Enriching Education - Back to School Trend: Kids are growing up differently, school leader offers practical advice

 The world can be a challenging place, and students aren’t immune to the impact.

 

Aaron Thomas, the superintendent at Cornell School District, has watched a trend evolve over the past decade: Kids’ behaviors are changing, and that means they’re growing up differently.

 

“It’s difficult being a student these days,” Thomas says.  “And they’re changing. They’re driving later. They’re not dating as much as teens did back in the day. They’re also not drinking or using tobacco as much, which is a positive. But they’re not having some of the experiences they would learn from — things that might help them build resilience and emotional skills.”

 

One upshot of these changes is that schools have become a place that provides more support services and opportunities for personal growth.

 

At Cornell, this includes creating two “student wellness rooms” for different age groups where kids can seek a moment of calm during the school day.

 

Teachers, too, are a focus: The district has increased their professional development training around student mental health. This has led to better outcomes for everyone, Thomas says.

 

Instead of reacting instantly to a student’s behavior, teachers and administrators are now more likely to take a deep breath and inquire about what’s driving a student’s actions. This proactive step has created a “significant difference in the climate of our school buildings since this approach was put in place,” Thomas says. Discipline referrals and suspension rates have dropped. “It’s just a calmer feeling.”

 

For the upcoming school year, Cornell High School will introduce a new program called Sources of Strength.  It is a team of faculty members and student leaders aiming to create a positive school climate and culture.

 

It’s important to note that the rules haven’t changed. Thomas emphasizes that a compassionate approach does not mean that students are setting their own agenda.

 

“This is never a case of just letting the kids do what they want. [The adults] run this place,” he says. “However, we have to acknowledge that some of our students are coming in with certain circumstances that may have put them in a bad mental space. And they just need a bit of help and support — some understanding. If we take four or five minutes to acknowledge that and address it, that saves a lot of work down the road.”

 

It means, in other words, that teachers can get back to teaching and students can get back to learning. And if a child or teen needs a higher level of intervention, the school can look at next steps for that, too.

 

Cornell School District is a member of Future-Driven Schools, a regional alliance of school districts working to prepare every learner for tomorrow supported by The Grable Foundation.  Together, these districts help teachers, administrators, and board members do what they do best: innovate and collaborate in ways that benefit their students and communities.

 

"The Grable Foundation has been a generous supporter of the AASA Learning 2025 initiative which has allowed us to visit schools in our region as well as visit schools from other parts of the country.  We have also had the opportunity to hear from educational leaders from across the country about what they are doing to support student emotional well-being and it has allowed us to bring ideas back to Cornell," said Dr. Thomas. 

 

Dr. Thomas’ tips for supporting the evolving needs of today’s teens:

 

• Parents are encouraged to implement a balanced approach with phones and technology.  While it’s not realistic that kids should be disconnected throughout their teenage years, so the  importance of balancing the desire to connect through technology with real life interactions is critical.  “Cultivating schedules with phone-free time, or technology-free time is a good thing.”

 

• Parents might want to consider rules about their children refraining from social media access until age 14 or 15.  

 

• We encourage students taking time to read physical texts (magazines and books), not on a screen. “Old school methods sometimes are still the best ways to learn and grow and to gain essential reading, writing and thinking skills,” says Dr. Thomas.