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Q
Why conduct such research?
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St. Andrew’s mission is to provide exceptional teaching and learning to all of its students. A research study allows St. Andrew’s teachers to get important feedback on the effectiveness of its current curriculum related to the social and emotional aspects of learning that can be seen in programs such as Responsive Classroom in grades 2 through -6 and the Advisor Program in grades 7 through 8.
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Q
What is the specific research question being explored?
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How do peer relationships in the 2nd through 8th grades influence students’ stress levels and academic outcomes?
New scientific knowledge in this area will help educators at St. Andrew’s, Johns Hopkins, and beyond understand how peer relationships contribute to academic success. It is something St. Andrew’s knows: happy and supported children make better learners. The findings have the potential to inform individual classroom and community-building strategies in 2nd through 8th grade classes at St. Andrew’s that can enhance academic results and the well being of all students. St. Andrew’s teachers can use the results from the study to enhance their instructional practice through scientific evidence not just classroom observation.
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Q
What will my son or daughter learn from participating in the study?
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It is important to provide students with the opportunity to connect their participation in this research study to their coursework. Educators and researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Education will present to students - in collaboration with St. Andrew’s faculty - a lesson on salivary bioscience tailored to participating students’ grade levels. Instruction will both precede and follow the collection of data.
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Who will be leading this study?
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St. Andrew’s and Johns Hopkins University have an equal commitment to knowing how all students learn, how the brain works. Since 2010, the two schools have partnered to share research and expertise. A veteran team of researchers from The Johns Hopkins University with extensive experience working with elementary and secondary school students, as well as with St. Andrew’s, will lead the study. The research team from Johns Hopkins is led by Dr. Mariale Hardiman, Director of the Neuro-Education Initiative and Assistant Dean at the School of Education. Dr. Hardiman co-presented a workshop with St. Andrew’s teachers titled, “Connecting Brain Research with Effective Teaching” in the summer of 2011. Joining Dr. Hardiman will be Dr. Douglas Granger, Director of the Center for Interisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research and a Professor in the Schools of Nursing, Public Health, and Medicine. Dr. Luke Rinne, who recently presented to the St. Andrew’s community as part of its “Brain Friendly Classroom Program” will also be part of the research team.
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Q
What is the purpose of this study?
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Many parents and teachers will likely recognize that students’ social relationships with their peers can be a significant source of stress. At the same time, however, peer social relationships can also help students deal with stress. Similarly, parents and teachers may recognize that while a little stress is okay, very high levels of stress make it hard for students to perform their best in school. The purpose of this research project is to shed some light on the complex (and sometimes contradictory) ecology of students’ social, emotional, and academic lives so that all students can be better supported to meet their potential through evidenced-based instructional practices.
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What will my son or daughter be asked to do to contribute to this research study?
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Within a one-hour period, during the afternoon on a single school day in mid-to late May, the research team from Johns Hopkins will work with St. Andrew’s faculty to collect data from students. Students will complete a brief questionnaire that will not include any questions that could lead to the stigmatization of any of their peers. This method of collecting data about students’ social relationships has been widely used in previous research without any ill effects. The questionnaire will also include survey items related to student engagement and the classroom environment, as well as a few demographic (e.g., height), oral care, and general health items.
After completing the questionnaire, students will provide a saliva sample by “drooling” through a short straw into a small plastic tube. The process is low-stress, pain free, and takes only about five minutes. After collection, these samples will be stored at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and analyzed to measure levels of four salivary compounds related to stress and/or social relationships.
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How will the identity of each student be protected?
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All data collected will be de-identified by removing students’ names from questionnaires and re-coding them using numbers. Saliva samples will be bar-coded and never labeled with a name. Participants’ identities and the results of individual questionnaires and saliva tests will remain completely confidential and will not be provided to St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, parents, students, or any other party. Upon completion of the study, saliva samples and keys linking numerical codes to student identities will be destroyed.
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What if I do not want my son or daughter to participate in the study?
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Your child’s participation in the study is completely voluntary and parents and children are each free to withdraw at any point. However, the more students who participate in the study, the more comprehensive and valid the results will be. Your child’s participation will ensure that St. Andrew’s, the research team, and the broader educational community have the best information available for the purposes of making important instructional decisions. Regardless if a student participates in the study, all students will benefit from classroom instruction led by Johns Hopkins University professors who are eager to engage with our students about science.
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When will results of this study be shared?
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The results of this study will be shared by the fall of 2012. They will provide important feedback on St. Andrew’s commitment to supporting the connection between the social and emotional lives of students and their academic performance.
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What if I have additional questions or seek further information?
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We encourage all families to attend the Parent Informational Meeting on April 11th at 7:00pm on the Postoak Campus of St. Andrew’s. Dr. Hardiman, Dr. Granger and their team of researchers, along with Glenn Whitman, Dresden Koons, Mark Segal, Lisa Anzelone, Dale Kynoch, Natalie Adams, Amy Helms, Judy Kee, Scott Corkran, Morgan Evans and their Middle School colleagues will be on hand to answer questions and to share their enthusiasm for this research project. In the meantime, feel free to contact Glenn Whitman, Director of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning at gwhitman@saes.org or 301-983-5200 (x322) with any questions.