Students' grades go up with their self-esteem

Page 18

Think of a golf course and your mind probably turns to hot summer days rather than reading, writing and arithmetic. But for months, 26 members from the Paul Band walked or car pooled to the Iron Head Club House and Golf Course near Wabamun to attend classes with the hope of achieving their high school general equivalency diplomas.

The students were pre-tested and were performing at about a Grade 8 level. Their ages ranged from 20 to 44 years old.

Of the 26 students attending this original General Educational Development High School Diploma Program for Adult Students, 19, an unusually high number, were successful. To date, 40 students have achieved equivalency in this program.

Previous high school diploma programs at Paul Band failed miserably. Dr. James Battle, a counseling psychologist who works with the Paul Band, said the difference between the recent and the previous programs is an emphasis on building self esteem.

Battle developed a regiment of full-time class instruction to prepare students for the diploma equivalency exams and provided motivational speeches to enhance the student's self-esteem.

For the past 14 years, Dr. Battle has operated an employment training program. He is author and publisher of 24 books on self-esteem and taught for the psychology departments of Eastern Michigan University and the University of Alberta.

Coreen House is one of the graduates of the General Educational Development High School Diploma Program. House dropped out of Grade 10 in 1982. She said her parents' divorce was the impetus for her leaving school.

"I just couldn't handle school then," House said.

House admits that initially she was frightened by the prospect of starting school again after so many years.

"But I think the scariest thought was knowing that I didn't get anywhere with education," she said. "One of the reasons I went back is I have a son in Grade 9, and I told him I was going to accomplish Grade 12 before he did."

The Paul Band is comprised of 1,356 members and is located 45 miles west of Edmonton. Dr. Battle said a significant number of the members are struggling on social assistance. These struggles manifest in the children where 10 per cent of elementary school students and 50 per cent of junior high students drop out of school.

"In three years we had a 95 per cent high school drop out rate," Battle said. "I think it's important that we do what we can to help people achieve."

The Paul Band, with Dr. Battle, has developed stay in school programs and suicide prevention programs for the students.

"The first and most important thing is to convince people that they are just as good as anyone else and that they can accomplish things," Dr. Battle explained. "Sometimes people need to be shown how to step forward in life."

"He gave us a boost," Coreen House said of Dr. Battle's motivational seminars. "He made us feel like it all was possible."

House is now enjoying employment as a teacher's aid with the Paul Band school. House said achieving the diploma has opened a world of opportunity for her.

Completing high school in eight months sounds like a daunting proposition, but House said it's not as difficult as it may seem.

"I found it so easy this time. I often wonder why I couldn't [finish school] back then."