One of our goals at MHS this year is to build upon our strong foundation of teacher-student relationships and develop engaging classrooms that create conditions for active student learning. These opportunities for student engagement look different depending on the content area but could include student collaboration and grouping, student voice and choice in their learning, flexible seating, or hands-on and project-based learning. Teachers are also working to integrate feedback loops with students on their academic performance which includes students tracking their own learning progress and conferencing with their teachers. In this way, teachers are empowering students to actively engage in their own learning and prepare for life as independent adults.
Classroom teachers offer Flex time sessions too. Occurring throughout the week in the morning and afternoon, Flex times are when students can sign up for support directly from their classroom teachers. These Flex periods are dedicated to students obtaining and maintaining the skills they are learning during the regular class period. It’s a great opportunity for students to access their teachers during the normal school day, instead of before or after school when students may have transportation conflicts or other priorities that they have to attend to.
This also marks the third year of our peer tutoring program. Peer tutors are nominated by the staff because they are not only academically skilled, but also demonstrate the patience and soft skills needed to tutor their peers. After a training session, peer tutors are assigned to a teacher and a subject area. Then, tutors join that teacher’s Flex period on a regular basis to work one-on-one with students who could benefit from their support. This system has worked really well for us and is a win-win because the tutors are also gaining valuable job skills while the learners are getting support in concepts that they find challenging.
Additionally, our English and Math interventionists are now in their second year at MHS. Their roles are multifaceted and nuanced. They serve students with identified foundational skill needs in English and Math to help them close gaps in their skills and knowledge needed to access grade-level curriculum. Meanwhile, they support all freshmen and sophomore English and Math students in team-taught classes with lead classroom teachers. Unique to their position, they have a strong understanding of the grade-level skills students are expected to meet in the classroom as well as a background in developing foundational skills which all students need to be successful.
Our learning center teachers offer another layer of academic support for students. The Learning Center teachers also work one-on-one or in small groups with students who are struggling academically but may also need behavioral support as well. New this year, the Learning Center is offering a Student Support Network in which students will meet regularly with a Learning Center staff member who will serve as their mentor. Together with the teacher as their mentor, students will focus on setting behavioral and academic goals that they can monitor.
We have never felt better about the systems of support that we have in place to assist students in their learning. We are now able to track each student’s learning progression in each of their classes, understand what they need and respond to that need. We are able to tell the “learning story” with each student and better understand “why” they are not being successful, with reasons including skill deficits, refusal to engage in the curricular experience, or attendance concerns. While we are always working on better solutions to support all of our students, we feel very good about our academic support system this year.
— Susan Anderson taught high school English for 13 years, and now she currently serves as the MHS Learning and Technology Coach.
