Empowerment Starts Here by Dye Angela;Diez Mary E.;

Author:Dye, Angela;Diez, Mary E.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: R&L Education

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING

Students engaged in Core Instruction during a period called Knowledge Block, which was the second block of the day. Unlike Project Block and Service Block, which were each 90 minutes in length, Knowledge Block was 120 minutes.

Core Instruction originally focused on reading, writing, and math. However, in the later years, we began to focus more on math and science (as these areas had the greatest gaps when we looked at the results of standardized tests).

Regardless of what material was being covered, it is important to understand that Core Instruction was more about the process for learning than the content.

Remember, the goal of Core Instruction was to equip students to function successfully on projects and on district assessments. Therefore, Core Instruction was about mastery and not about exposure.

Using ability-based groupings, standards-based objectives, direct instruction (the methodology and not the curriculum), and daily and weekly tests, we were able to zero in on specific skills and content targeted for district test and project performance (as the needs were identified).

Ability-Based Groupings

Originally, Core Instruction was to be limited to specific grade levels; however, once we realized that very few students were on grade level, we created ability groups that were skill-level specific instead of grade-level specific.

Because of the small size of the school and the seven grade levels in our charge, we were only able to staff three different ability groups: primary (skill level equivalent to grades 4 and below); intermediate (equivalent to grades 5–7); and upper (equivalent to grade 8 and above).

Through the diagnostic tests that were administered at the start of each quarter, students were grouped accordingly (see chapter 6 for more information on diagnostic tests).

While it is easy to question the broad ranges of each ability group, this strategy for grouping had a positive impact on student achievement, as opposed to when students were left in groups based on their assigned grade level.

There was not one grade-level class where all the students fell within one academic range. Because of the diverse academic levels of our eighth-grade class, eighth graders tested in all three ability groups: primary, intermediate, and upper.

Students in these grades rarely tested on grade level. Instead of having the teacher differentiate each lesson for students functioning across thirteen different grade levels (K–12), we limited the range, allowing teachers to focus on only three grade levels.

The same held true for the other five classes (fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth, tenth, and eleventh).

With instruction now being directed toward a specific range and students being appropriately matched to this range, a different type of classroom environment emerged.

Students who would shy away from raising their hands or participating in class (the same students who tended to be disruptive) were suddenly engaged. Completing homework, going to the board, and volunteering to help their peers were signs that students were finally in a class where the instruction made sense.

The ability groups allowed students to feel good about learning, because content and skills were aligned to their learning levels.

We even saw an acceptance of older students being grouped with younger students.

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