| 1) | District |
| a) | The Everett School District stretches from Mill Creek to North Everett. Because the district covers such a large expanse, one word or description cannot accurately describe the whole district. | |
| b) | The south end of the district contains newer homes, apartments, and developments. It is on the higher socio-economic end of the spectrum. | |
| c) | In part because of this socio-economic level, there is what seems to be more of an academic mind frame and importance/value of school. This comes from the parents and is then seen through the students. | |
| 2) | Community (Everett, north of 41st) |
| a) | Urban – heart of downtown Everett | |
| b) | The community is getting older, therefore our population is shrinking | |
| c) | However, specific local community of our school tends to be slightly less involved due to high number of single parent homes, low-income families, and families in transition. | |
| d) | In contrast to the south end of the district the thinking about school that seems to permeate from this community is less stringent. There appears to be more of an attitude that school is a burden, school work is not for the home, and a definite feeling of apathy towards education. | |
| i) | One statistical example that this feeling can be extrapolated from: | |
| (1) | 39% of students at North last year met standard on the Math WASL | |
| (2) | 68% of students at Heatherwood (southern part of the district) met standard last year on the Math WASL. | |
| e) | Obviously (and I just want to clarify), this attitude does not describe every North student and family, but rather an overall feeling one gets after being here a while. | |
| 3) | North Middle School |
| a) | # of Students – about 650 | |
| b) | # of free and reduced lunches – about 62% | |
| c) | Culture of the staff is positive and working towards increasing student /parent involvement | |
| i) | Literacy Night | |
| (1) | One staff comment, “It was very nice working with students outside of the classroom.” | |
| (2) | 22 out of 23 staff members felt that literacy night helped to build a positive sense of community at North. | |
| ii) | Math Carnival | |
| d) | Support from colleagues and supervisors is positive and willing | |
| i) | Support for food drive | |
| ii) | Mentoring of new students | |
| e) | Special circumstances for North | |
| i) | Title 1 School | |
| ii) | Gear Up and Avid programs – college prep | |
| iii) | Make Your Day (MYD) – school-wide discipline and citizenship program | |
| (1) | With MYD student behaviors are stopped and dealt with immediately. | |
| (2) | There is immediate communication between the student and the teacher, so that the student can take accountability for the behavior, and expectations can be reset. | |
| (3) | Although I see no program that will stop middle schoolers from acting like middle schoolers, MYD does allow me the opportunity to deal with behaviors, while at the same time building relationships. An example of this is one student I have who tends to have temper management issues. Even though he still will get mad or frustrated, the escalation of those behaviors does not happen like earlier in the year. We definitely had a stressed relationship before, but with all the opportunities I am afforded to talk to him through MYD, I think we have come to an understanding of each other and work together to achieve success for both of us.. | |
| 4) | My Classroom |
| a) | 2 - 8th grade blocks – Language Arts, Reading, History | |
| b) | 2 groups of 28/29 students that I see each for 3 periods a day. | |
| c) | Age – 13ish | |
| d) | Gender - 22 girls/ 35 boys | |
| e) | Ability | |
| i) | Range from very low 4th grade reading/writing level to very high 12th grade level | |
| ii) | On average, 6th grade reading/writing ability, which includes comprehension and higher level thinking about the texts | |
| f) | General Classroom Set Up. | |
| i) | Most of the time I have the desks in rows facing front, in groups of two or three. | |
| (1) | This allows students to always have a partner to ask clarification questions or to work together on some assignments. | |
| (2) | I can use “think-pair-share” often without having to physically move the students. It has become incorporated into my teaching style, and is not necessarily a separate activity. | |
| (3) | It also allows for easier classroom management as I can see all their smiling faces. | |
| ii) | Sometimes I have the desks set together in groups of 4-6. | |
| (1) | This allows for more space in the classroom when working on projects. | |
| (2) | During times when desks are in groups, I am sure to give work in which it is “okay” or encouraged to work together to come up with the answers or product. | |
| iii) | Partly because of Make Your Day at our school, and partly because of my own management style, I like to wander around the class. | |
| (1) | This makes me feel accessible to the student. | |
| (2) | It allows me to see different sides of the classroom. | |
| (3) | It allows me to manage behaviors more quickly and directly. | |
| g) | Special Needs | |
| i) | One visually impaired student (in 3 of 3 classes) | |
| (1) | Intelligence is high, along with a willingness to learn and function independently | |
| (2) | High level of support at school for her and her teachers | |
| (3) | My actions that meet her needs – | |
| (a) | I have to plan enough in advance to get materials brailed ahead of time | |
| (b) | I think ahead to have her partner with a reliable student when working on “in-class” assignments | |
| (c) | She has seating next to an easily accessible computer with Java Script so that it can read back what she has written. | |
| (d) | Most of the accommodations I make for her are in materials and planning ahead, not so much in adjusting assignments (unless it is accepting a brailed interpretation instead of a drawing, for example). | |
| ii) | One autistic student (in 3 of 3 classes) | |
| (1) | Intelligence is at or above grade level | |
| (2) | Motor skills are low – uses an AlphaSmart | |
| (3) | Trouble following specific and detailed directions | |
| (4) | Social skills are low, gets irritated easily, trouble dealing with situations | |
| (5) | My actions that meet his needs – | |
| (a) | For this student there are many everyday accommodations, such as repeating directions, refocusing on tasks, and helping move him along tasks, as well as reminding him of social/behavior expectations such as raising his hand, not interrupting, using a soft voice, etc. | |
| (b) | He does use an AlphaSmart for bigger writing assignments, but not for handouts and work like that. I have become accustomed to his penmanship and style, but I still hold him to the same ability standard as others because I have seen him produce that quality on his AlphaSmart. Something I do for him often is reminding him what the expectations are simply. For instance, when we are revising papers that does not mean rewriting the same paper, but making the one already written better. | |
| iii) | Other IEPs and special needs | |
| (1) | One hearing impaired (in 1 of 3 classes) | |
| (2) | Five Special Ed students (in 1 of 3 classes) | |
| (3) | One Special Ed student (in 2 of 3 classes – not Reading) | |
| (4) | Two IEP students (in 3 of 3), one of which also attends Special Ed. | |
| (5) | My actions that meet these needs – | |
| (a) | These students require me to be in contact with their other teachers, parents/guardians, and counselors to ask advice for accommodations, adjustments, and behavior engagements. | |
| (b) | I often give their resource teacher assignments ahead of time so these students have extra time and help. | |
| (c) | For testing, I often provide a list of answers to choose from or give guidance when answering. | |
| (d) | When students are willing to come in, I will give the tests orally. | |
| (e) | I restate task expectations as well as assignment directions and often begin by walking them through the beginning or pointing to a specific paragraph where an answer might be found (History class). | |
| (f) | I often allow students to work with a partner, which ultimately helps more than just my special ed students. | |