Creating+a+Focus+3

**After reading pages 76, 77, and 78 think about interventions we provide. In reading we have a systematic response providing intervention and support to students not mastering skills. How systematic is our response to students who are experiencing difficulty mastering grade level objectives in math and language? Is there a plan in place that ensures students will receive additional time and support for learning other than whole class instruction?**

 As a school, I'm not aware of any "intervention programs" for math and language. However, in my classroom I've begun to do small groups in math for those students who need a little extra. I think small groups in math is coming soon, so we might as well get ready for it. Is the V-Math at FEB an intervention program??? (H. Witt) Resource teachers provide intervention instruction using V-Math in small groups within their rooms. However, this is limited to the students that have been identified as special needs-- not the whole school. (Lane Hampton). Students must participate in BBSST for most of the school year before they are referred for a language evaluation with the SLP. (B.Self)


 To work on math, BB is implementing Accelerated Math in grades 2 – 5 and it seems to offer many of the benefits of continuous formative assessment, with the program tailoring the next set of problems to the individual needs of each student. While the program is not teacher-created, teachers within each grade do collaborate in selecting and ordering the objectives covered. Students do their work from printed practice or test sheets, bubbling answers on a scan card. The scanners are efficient, tracking each student as work is graded, and customizing the next set of problems based on student performance. The whole program takes advantage of the power of computers in record-keeping and reporting. It strengthens ALL math skills regardless of where the student is performing. While advanced students are moving ahead at their own pace it may be possible for teachers to have some small group time with those who are struggling. (Ed Land) Providing additional time to help a student who is experiencing diffculty in a certain skill is a concern of all teachers at BB. In a faculty meeting, at a lunch table, or when moving through the halls there are teachers discussing with other teachers about strategies and suggestions to assist a student who may be experiencing difficulty. Small intervention is a strategy I'm sure is used by many teachers in their classrooms.For the most part, our BB teachers are there for all students.(B. Spur) Stay focused on the word "systematic"... and think about how you specifically know whether a particular objective that has not been mastered is a "grade level" objective. And if it's not in your grade level, how do you know at what grade level the child is operating? Where are the gaps and how do we fill them? Again... think systematic. (Susan Hayes) I do not feel we have a good plan in place for math and language, but I feel we have just now gotten a great plan for reading and it is one step at a time. (M. Matson) This is usually handled in each classroom. As good teachers we pull small groups or single students from time to time as needed to remediate a skill particularly in math. (E. Lee) As Ed said earlier we have the AM software for 2-5. I have been using this as part of my math program along with the AMSTI investigations. This program is excellent for targeting student who need intervention. I then have groups come to me to work extra on individual skills not mastered. (KJared) We know when a skill that has not been mastered is a "grade level" objective by following our course of study, curriculum guide, and pacing guide. We do not have a systematic plan in place for math and language intervention. But, I agree with Lee that teachers work with individual students or with small groups that need remediation in language or math. (L. Adams) I served on the textbook committee for the adoption of our core reading program. Much delving went into this process. This has really put the 3 elems on the same page as far as curriculum, pacing guide, and assessments. The same adoption for math would lead us down this same common path. We could take our unit assessments and quickly see who has mastered the skill. With-it teachers, and I would like to believe most are, have already noticed who is getting it and who is not and have intervened. AM provides practice, extends higher-level kids, and allows you to see who needs intervention with a particular skill; however, it is not consistent and systematic...sometimes we have time for AM 3 days in a row and then sometimes we go 3 days with no time for AM. Common assessments from a core program would be most beneficial IMHO. (C.Hagemann) Agree that the reading program has built in assessments AND provision for different level learners, as well as just the student that didn't get a particular concept. Regarding Math, I think that through AMSTI Investigations, students work at their own level within the particular concept being taught. Teachers have the opportunity to work one on one or in small groups to help those that are struggling with a particular concept. I think our teachers have always considered it part of their job to be sure that every student is getting all the help they possibly can give. As the article says time is our tool, but it is also our limitation and sometimes there is just not enought time in the day to do everything. I don't really have an answer to the time problem. I know I get here early, stay late and take things home and still don't always get everything done. Having good curriculum can really help though! I know that although it has been a lot of work this first year, it has made me a better teacher and my students are excelling. I hope that we can adopt a math series, like AMSTI (Foresman) math that will do the same thing for our math progress. (J. Thomas) I have been using AMSTI math investigations and have recently started using the AM program. I do not use it on a daily basis, but this would be a time during the week that I could pull small math groups to work on certain areas needed while the others continued at their own pace to the next skill. I feel this will be the direction I will try to start working toward to incorporate the small groups in math. (K.Powell) I don't think there are any specific intervention programs in place at my school, although I do feel that each teacher strives to provide intervention for students who struggle in math and language. Time is often a huge obstacle to this effort. (JPenrod) Reading intervention is done daily in small groups. If additional intervention is needed, students are called back individually. I feel like there is no "down time" because we are always working with someone on something. I use Saxon math daily and also bring in AMSTI a couple days when time permits. If we have a few minutes left over after a lesson, I sometimes pair-up students so they might help someone who needs additional help. I have parent helpers who will work with students in their "weak areas" for additional intervention. I think we all use those "few extra minutes"..in between changes for "quite intervention." (B.Helton) I don't think we have an intervention plan in place for language/math. I feel we do what we can with all we have. We use every free minute as teaching moments. (S. Lett) I use small group in Math with the ones who need it while the others are doing seat work. I also have a center called "play school" and assign the high ones to teach the low ones. (LWren)