Date: Fri 03-Oct-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: MICHEL

Quick Words:

schools-decisions-Savo

Full Text:

Helping Students Make Better Decisions

(with cut)

BY MICHELE HOGAN

Newtown High School Principal Bill Manfredonia says that, "At high school age,

students are responsible for their actions. When something occurs, you wish

the students had thought more before the action occurred."

Both the Newtown Middle School and Newtown Youth Services are working to that

end, helping adolescents recognize when decisions need to be made, and what

factors affect decision-making.

Jane Todorski, assistant director of Newtown Youth Services, gave an example

of how facts and values affect a student's decision about whether to drink

underage.

"Students are told the facts at school - that underage drinking is both

illegal and harmful to their bodies. But if their parents let them throw a keg

party, then the families' attitude toward under-age drinking is obvious. These

values affect decision-making. The media is also a strong influence on teenage

decision-making," said Ms Todorski.

Middle school teacher Margaritte Savo of Newtown Middle School discussed

values of "how to treat each other" with students at the beginning of the

year, then together the class set clear boundaries on acceptable behavior.

Students who step outside of these rules are immediately reminded that they

have broken their own rules. A form is filled out, where the student is

expected to explain why he or she "tried to trip someone in the hall," or, in

one incident in another year, karate-chopped another student on the neck.

This process makes students uncomfortably aware of their infractions. It makes

them examine their own behavior and make decisions about how they will behave

in the future.

Students sometimes act without having thought about the decision they were

making at all. This is why they are specifically asked if they were aware of

what they did as they were doing it, says Mrs Savo.

Students who break the rules at Newtown Middle School enter the "resolution

room" where they help decide how they could make amends. Students are

typically expected to clean the kitchen or do another task of benefit of all.

This whole process helps young people learn to be part of the solution , not

part of the problem .

Mrs Savo said, "I know kids who have gone into an institution and haven't come

out any better. What we need to do is to change the behavior patterns and

resolve the issue. We need to come up with restitution that is applicable to

the situation."