Resources

Underperformance

http://www.scilearn.com/blog/underperforming-student-success-strategies
Eric Jensen writes a great article outlines ways we can improve underperforming students.
While this isn’t a peer reviewed article, Eric Jensen is a former teacher and educational
leader and has his Ph.D. in Human Development. For over two decades he has synthesized
brain research and developed practical applications for educators and has authored over 29
books. So he I would consider him a pretty good authority on education and dealing with
students. He provides us with several strategies to help underperforming students:

1. Relationships matter the most. Learn how you can create relationships with
struggling students.
2. Understand the REAL problem. Part of succeeding with struggling students is
learning how to hear what people are not saying. Sometimes it looks like there's one
problem you're solving but it's really a different problem altogether.
3. Shift mindsets and expectations. Learn what kind of expectations are realistic with
the struggling student.
4. Build cognitive capacity relentlessly. How do you build cognitive capacity? And why is
this important? [Hint: Dr. Jensen recommends Fast ForWord!]
5. Teach grittiness for the long haul. Learn how you can teach grittiness.
6. Work on social and emotional skills. How do you teach social emotional skills?
7. Coaching for life. How do you become a coach for your students to be successful in
life?

They may have been let down by so many adults that they will need a reason to start trusting
you and respecting you. By building positive relationships with students you become the go
to adult and someone they will take instruction from.

Understand the real problem

Not all students learn at the same pace, you must find realistic expectations for each
individual student. This will avoid any student becoming bored or giving up because it is too
hard. Not only is this a good idea, but is a requirement of all teachers according to the
Australian professional standards for teachers,

Build cognitive capacity. Teach grittiness. Work on social and emotional skills and coach for
life.

By doing all these things you should expect to see an improvement in student grades and
outcomes.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Donald_Boyd/publication/4720152_Explaining_the_Sho
rt_Careers_of_High-Achieving_Teachers_in_Schools_with_Low-
Performing_Students/links/0c96051f7b1435aa57000000.pdf
Low-achieving students, particularly those in urban areas, often are taught by the least
skilled
teachers, a factor that likely contributes to the substantial gaps in academic achievement
among
income and racial/ethnic groups of students (Lankford, Loeb and Wyckoff, 2002; Clotfelter,
Ladd
and Vigdor, forthcoming).
We find that student achievement levels are correlated with teacher career outcomes, even
after accounting for student and teacher race.

This suggests that we need to train teachers more thoroughly before sending them out into
the workforce.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hank_Fien/publication/242113781_Students_Making_C
onnections_in_Mathematics_Conceptual_Mathematics_Intervention_for_Low-
Performing/links/0046353529625e5f07000000/Students-Making-Connections-in-
Mathematics-Conceptual-Mathematics-Intervention-for-Low-Performing.pdf]

Finally in my teaching area of mathematics many papers have been written on restructuring
mathematics lessons to be more conceptual rather than purely instructional. Ketterlin-Geller,
Chard, and Fien have suggested several different interventions that they have shown to be
successful in improving student performance.

The first includes using visual and graphic depictions, (b) systematic and explicit instruction,
(c) student think-alouds, (d) peer-assisted learning, (e) formative assessment data provided
to teachers, and (f) formative assessment data provided directly to students. These methods
will help to initially engage students, help them understand by explaining their reasoning out
loud, assist in collaborative learning, and help improve both the teacher and the student
through regular feedback.
The second is to provide students with extra time practicing recently taught skills in order to
drill the content into their brain.

The Knowing Math intervention is based on reteaching fundamental mathematics through a

conceptual approach to instruction. Central to this intervention is the use of student think-
alouds, one of the promising instructional practices described earlier. Students describe the
reasoning behind the mathematical procedures and concepts through scripted and
unscripted activities. During these activities, students model appropriate mathematical
thinking and verbalize their conceptual understanding of the material, thereby encouraging
deep understanding and allowing teachers to provide formative feedback. The Extended
Core intervention is based on the notion that struggling students will benefit from additional
time practicing recently taught skills in the core curriculum.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Susan_Empson/publication/238661684_Low-
Performing_Students_and_Teaching_Fractions_for_Understanding_An_Interactional_Analy
sis/links/02e7e52eff77d90674000000.pdf

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED442807.pdf

Provide all students with rigorous curricula.

Help teachers improve instruction.
Provide support to students.
Create smaller classes and school units.
Increase parent involvement.
Identify and fix ways low performance is manufactured.
Establish strong, yet fair, accountability.

It is important to note, though, that improving the performance of disenfranchised students

does not mean ignoring other students. Indeed, many of the changes advocated in this brief
such as making curricula more rigorous and creating smaller school units will benefit all
students.

Reluctance to follow reasonable instruction

http://thehighlyeffectiveteacher.com/10-ways-to-deal-with-a-student-who-wont-engage/

https://www.kysafeschools.org/pdfs-docs/clearpdf/issuesbriefs/iss.pdf
In the 1970’s, researchers began propagating the notion that out-of-school suspensions
(OSS)
were ineffective, and perhaps even detrimental to students. Administrators began developing
and
implementing in-school suspensions (ISS) as an alternative that would punish a misbehaving
student—a distraction at best, a danger to others at worst—without requiring him or her to
miss
instructional days. The idea was that students would continue time-on-task in a more
structured
and supervised environment.

https://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2011/10/22/following-directions/

Relational difficulties (peer pressure/bullying)

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jaana_Juvonen/publication/255788453_Bullying_in_Sc
hools_The_Power_of_Bullies_and_the_Plight_of_Victims/links/5663a70808ae4931cd5edee
4.pdf

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.910.7520&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Libby, Rosen, and Sedonaen (2005) have argued that young people often find their peers
more engaging and credible than adults in education and skills training.
The results revealed common changes associated with both of the intervention programs
and unique changes associated with the YLP. Overall, the results suggest that youth
leadership is a viable model for aggression prevention in schools, and integration of this
approach in current prevention strategies using adult leaders would be of benefit to students.

http://www.ppsw.rug.nl/~veenstra/CV/KiVa_VeenstraJEP14.pdf

In sum, our findings revealed that the level of bullying was lowest in classes in which the
teacher (in the eyes of students) showed high efficacy in battling bullying and low effort in
reducing bullying. Teachers’ effort was related to a reduction in bullying over time. In classes
where teachers were not efficacious and had to exert a great deal of effort to stop bullying,
students with probullying attitudes and without antibullying effort had the highest level of
bullying.

Pro-Corporal Punishment

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/51400NCJRS.pdf#page=37
“With the above qualifications, I feel that corporal punishment is a necessary tool for
educators. We should stop getting hysterical about the stimulus and concentrate on the
needs of the individual and the organization serving that child and thousands of other
individuals. The alternatives to corporal punishment are usually less attractive and, in my
opinion, much less effective.”

Start off the solutions by giving this quote. Lead into a fantasy where teacher walks up to hit
the student. Just before contact cut back to reality with the other 2 teachers frantically
objecting. Point out the paper is quite old and not a reliable source. Respond by showing
alternative solutions

More Strategies

http://www.childcarequarterly.com/pdf/summer17_parents.pdf

Benefits of parent involvement Many positive results may occur because of parent
involvement in the schools (Child Trends Data Bank 2013; Epstein 1985; Grant and Ray
2013; Van Voorhis et al. 2013). This type of involvement may affect every member in the
learning community.
■ Parental knowledge of children’s school activities may lead to participation in learning
activities at home, as parents talk with children about their daily activities.
■ Children are more academically successful.
■ Children have fewer behavioral problems.
■ Children are more likely to graduate from high school.
■ Teachers can rely on parental guidance and support for increasing children’s
developmental success.
■ Parent involvement continues through elementary, middle, and high schools. Involvement
during the early years of children’s lives may help to build a foundation for parents to
continue to be involved in their children’s educational lives at home and at school.
■ Parents develop a sense of belonging to their children’s school community.
■ Parents and children have opportunities to share time together.
■ Children experience joy in seeing their parents as a part of their schools

Video
Introduce the student and teachers.
Begin video in a classroom where our student will display several negative behaviours.
**Voice over describing the situation? Including age and gender
Teacher decides they need to seek the help of colleagues.
Teacher meets up with 2 other teachers of our student.
They all agree there are problems that need addressing and identify them as the following:
1. Underperformance across a number school subjects
2. Reluctance to follow reasonable instructions from teachers
3. Relational difficulties (e.g., bullying or peer pressure)
How do these issues affect the student, teacher, and school as a whole?
Back up with research.

Teachers meet up with solutions and strategies they have found.

One begin with quote :

I this in an an article by Reinholtz

“With the above qualifications, I feel that corporal punishment is a necessary tool for
educators. We should stop getting hysterical about the stimulus and concentrate on the
needs of the individual and the organization serving that child and thousands of other
individuals. The alternatives to corporal punishment are usually less attractive and, in my
opinion, much less effective.”
I could just hit him. Great idea.
Lead into a fantasy where teacher walks up to hit the student. Just before contact cut back to
reality with the other 2 teachers frantically objecting.
Point out the paper is quite old and not a reliable source.
Read continuing sentence:

“...if you're going to have an alternative it will be necessary to have people trained in how to
implement those alternatives. The university instructors today are not prepared to train the
future teaching professionals coming out of college in how to deal with some of our children
in the classroom. Until those alternatives are available and used, until the funding is
available, then this society must deal with the problems it is faced with currently. “

Respond by showing alternative solutions

Have short conversation and back on forth on good and bad ideas provided.

Show some of these in practice.

Meet a final time providing the results of each teachers’ findings.

See if any worked and how effective they were.

Reluctance to follow reasonable instructions from teachers

Effect on student, teacher and class

When a students is reluctant to follow reasonable instructions from the teacher, this can lead
to a number of different problems for the students, teacher as well as the class. Matherson
and Shriver (2005) found that when a student does not follow instructions or the rules, the
whole class suffers as the teacher focuses more time on getting that student to do work, in
turn reducing the time that the class is focused on the correct learning outcomes. Research
has also found that if students who regularly display negative behaviors such as
noncompliance are allowed to continue this behavior, the likelihood of other students to also
engage in noncompliant behavior increases due to this behavior becoming normal within the
classroom (Barth, Dunlap, Dane, Lochman, & Wells, 2004). The effects of students not
following the teacher's instructions has also been found to lead to greater levels of stress for
the teacher. This higher level of stress for the teacher has been linked to teachers lowering
their commitment levels to teaching, along with an increased risk of the teacher quitting
(Klassen & Chiu, 2011). A student's level of compliance has also been linked to academic
achievements and school connectedness, with a number of studies finding that a low level of
compliance frequently correlates with poor academic achievements and minimal school
connectedness (Bradshaw, Buckley, & Ialongo, 2008; Konishi et al., 2010; Malecki & Elliott,
2002).

Strategies

In order to decrease the level of students not following instructions a number of strategies
have been selected. One strategy relates to teachers recognising and encouraging correct
behaviour with praise and rewards. Sun (2014) suggests that the use of rewards and
recognition by teachers for student’s correct behaviour provides positive reinforcement and
encouragement to students to adopt the correct behaviours and to follow the instructions
given by the teacher. Another strategy that has been linked to increasing student compliance
is through the use of teachers giving effective commands. Forehand and McMahon (1981)
state that effective commands include; specific, easy to understand, appropriate to the
activity, phrased positively and told one at a time. Research has found that by teachers
providing effective teaching commands the level of student compliance increases when
compared to ineffective teaching commands (Matherson & Shriver, 2005). Hamlet, Axelrod,
and Kuerscher ( 1984) support this strategy stating that compliance levels can increase by
as much as 40% when eye contact is made by a teacher when providing instructions to a
student, followed by a positive reinforcement such as thank you after the student has started
to follow the instructions provided.

Bullying

Effect on student, teacher and class

When a student is bullied, this can lead to a number of different problems for the student,
teacher and school as a whole. Research shows that students that are bullied at school are
more likely to experience a range of different physiological problems such as depression,
anxiety, isolation and loneliness, as well as a range of academic problems such as school
avoidance, school disengagement and low levels of school valuing (Hutzell & Payne, 2012;
Juvonen, Wang, & Espinoza, 2011; Rothon, Head, Klineberg, & Stansfeld, 2011). Research
shows that these problems associated with bullying all have the potential to increases the
likelihood of a student falling behind academically as well as misbehaving in class, which
can both be seen in the example student (Kaur, Areepattamannil, Lee, Hong & Su, 2014).
Research has found that bullying not only affects the student being bullied but can also have
an effect on students that notice bullying therefore potentially affecting the whole school
(Lacey, Cornell & Konold, 2015). Hanson et al (2011) found that schools which had lower
levels of school bullying in turn had higher levels of academic achievement when compared
to similar schools with greater levels of school bullying.

Strategies

In order to decrease the chances of a student being bullied a number of strategies have
been selected. One strategy that has been found to reduce bullying in schools is the use of a
school wide anti-bullying program (Card & Hodges, 2008). This could include placing firm
rules and punishments for any bullying behaviours, teachers could also incorporate these
rules into the classroom in order for all students to feel safe and comfortable in every lesson
(Lacey, Cornell & Konold, 2015). Ttofi and Farrington (2011) support this strategy finding
that school based anti-bullying initiatives can successfully decrease the level of bullying
within a school.
How they all link
Differences in compliance and disruptions can have implications for student achievement as
student misbehavior often co-occurs with poor achievement and low school connectedness
(Bradshaw, Buckley, & Ialongo, 2008; Konishi et al., 2010; Malecki & Elliott, 2002).

Student not following instructions

Sun, R. C. (2014). Is school misbehavior a decision? Implications for school guidance.
International Journal of Social, Management, Economics and Business Engineering, 8(7),
2004-2008.
Positive Behavior Recognition
According to the behaviorism [24], positive reinforcement like tangible rewards, praise,
recognition and affirmation from significant others are incentives underpinning students to
adopt the prosocial norms and moral values, and act accordingly. In fact, seeking for
recognition is a human need for protecting and enhancing one’ self-esteem [25], and all
students need recognition to guide them to behave appropriately [14]. Hence, recognizing
students’ positive behavior is noted to be a constructive approach in reducing misbehavior.
Evidences were shown in the class-wide or school-wide positive behavior support programs
[26]-[28], in which students were more likely to behave cooperatively when the schools had
explicit rules and expectations, a clear system for reinforcing positive behavior, and effective
instructional methods and student classroom engagement.
In school, punishment is often used as a deterrent of misbehavior. However, it has been
argued that punishment can only suppress misbehavior shortly, and would inhibit student
responsibility in regulating their behavior [37], [38]. Indeed, rewards were found to be more
effective than punishment in encouraging positive behaviour [39]. Therefore, the present
findings added to the argument that recognizing students’ positive behavior not only
encourages future positive behavior, but also reduces misbehaviour [26]-[28].

Matherson, A, S,. & Shriver, M. (2005). Training Teachers to Give Effective Commands:
Effects on Student Compliance and Academic Behaviors. School Psychology Review, 34(2),
202-219.
A few studies have examined the inclusion of command training with teachers as part of a
multicomponent intervention package to improve student behavior in the classroom
(DeMartini-Scully, Bray, & Kehle, 2000; Musser, Bray, Kehle, & Jenson, 2001).
In particular, Forehand and McMahon (1981) identified effective commands as those that are
directly stated, are specific and consist of one step, are developmentally appropriate, are
phrased positively, and are given one at a time (e.g., there is at least a 5-second wait time
between commands). Training parents to issue effective commands to improve child
compliance is important, as parents often do not naturally provide high rates of effective
commands relative to typically high rates of ineffective commands (Shriver & Alien, 1997).
Hamlet, Axelrod, and Kuerscher ( 1984) demonstrated that compliance rates increased in
mean levels by as much as 40% over baseline measures when eye contact was established
during instructions and then compliance was followed by the teacher saying, "Thank you."
Further improvements in compliance and academic behaviors were noted when teachers
increased their use of praise in conjunction with using more effective commands. These
improvements in compliance and academic behaviors are supportive of the hypothesis that
increasing effective teacher commands would result in increased rates of student
compliance and academic behaviors. The study demonstrated that teacher training in
effective commands did improve teachers' use of effective commands. Likewise, training in
use of contingent verbal praise was effective in improving teacher use of verbal praise.
Students who are more likely to do what the teacher tells them to do and what the teacher
expects them to do (i.e., classroom rules, routines) may be more likely to engage in
academic-related behaviors (e.g., read a book, get out needed materials, complete a
worksheet). There is a degree of overlap in the response classes of compliance and
academic behaviors such that complying with teacher instructions regarding classroom
activities is also an academic behavior and actively engaging in academic behaviors is a
form of compliance.

Effects of students not following instructions

Matherson, A, S,. & Shriver, M. (2005). Training Teachers to Give Effective Commands:
Effects on Student Compliance and Academic Behaviors. School Psychology Review, 34(2),
202-219.
Managing students' inappropriate behaviors is a time-consuming task that reduces the
amount of time teachers spend on teaching and the amount of time students spend on
academic tasks. In urban school districts, student behavior that is incompatible with
academic responses and on-task behaviors occupies 15% to 25% of class time in first
through fourth grades (Greenwood, 1991). Rhode, Jenson, and Reavis (1993) suggest that
compliance rates below 40% may prevent a child from benefiting from instructional
opportunities.

A classroom environment characterized by a high rate of negative behaviors presents the

risk that such disruption becomes normative, leading otherwise nondisruptive students to
also engage in these behaviors (Barth, Dunlap, Dane, Lochman, & Wells, 2004).

Learning difficulties and not following instructions

Kyriacou argues that “the most common trigger for student misbehaviour seems to be
encountering learning difficulties which threaten the student’s self-esteem” (1997:124). It is
not difficult to find that children who have some behaviour problems often have low levels of
basic academic skills. A typical study by Wilgosh and Paitich (1982, cited in Long, 2000)
found that more than 60 percent of a sample of 99 girls and boys who were delinquents at
about 14 years of age were underachieving by two or more years in at least one area of
academic skills. It is easy to understand that people tend to do their best at the things in
which they are successful, and normally lose their interest in those things where even
though they make their efforts, thus fail constantly. When children find themselves
performing well in the classroom and get praise and rewards from the teacher frequently,
they will have a positive feeling about school and themselves and will be willing to work hard
and cooperate with teachers. On the other hand, the children who have difficulties with their
work will be probably unsatisfied with themselves and will have a negative feeling about
school and the classroom work. Constant failures of attainment will definitely threaten their
self-esteem; they easily doubt their ability to master the new work. Being unable to manage
any formal work in the classroom, they might easily turn their efforts to other activities, such
as talking with other children, which would be called disruptive behaviour in the classroom.
The association of learning difficulties and misbehaviour might make the children’s long-term
development of literacy get worse. On one hand, learning difficulties, which might originally
be from children finding lessons boring and losing interest in them, is one of the main causes
of student behaviour problems in the classroom. On the other hand, early behaviour
problems that prevent children from being involved with schoolwork will limit their progress
with literacy skills (Adams et al, 1999; Long, 2000).
Kyriacou (1997) points out, student misbehaviour is in large measure an attempt to maintain
their sense of self-dignity in the circumstance that confront them. Many studies have shown
that students are sensitive to how teachers behave to them, and it is easy to see how some
students may see their own misbehaviour simply as a fair and legitimate reaction to the
teacher’s teaching (Kyriacou, 1997:124).

Bullying info
Effect on student, teacher and class (Info)

Title Does bullying at school predict student academic performance? Evidence from 65
countries Author(s) Berinderjeet Kaur, Shaljan Areepattamannil, Daphnee Lee, Helen Hong
and Robyn Su Source American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 3-7 April 2014
detrimental effects of bullying at school include, among others, depression (e.g., Rothon,
Head, Klineberg, & Stansfeld, 2011; Turner et al., 2013), anxiety (e.g., Yen, 2013),
psychosomatic symptoms (e.g., Gini & Pozzoli, 2009), isolation and loneliness (e.g., Owusu,
Hart, Oliver, & Kang, 2011), suicidal ideation and suicide attempt (e.g., Hepburn, 2012;
Turner et al., 2013), and physical injury (e.g., Dukes, Stein, & Zane, 2010).
The academic consequences of bullying at school include, among others, school avoidance
(e.g., Hutzell & Payne, 2012), early school dropout (e.g., Cornell, Gregory, Huang, & Fan,
2013), school disengagement (e.g., Juvonen, Wang, & Espinoza, 2011; Mehta et al., 2013),
and low levels of school valuing and bonding (e.g., Farmer, Petrin, Brooks, Hamm, Lambert,
& Gravelle, 2012).

The Relations Between Teasing and Bullying and Middle School Standardized Exam
Performance
Anna Lacey1, Dewey Cornell1, and Timothy Konold1
Journal of Early Adolescence 2017, Vol. 37(2) 192 –221 © The Author(s) 2015

Bullying has also been found to affect student bystanders not directly involved as victims
(Pepler & Craig, 1995; Swearer, Espelage, Vaillancourt, & Hymel, 2010).
Regarding school-level effects, a California study found that schools with higher school-level
scores on the state’s Academic Performance Index had lower rates of peer victimization,
even after controlling for student demographics (Hanson et al., 2011). A Canadian study
found that school principal ratings of the extent of bullying in the school were associated with
school performance on achievement testing (Konishi, Hymel, Zumbo, & Li, 2010), and a
study of Virginia high schools found that student reports of the PTB in their school were
negatively associated with schoolwide passing rates on state-mandated achievement tests
(Lacey & Cornell, 2013). Notably, an association was found between student reports of how
much teasing and bullying they observed at school and schoolwide passing rates on state-
mandated achievement tests even after controlling for student reports of personal bullying
victimization (Lacey & Cornell, 2013). This finding suggested that lower school-level
academic performance was not simply related to the higher proportion of students who
reported being bullied but reflected a general school effect of teasing and bullying.
research suggests that student academic performance may benefit from improving school
climate (e.g., Bandyopadhyay et al., 2009; Cornell et al., 2013a; Konishi et al., 2010; Lacey
& Cornell, 2013). The present study found that student and teacher perceptions of greater
PTB were associated with lower school passing rates on six Virginia Standards of Learning
exams administered in middle school. These results are consistent with prior studies linking
reports of the PTB with school performance on similar exams in high schools (Lacey &
Cornell, 2013, 2016).
Teacher and student Prevalence of Teasing and Bullying scale ratings

The Relations Between Teasing and Bullying and Middle School Standardized Exam
Performance
Anna Lacey, Dewey Cornell, and Timothy Konold
Journal of Early Adolescence 2017, Vol. 37(2) 192 –221 © The Author(s) 2015

The findings of the current study suggest that attention to school climate, and in particular
the PTB in a school is warranted. Schools may benefit from schoolwide interventions aimed
to reduce bullying and improve civility among students (Card & Hodges, 2008). A schoolwide
emphasis is merited because the impact of bullying and teasing does not appear to be
limited to direct victims, but could affect the student body as a whole and the quality of
student engagement in school. Schoolwide interventions may be successful, in part, by
targeting school personnel, parents, and student perceptions and behaviors related to
bullying and setting firm rules and sanctions for bullying behaviors. Meta-analyses have
found that school-based antibullying programs effectively reduced victimization and bullying
(Ttofi & Farrington, 2011). Several program components have been associated with a
decrease in bullying including parent training, counseling with parents, improved supervision,
and teacher consultation regarding classroom management (Ttofi & Farrington, 2009, 2011).
For example, teachers and other staff may benefit from training to improve staff recognition
of bullying and intervention skills. Bullying prevention programs have also been shown
effective by increasing bystander intervention when bullying occurs (Polanin, Espelage, &
Pigott, 2012). When schoolwide interventions are not possible, Card and Hodges (2008)
suggested including individual interventions for both victims and aggressors. Individual
interventions may focus on improving social skills, decreasing risk factors, and minimizing
the longterm impact of bullying on the victim (e.g., depression). There are several
established schoolwide antibullying programs available such as the Olweus Bullying
Prevention Program (Limber, 2004) and Second Step Bullying Prevention Unit (Committee
for Children, 2012; Espelage, Low, Polanin, & Brown, 2013).