Research Behind Too Good for
Drugs™ continued
The program builds skills sequentially, so that students master
prerequisite skills before learning more complex skills. Instructional
goals are similar for all grade levels, but the activities and teaching
methods change as the grade level increases, in order to appeal
to students' changing interests and developmental levels.
In addition to personal skills, social skills and drug resistance
skills, Too Good for Drugs™ teaches drug information.
Drug information focuses on the harmful short term effects and long
term consequences of using the "gateway" drugs (tobacco, alcohol
and marijuana), and it is provided as needed for effective decision
making. Although emphasis is on the gateway drugs, information about
the harmful effects of other drugs, such as inhalants and steroids,
is also provided.
Normative education addresses the influence of passive social
pressures and social modeling; it corrects common misperceptions
among teens about the prevalence and acceptability of drug use and
focuses on establishing a positive, drug-free school climate.
Too Good for Drugs™ is designed to be taught in a classroom
setting. Grades K-8 consist of 10 lessons per grade level Too Good
for Drugs and Violence - High School is comprised of 14 lessons
in the core curriculum complemented by a staff development component
and 12 lessons for infusion in other subject areas. All lessons
are scripted in order to promote ease of use and fidelity of implementation
to program design. Lessons include measurable objectives, compelling
rationales and clear, detailed instructions for teachers. Each lesson
includes suggested activities for infusing skills and concepts into
subject areas and recommends supplementary books, videos and audio
tapes for reinforcement.
Throughout Too Good for Drugs™ and all Mendez programs,
not only the topics but also the teaching techniques encourage the
development of proactive, pro-social skills. The curriculum employs
a variety of effective teaching techniques, including cooperative
learning, games, group discussions, role play and other highly interactive,
student-centered activities.
Because the Mendez Foundation recognizes that schools are only
one of the environments affecting young people, each Too Good
for Drugs™ curriculum includes information on how to involve
the family and the community in drug prevention activities. The
program also includes a parent component called "Home Workouts:
Information and Exercises for Parents and Kids."
The Mendez Foundation strongly recommends teacher training for
Too Good for Drugs™. The Foundation offers training
in Tampa, Florida or on-site in school districts nationwide.
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Additional Research Resources:
Components
and Objectives
Principles
of Effectiveness
Risk
or Protective Factors
Foundation
and Theoretical Framework
Bibliography
Logic
Model (text only)
Logic
Model (download PDF)
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