ERIC ED373874: Lowering the Attrition Rate of Single-Parent Community College Students Enrolled in Child Development through Assessment of Their Special Needs.

139 Pages·1994·1.6 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 373 874
PS 022 530
AUTHOR
Van Cleve, Tamara Gracy Toy
TITLE
Lowering the Attrition Rate of Single-Parent
Community College Students Enrolled in Child
Development through Assessment of Their Special
Needs.
PUB DATE
94
NOTE
139p.; Ed.D. Practicum, Nova University.
PUB TYPE
Dissertations/Theses
Practicum Papers (043)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC06 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Community Colleges; Early Parenthood; Economically
Disadvantaged; *One Parent Family; *Parent Education;
*Self Esteem; Social Support Groups; *Special Needs
Students; *Student Attrition; Two Year Colleges; *Two
Year College Students
IDENTIFIERS
Fresno City College CA; Parent Child Development
Centers
ABSTRACT
This practicum's goal was to lower attrition rates of
single parents in child development classes at a community college by
raising each student's self esteem. The sutject parents: (1) had at
least one child under age 6;
(2) were eligible for educational
opportunity grants;
(3) were recipients of Aid to Families with
Dependent Children (AFDC);
(4) were 'single heads of households;
(5)
became parents during the teen years; and (6) were enrolled in child
development classes. As a measure of progress, the practicum sought
to analyze journal entries for changing themes, establish an
information center and survey the students on its
use, foster
participation in a support group, and lower attrition by 15% in the
child development classes. Analysis of journal entries indicated
an
increase in positive self-confidence in 10 of 25 students. The
objective of establishing an information center was not met; however,
a successful support group was established. The final goal of
lowering the attrition rate was not fully met because the attrition
rate decreased by only 9% instead of 15%. (Appendices include journal
and child study assignments, frequently asked questions
on child
development, materials from a workshop on gangs, sources of stress
for children, and a list of child needs for good mental health.)
(SW)
***********************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that
can be made
*
from the original document.
*********************************J(*************************************
'et
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and improsomnt
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
N5(Tnis document has been reproduced as
mowed from the person or organization
originating IL
0 Minor changes have Wen made to improve
reproduction duality
Points of s*w or op mons stated in this dOcu-
ment do not necessarily represent official
OERI position or policy.
LOWERING THE ATTRITION RATE OF SINGLE-PARENT COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
ASSESSMENT OF THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS
By
Tamara Grace Toy Van Cleve
Cluster 33
A Practicum II Report presented to the
Ed.D. Program in Early and Middle Childhood
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Doctor of Education
Nova Southeastern Univer-Aty
1994
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
T
C \ 1
7.0.'er\ \
.
C./
kr.Q.ke.)
TO.THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).-
2
.,
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
PRACTICUM APPROVAL PAGE
This Practicum took
lace as described.
Verifier:
J
..--wcomb
tina Department Chair
Title
Fresno, California
Address
This Practicum report was submitted by Tamara
Grace Toy Van Cleve under the direction of the advisor
listed below.
It was submitted to the Ed.D. program in
Early and Middle Childhood and approved in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education at Nova Southeastern University.
Approved:
7, 19CY-
D te of Final Approval
Mar
Ellen Sapp, 'Ph'.D.
of Report
Adv sor
3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost I wish to acknowledge the four women
in my family that have had a profound influence on my
development.
To Grace Toy, my paternal grandmother, my mentor, the
person for whom I was named, and from whom I learned
the meaning of having chutzpah.
I thank you for
modeling a strong work ethic, determination in the face
of adversity, perseverance, initiative, and instilling
me both the meaning and value of family.
in
To the following three women who were all educators and
pioneers and who inspired.me to develop to my fullest
potential.
My maternal grandmother, Bertha C. Yee, who was
the first Asian woman to establish and run a
Chinese school in Oakland, California;
My maternal aunt, Gladys Yee Chew Peng, who was
the first Asian administrator in the Sacramento
Unified School District and,
The Rev. Mrs. Fran Toy (Rev. Mum), who is the
first female Asian American Episcopal, riest in
the worldwide Anglican Communion.
She also
happens to be my mother and friend.
Second, to the men in my family I thank:
My brother, Glendon George Toy, for being caring,
supportive, and allowing me to live through my
turbulent early years;
My father, Art Toy, for teaching me to see the
humor in any situation, that there is a light (no
matter how dim) at the end of every tunnel, and
three very important virtues:
patience,
understanding and acceptance; and
My husband and best friend, Mark Van Cleve, not
only for his love, friendship and unconditional
acceptance, but also for his support, dedication,
commitment, and endless computer knowledge at 3:00
in the morning.
iii
4
I wish to also thank Jeannie Harrell, my master's
Practicum advisor and doctoral oral interviewer, who
gave me the support, courage and confidence to apply
for the doctoral program and knew I could complete my
goal.
Last, but certainly not least, I wish to thank Dr. Mary
Ellen Sapp, without whose patience, guidance, knowledge
and rewrites, I would not be graduating.
Each of you have been a part of my life by giving me: a
special part of yourself, unconditional love and
guidance to facilitate my growth and development from
birth into adulthood.
My fondest wish would be that
yOu could all be here physically to celebrate "our"
accomplishment, but I know you are with me. spiritually.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Table Of Contents
List of Tables
vi
Abstract
vii
Permission Form
viii
Chapter
INTRODUCTION
1
Description of Work Setting
and Community
1
Writer's Work Setting and Role
3
STUDY OF THE PROBLEM
II
7
Problem Description
7
Problem Documentation
7
Causative Analysis
11
Relationship of the Problem
to the Literature
12
ANTICIPATED OUTCOME AND EVALUATION
III
INSTRUMENTS
17
Goals and Objectives
17
Behavioral Objectives
17
Measurement of Objectives
19
SOLUTION STRATEGY
IV
21
Discussion and Evaluation of
Possible Solutions
21
Solution Plan
26
Steps and Calendar
27
V
RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS, AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
53
Results
55
Recommendations
62
Dissemination
64
V
6
REFERENCES
65
Appendices
68
A
SAMPLE JOURNAL ENTRIES FROM SINGLE
PARENTS ENROLLED IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT
68
....
B
FORMER JOURNAL AND CHILD STUDY
ASSIGNMENTS
72
OPTIONAL JOURNAL AND FINAL
C
SELF-ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENTS
77
QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTERED FALL 1993
D
82
SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE AREA
E
84
MOST OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS ON
F
CHILD DEVELOPMENT
89
GANG WORKSHOP
G
93
STUDY BUDDIES
H
115
SOURCES OF STRESS FOR CHILDREN
117
I
J
WHAT EVERY CHILD NEEDS FOR GOOD
MENTAL HEALTH
124
LIST OF TABLES
Table
Drop Rates of Single Parents
1
Fall
10
Drop Rates of Single Parents
2
Spring
10
Drop Rates of Single Parents
3
Fall
60
Drop Rates of Single Parents
4
Spring
61
vi
7
Abstract
Lowering the Attrition Rate Of Single-Parent Community
College Students Enrolled in Child Development Through
Assessment of Their Special Needs.
Van Cleve, Tami T.,
1994: Practicum Report, Nova Southeastern University,
Ed.D. Program in Early and Middle Childhood.
Descriptors: Single-Parent Students/Re-entry/Support
Group/Self-Esteem/Self-Confidence/Education/Community
College/Child Development/Gangs/Mental
Health/Journals/Support Services/Single-
Parenting/Stress/Parenting/Parent Education.
This Practicum was designed to lower the attrition rate
of single-parent students enrolled in child development
classes at the community college level.
It was assumed
that through assessing the special need of single-
parent students and providing assignments and programs
to meet those needs, there would be a lower attrition
rate in the writer's child development classes.
As
originally designed, the Practicum would have involved
only single parents, however all parents became
interested and the boundaries were rewritten to include
all interested parents during the second semester.
The results were as follows:
(a) Analysis of written
journals and a self-analysis indicated there was an
increase in positive self-confidence and coping skills.
(b) A brochure was developed as an educational tool,
answering the most often asked questions about child
development, and a list of services and supports for
parents was compiled.
Both items are being used and
distributed on-campus.
(c) Student-parents
participated in a support group and increased their
coping abilities and their success in class.
Many
participants also discovered new friends through the
(d) Student-parents lowered their attrition
group.
rate in child development classes but not at the level
anticipated.
The fact that all students wish to participate in the
future, that interest has been generated to other
instructors and other departments, and that this
program will be implemented with parents enrolled in a
local school district indicates its success.
vii
a
Permission Statement
As a student in the Ed.D. Program in Early and
Middle Childhood, I do (X) do not
give permission
(
)
to Nova Southeastern University to distribute copies of
this Practicum report on request from interested
individuals.
It is my understanding that Nova
Southeastern University will not charge for this
dissemination except to cover the costs of
microfiching, handling, and mailing of the materials.
16> 199q
lonnteta-Graaliab (gym Owe)
date
signatiire
viii
9
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The setting of the Practicum was a 2-year
comprehensive community college designed to meet tl,e
diverse needs of the citizens within the four counties
that comprise the district.
The college is located on
the west coast of the United States in a county with
one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the nation.
This county is an area of extremes.
While it is
one of the richest agricultural areas in the world, and
one of the fastest growing areas in the state, it is
also one of the poorest and most depressed counties in
A rough profile of the population shows a
the state.
small percentage of very wealthy corporate and
individual concerns, a high percentage of poor and near
poor, many of whom work in agriculture-based, low wage
employment, and a shrinking middle class.
Service
industries continue to rise in this area, and bring
with them yet another kind of low wage employment.
This county is a county in transition.
Urban and
rural areas alike are experiencing significant annual
increases in non-English and limited-English speaking
minorities.
Many of the traditionally middle income
10