8th+Grade+Focus+Groups

= Focus Area One: Respect =

Statements from the My Voice Survey:

 * 1) 43% of students feel bullying is a problem
 * 2) 39% of students say they respect each other
 * 3) 52% of students respect teachers
 * 4) 50% of students feel that they are supportive of each other
 * 5) 21% have difficulty fitting in

Central Question

 * 1) What does the word respect mean to you?
 * 2) Where does respect begin in a relationship?
 * 3) What do you do to show respect to other students and your teachers?
 * 4) Describe what it looks like when students don't respect each other.
 * 5) Students have said that bullying is a problem. Tell me what you think.
 * 6) How could students and teachers address bullying?
 * 7) Do you have any ideas about what action we could take to improve respect between students?

What does the word respect mean to you?

 * Not the same as liking someone
 * You look up to someone and you care enough to honor them
 * Listen to others

Where does respect begin in a relationship?
 * At the beginning but it can be lost and gained back, but it would be hard
 * Depends on who you are
 * The more respect that is shown the more respect is given

What do you do to show respect to other students and your teachers?
 * Listen to what they have to say
 * Give them courtesy
 * Do what they tell you (teachers) even if you don't want to
 * Encourage them
 * __Be kind__
 * Don't gossip about people
 * __Trust__

Describe what it looks like when students don't respect each other.
 * Name calling
 * Getting yelled at and told to shut-up
 * Other people just look at people are who are fighting and don't do anything
 * __Gossip__

Students have said that bullying is a problem. Tell me what you think.
 * It's not physical bullying at our school it's more verbal than emotional
 * Some people fight with each other every day
 * Teachers know about it but there's not enough done about it to stop it; they don't think it's big enough of an issue to stop it
 * Students don't have enough integrity to stop it because they want to fit in
 * Some people think it's just normal and they get used to it
 * People ignore the bullying that happens because they don't want to get bullied

How could students and teachers address bullying?
 * Have more serious consequences
 * Teachers lecture students to the side (that's harsher than detention - tell students you're disappointed in them) --> Find a person that the student respects and looks up to and have them talk to the student about it
 * Bullies should go to counseling to help them because they obviously have problems
 * Find students to talk things out with bullying issues

Do you have any ideas about what action we could take to improve respect between students?
 * Keep your friends accountable (if they're doing something unacceptable then let them know)
 * People don't trust each other enough so we need to do something to build trust in each other
 * Talk about trust more
 * Trust people with something small and see if you can trust them
 * Be real with people
 * Be nice to people

What ideas do you have for students and teachers to make learning more fun?

Ideas for improvement:

 * When people are gossiping let them know that someone always gets hurt when gossip is involved
 * Ignore/walk away the gossip that others do tell you instead of playing into it or spreading it


 * If you see bullying happen try to step in (since it's verbal)
 * There's not enough punishment for people to stop so we need steeper consequences
 * We need a counselor at this school


 * ACTION PLAN: **
 * Every week talk to 3 people you don't normally hang out with
 * Every week write 1 motivational note to someone who seems to need it

=

= = Focus Area Two: Fun and Excitement/Risk Taking =

Statements from the My Voice Survey:

 * 1) 54% of students enjoy being at school
 * 2) 48% of students feel that teachers make school an exciting place to learn
 * 3) 31% of students are afraid to try something if "I think I might fail"
 * 4) 72% enjoy participating in class, 77% enjoy working on projects with other students, 42% of students say school is boring
 * 5) 59% of students feel teachers have fun at school

Central Question:

 * 1) How do you know teachers are having fun at school?
 * 2) What does it look like when a teacher is having fun?
 * 3) High % of students enjoy participating in class, high % enjoy working on projects, but high % say school is boring. What do you think about this?
 * 4) What makes you want to take risks in class?
 * 5) What makes you not want to take risks in class?
 * 6) Describe a challenging assignment that you've enjoyed.
 * 7) Describe a challenging assignment that you did not enjoy.
 * 8) What does fun learning look like?
 * 9) What ideas do you have for students and teachers to make learning more fun?

Understanding the issue:
How do you know teachers are having fun at school?
 * not mad &yelling guesstures
 * joke around with students so it shows they're not just there for the learning
 * when we do hands on activities
 * when teachers use verbal things (that's awesome) and to show

What does it look like when a teacher is having fun?
 * smiling
 * laughing
 * high energy

High % of students enjoy participating in class, high % enjoy working on projects, but high % say school is boring. What do you think about this?
 * Most projects are fun
 * ipads and technology are a lot more interesting
 * it's a lot easier to learn from a project and it keeps your interest
 * working with people/friends is more interesting
 * __book work does not help at all__

What makes you want to take risks in class?
 * Getting better grades
 * When it's fun; something good will come out of it even if it's not a good grade
 * __Being rewarded__ (positive attention) for trying, not necessarily for the outcome
 * Thinking positive
 * Not taking offense; people treating others like family

What makes you not want to take risks in class?
 * Thinking you'll look dumb/feel stupid/people will make fun of you
 * Knowing you'll get a lecture if you get it wrong
 * Caring about what other people will think
 * Fear of being wrong

Describe a challenging assignment that you've enjoyed.
 * service learning - you know something good is going to some out of it & that you helped someone & you had personal connection to it
 * dissecting animals - learned a lot but also there was some risk b/c if you cut too far you would mess it up & it was hands on & setting your own limits to be cautious; learning while you're having fun; self-taught

Describe a challenging assignment that you did not enjoy.
 * webquest - multiple tasks and trying to remember and try to keep it altogether
 * having multiple assignments due at the same time and not enough time to complete large projects
 * AR points - if you try hard on the test then you need a lot of points and other people just don't try on the test and so they don't need very many points

What does fun learning look like?
 * laughing and talking about the topic they're learning
 * discussing
 * technology
 * group work
 * debating

What ideas do you have for students and teachers to make learning more fun?
 * Teachers use a lot more technology (new things)
 * Teachers use more hands on projects
 * Teachers use less lectures
 * Students try not to get off task so easily
 * Students try to relate it to something you already know
 * Students try not to get offended
 * More individualization

**Ideas for improvement:** More options (student choice) should be given for students Students who don't enjoy reading should be taught how to enjoy reading instead of just being forced to read (try talking to the librarians) --> Maybe have a class for this Students should be held more accountable for AR each quarter as school goes along, maybe even after school and have it affect your extracurricular activities Have students pick books they want to read and once a week in Skills have students discuss and debate the books they're reading More/different rewards (students who don't get to participate should have to work) --> __Full day reward__ Meeting together as groups and discussing intense questions about bullying & things like that (groups are all mixed with different grades) --> especially in high school so it's not so intimidating Don't be scared to say stuff in class Teachers should call on students more, especially ones who aren't participating Students who say something/make fun of others for answering questions and getting things wrong Students try to bond with the whole class more (making a classrooms a SAFE place to talk and say stuff)


 * ACTION PLAN:**
 * Give each teacher 1 suggestion of something fun or creative that students would like to do in that class
 * 2 student-led surprise & delights
 * 1 student-led conversation in each class (students research things on their own and lead discussions about what they learned)
 * Say something encouraging to peers so they will feel comfortable speaking out/stepping outside of the box (you had a good answer just say it; just try it; try to jog their memory - remember when we . . . ; at least you tried; you'll get it next time)