Take Action in Secondary Schools

SECTION II:
Understanding Substance Use and Abuse in the School Community

Positive School Culture

What Does this Mean for Teachers, Support Staff, and Schools?

The social environment of the school is a key factor influencing the healthy development of young people. Research has indicated that students who feel attached to their schools are less likely to engage in anti-social behaviour or drug use practices. On the other hand, a feeling of alienation or not belonging can lead to behaviour problems, substance use and anti-social activities.

There is a current focus on schools as communities, rather than just institutions. Community in this context is an expression of school culture. School culture is based on a set of issues and relationships and each school’s culture is created by the combination of people at a given time. It is greater than the sum of individual contributions and is a process.

A positive school culture is linked to improved academic and behavioural outcomes. Fewer problems are expected because socially cohesive and democratic school cultures instill in students a sense of school membership, where they experience feelings of communal acceptance and belonging and attachment to school life. Specifically, environmental conditions shape individual student feelings and attitudes, which in turn exert a direct impact on their academic performance, mental health, and behavioural tendencies.

The quality of the students’ relationships with the school, principal, teachers, support staff, school rules, and their peers influences their sense of belonging. The protective effect of feelings of attachment is provided by:

• Warm relationships of mutual respect
• Teachers/support staff who recognize that students contribute to finding solutions which balance justice, care and truthfulness and conduct their classes based on this philosophy
• Teachers/support staff who model positive interpersonal behaviour
• Teacher/support staff styles that stimulate active student participation
• Classes that promote democratic attitudes and values
• Classes that foster the normative value of helping

What Can Schools Do?

Schools are encouraged to introduce or strengthen existing programs that provide students, support staff and teachers with opportunities to meet and interact with one another on an informal basis. They are also encouraged to provide students with access to resources and activities that hold potential for promoting positive peer bonding (e.g., school buddies programs, extracurricular activities, or school clubs).

Schools should strengthen policies and programs that promote academic expectations for their students. As well, they should strengthen learning goals that place more emphasis on mastery and understanding of subject matter, and less emphasis on competition.

To address negative behavioural norms, schools should consider introducing anti-bullying programs and increase their use of hall monitors. Antibullying programs may help to address the high levels of reported verbal abuse. Increased use of hall monitors can be an effective tool in preventing or reducing truancy, drug use on school premises and verbal abuse. Other problems that were mentioned by students, such as fighting, theft of personal property, and vandalism, might also be addressed in this way.

Schools can develop a “School as Community” framework that is built on the following qualities and principles: belonging, equality, fairness, respect, caring, cooperation, trust, recognition, and shared beliefs and values.

What Can Teachers and Support Staff Do?

The quality of the students’ relationships with school includes their relationship with teachers and support staff, because a positive relationship with at least one adult, who is not the parent, builds on protective factors.

Staff can also contribute to the framework that increases students’ sense of community and attachment by including the qualities and principles in the environment of their classroom. They can build on the school environment, where the protective effect of feelings of attachment is present. For example:

• Set clear classroom boundaries with clear rules and consequences
• Encourage constructive use of time
• Foster an environment that encourages a commitment to learning
• Encourage reading for pleasure
• Praise students’ achievements and accomplishments
• Acknowledge successes and abilities
• Model a sense of optimism and a positive view of learning
• Keep the channels of communication open
• Be a good listener
• Keep an open mind
• Ask students for opinions
• Encourage participation in extra curricular activities

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