E3 Model
The E3 model is an OUCEC mentoring outreach program that is gender specific and aimed at at-risk, diverse high school youth. The program is a weekly hour long session throughout the school year that focuses on relevant topics impacting student achievement. Attendance, good behavior, grades and graduation are the goal as well as access to scholarship resources and bridges to post-secondary enrollment.
E3 was implemented at Tulsa Public Schools McLain High School during the 2008-2009 school year and is beginning the 3rd academic school year for 2010-2011. There are currently 3 groups of 10-12 students.
An overview of E3:
- Weekly hour long E3 group meetings are based on a pre-selected 10-12 member peer group foundation of engage, empower, educate curriculum divided into 3 twelve week sessions.
- Curriculum is revised by each group leader to specifically address the individual group dynamics/needs.
- E3 meets during an elective class at the same time each week, approved by the Principal as long as grades are passing in courses.
- Grades are reviewed as well as attendance and behavior; provided through school social worker for progress reports.
- Specific topic lessons build on each other and, interwoven throughout the year are trust building activities, a supportive peer group process, social and communication skills assessment, student integrity, and more. Various learning styles are incorporated and include journal writing and poetry in conjunction with dealing with emotions, conflict resolution. Writing, goal setting and presentation skills are developed through a segment focusing on public speaking while describing “Where I Am Now, Where I Want to Be and How I will Get There”. This project provides students with several weeks to develop creative artwork with posters, booklets, and media clippings to describe where they are now and where they are going plus the plan of how to get there. Writing skills are developed through activities that include thank you notes to guest speakers, request for a specific question response from the Principal, story telling that has often brought out suppressed experiences the student has not wanted to deal with in the past.
- Fresh fruit is provided on the writing days, as access to nutritious food is limited. Eating and meal etiquette is incorporated as well. For example, many of the students have not peeled an orange or learned about fruits and healthy snacks. The attention span of the students and calmness is evident in contrast to when they have had sugar or candy snacks!
- Post-secondary enrollment and completion is the underlying theme throughout the year.
- One of the Empower segments, the conflict resolution and emotional intelligence session, addresses self-identifying and managing emotions. DVIS and other guest speakers have been invited by the group and requested their input on curriculum while teaching at the same time.
- Tulsa Achieves, Oklahoma's Promise, Workforce Tulsa iJobs are incorporated each year with follow up one-on-one help with filling out documents and understanding the resources made available to them in our community.
- When a major news item such as the Presidential election, hurricane in Haiti, gang violence,Tulsa ice storm, Arizona immigration laws and border issues have occurred, the session explores the impact and meaning of these events to provide discussion in the world outside their own. Newspapers are provided such as the Wall Street Journal, Tulsa World, USA Today and more so that journalism styles and articles can be compared.
- Students are provided with a journal and learn this is a safe expression of the variety of emotions and reflections that characterize the student learning experience. These students still carry the journals given two years ago even though they are completely full. They share stories, drawings and poems written which provides a history log as well.
- During the Educate sessions, guest speakers are invited from the district and community such as the Area Superintendent, the Tulsa Community College Tulsa Achieves Program Director, and Workforce Tulsa iJobs. Guidance is provided in the application processes for FAFSA and Pell Grants and other federal student aid documentation needed for college enrollment. Specific guest speakers are invited to describe and encourage student submission for local foundation scholarships.
- The groups are ethnically diverse, primarily sophomores, with 2 seniors who have both graduated and are currently enrolled at Langston and TCC. Celebration parties for these achievements are incorporated in the sessions.
- Due to weather-related school closings or other unforeseen reasons, the E3 group is rescheduled when possible during the same week.
The OUCEC Executive Director's goal is to build and replicate this model through the developing curriculum.
To date, the limited materials used are either donated or provided through OUCEC resources.
For more information, please call 918.660.3479 or email pspittman@ou.edu at the OU-Tulsa Community Engagement Center.
