Bringing Comprehensive Indicators of Risk into Work at Elementary

Schools: Practical Instrument for

Mapping Children’s Needs Dr. Sima Zalcberg, Miriam Cohen-Navot ,

Iman Awadyeh

June 2007

The Engelberg Center for Children and YouthMYERS- JDC – Brookdale Institute

At Risk Children and YouthAt Risk Children and Youth

Children who exhibit severe or multiple problems in school, emotional, or social functioning

Children who live in situations that endanger them and impede their ability to exercise their rights: To life, health, and physical development To belong to a family To learn and acquire skills To wellbeing and emotional health To social belonging and integration To protection from other people and from their own

dangerous behavior.

Situation in IsraelSituation in Israel

Estimated 330,000 children and youth at risk in Israel

15% of the population under 18 are at risk

It is Essential to Gather It is Essential to Gather Information on Children at RiskInformation on Children at Risk

To identify children at risk and monitor their progress in order to respond to their needs

To evaluate school programs to advance the children: To examine to what extent implementation of the

program responds to needs To examine to what extent the program achieves its

goals To provide a foundation, on which to base decisions

about development and dissemination of the program in the future

The Need for a Class Mapping The Need for a Class Mapping ToolTool

Why? To consider the students on an individual level and at

the same time provide a picture of the class as a whole

To consider a broad range of meaningful aspects of the children's adjustment at school

It needs to be:User-friendly and quick to complete Inexpensive.

Accordingly, the research staff at the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute and Dr. Flora Mor of Ashalim have together

developed the Classroom Mapping Tool (CMT)

CMT: Description of the CMT: Description of the InstrumentInstrument

Designed to be completed by homeroom teacher Data collected about every child in the following areas:

Family background Performance at school (attendance and learning behavior) Scholastic achievement Social and emotional problems

Inputs provided to children Frequency of personal talks with children Frequency of discussions with children's parents Consultations about the children Referrals for diagnosis and treatment

Utilization of the CMT in Utilization of the CMT in Evaluation of the ADAM Evaluation of the ADAM ProgramProgram ADAM focused on training staff members to work

more effectively with children at risk Data gathered at five schools, twice a year,

regarding all students The evaluation of the program used the CMT:

To learn about implementation of the program and school activities

To learn about the children's needs and changes in their performance

* Two schools in 2004/2005

Risk Indicators among Children Risk Indicators among Children ( in ( in %)%)

17 18

4

30

2117

23

5

28

13

At least 2socio-

emotionalproblems

Learningbehaviorproblems

Attendanceproblems

Gaps in oneor moresubjects

At least onedomesticrisk factor

School A School B

Comprehensive Index of Risk Comprehensive Index of Risk (in (in %)%)The children were examined by various levels of "risk aspects" (%)

School ASchool BTotal

No indicators of risk 535654

One indicator of risk 212020

Two indicators of risk 141515

Three or more indicators of risk

121011

Children with Appropriate School Functioningat End of Year – % from among those who started the year with inappropriate functioning

29

75

3238

5450

64

4236

Learningbehavior

AttendanceLanguageMathAcceptingteachers'authority

Socialintegration

Exhibitingbehavioralproblems

Emotionaladjustment

Two or morerisk areas

Per classroom mapping tool N=583.

Data for 2004/5

ConclusionsConclusionsThe CMT was found to be an effective tool in identifying and monitoring children at risk.

User-friendly, quick and easy to complete, and inexpensive

Provides information on individual level of every child and overall picture of all children in the class

Makes it possible to: Identify children's needs Examine how the inputs match the needs Examine changes in the children’s functioning and

problems over time