Knowing where they are...Getting them Ready!

Each day students are asked questions, given assignments, quizzed, tested and talked to about school. All of this activity is supposed to tell  teachers if the student is making academic progress. The progress is based on what we, as educators, have determined a student should know at a particular date and age. Parents and students get report cards with grades on them so that they can measure school performance. What purpose does all of this talk about progress and grading serve? The talk is about effective teaching and learning!

We are all, parents, teachers and students, using this information to determine what a student knows and what we need to teach or learn next.  The difficult part is getting the student involved in this process. Setting goals, talking with teachers, and understanding what students need to be ready for the next grade is not easy or simple. However, when we take the time and put in place the resources for students to become involved it works. AMS has committed itself to providing this support during the day by getting students more time with teachers, in small groups, during the school day with our 40 minute, three times each week, Go Knights! period.  Students not only have time with teachers but can work on projects, do research, make up test, and work with peer tutors without missing class time!

Knowing that students are the most important part to the learning process, we have to be creative in getting them the time they need to learn. When students have confidence in their abilities they are willing to work hard and demonstrate what they know. AMS is committed to making sure every student is ready to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and demanding world. That's why we say "Go Knights!!"

Every tree we see started as a small seed.  The shade, beauty and protection trees provide for us are the potential the seed possesses.  However, not all seeds that have this potential become trees.  Some never get the chance to even start on their way towards becoming a tree while others sprout and look as if they are well on their way only to have its potential interrupted by the forces of nature or man.  Now I'm using this seed/tree metaphor to get us thinking about how we support students on their way to becoming educated and contributing members of our community. 

The Knights Intervention period is designed to provide immediate support for students during the school day. Each 40 minute period is focused on making sure students learn, not just hear, the content they need to know. Teachers focus on what students need to know for success now and in the future as well as re-teaching essential skills students may not have learned in earlier grades.  In order for this to work teachers are focusing on:

• Skills students have and how well they can demonstrate those skills.
• What changes are we making to support high growth for every student?
• Teams of teachers creating lessons that lead to high growth for every student.
• Effectively identifying students who need similar support and providing it in a timely and effective manner.
• Informing students and parents of their progress as we support them in setting and achieving goals. ("Simplifying Response to Intervention: Four Essential Guiding Principles", Buffum, Mattos and Weber, 2012)

As a community we have to provide shelter from the storms of life we know occur.  Unlike trees our students don't exist in just one place and must be able to adapt to all sorts of changes.  The principles we are using to make sure we live up to our promise to make sure every student achieves high growth require hard work and a steadfast dedication focusing on the most important element in education: the student.  

"I don't have to do it if I don't want to!"

The fact that some students choose not to learn impacts not only the student but those around them. Teachers, peers, parents, guardians all talk to the student and encourage him or her to “do better”, or “try harder” because we all believe they can. Students who have decided not to learn don’t show the desire or put forth the effort it takes to make academic progress. To put it simply, “I don’t want to do it so I don’t have to.”

In the past the solution would have been to send the student out or give a “0”, parent conference, student conference, remediation, afterschool or any of a number of different traditional remedy. Ayden Middle is breaking away from that response. With a scheduled time during the school day to give every student support our support for students who are refusing to learn is shifting from the traditional to:

• ·         Mandatory homework help
• ·         Peer tutoring
• ·         Goal setting and study skills
• ·         Re-teaching
• ·         Mandatory make-up/study hall

These opportunities are put in place to make sure that all students make high levels of academic growth and that no student is allowed not to learn. Please join us as we make sure all students make high growth.

Go Knights!!