Teenage heath and well-being in New Zealand

 

 

At the 2008 NZATE (English Teachers’) Conference in Takapuna, on the final day a keynote speech on teen health was given by Dr Simon Denny, MPH, FRACP. He is a Youth Health Physician working at the Center for Youth Health at The University of Auckland. Currently he is conducting Youth’07, following on from Youth2000, which was the first nationally representative health survey of students attending secondary schools in New Zealand.

 

Dr Denny opened with a number of quotes about ‘the state of youth’ that seemed to depict that things are worse these days, however the quotes turned out to date as far back as to Aristotle in 340BC!

 

Teens haven’t changed – but we can change their environment.

 

He explained studies which show that on their own, adults and teens will take a similar degree of risk. When the teen is with friends that risk behavior goes up dramatically.

 

The highest risk for teens: Driving at night with friends.

Harm minimization measures: restricted licensing laws.

 

Strengths based program

 

Focuses on healthy development, not just the illness.

 

For example depression-  at 18% for males, 9% for females.

Moving home more than two times was the risk factor for depression that cuts across all other outcomes.

Interestingly, spiritual beliefs were a risk factor for depression. This may be connected with duties and obligations of religion. These beliefs were a positive factor reducing inappropriate sex and drug behaviors.

 

Resiliency developed through:

 

1.    Relationship with parents

    – even when flawed still the most important 

     relationship in  teenage lives.

2.    Connections with family

3.    School connections

 

Ineffective Strategies for Violence Prevention

 

·        Scared straight – exposure to jails etc

·        Segregating aggressive students

·        Alternative education – increases student    

       engagement but increases risk behavior x 3- 4

• Short-term interventions

·        Identification of pre-violent adolescent –  

       unreliable tools

·        Focus on providing information

 

Effective Strategies:

 

·        Grounded in theory: healthy adolescent development

·        Strengths based: build competencies and skills

·        Strong Adult-youth relationships, connections

·        Intensive and long lasting. Few quick fixes.

 

Teenage Identity

 

-         behaviour

-         environment

-         stories you tell about yourself

-         family and community

 

Assigning teens drama roles e.g. ‘director’, changes behaviour through identity.

 

Young people have no pre-set direction so they must forge their own.

 

School engagement:

 

Is increased by academic expectations and rigor, positive adult-student relationships and safety – physical and emotional. 

 

Trusting relationships around students, teachers, staff and families.

 

Fostering high parent / family expectations for school performance

 

Every student feels close to at least one adult at school.

 

Safe and pro-social ways of researching controversial topics e.g. anorexia. Outwards looking approach.

 

Girls internalize.  Boys externalize.

 

Teens are hard-wired for risk. Adults can provide different risks and challenges.

 

Maori and Pasifika Achievement

 

How we together can make a difference.

 

At the 2008 NZATE (English Teachers’) Conference in Takapuna, the closing address was given by Professor Russell Bishop, professor of Maori Education at the University of Waikato School of Education. His Iwi/Hapu is Tainui /Ngati Awa.

 

Kia kaha

Kia toa

Kia manawanui

 

Be strong, brave and steadfast!

 

What works for Maori works for everybody

 

40% of young Maori leave school with no qualifications.

 

In the NZ Herald 60% of jobs required tertiary qualifications

2% require no qualifications.

 

 

Underachievement is not caused by poverty – in fact underachievement causes poverty.

 

Internationally, countries such as Korea and Japan achieve a high standard of education and high equity – or equality of education regardless of income. These countries are mono cultural.

New Zealand, the UK, Australia and the USA are multicultural. They have a high standard of education for some, but low equity. 

Historically in NZ we have dramatically raised girls’ achievement to the point where we had 3 women as Heads of State – so we can do this for Maori and Pasifika.

Up to 2002 a total of 50 Maori had gained PhDs. From 2002 to 2008 another 500 Maori achieved PhDs.

 

In the classroom:

 What works for Maori works for everybody

  

Te Kotahitanga Project found that students said having teachers who believed in them and created a non-threatening environment made them want to learn. The teachers in Te Kotahitanga Project boosted academic performance for all cultures by having high expectations and quality classroom relationships.

Relationships

Interaction

 

Studies show students of a similar culture to their teacher have many turns speaking in conversation. Non-similar culture kids have few turns.

However, don’t go thinking someone else is better suited for this job. You and I are there, so we are best suited to do it.

 

Adding value – relating and interacting.

Creating environments where young people can bring themselves into the classroom.

Culture Counts (1999) Bishop and Glynn

Sustaining and Extending Theory- Based Educational Reform Bishop, Berryman and O’Sullivan.

 

 

 

Ministry of Education:

Ka Hikitia: Maori Education Strategy

-  Lynette Bradham

 

Pasifika Team – Rosemary Mose, Kolose Lagavale,

                             Dorothy  Fotuali’i  McGeady

 

Despite all the work done, Maori achievement has not increased over the past 8 years.

Plan with Maori to succeed. Whanau –Hapu –Iwi

Maori determining relevant outcomes: e.g. a lawyer can help the Iwi with land claims.

 

PASIFIKA

 

 

73% of all Pasifika people live in Auckland.

40% of all NZ newborns at Middlemore Hospital, Mangere.

What are the kids’ backgrounds? Who is important in their lives?

 

Focus on doing the right things- not trying to do things right.

 

Don’t tell me why -

just show me how!

 

• Turbocharge engagement.
• Build trust- walk down the spiral path together
• MOE Pasifika Strategy launch in August 2008

 

 http://www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/4332     Pasifika Education Plan

http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications    statistics, indicators, research reports

 

Te Kotahitanga Research Project

 

Presenter: Pip Martin, Literacy Coordinator, Huntly College.

 

3 day intensive hui –

What is an effective teaching profile?

 

Culturally (Maori and teenage culture) appropriate

-         pronouncing their names correctly.    

Manaakitanga – caring for Maori as culturally located humans.

Manamotuhake – care for the performance and learning of Maori

Nga Whakapiringatanga – teachers can create and maintain a secure, well-managed environment:

§  format to lesson

§  negotiated rules

§  clear expectations

§  respectful relationships

 

Who is the adult in their lives that they can connect with?

Also – Every student should have at least one adult at school they feel close to. Dr Simon Denny, Center for Youth Health, University of Auckland. ( another keynote speaker).

Deal with behaviour in a positive way that leaves the student’s mana intact.

I think we could do it this way but I want you to tell me if you can think of a better way.

Teacher as the scribe- if no-one will write down ideas.

Next step – maybe someone else can put these in sequence?

Co-enquiries- enquiring together.

• Learning Intentions
• Success criteria
• Critical reflection

 How we together can make a difference.

 

 

Hello world!

Thank you to Natalie Cowie from Katikati College who gave an inspirational workshop on blogs, wikis and more at ‘Navigating the Textual sea’, the 2008 NZATE ( New Zealand Association for Teachers of English) Conference.

It’s all explained on this link to her conference material:

http://textualsea.pbwiki.com

This link goes to the fabulous blog Natalie has created for her lucky students!

http://ncowie.wordpress.com