1. Is failure a real and regular option and experience for kids at your school?
Is failure an option? Ideally no, in reality it does happen and in our school district we do strive to provide students that are not meeting expectations the support needed to achieve success. I cannot speak for everyone at my site, by I do know that I try to support all of my students according to their needs and have them meet their specific goals.
2. If so, what impact do you believe that is creating? If not, what structures have been put into place to accomplish alternatives?
One of those methods of support is the student success teams. The team consists of multiple teachers that meet with the parents of the student in need of additional support to see what other strategies and supports can be provided to that student. Different schools also provide after school tutoring programs (or before school) as well. Students are expected to succeed and to accomplish their goals in schools with the support of not only the school but parents as well.
3. What conditions exist that make it too late to learn and reach competency in your school? Can you give an example?
Students that reach it to the higher grades and are two or more grade levels below their current grade in math, language arts, and other subjects are usually students that did not receive enough support at school and at home. Students that do not have the proper home support, on average, have a tougher time reaching competency.
4. What would you do, if anything, to introduce/enhance “never too late to learn” structures in you school if you were the school leader?
The area where I think I would have the greatest impact with regards to implementing a structure to promote 'never too late to learn,' would be teacher trainings. Teachers are the ones with the most direct and immediate impact on students. I cannot reasonably go to every family, nor have every family come to the school, for trainings on how to better support students at home. I can still hold those parent trainings, but teachers are the ones with all the data on how to better support the students in their classrooms. Staff trainings could focus on how to provide support to students that are not meeting all the competencies that are expected of them. If they are not meeting those, then teachers should have a way to help those students recover and meet those expectations in timely fashion. Whether it be some form of contract with the student or different teaching techniques.
5. What can you do in your present position to create “never too late to learn” structures into your current practice and those of your peers? Are those things in your sphere of influence?
I can begin by designing contracts with students and parents, where if particular student is not meeting his/her expectations, then we can have a roadmap to how to help the student meet those expectations. That way I as the teacher have my defined role, the parents know what is expected of them at home, and the student will know what is expected of him/her. Once I prove that the contracts are successful, I can share it with my grade level, and then rely on them to help other teachers as well.
6. Commit to 5 things you are willing to do this semester that will make your school increase learning opportunities:
1. Create a student/parent/teacher contract appropriate for my grade level
2. Share the contract with those in my grade level
3. During trainings, share ways in which I scaffold different activities
4. Move away from scoring students to seeing if they are competent
5. Try and encourage students to want to learn through interesting topics that they are interested in
Is failure an option? Ideally no, in reality it does happen and in our school district we do strive to provide students that are not meeting expectations the support needed to achieve success. I cannot speak for everyone at my site, by I do know that I try to support all of my students according to their needs and have them meet their specific goals.
2. If so, what impact do you believe that is creating? If not, what structures have been put into place to accomplish alternatives?
One of those methods of support is the student success teams. The team consists of multiple teachers that meet with the parents of the student in need of additional support to see what other strategies and supports can be provided to that student. Different schools also provide after school tutoring programs (or before school) as well. Students are expected to succeed and to accomplish their goals in schools with the support of not only the school but parents as well.
3. What conditions exist that make it too late to learn and reach competency in your school? Can you give an example?
Students that reach it to the higher grades and are two or more grade levels below their current grade in math, language arts, and other subjects are usually students that did not receive enough support at school and at home. Students that do not have the proper home support, on average, have a tougher time reaching competency.
4. What would you do, if anything, to introduce/enhance “never too late to learn” structures in you school if you were the school leader?
The area where I think I would have the greatest impact with regards to implementing a structure to promote 'never too late to learn,' would be teacher trainings. Teachers are the ones with the most direct and immediate impact on students. I cannot reasonably go to every family, nor have every family come to the school, for trainings on how to better support students at home. I can still hold those parent trainings, but teachers are the ones with all the data on how to better support the students in their classrooms. Staff trainings could focus on how to provide support to students that are not meeting all the competencies that are expected of them. If they are not meeting those, then teachers should have a way to help those students recover and meet those expectations in timely fashion. Whether it be some form of contract with the student or different teaching techniques.
5. What can you do in your present position to create “never too late to learn” structures into your current practice and those of your peers? Are those things in your sphere of influence?
I can begin by designing contracts with students and parents, where if particular student is not meeting his/her expectations, then we can have a roadmap to how to help the student meet those expectations. That way I as the teacher have my defined role, the parents know what is expected of them at home, and the student will know what is expected of him/her. Once I prove that the contracts are successful, I can share it with my grade level, and then rely on them to help other teachers as well.
6. Commit to 5 things you are willing to do this semester that will make your school increase learning opportunities:
1. Create a student/parent/teacher contract appropriate for my grade level
2. Share the contract with those in my grade level
3. During trainings, share ways in which I scaffold different activities
4. Move away from scoring students to seeing if they are competent
5. Try and encourage students to want to learn through interesting topics that they are interested in