Surviving, Thriving and Reviving in Adolescence: Research and Narratives from the School for Student Leadership

Description

This research-based book focuses on the development and evolution of the School for Student Leadership (SSL), an alternate and unique residential school for year-nine students, operating in Victoria, Australia. It traces the journey of the SSL, a state secondary school, from a single campus in 2000, to its current three campuses, with more to come in the future. The book documents the key findings and insights from a university/school research partnership spanning a 16-year period. Central themes running throughout the book include the importance of social and emotional development/competence to support and guide learning in adolescence; the nature and value of adolescent leadership; relationships and community as foci of middle-years education together with what constitutes a modern ‘rite of passage’. The book explains how, in this particular alternate setting, deliberate steps have been taken – and responsively changed over time – to develop knowledge, skills and competencies, which enable the building of meaningful and sustainable relationships and social and emotional competence within the community. Many of the lessons learned in this setting reveal the potential for transference into mainstream educational settings, to enable all year-nine students to receive the same opportunities to grow and develop as those who have attended the SSL. Front Matter ....Pages i-xiii The Journey Begins (Michael Dyson, Margaret Plunkett)....Pages 1-5 A Chronological History of the School (Mark Reeves, Michael Dyson, Margaret Plunkett)....Pages 7-25 A Narrative Account of the Research Journey (Michael Dyson, Margaret Plunkett)....Pages 27-42 Choice Theory, Relationships and Community (Michael Dyson, Margaret Plunkett)....Pages 43-67 The Student Perspective (Michael Dyson, Margaret Plunkett)....Pages 69-90 The Teacher Perspective (Margaret Plunkett, Michael Dyson)....Pages 91-105 The Parent Perspective (Margaret Plunkett, Michael Dyson)....Pages 107-125 The School Council Perspective (Len Cairns)....Pages 127-137 A Contemporary Rite of Passage into Adulthood (Mark Reeves)....Pages 139-151 Experimenting with Time: The Five-Week Program (Sue Joyce)....Pages 153-172 Experimenting with Place: The China Project (Margaret Plunkett, Michael Dyson, Wendy Holcombe)....Pages 173-201 Concluding Summary (Michael Dyson, Margaret Plunkett)....Pages 203-205