2010 ISBC Annual Conference

Role of Co Curricular

Activities and Well BeingMatt Macoustra

(Head of Middle School –

Barker College, Sydney Australia)

Overview of Today’s

Presentation

• Areas of Focus

• Snap Shot of Barker College

• Some Research

• Scenario Work

• Questions & Discussion

• Avoidance of Death by Powerpoint

Role of Co Curricular Activities & Sports in

Positive Emotional and Mental well-being

- Overview

••Some AttributesSome Attributes

••ResearchResearch

••Positive Values DevelopmentPositive Values Development

••Dealing with Set Backs and FailureDealing with Set Backs and Failure

••ResilienceResilience

••Student Leadership DevelopmentStudent Leadership Development

••Helping Students Make Moral & Ethical DecisionsHelping Students Make Moral & Ethical Decisions

••Whole School approachWhole School approach

••Golden Rules for Teaching StaffGolden Rules for Teaching Staff

• Consider the article “Scripted Lessons Start a Classroom Revival”

• Think about students in ‘Your World’who are not connected

• Keep those students in your mind

A Typical Sports Saturday

114 Teams/groups

10 Separate

Activities

Over 1100 Boys

COMPULSORY ACTIVITIES

A summer and winter sport

Teen Ranch and The Grange

Barker Swimming Championships - Term 1

Barker Athletics Championships - Term 3

CAS Athletics (SIAC) - Term 3

CAS Home Games – Football and Rugby

Varying Social Contexts

• The context in which Team Sports occurs is therefore critical to the possible development of character.

• Character Development will not automatically occur simply by participating in a team sport.

Developing Character Traits &

Values

Some Co Curricular Guidelines in Developing Character Traits &

ValuesIn addition to focusing on the process in order

to develop character traits & values it is necessary to –

i. Emphasize

ii. Create opportunities

iii. Provide broad experiences

iv. Provide clear lessons

Some Co Curricular Guidelines in Developing Character Traits &

Values

v. Establish worth – reinforce effort

vi. Value even minimal contributions

vii. Provide opportunities beyond activities

viii. Awards based on values

A School Based Study

• N=75

• From “Elective” Physical Education Classes

• 2 Separate Music Ensembles

• Questionnaire Based

Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation

Enjoyment of Co Curricular activities at School 3 10 7.95 1.739

Need for Organisation to Participate 0 10 7.35 2.121

Co Curricular assisting in Development of

Organisation

0 10 6.30 2.448

Co Curricular giving Confidence in other Schoolwork 0 10 5.22 2.660

Enjoying contact with Peers during Co Curricular 3 10 8.32 1.637

Enjoy relating to Staff during Co Curricular 0 10 6.29 2.324

Co Curricular helping with Strategies to deal with

Success and Failure

0 10 6.38 2.605

Table 2.1 Correlations between enjoyment

of CC across general ability variables

.431**.317**.359**.351**

Enjoyment

of CC

Able to Focus on

Task

Adapt to Meet

Demands of Study

Develop Strategies

to Understand

Schoolwork

Arrange to Study

Without

Distraction

* p<.05 **p<.01

Table 2.2 Correlations between organisation

needed to participate in CC across general ability variables

.317**.319**.410**.347**

Need for

Organisation

to Participate

Adapt to Meet

Demands of Study

Set GoalsReflect Upon

Results and

Achievements

Arrange to Study

Without

Distraction

* p<.05 **p<.01

Table 2.3 Correlations between CC assisting in

development of organisation across general ability variables

.245*.472**.335**.408**

C C assisting

in

Development

of

Organisation

Able to Focus on

Task

Adapt to Meet

Demands of

Study

Develop

Strategies to

Understand

Schoolwork

Set Goals

* p<.05 **p<.01

Table 2.4 Correlations between CC assisting in development of

organisation across general ability variables

.236*.192.335**.372**

CC giving

Confidence

in other

Schoolwork

Able to Focus on

Task

Adapt to Meet

Demands of

Study

Develop

Strategies to

Understand

Schoolwork

Set Goals

* p<.05 **p<.01

Returning to our

“Unconnected Kids”

• Discuss some examples from your world

• How are the kids disconnected?

• What can the school do to overcome problems they are facing?

• What have you done in the past that has been successful?

What would you do?

• In groups – Discuss and record some thoughts about what you would do if you were the Principal or Athletic Director in a school in this situation

A Problem

• It is all well and good to say that we need to use a “whole school approach”

• What happens when different Co Curricular activities are ‘competing’ for the same kids?

• Discuss what you are doing in your schools

• What is working? What isn’t?

Priority System Example

• Priority Activities:

• Cadets - Monday afternoon & any calendarizedcamps, parades, or ceremonial activities

• Music – Wednesday (Senior School)

• Debating – Friday evening

• Sport – Monday (excluding Cadets), Tuesday, Thursday & Friday Afternoon, Saturday for CAS/ISA Activities

• Other Activities listed in the School Calender and confirmed as Priority Activities by the Headmaster and the CoCurricular Management Committee egSchool Musical, Drama Production

Using Co Curricular to Develop Character

– A Whole School Approach

•If the Development of Character is to be a school-

wide approach then it must be-

•i. Shared

•ii. Pervasive – underpin everything that is done

•iii. Defined (what do they traits/values look like?)

•iv. Modeled

•v. Studied & Discussed

•vi. Celebrated

•vii. Accountable

The Golden Rules for Teaching Character

•1. Be Intentional & Proactive in

Creating Opportunities for Students to

Develop Character

•2. Be Explicit in Teaching Character to

Students

•3. Reinforce Character when the

Opportunities present itself

•4. Model, model, model