Thursday, November 11, 2010

Cherié Baker's Project

Journal Entry 10 - Emotional Level 2 to 3

Hi everyone,

I'll start by stating my question, and then give you all some background as to what I have accomplished and where I want to go.

I have been teaching at the Humboldt County Juvenile Detention Center for the past six years, and during this time (supported by attendance data) the recidivisim rate has increased. I have posed the question: What is the impact of providing a role model to released Juvenile Detention Center students on recidivism rates?

Using one of Ruby Payne's (1996) Twelve Key Points, "two things that help one break the cycle are eduction and relationships," provides the basis for a mentoring program. During our last Teacher Inquiry discussion, I asked fellow classmates to consider ways to handle this proposed mentoring program since I have students that come from the tri-county area (Battle Mountain, Winnemucca, and Lovelock). Some suggestions included texting students or using a Facebook page.

Through additional consideration, I have decided to concentrate my research efforts on only Winnemucca students. At the current time, I have a five possible subjects. I'm still in the process of constructing an inital survey based on Payne's beliefes that for students to break the cycle of recidivism they must have/aquire the emotional, mental, support syetems, relationship/role models, and knowledge of hidden rules. The survey will probe the exent to which students have these resources and their ability to break the cycle. Based on survey results, I will then construct strategies to help students aquire the resources they are lacking in hopes to reduce recidvism rates.

My hope is to have the survey completed by the end of this week. Then I will meet with each student's parole officer to gain needed permission for this project. My hope is to administer the survey shortly after release of an identified student and based on results, begin an appropriate mentoring strategy.

Any questions, concerns, suggestions at this point would be greatly appreciated.

Cherié Baker

3 comments:

  1. Cherie,
    Your focus sounds clear, your action plan sounds doable...I think this is going to be an amazing project. Now, probing questions/thoughts: what if your focus student moves away during the course of your study? How often do you plan to make contact with this students, will that be consistent? What would it look like if you invited the JPO to be a partner in this effort, or what is the JPO already doing to build relationships - is it working? why or why not... Hope these questions help! Happy TICing!!!
    Holly

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  2. These are great questions, and yes I do plan on bringing the JOP in on the project especially when it comes to parental permission and support, and finding out what is being done now when a student is released was one of my questions also, and something that I need to research. The meetings with students will definately be consistent and have a specific focus. I have been gathering information, using a lot of Ruby Payne to devise strategies that I will encorporate into student meetings, with the end result of increasing student resources to break the cycle of recidivism. It will also be interesting to determine if any of the strategies that I plan on employing are already in use, and by having one-on-one connections results in lower recidivism rates. Definately something to think about and persue. Talk to you soon. Cherié

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  3. Hello Cherie,

    Have you been on break for Christmas as well or are you back at work?

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