WEEK 3 - FULL

Discussions

1. Implementation
    
   Based on your readings in the required resources, identify the main ‘barriers’ that you see to activating sectors in your community. What about building consensus? Why? Be specific, but not critical, in your examples. Which of the examples and suggestions in our required readings do you think would be the easiest to implement and would work best in your community? Why?
   
   
    
2. Methods 
    
   For your initial post:
   
   
   • First, watch the video from Edutopia titled Smart Hearts: Social and Emotional Learning Overview (http://www.edutopia.org/social-emotional-learning-overview-video)
   • Next, read the guest blog post on A Principal’s Reflection on Student Driven Schools (http://esheninger.blogspot.com/2011/05/student-driven-schools.html)
   • Then, watch the Edutopia classroom management video Classroom Management Video Tips for Teachers (http://www.edutopia.org/classroom-management-video), and read A Community of Learners: Building a Supporting Learning Environment (http://www.edutopia.org/envision-schools-learning-community-respect) and How to Provide Meaningful Support Services in a Virtual School: Robust Family Support (Part 1 of 4) (http://www.edutopia.org/blog/online-learning-pa-virtual-adrienne-scurry)
   • Finally, watch the two Search Institute’s videos on Sparks Matter: Finding Your Spark (http://youtu.be/bP89iBasyCE) and Sparks Matter: Listening for Sparks (http://youtu.be/R0Abi8oEgAw)
     
   Identify at least three specific examples of how the educators and administrators were able to incorporate the developmental assets into their content courses and everyday school operations and at least three examples of where the educators could ‘go further’ to identify and nurture ‘sparks.’ Which methods resonated with you? Do you see any barriers to incorporating these strategies in your instructional setting or community?
   
   

Journal

Power of One- Starting to Build Your Final Project

Reflect on the following statements and questions: Based on the work and research that we have done so far, where do you feel that you can make the best and most immediate impact in your school or community supporting and empowering youth? Why? What circumstances lead you to believe this?

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your journal entries.

Assignment

Power of One (Part I)

Develop a two- to four-page paper (excluding the title and reference pages) that provides:

• A description of your initiative, vision, and mission.
• A narrative summary of your community’s demographics, paying particular attention to those demographics related to the 40 Developmental Assets. The summarizing narrative must distinguish the specific assets focused on in your initiative.
• A defense of why the specific assets were selected and included in the narrative based on your community’s needs.

Your paper must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center, two to four pages in length, and cite at least three scholarly sources in addition to your textbook.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Required Resources

1. Read from your text, Assets in Action: A Handbook for Making Communities Better Places to Grow Up:
   • Chapter 5 – Activate Sectors and Invigorate Programs
• Chapter 6 – Influence Civic Decisions
   
2. Read from your text, A Quick-Start Guide to Building Assets in Your Prevention Program:
   • Pages 21-24
• Pages 25-26
   
3. Edutopia. (2009). Classroom Management Video Tips for Teachers [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/classroom-management-video
   • High Tech High engineering teacher Darrell McClendon quizzes his student on content questions as they enter the room.
      
4. Edutopia. (2007). Smart Hearts: Social and Emotional Learning Overview [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/social-emotional-learning-overview-video
   • This video describes how emotional intelligence must be developed in children before any other learning can effectively take place.
      
5. Lenz, B. (2007). A community of learners: Building a supporting learning environment. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/envision-schools-learning-community-respect
   • Bob Lenz discusses the Envision Schools and reviews how these schools support and empower their students.
      
6. Scurry, A. (2011). How to provide meaningful support services in a virtual school: Robust family support (part 1 of 4). Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/online-learning-pa-virtual-adrienne-scurry
   • Adrienne Scurry discusses the Diamond Model that the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School uses to identify and define their Family SupportDepartment.
      
7. Search Institute. (2010). Sparks Matter: Finding Your Spark [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP89iBasyCE&feature=youtu.be
   • In this video, students discuss the concept of sparks and how they motivate and empower them.
      
8. Search Institute. (2011). Sparks Matter: Listening for Sparks [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0Abi8oEgAw&feature=youtu.be
   • In this video, students discuss listening for sparks.
      
9. Sheninger, E. (2011). Student driven schools. A Principal’s Reflections. Retrieved from http://esheninger.blogspot.com/2011/05/student-driven-schools.html
   • This blog contains a guest post by two students at New Milford High School who wrote about a student initiative supported by administration.