High School Context for Teaching and Learning

Summary

In this insightful discussion, a teacher reflects on their unique class, which consists of students with diverse backgrounds and low academic performance. They discuss the challenges of improving attendance, addressing behavioral issues, and leveraging community resources. The teacher highlights their proactive communication with parents and their strategic use of attendance and behavior contracts. The focus is on adapting teaching practices to ensure student success, with a particular emphasis on checking for understanding and providing additional support outside of class hours. The teacher is committed to fostering both academic and personal growth in their students.

Takeaways

• 😀 The teacher's focus is on a unique class of low-performing students, aiming to raise their GPAs from an average of 0.6 to 3.0 or higher.
• 😀 The class is part of an academy program, with students from diverse backgrounds, including a significant number of African American and Latino students.
• 😀 Attendance is a major concern, with an average attendance rate of 20 to 25 out of 32 students, and the teacher is actively working on improving this.
• 😀 There is a discrepancy between students' grades and their actual performance on standardized tests, indicating that many students are capable of more than their GPA suggests.
• 😀 The teacher's approach includes frequent communication with parents, including attendance and behavior contracts, to ensure student accountability.
• 😀 ELL (English Language Learner) students make up a portion of the class, with some requiring extra attention despite being reclassified.
• 😀 The teacher emphasizes the importance of using community resources such as local churches, the Urban League, and after-school programs to support student growth.
• 😀 The teacher's strategy involves adapting to each student's individual needs, modifying instruction, and checking for understanding frequently throughout the lesson.
• 😀 A key focus this year is on providing more personalized instruction, ensuring that all students master concepts before moving on.
• 😀 The teacher's goal is to create an environment where students are motivated to succeed by offering extra help during lunch or after school for those who need it.

Q & A

What was the average GPA of the students in the teacher's class when they entered, and what is it now?

The average GPA of the students when they entered was 0.6, and it has improved to 2.67 as of the last report.

Why did the teacher choose this particular class to focus on for improvement?

The teacher chose this class because it consists of low-performing students with unique dynamics, and the goal is to raise their GPA to at least 3.0, which presents a challenging yet promising opportunity.

What demographics make up the teacher's class?

The class is predominantly made up of African American and Latino students, with a small number of Southeast Asian and Russian students.

How does the teacher describe the performance gap between the students' grades and standardized test scores?

There is a discrepancy where many students, despite having low grades (C- or lower), performed better on standardized tests, showing that their abilities were often underestimated based on GPA alone.

How many ELL (English Language Learner) students are in the class, and how have their needs been addressed?

There are seven ELL students, including four or five who have been reclassified. Despite reclassification, they still require support, and the teacher is attentive to their ongoing language development needs.

What types of support and resources are available for the students?

The teacher has learned about a variety of school programs and community resources, including the Urban League, local churches, and extracurricular activities, all of which provide additional support to students in various areas such as academics, career training, and social engagement.

What strategies does the teacher use to address attendance issues among students?

The teacher communicates with parents to understand barriers to attendance, implements attendance and behavior contracts, and, if needed, organizes Student Support Team (SST) meetings to develop a plan for improving attendance.

How does the teacher engage with parents to support student success?

The teacher establishes relationships with parents early on by focusing on positive communication before addressing any negative issues. This is done through regular phone calls, attendance contracts, and SST meetings to engage parents in addressing academic and behavioral concerns.

What instructional adjustments does the teacher plan to make this year?

The teacher plans to make frequent and efficient checks for understanding during lessons, adapt teaching methods on the spot based on student needs, and ensure that students master concepts before leaving the classroom through targeted follow-up sessions.

How does the teacher handle after-school support for students who need extra help?

The teacher encourages students to stay after school or attend during lunch to demonstrate mastery of concepts. While this is helpful, the teacher is aware that not all students can stay after school, so they are focusing on improving in-class instructional time to address this challenge.