I envision a parallel relationship between the Circle of Courage Model and SchoolPLUS. The lines of this image however are somewhat blurred and are often found to be interwoven. Through a careful examination of how they are parallel it is quite clear how they too are different. Below is a chart (or at least is was....the formatting would not hold between Word and Blogger) detailing the similarities between the two models with its starting point as the Circle of Courage Model.

Belonging - Circle of Courage Model

• Importance of powerful social bonds
• Built on relationships of trust and respect
• Fulfills the need for love and belonging

Belonging - SchoolPLUS

• Unconditional commitment to all
• Schools open and welcoming
• Inclusive model
• Culturally affirming environment
• Considerations made to create caring and respectful environments

Mastery - Circle of Courage

• Children taught to observe and listen to those with more experience (“models” for learning)
• Mastery for personal growth
• Creation of competent problem solvers
• Opportunities for success
• Cultivation of the desire to achieve

Mastery - SchoolPLUS

• Community resource support imperative for delivery of curriculum
• Teachers ensure high quality learning opportunities and highest possible outcomes for students
• Array of effective instructional and assessment strategies
• “Rather than requiring students to be school ready, schools are student ready.”

Independence - Circle of Courage

• Building of respect and teaching of inner discipline
• Children encouraged to make decisions, solve problems, and show personal responsibility
• Adults modeled, nurtured, and taught values
• Opportunities for making choices

Independence - SchoolPLUS

• Strengthen youth and community leadership capabilities
• Nurture understanding and respect among diverse groups

Generosity - Circle of Courage

• Cultivation of concern for others
• Life purpose

Generosity - SchoolPLUS

• ***

The Circle of Courage is a holistic model for positive youth development that is based on traditional Native American child rearing philosophies. These philosophies are not new. The Circle of Courage model is simply returning to a model that was historically successful in creating productive and healthy “citizens”. I appreciate this simplicity of the model in comparison to the SchoolPLUS model.

Although similarly holistic, the SchoolPLUS model is much more complicated; objectives, twelve significant forces of change, goals and principles, key elements, etc. are some of the underlying principles that guide the implementation of the model. Service delivery is a key component of SchoolPLUS . Service providers such as nurses, counselors and police officers work right in the schools. The model is not working from “what used to be” but instead looking ahead and making changes to what it is thought “should be”. An increasing focus on assessment and evaluation as well as on government involvement is key considerations.

While SchoolPLUS puts the school at the centre of its community, the Circle of Courage model is applied in settings beyond school such as treatment centers and youth facilities.

One surprising difference between the two models is the lack of focus on generosity in the SchoolPLUS model.

Resources:http://www.reclaiming.com/about/index.php?page=philosophy

http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/branches/pol_eval/school_plus/pdf/ataglance.pdf

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/cardev/gr9_found/courage_poster.pdf

http://ed870ak.edublogs.org/schoolplus-and-the-effective-practices-framework/