caught in the middle with interventions: innovative solutions for every student montevallo middle...
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Caught in the “Middle” with Interventions:
Innovative Solutions for Every Student
Montevallo Middle SchoolShelby County School District
Presenters:Mr. Jason Tiffin
Mrs. Tamara Wilson
Session Outline
Essential Questions What the Research Says… Framework for Interventions: Past and
Present The Big 5ive:
What, Why, and How Benefits and Challenges
After this session you should be able to answer these questions…
Why are interventions so important? What should interventions do? How can our school implement interventions
that target the whole child? How can we adapt the interventions to the
needs of the students?
What the research says…
Academic failure is often associated with the beginning of delinquency…interventions that improve a child’s academic performance have been shown to reduce delinquency.
-- Maguin and Loeber
What the research says…
Grades, behaviors, attendance, and tardies are better predictors of student drop out than race, test scores, and socioeconomic status.
-- Balfanz
Report from Johns Hopkins
Four common reasons students drop out:Life events
Pregnancies Arrests or a pressing need for full time
employmentFrustration or boredom with school
Report from Johns Hopkins
Four common reasons students drop out (cont’d):
Strained relationships with faculty Discouragement from teachers/administrators Labeling of students
Repeated failure to succeed
Interventions: Past & Present
AcademicsBehavioralSocial
With regard to implementing interventions in the schools, what are the external factors and influences that may hinder progress?
External Factors
Big Deal…What is so awesome about these interventions? Means to an End Teacher/Student Relationships Mandatory Attendance Self Reflection for Students Raise Self Esteem / Students Teacher Empowerment Increase Student Confidence Builds Administrator/Student Relationships Increase Grades Increase Parental Involvement Student Accountability Increase Critical Thinking w/ Students Targets Student Interest Quality Student Products Creates Parent Partnerships Increase Student Attendance Sense of Belonging/Connectedness Non Punitive Sense of Purpose Decrease Missed HW Assignments
Data to Support Claims:
Student Failures 1 student failed for the 2008-2009 school year
Parent Survey 94% of parents surveyed rated the school good-excellent in
assisting their child in acquiring skills and knowledge Friendly and welcoming school
90% - 97% - according to faculty and staff on the culture survey said MMS is friendly and welcoming
Discipline Intentional Touching decreased from 51 incidents to 15
school wide
Data to Support Claims:Academics
Writing Assessment (49%-66%) ARMT Reading
(6th 77-83); (7th 63-70); (8th 58-65) ARMT Math
(6th 47-56); (7th 48-47); (8th 37-54) Moved from School Improvement (Year 2) to
achieving AYP goals
Our Big 5ive
LOT/Ambassadors iBAPs COTs 7-3 Recovery Privilege Card
LOT/Ambassadors
Defined – Seventh grade students The potential for leadership “Across the board” kids Activities –
A plan for developing good community leaders Familiarize students with the community Make students aware of being tomorrow’s leaders Show students they can make a real difference
Criteria: Potential for Leadership Students become a team with peers who they
may have previously not associated.
LOT/Ambassadors
Benefits T-Shirt for the team! Once a month field
excursions Local and area sites Hands-on experiences Learn about the community
past, present, future Role models at school and
in community Opportunity to join MMS
Ambassadors
Challenges Teambuilding difficulties Acceptance of new
behaviors Peer pressures to remain
“cool”
LOT/Ambassadors
Ambassadors Tour guides Greeters for events Service work Mentors to 6th graders
Ambassadors and LOT members represent the school and community
Many are active in leadership at Montevallo High School and beyond!
Intensified Behavior Assistance Programs (iBaps)
What- iBaps are administrator lead classes that target a small cohort of students and/or parents who need assistance with behavior (iBAP), homework/academics (iAAP), or parenting (iPAP).
Why- Final step before severe punitive consequences are undertaken.
iBaps
The Process: Identify participants Mandatory parent meeting with signed
contract Meeting times set (1 hour, once/week) Data kept (Logs, Journals) Rewards for graduating 6-8 week sessions
iBaps
Benefits Targets students
who need help Builds student
relationships Increases self
esteem
Challenges Time Student/Parent
Apathy Commitment of
Student and Parent
Clubs, Organizations, & Teams (COTs)
What – Clubs with a purpose. Students and faculty small groups designed to develop relationships while sharing common interests, hobbies, and concerns.
Why – In order for students to have a sense of purpose, belongingness, and connectedness with their school. A mechanism for keeping students interested in school.
COTs
Teachers and administrators serve as COT sponsors. Specific activities, criteria, and guidelines that
pertain to overall goals and objectives of each COT are identified and submitted to principal by the end of the second month of school.
Each student is a COT member. Students identify their top 3 COT choices (on
a form) during the first week of school (during advisory).
COTs
Students not meeting academic standards (failing grades) do not attend a COT but instead attend the
Intervention Club Intervention Club is
supervised by certified members of Montevallo Middle School.
COTs
Intervention Club Assists students with academic achievement in
their core subjects. Make up tests Complete missed assignments Obtain tutorial assistance in core subject areas
All students are provided the opportunity to attend the Intervention Club and may be hand selected by administration or faculty.
COT Carnival
Takes place at the end of the year for incoming 6th grade students, parents and PTSO members.
7-3 Recovery
Step 2 It Academic Monitoring (AM in the AM) Student Intervention/Collaboration (SIC) Prepare for the Day (PFD) Second Helping (Double Dipping)
Student Intervention & Collaboration (SIC)
What – A program that serves to reinforce students learning in the core subject areas. Each instructional team is responsible for their students’ program.
Why – The original purpose was to give extra help to students who scored poorly on standardized testing in Reading and Math. Later, the program served as individualized core subject tutoring.
SIC
Benefits Helped some students
improve test scores and class grades
Gave teachers the ability to pull students from elective classes
Students were able to make up absentee work and improve failing grades
Challenges Students were not
receptive Difficult to plan since
there were no parameters
Made it difficult for teams to have cooperative planning time
SIC
Taught students that the teachers would do anything to help them pass & limited student responsibility
Like many programs, it helped some students and not others
Prepare for the Day (PFD)
What – PFD is a before-school intervention designed to assist students with being more responsible for recording and completing HW assignments.
Why- Students not writing down and/or completing HW assignments.
PFD
The Process:
Identify participants. Inform stakeholders. Ensure all students have planner and know
the procedures to follow for the PFD class. Develop and maintain check sheets. Record data consistently. Reward students for meeting goal.
PFD
Benefits No cost involved Promotes student
accountability Increase HW grades Builds Relationships
Challenges Late bus Student Defiance Availability of
Administrator
Step 2 It
What – An Extended Learning Time Referral Why – To provide opportunity for students to
complete, improve, or refine work products. Student is not completing assignments. Student is not attending class/school regularly. The student needs additional time to complete the
assignment. The student needs to improve the quality/revise
the assignment.
Academic Monitoring (AM in the AM)
Designed for students who are failing numerous subjects or severely failing a subject.
Students meet in the lunchroom when they arrive on campus (between 7:15-7:40) and work until the 1st period bell (8:12)
Administrator lead. Administrator meets with team weekly to discuss progress and update folder with unfinished work.
Students can be dismissed at the end of each progress report period (every 3 weeks)
AM in the AM
Benefits Students bring grades
up Focuses only on work
that needs to be completed
Grades in other classes increase
Challenges Student Apathy Late bus/Late arrival to
school Communication with
classroom teacher(s)
AM in the AM
Results 1 student out of 64 failed 20 of 64 (31%) were dismissed altogether Increases in Core Subjects
► 1 subject – 5 (8%) ► 2 subjects – 5 (8%)
► 3 subjects – 13 (20%) ► 4 subjects – 18 (28%)
► 5 subjects – 20 (31%)
Second Helping (Double Dipping)
What – Students in the 7th and 8th grades can take a lower grade (6th or 7th respectively) subject that was failed in the previous school year.
Why – Allows students to pass onto the next grade if they only failed one subject instead of repeating the entire grade.
Second Helping
Benefits Student moves to the
next grade with his/her peers
Allows schools to maintain academic integrity
Provides for mastery of class (whole year v. 2 weeks of summer school)
Challenges What happens if
student fails double dipped class?
Students know that they can double dip
Behavior problems with older student in classroom
Privilege Cards
What – Students receive a card that when presented, gives them special privileges during school and after school hours
Why – Allows MMS to move towards a more positive instead of punitive culture
Privilege Cards
Benefits Rewards students for
displaying the right behavior and attitude
Teaches responsibility Generates enthusiasm
and positive peer pressure
Challenges What to do when
student loses card When the 3 punches
are gone for the month, what do we do to keep the student from losing hope
Student “doesn’t have” card when asked
Privilege Cards
Events used in conjunction with the privilege card:
Discounted drinks at lunch $1 off admission to a dance Lunch in the gym and outside with music and games Administrator giveaways Teacher giveaways Skip period Teacher in-class rewards
Data to Support Claims:Interventions
PFD – Student participation decreased from 14% to <2%
Step 2 It – 31% of student body participated and benefited
iBAPs – 80% of students completed successfully COTs – Over 95% of students enjoyed attending
COTs – Over 90% of students claim it built relationships w/ stakeholders
Academic Monitoring – 64 students participated. 20 dismissals. 94% increased grades in at least 1 subject.
MMS Pyramid of Interventions
Lose Yourself - Eminem
EminemLose Yourself
Look, if you had one shot, one opportunityTo seize everything you ever wanted…One momentWould you capture it or just let it slip?
You can do anything you set your mind to, man
Contact Us
Jason [email protected]
Tamara [email protected]
Montevallo Middle School
235 Samford Street
Montevallo, AL 35115
(O) (205) 682-6410
(F) (205) 682-6415