involved in extracurriculars, finding and developing personal strengths or dropping out of school. Creating a supportive learning environment is not just developing an add-on or a single program. It's a way of thinking about and being with students when we teach material or pass them on the street and when we provide feedback, develop curriculum, and plan homework assignments.

» In the month of November, we'll focus on the opportunities and challenges of supporting the whole child's success in school, developing a lifelong love of learning, and creating healthy habits and relationships. Tune in to this month's Whole Child Podcast, Supporting Students to Succeed: Keeping Kids from Checking Out and Dropping Out, to hear how schools are successfully creating networks of support to ensure that kids don't slip through the cracks. Robert Balfanz, codirector of the Everyone Graduates Center and research scientist at the Center for Social Organization of Schools of Johns Hopkins University, shares his extensive research on why students check out and drop out and what schools and communities can do to support students to stay in school. Tom Brewster, assistant superintendent of Pulaski County (Va.) Public Schools and chair of the NASBE Study Group on School-Community Partnerships, shares strategies for creating and sustaining community partnerships that impact the support students receive. Join us this month as we explore how to support each child to succeed by working beyond boundaries to nurture relationships that make a difference for student success and well-being.

Supporting the Whole Child E-Book Free Through November 17

ASCD's newest e-book, Supporting the Whole Child: Reflections on Best Practices in Learning, Teaching, and Leadership, is free to download through November 17. In it, authors such as Carol Ann Tomlinson, Douglas Fisher, and Robyn Jackson share perspectives and strategies for shaping instruction, providing scaffolds and interventions, and preparing students for the 21st century. Share your reactions, questions, and strategies for supporting students on the Whole Child Blog and share this great opportunity with colleagues and friends committed to educating the whole child.

» Expect More. Get More.

“In the end, most students come to school for their teacher, a teacher, several teachers, not for the abstract concept of school.”

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