Confessions from the Couch » Intervention Strategies

Intervention Strategies

Today’s blog post will be using as my reflection/brainstorm in response to a new district mandate and requirement for all teachers. So if it gets confusing, this may be the day you want to skip reading . . . .

Background:

The district has passed a new rule/mandate that high school teachers must complete reports or Intervention Plan for each student making below 72% in your class at anytime. These reports will detail the skills not master by the students, the teachers interventions and all parent conferences regarding such interventions.

Rationale:

Early intervention will increase retention rates.
Lower failure rates
Students will actually be given additional opportunities to master concepts, hopefully this will increase the students score
The district shows it concern for the learning of it’s students

My feelings/perceptions:

Do my opinions really matter regarding this because I’m going to have to do it anyway?
Another piece of paperwork that has to be completed.
Basically, the district is telling us that we can’t fail students. Many teachers left the meeting with the attitude of I can’t fail students anymore. They have additional paperwork with no additional help in getting in completed. They have simply resolved that they will give no a kid a grade below 73.
I left the meeting feeling like what am I doing wrong that I have a 30% failure rate. The students simply will not do my work. . . very few things are returned when I have asked them to complete it at home. Some students sit and stare in class. I can walk around and stay on them asking them to complete it, but they rarely do.
Depressed b/c this means I will now have less “me” time b/c I have more paperwork to complete. I’m already feeling stressed to the max and I don’t know how I can manage another thing on my plate.
I spoke with the Curriculum/Instruction AP and she reminded me that these kids are not like when we grew up. She says that we often teach like we were taught. I’ve got to start thinking outside the box while teaching. In this meeting, she agreed to send me to a conference being hosted by Marcia Tate, author of Worksheet Don’t Grow Dendrites.

My **Tentative** Intervention Strategies to Promote Student Achievement

1. I will offer after school tutoring for 30 minutes. History is such a difficult course to design a tutoring session for. . . should I prepare mini-lessons?

A tutoring session will allow a student to complete any makeup work; have additional time to complete classwork assignments, students can retake tests if need and have individualized instruction from me if they need it.
Each tutoring session will be worth 25 points.
I have not figured out what a student can do if they don’t have any of the above to complete. I don’t know what additional practice I can offer at these after school teaching assignments.

2. I will offer, Lord help me with this one because you know how I feel about it.. . .. Extra Credit.

They will be structured assignments. At the beginning of each 6 weeks, I will find at least 10 upcoming documentaries on historical events. Students will watch the documentary on their own time. Students will be required to take notes during each film. They must turn in the notes within 24 hours of the film airing. They must write 10 sentences of their reflections / opinions of said documentary. Notes and reflection must be handwritten.
From time to time I will offer a trivia question during the bellwork time in class for 10 points

3. I will change the homework policy: Homework is now optional. It will be termed additional work & practice opportunitiesRationale: Students are not completing the homework assignments that were given anyway. It is meant to be additional practice.

Instead of demanding that students complete the homework and making it apart of their grade, I will now offer extra credit points for each homework assignment completed.
They may turn in homework up to 1 week past its assigned date.
The only mandatory homework assignments are: Projects, current event assignments or work not completed in class.
I will go back and change all first term homework assignments to extra credit to change the number of failing students.

4. I will allow students to retake any quiz or exam they have failed for a better grade.

This retake of the exam will be open book.
They will not retake the original version of the exam/test/quiz. Instead, they must retake the textbook version of the exam.
They must complete the exam during the tutoring session, it may NOT be taken home to complete.
Students may complete the online quizzes and activities offered by the textbook and submit them via email to me—for the unit we are covering.

5. Because the first term is drawing to a close, I will allow students who have failed to come back and make up any assignment that they are missing from this first term ONLY.

The maximum grade these assignments can receive are a 70.
This process will start after they have received their first report card grade.

In the midst of all of this I am NOT changing my late/makeup work policy. You have 5 days to get the assignment turned in. Students will not have until the end of the term to complete late and makeup work.

I really don’t like my intervention plan/opportunities. I feel like I am giving tooo much extra credit. I don’t understand how plans like this prepare students for life. However, this plan reveals that I have gone over and beyond for my students.

Now, I guess tomorrow, I’ll try to come up with activities and strategies that will engage the students.

How do I work the net?, Teaching Strategies | Miss Teacha | September 26, 2007 6:07 pm

12 Comments

By Jennifer, September 26, 2007 @ 6:25 pm

I’m not sure that I could stay at a school like this. If I was asked to complete the amount of work that you do as well as spoon feed the curriculum down their throat like you are being asked to I woulde find another school to teach in. I really feel like this is a disservice to their education.
By mizzas, September 26, 2007 @ 7:23 pm

it sounds like they are adding HOURS of work to an already loaded workday at your school. btw, i’ve enjoyed reading your blog.
By Happychyck, September 26, 2007 @ 7:55 pm

What compels students to master the curriculum the first time if they are given multiple opportunities to do it later?

I’m torn about this kind of stuff. I like the idea that we are trying to help students, and I am sure you do, too, but how many of these students could have helped themselves first? In your class, it sounds like plenty. However, for some reason you’re being punished for it. Oh, I forgot, your class should be more engaging, so it is your fault. UNBELIEVABLE!

I do like your extra credit assignment. It’s easy for you, difficult and thought-provoking for them, and there are plenty of opportunities for students, so you always have that on your side. My philosophy about extra credit is that it should be challenging, and it’s point value is usually half of what a regular assignment like it would be. If the students don’t like it, they don’t have to do it. Extra credit should be for students who need an extra challenge–you know, like an extension–not a quick fix for students who are in the hole.
By Eric, September 26, 2007 @ 8:33 pm

The sad thing is this is where education is headed. The teacher I spoke with regarding history teachers and coaching also stated that NCLB has placed the onus on the teachers to get a student to pass. For some messed up reason, if a student fails it must be the teacher’s fault. Forget placing blame on the student or the parent. This does not bode well for anyone.

This lady stated the same thing Miss A is stating – she can’t get her students to do anything, particularly the seniors. They just sit there and do nothing because they know she really can’t flunk them.

Teacher’s hands are beginning to be royally tied and the nation sees it as “progress.”

It’ll be progress alright. It’ll progress China right into first place economically and in every other way and one day when the Chinese flag is flying over the White House, maybe someone will realize this was a mistake (one of many).

NCLB needs to be revamped and students need to be held more accountable for their own education. I still believe teachers need to be held to a standard and all, but this is ridiculous when you have to go to this sort of extent to get students to pass.

I agree with Jennifer. I couldn’t teach there. You know Miss A…there will probably be some positions available up where I teach next year!!!! Then in a couple of years I could student teach in your classroom!
By Margaret, September 26, 2007 @ 10:50 pm

They are not expecting you to teach; they are wanting you to baby, parent, and NOT have any life of your own. Unfair, and a grave disservice to the students It’s called enabling.
By Betsy, September 27, 2007 @ 2:22 pm

I think Margaret has it right, as does Eric. We know where this is coming from- the district is under a tremendous amount of pressure to get these kids passing.

And I don’t know if I would want to teach in a district such as this, either. I have some hoops to jump through here, but nothing compared to this.

And where the heck is your union, may I ask???????????? They’ve got to get on the fact that your teachers are expected to do work that goes well beyond the school day. Get on your rep’s tail!
By CaliforniaTeacherGuy, September 28, 2007 @ 11:33 am

I can hear you all the way over here on the Left Coast, retching as you write these tentative strategies!
By Fordee, September 28, 2007 @ 9:13 pm

First, thanks a bunch for your nice comments about my first week video. I showed it this week at Open House for the parents and it went over well.

As for these interventions, I have a similar STAR report in my school, but it is only for 1/8 of the school. I happen to be in that 1/8th. I do the report because it does allow me the opportunity to sit with the student and conference about their grade.

All the interventions you mention sound interesting, but you have to be careful with too many. I simplify mine:

Students can come in during tutoring to raise a falling test score (not quiz) to a 70, by doing “test corrections.” They use their book and find the correct answers. So far this year I have had ZERO kids actually do these.

All it is really, is a chance for me to cover my tail with parents. If the kid actually would come in – it would be a good opportunity to learn from their mistakes. But, it rarely happens.

I do offer extra credit for watching some TV shows (but I pick them and limit the opportunity). They must get the “notes” to me before the first bell the next day. That limits cheating/copying.

Good luck with your interventions.
By Eileen, September 30, 2007 @ 6:09 am

Considering your constraints, I think 3,4, and 5 are really good solutions. No one can ever fault you for not giving plenty of chances! Meanwhile, I think you are an “angel” for offering 1 and 2, with everything else that you obviously have on your plate. Please take care that you don’t end up with burnout.

Best regards,
Eileen
By Clix, October 11, 2007 @ 9:44 am

I do allow extra credit, but it may only be attempted if the student has completed all other work.
By Tracy W, October 15, 2007 @ 8:05 am

Some good ideas. But I think you need a bit of work beforehand. Where is the bit where you test what the gaps in the students’ skills are?

Depending on where you are teaching, this may need to include incredibly basic stuff, like asking them to read a passage aloud from one of your history textbooks, in private of course. If a student is failing because they can’t read, extra credit assignments are indeed a waste of your time.

If they can pass the first test, then ask them to answer simple questions about it. Then test their writing skills to see if they *can* write a simple passage. I think you need to do this individually, since most teenagers if they can’t do something like read or write will not tell you but instead just not do the work.
I don’t know what resources your school has to cope with functional illiteracy, but even if they don’t have any, documenting the source of your students’ failures is a good idea.

Beyond that, you should have a better idea of what skills are necessary to achieve in history, and test those, before starting tutoring.