For Principals
The School Leaders Network: “The SLN provides the structure for public school principals to work together in SLN Networks, guided by highly skilled SLN Facilitators using the research-based SLN Program Model, to solve real problems, to become innovative and inspired leaders who improve schools and student achievement, school-by-school, so that all students in under-resourced schools graduate with college ready skills.”
Learn more at: http://connectleadsucceed.org/learn-more/vision-mission
For Admistrators
The ASCD: “Formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, is an educational leadership organization dedicated to advancing best practices and policies for the success of each learner. Our 150,000 members in more than 145 countries are professional educators from all levels and subject areas––superintendents, supervisors, principals, teachers, professors of education, and school board members.
Our nonprofit, nonpartisan membership association provides expert and innovative solutions in professional development, capacity building, and educational leadership essential to the way educators learn, teach, and lead.”
Learn more at: http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107034/chapters/Student-Motivation,-Engagement,-and-Achievement.aspx
For Teachers
Connecting with Students: “Connecting with Students is an online community and training tools to help you connect with every student, help them be successful and stay in school. Learn relationship strategies to work with kids at risk of dropping out. “It reminds you of what you know and gives you a lift!”
Gain skills in cultural competency and mentoring through a process of self-reflection, collaborative inquiry and critical discourse. Learn about and share best practices, explore challenges, consider solutions and ideas of others and become part of a dynamic online learning community that values and supports kids.”
Learn more at: http://www.connectingwithstudents.org/intro.html
For Parents and the Public
Harvard Education Publishing Group: “In theory and rhetoric, the notion that teachers must build relationships with students is logical and well accepted. […] The question, however, is how do teachers and other educators build those relationships? Further, how do educators sustain them—especially during times of conflict—in order to maximize learning opportunities?”
Learn more at: http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/492
National Association of School Psychologists: “Students’ sense of belonging to school communities decreases as they progress through primary and secondary education . In fact, approximately half (40%–60%) of students are chronically disengaged from school by the time they reach high school. Furthermore, chronic school disengagement contributes to school dropout, which is a significant social problem, as 28% of U.S. students do not graduate from high school.
Thus, a lack of school engagement negatively affects millions of students, and efforts to connect students to schools should be at the forefront of current initiatives to improve education.”
Learn more at: http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/40/7/connecting-students.aspx
The Review of Educational Research: “Defining sense of community as a feeling of belongingness within a group, this article reviews research about students’ sense of acceptance within the school community to address three questions: Is this experience of belongingness important in an educational setting? Do students currently experience school as a community? And how do schools influence students’ sense of community?”
Learn more at: http://rer.sagepub.com/content/70/3/323.abstract
