Team effort boosts student achievement at middle school
Author: Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell, Staff Writer
For teachers, it's a time to focus their attention on students who most need assistance.
For the students, the program known as Team Time gives them an opportunity to work on a subject they may be struggling with.
"It can be inconvenient or just plain impossible for many students to take advantage of after-school tutoring programs," Principal Marguerite Williams said. "Maybe the student can't get a ride home or they have family responsibilities that prevent them from staying late. "Whatever the reason, it should not prevent students from getting the academic help they need."
Team Time was introduced in recent years to boost student achievement in math and English language arts at the school, which has many English learners and a high percentage of students on free or reduced-cost lunch.
In six-week sessions, teaching teams evaluate each student's progress in reaching grade level goals.
If students meet academic targets in one subject, teachers reassign them to another in which they may need tutoring.
If they gain an understanding in less time, they may be reassigned sooner.
Students still struggling after the period may be enrolled in a more structured intervention programs.
Those who already excel in the core subjects are eligible to attend academic enrichment classes with a focus on career development or art appreciation.
The classes include being a teacher's assistant, where students are taught office and organizational skills, serving on the school newspaper or yearbook staff and joining Mock Trial, which improves students' knowledge of the justice system.
'We will continue to strengthen this program and make it better because we have seen growth on our Academic Performance Index scores," Williams said.
Team Time was introduced in recent years to boost student achievement in math and English language arts at the school, which has many English learners and a high percentage of students on free or reduced-cost lunch.
In six-week sessions, teaching teams evaluate each student's progress in reaching grade level goals.
If students meet academic targets in one subject, teachers reassign them to another in which they may need tutoring.
If they gain an understanding in less time, they may be reassigned sooner.
Students still struggling after the period may be enrolled in a more structured intervention programs.
Those who already excel in the core subjects are eligible to attend academic enrichment classes with a focus on career development or art appreciation.
The classes include being a teacher's assistant, where students are taught office and organizational skills, serving on the school newspaper or yearbook staff and joining Mock Trial, which improves students' knowledge of the justice system.
'We will continue to strengthen this program and make it better because we have seen growth on our Academic Performance Index scores," Williams said.
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