Ann Berget wrote: When the state introduced the so-called 8th Grade Tests, MPS was caught flat-footed with no remediation plans. During the year that followed, we learned some things and made changes, notably: 1) We learned that the 8th Grade Test
was statestically correlatable to performance on the 2nd grade CAT. This was important because it enabled us to identify by the end of 2nd grade those students who would need more help/instruction if they were to be ready to pass the 8th Grade Tests six years hence. 2) We also learned that we needed a vigorous remediation plan for those who weren't on track. We had already restored the curriculum and instruction department several years before, so with the best of intentions, we put together a very focused summer school program and invited/urged low-performing students to attend. As Ross Taylor said, "They stayed away in droves." After a couple of years of struggling with that we wanted to know why fewer than 4 out of 10 low-performing students were participating. The responses from families tended to be things like "He's got more important things to do", or "It interferes with our summer plans". The answers we got were not encouraging. Mark Anderson replies: I thought I'd give some input of one parent who was on the other side of the divide. Several years ago, after third of fourth grade, my son was invited to summer school, because he was having difficulty with math. It would have been logistically difficult to get him to summer school, and I wasn't sure that 5 extra weeks of school would do him any good at all. I have never been very fond of the Mpls school district math curriculum (the awful "Chicago" method), and I didn't really want several more weeks of the same thing. I called around to find out how the math would be taught. I was hoping that the teacher could emphasize the areas in which my son was having problems. At first I couldn't find anyone who had any idea what would be taught; apparently it was delegated completely to the teacher. I finally found the actual teacher at the school he'd be going to. I found out that not only would they not be emphasizing his problem areas, but he wouldn't even have just math. It was "one size fits all" teaching, just like the regular school year. I decided to blow off summer school as a useless waste of time. Instead we bought him a math workbook, and I worked with him on that over the summer. I don't know if it helped him much, but it was more useful than summer school. He continued to have problems with math, so after fifth grade we enrolled him in Huntington Learning Center for the summer. We were very impressed with them. In about 120 hours of time, he moved up about a grade level. It's amazing how much more progress can be made with a curriculum focused on improving specific skill areas for each kid, and with a ratio of 2 to 3 students to each instructor. He has gone from being a marginal student (in math at least) to being clearly college material. There were other factors at work besides the tutoring he received, but I think at least part of his improvement was due to Huntington. I've noticed that the Mpls schools have brought in Sylvan (Huntington's arch-competitor) to help kids on the "No Child Left Behind" program. That sounds very promising to me. I just hope that they are allowed to use their regular program in our schools, and are not being co-opted to teach in front of a large classroom. My son just finished eighth grade. He just missed passing the MBST for math, but aced the reading one. I suspect that he would have missed the math MBST by a mile if he hadn't gone to Huntington. All kids who didn't pass either MBST test were invited to summer school. So I called around again to find out what exactly was being taught in summer school. It was a little easier to find out this time. I was told that the kids were being taught specifically to pass the MBST test the next time they take it. They had separate math and reading classes, and he didn't need to take both of them. Bonanza! Exactly what I wanted to hear. He is starting his first day of summer school today. I told him he can do whatever he wants when they are teaching the reading class. Teaching to the test for math should give him just the skills he needs to help him survive high school math. Mark V Anderson Bancroft REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
