Student Proficiencies

From 2000-2003, the CSSI (Curriculum Standards for School Improvement) was engaged in a study of student proficiencies. The staff was surveyed about the skills they thought were most important for students to develop before graduating. Using the data collected, CSSI constructed a survey to collect feedback from various constituent groups e.g. senior students, alumni (Classes of 1997 and 2000), teachers and parents. CSSI then identified problem areas and began to study how the proficiencies are being addressed in our schools. After careful consideration, CSSI members realized that we are already doing quite a bit to teach these proficiencies. Following are the 23 proficiencies studied by CSSI. They are linked to a variety of resources that will help faculty members integrate them into their teaching.

1. Reading (Read critically and comprehend a variety of materials at an appropriate developmental level).

2. Writing (express written ideas clearly to a variety of audiences).

3. Speaking (express ideas clearly to a variety of audiences)

4. Listening (listen with an open mind).

5. Knowledge of Technology for Post High School Success.

6. Knowledge of Math for Post High School Success.

7. Knowledge of Science for Post High School Success.

8. Knowledge of Social Sciences for Post High School Success.

9. Appreciation of the Arts (theatre, visual arts, dance, music).

10. Physical Health (importance of wellness and fitness and making healthy lifestyle choices).

11. Mental and Emotional Health (encouraging positive self image and developing coping skills).

12. Critical Thinking (make good decisions based on understanding the consequences).

13. Problem Solving (diagnose a problem, identify the cause, and solve the problem).

14. Interpersonal Skills (respect, tolerance, compassion and the ability to cooperate).

15. Service and Citizenship (contribute time, energy and caring to the community and school).

16. Conflict resolution (resolve disputes n a calm way, utilizing available resources). School Assistance Program

17. Responsibility (responsible for self and others, standing up for yourself, making good choices).

18. Lifelong Learning (appreciate value of learning and educations throughout life).

19. Well-rounded (exposure to a wide variety of experiences and opportunities).

20. Organization, Time Management, Study Skills. North SIP - - West SIP

21. Career and Practical Life Skills (find a job, manage finances, balance checkbook, use first aid and CPR, etc.) North AS&T Resources , West AS&T Resources , West College and Careers Resource Center , North College and Careers Resource Center , North Education to Careers , West Education to Careers

22. Research Techniques (access, use, and present information).

23. Goal Setting and Future Planning (make and achieve short-term and long-term goals and post high school plans).

Teacher Intervention - Mental and Emotional Health

Demand that students respect each other; trust develops from respect.
Trust students; treat them honestly, letting them know about their progress in a positive way gives you a chance to constructively offer ideas for improvement, further showing that you care about the individual student.
Let students see the "real you"-- not that they need too much personal information, but know that they can sense a great deal. Be honest with who you are; it will only aid in keeping the channels of communication open.
Listening is an art; students really respect you when you listen to them.
Allow students to be a part of the decision making process, when appropriate. It's amazing how much insight they have.
Let a student know when you appreciate and value his/her individual contribution to the group.
Reinforce often the importance of what is being done in class. Hopefully the students will see the benefit.
Require students to "be on task."
No put-downs; do not allow students to make negative comments about anyone.
In our classroom community, all work is displayed and discussed.
Students have the opportunity to re-submit artwork to improve upon work after a class critique.
Students mentor each other and give each other positive feedback to encourage and build confidence.
Students' work is placed on exhibit and students participate in art projects that are permanently installed in the school.
Students are required to speak respectfully to each other and to talk about issues that come up.
The environment is safe - we are a unit. Artwork is sacred and personal and we treat it as such.
Frustrated students and insecure students are encouraged to express their feelings in their artwork or after school for more one-on-one attention.
Tell the kids the truth, bad or good. Get rid of the bad stuff and keep the good in whatever they do.
When we are honest with them, kids intrinsically feel good about what they're doing.
Establish basic connections between teacher and student.
Assign long-term projects -- to teach students that working hard pays off long down the road.
Teach students to trust and faith in themselves.
Classes have been established in leadership.
Engage students in private lessons.
Create an inn-depth unit on stress management.
Discuss self-esteem and self-respect skills, with regard to success in the workplace
Stress positive attitudes and accepting responsibility (both are good for self-esteem).
In order to build confidence and self-esteem, students are assigned projects based on ability:
advanced students are given more difficult drawings, struggling students are given less challenging projects.
Classes prepare non-college bound students for choosing alternatives to 4 year post-secondary institutions and feeling comfortable with those choices.
In Marketing, students complete positive reflections after each project. At semester end, they choose the 5 projects of which they are most proud and put them together into a career-type portfolio; additional positive reflections are added to the portfolio.
Explore/provide different means of expression (writing, verbal, drawing, video, posters, journals) in order to complete assignments.
Praise students for anything well done. Acknowledge student's achievements in other activities in front of class.
Give positive feedback to every student during class and extra-curricular activities. Encourage students to be positive toward each other.
In dance & aerobics, a full class period is used for relaxation (exercises) before finals.
Try to teach to all learning styles in your classroom.
Dance & aerobics are excellent ways to reduce stress and anxiety.
In Driver's Ed, when students are able to complete complex driving skills on the range or behind the wheel, they generally feel very good about themselves and what they've accomplished.
Strength & conditioning promotes positive self-image. Benefits of weight training are continually stressed. The course is designed to allow kids to see that they are improving all the time; if they see this, it promotes self-confidence.
Set goals; break them into pieces (short & long term); bring guest speakers; cover relaxation activities such as positive thinking; realistic or positive self-talk; cover defense/coping mechanisms; get involved in school activities.
In aerobics and martial art classes, students study holistic health focusing on both mental and emotional health. Students learn relaxation technique, meditation and yoga. In martial arts, students also learn how to deal with conflicts and violence.
Nominate and choose students of the month in PE. I have received feedback from those students, saying how great they felt.
When students turn in a piece of writing, I sometimes place them into groups of four. They read their stories to one another; after the student reads, the others in the group write down one aspect of the student's writing that they liked. They then read their compliments to the writer. Sharing writing in this way fosters students' pride in their work.
Design some lesson plans that deal with positive self-image. Examine the media specifically. Put a positive comment on students' class work. It is important for students to read something positive before they see constructive criticism.
Through interactions with students, model appropriate coping skills.
Call parents to tell them something positive about their son/daughter.
Acknowledge student responses and try to incorporate what they say into the discussion or notes at the time. Make yourself available before and after school as well as throughout the day to talk.

Teacher Intervention - Community Service Projects

Knit scarves for the homeless.
Attend community events.
Write letters of thanks and support to Ground Zero workers.
Draft proposals for changes in school and in the community .
Write letters on behalf of Amnesty International.
Write letters to newspapers speaking out on issues of concern (earth conservation, etc) .
Have students volunteer to building recycling pick-up.
Sponsor open mic. nights for various charitable causes.
Announce volunteer opportunities in homeroom.
Give extra credit for students who participate in Coffeehouse.
Cheerleaders hold raffle; proceeds donated to Leukemia Foundation.
Cheerleaders purchase Christmas gifts for needy (done annually).
Cheerleaders hold food drive dinner.
Encourage predication in WHO (We Help Others at North/West Helps Others at West).
Encourage participation in food drives.
Require students to complete two field experiences during year (i.e. volunteering in soup kitchen, homeless shelter, at Streetwise, etc)
Encourage students to participate in activities sponsored by WHO.
talk with students about those who need help and encourage them to help to provide that help.
Organize a trip to Springfield to plant trees in response to amount of paper used in school.
Write letters in Spanish to Amnesty International in Argentina or similar organization.
Provide lists of volunteer agencies to students; teacher may offer extra credit for students who volunteer.
Encourage social awareness through reading of literature and writing of assignments. Students compare issues in literature and compare with current issues.
Provide four free concerts to the community annually.
Invite Senior citizens to attend holiday concert/community party each Dec. sponsored by Skokie Chamber of Commerce.
Small group ensembles perform for special events as requested by groups such as Lions Club, United Way, Kiwanis, etc.
Provide free co-curricular theater productions each year.
Bring children's plays available to area schools.
Students provide mentoring presentation at middle schools.
Drama students coach middle school students on theatrical productions.
Drama tech students provide support for school events held in auditorium.
Bring frame performances to both non-profit and retail places.
Exhibit student art work at Northbrook Court, Evanston Great Frame Up.
Have students enter the annual Skokie Human Resources Poster Contest.
Design posters for Morton Grove Fire Dept, Skokie Festival of Cultures, etc.
Enter the 9th Congressional District Art Exhibit.
Hold a silent auction for The Children's Place at Spring 2002 Orchestra Concert.
Encourage students to volunteer their services as tutors within the school.
Encourage students to participate in Project Lead.
Encourage students to participate in Peer Advisors Leading Students (PALS), and to mentor transfer students and kids who are reportedly socially isolated; also raise funds for cancer.
Students volunteer in nurse's office, deans' office, guidance office, college/career resource center.
Make cookies for the homeless.
Students volunteered for ALS Music Mart.
Students donated items to local charitable thrift shops.
Students assisted with PTSA mailings.
Global Studies class did fund raising for "Save the Children."
Environmental Club runs the school recycling program; works in the forest preserves, writes letters on energy and animal rights issues.
Discuss numerical/financial aspects of current issues.
Students participated in "E-Mentoring Program"--e-mailing local professionals who were asked to make "real-world" connections to current class content.
Senior Board plans activities to get students involved in school, help promote school spirit, respect, citizenship.
H2O participates in school recycling program.
Students will write letters to local businesses regarding energy usage.
Have students participate in project Enercon 2020.
Vikettes perform at half-time.
Junior Class Board promotes service to the school.
River trips are used to determine water quality of Chicago River; students can address pollution and ways to prevent.
Fundraising for children's leukemia research in Northbrook.
TRI-M entertains the elderly at Orchard Manor during winter break.
Friends of the Chicago River sponsored clean-up day and Student Congress.
Girls track and cross-country athletes assist at the Skokie Spirit race.
SADD Club will host Cook County Sheriff's Dept 3-D program (driving, drugs, destruction) and the pre-prom activity (simulated car crash) in conjunction with Skokie Fire Dept.
Soph English students do charity research paper, with kids donating to "best" charity and teacher matching the funds.
Yearbook kids participate in breast cancer walk
Have Sociology students engage in community projects: soup kitchens, hospitals, after-school programs, peer jury.
Orchestra collects money from audience at 3 concerts and donates it to Make A Wish
Foundation; also brings canned food for Niles Township Food Pantry instead of desserts for post-concert reception
String quartets perform at community and school events throughout the year.
Students receive extra credit if they volunteer at nursing home, reading to residents in French.
Students will be going to a soup kitchen to follow up on a social studies unit.
Hold discussions in classroom to improve awareness and opportunities to participate.
have students share opinion of how important community improvement and volunteering is.
Students are praised when involved in walks for AIDS, breast cancer, etc. and discuss it.
Promote "candy striping" at local hospitals.
Latino Club visits orphanage and participates in Toys for Tots.
Homeroom brought in Christmas presents for disadvantaged child.
Athletic Leadership council raises money through various activities for the community food pantry.
Varsity football team has about 6 students who volunteer at the Lutheran General Hospital cancer ward.
Team West Program: players help with coaching 5th - 8th grades summer football program.
Student athlete participate in keeping West "looking good" - they clean the grounds, etc.
Cross-country team is encouraged to walk for breast cancer and volunteer to work at the Chicago Marathon.
Previously, classes have volunteered to make flags and flower tributes for veterans and cancer survivors through Project Rosebud.
In the future, encourage female athletes to participate in the Glass Slipper program, which accepts donations of slightly worn prom and homecoming dresses which are given to underprivileged high school students
In May, the varsity softball team collects money for Misericordia Candy Days.
Girls' volleyball team volunteers at Children's Memorial Hospital.
In Health class, students wrote sympathy cards to people who experienced a tragic situation.
Sociology classes offer students opportunity to do community service work as one choice among several suggested assignments.