Thursday, April 16, 2009

Re: MS Scheduling: Extra Help Options

In our 6 day cycle we have a tutorial period (11:00 - 11;45) daily. All =
MS kids are assigned to a tutorial where they check in and then can =
check out to see other teachers, work on group projects, finish a test, =
etc. Many teachers and students use this time extremely well and run =
very productive and structured tutorials. Some teachers treat this time =
in a more relaxed fashion, creating tutorials that are less rigid and a =
bit loose. Of course kids who are looking for somewhere to hang out and =
socialize gravitate to these rooms, but I am of the mind that MS =
students need time to be just as much as they need time to get work =
done. It seems to sort it self out and when it doesn't, the MS dean or =
the MS head step in and assign kids to a "quiet tutorial" where we run a =
very somber show and provide structure and support for the kids who need =
it most.
=20
Jim Eagen
Middle School Head
Manlius Pebble Hill School
DeWitt, NY

________________________________

From: A forum for independent school educators on behalf of JP Culley
Sent: Thu 4/16/2009 1:39 PM
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: MS Scheduling: Extra Help Options

The quite magnanimous teachers of St. George's offer "tutorials" every
Mon, Tues, and Thurs afternoon after school dismisses. (Full =
disclosure:
We got the idea from Lovett in Atlanta.) Faculty are in their rooms for
30 minutes and are available for review and concept development. To
support the kids' efforts, our remarkably supportive athletic department
does not begin practices for 15 minutes after tutorials adjourn.

JP

_________________________________________________________________________=
____
J.P. Culley
Upper School Director and Academic Dean
St. George's Independent School, Collierville
1880 Wolf River Blvd.
Collierville, TN 38017
www.sgis.org
jpculley@sgis.org
(w) 457.2037
(f) 457.2111

"Ensure that imagination will always, always be free to light the slow
fuse of the possible."
- Maxine Greene

Before you print this or other documents, please consider the impact on
the environment.
A forum for independent school educators <ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> =
writes:
>We have an X block everyday for both the Upper School and the Middle
>School.
>All teachers are available for extra help during X block and students =
are
>expected to get help during this time. Middle School students are
>scheduled
>into a study hall and sign out to work with a teacher. Upper School
>students
>are free to choose how they spend their X-blocks. The Middle School =
also
>has
>a study hall at the end of the day after sports (4pm) when all teachers
>(except those who are coaching upper school sports) are available for
>extra
>help. This works very well. Getting extra help is part of the school
>culture
>and all the boys take advantage of it.
>
>-Liz
>
>Liz B. Davis
>Director of Academic Technology
>Belmont Hill School
>Belmont, MA
>
>On Thu, Apr 16, 2009 at 10:09 AM, Lynn Sanborne
><lsanborne@sewickley.org>wrote:
>
>> Greetings! I found some archived posts on this topic, but would =
welcome
>> some fresh input.
>>
>> I'm trying to help our MS Head think more creatively about scheduling
>in a
>> way which would help struggling students get extra 1-1 or small group
>help
>> from their teachers in a more meaningful and supportive way. Right =
now
>our
>> teachers expect students to seek them out before and after school =
(not
>> good times for many students due to transportation issues and
>afterschool
>> sports), during their 25 minute morning break (when they currently =
have
>a
>> snack and hang with their friends), and during study halls (which =
fall
>at
>> different times of the day and thus don't always coincide with the
>> schedule of the teacher they need to meet with). My argument is that
>from
>> a developmental point of view, MS students can't be expected to =
actively
>> seek out extra help, and we need to find a better system to "embrace"
>> them. Ideas please?
>>
>> (We have a traditional 8 period day, 55 minutes per period)
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your help!
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Lynn Sanborne, MSW
>> MS/SS Counselor
>> Sewickley Academy
>> Sewickley PA
>>
>> lsanborne@sewickley.org
>> tel. 412-741-2230 x 3363
>>
>> [ For info on ISED-L see http://www.gds.org/ISED-L ]
>> Submissions to ISED-L are released under a creative commons,
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>>
>
>
>
>--
>Liz Davis
>http://www.edtechpower.blogspot.com =
<http://www.edtechpower.blogspot.com/>=20
>
>[ For info on ISED-L see http://www.gds.org/ISED-L ]
>Submissions to ISED-L are released under a creative commons, =
attribution,
>non-commercial, share-alike license.
>RSS Feed, http://listserv.syr.edu/scripts/wa.exe?RSS&L=3DISED-L
>

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Submissions to ISED-L are released under a creative commons, =
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[ For info on ISED-L see http://www.gds.org/ISED-L ]
Submissions to ISED-L are released under a creative commons, attribution, non-commercial, share-alike license.
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