Instructional Leadership: Removing Barriers to Learning

Question 1

Primary barriers to academic achievement: (4)

Answer 1

student attitudes and beliefs,
teacher expectations and beliefs,
family issues,
school culture (including attendance issues)

Question 2

School leaders can contribute to a school’s success by: (3)

Answer 2

1. creating diverse, inclusive programs to encourage growth for students and teachers,
2. encouraging people to take risks, and try new and innovative ideas (especially when old ideas are not working), and
3. working to build commitment toward a vision that empowers each individual

Question 3

According to the US Surgeon General, ___ in ___ children and adolescents will experience a significant mental health problem during their school years. Even if not significant, they have the potential to negatively impact learning and behavior.

Answer 3

1 in 5

Question 4

Young people need effective support systems in order to thrive. It is essential that young people have access to _____ _____ ______ and schools are an ideal setting to offer these services for a variety of reasons: spend most of waking hours at school.

Answer 4

mental health services

Question 5

Barriers to learning in the form of internal and external issues such as:

Answer 5

family problems, community violence, physical and mental health issues, social pressures, bullying

Question 6

Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP) [NCLB- “pupil services personnel,” IDEA- “related services personnel”] work in a wide range of disciplines, but all are part of a school’s education team that provides prevention and intervention services: counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, OT, PT, art therapists, dance/movement therapists, music therapists, SLPs, audiologists.

Answer 6

counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, OT, PT, art therapists, dance/movement therapists, music therapists, SLPs, audiologists.

Question 7

Poor attendance is the number one precursor of ….

Answer 7

truancy, delinquency, and dropping out.

Question 8

Health barriers to school attendance:

Answer 8

child abuse and/or neglect, drug or alcohol abuse, childhood depression, asthma or chronic illness, poor nutrition or health, lack of immunizations

Question 9

Financial barriers to school attendance:

Answer 9

insufficient food, proper clothing not available, homelessness, parent unemployment, problems communicating with social services, students needing to work

Question 10

Personal Barriers to school attendance:

Answer 10

peer pressure or inability to maintain friendships, feelings of rejection and failure, embarrassment due to lack of “fashionable” clothing, child believes the teacher does not like him/her, low self-esteem, to meet with friends

Question 11

Family barriers to school attendance:

Answer 11

child kept home for babysitting or caring for a sick parent, family history of dropping out, lack of adult supervision, parent addicted to drugs or alcohol, insufficient parent support

Question 12

Community/cultural barriers:

Answer 12

lack of safety in the community, insufficient use of community agencies, bullying due to cultural differences, language barriers

Question 13

School based barriers:

Answer 13

teacher conflict, inadequate transportation, fear of being bullied or cyber bullied, inappropriate programming- either too challenging or not challenging enough.