Durham Intermediate School Sixth Grade: The Team Approach Deena Crete Jacqueline Lincoln Karla Rigsbee Grade level intervention for academic support: Opportunity Room Come to the “OR” for immediate triage 1

Shared responsibility among the teaching team Shared instruction with fair, equitable assessment of student progress Guaranteed success. No failing grades assigned on the first try AS TEACHERS WE ASKED OURSELVES, “WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? 2

DESIGN OF THE OR What are we going to do if/when students haven’t mastered a concept? What are we going to do if/when students have confusions? How can OR be designed so it’s different from the typical “study hall”? How can we ensure student attendance in the OR room will be prescriptive in nature? Can we help the student realize what needs fixed? The “OR is a place where students have another opportunity to learn 3

We CREATED THE 6 TH GRADE“OR TEAM” 4

HOW WE STARTED Agreed to a “No F “ Policy Agreed on ownership for student success 5

GUARANTEED SUCCESS GUARANTEED SUCCESS No students will be allowed to fail on the first try A student who still has confusions has another chance to understand The “OR,” is designed to treat the “patient” before he or she is “sick” 6

OR CONSIDERATIONS CHOOSING OUR METHODS Roles Teachers regularly grade/assess work and student progress to identify problems Theory Follow educational research that supports more student practice is directly tied to learning Core Concepts “OR” work to be completed in a timely manner (i.e. one week) Small group tutoring is highly effective Maintain core instructional time 7

HOW IT WORKS A student is referred to the OR when… Student fails to complete an assignment with mastery of the concept Parents & students are notified with a referral slip attached to the assignment An OR grade is put in Powerschool for the assignment until it is completed. Student needs re-teaching or more monitored practice OR assignments must be resubmitted within one week to receive full academic credit. 8

EXAMPLE 9

HOW IT WORKS, cont. OR schedule offers sessions before & after school, and at lunch break Students may choose any OR session/teacher. They may also get parent help w/teacher approval. All three 6 th grade teachers tutor two OR sessions per week 7:30 – 8:15 11:25 – 12:05 3:15 – 4:00 Monday: Mrs. RigsbeeTuesday: Mrs. CreteTuesday: Mrs. Lincoln Friday: Mrs. CreteWednesday: Mrs. Rigsbee Thursday: Mrs. Lincolln 10

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS “OR is basically like Sylvan, but it’s at your school. Plus, we don’t even have a Sylvan here, and I don’t like my parents helping me! Most of all, I am always having trouble with Math, so in the OR Room my teacher, or another sixth grade teacher, can help me so I don’t fall behind. At first I thought OR was like detention, so the first time I went I was SCARED, but after a while I began to love it. OR rules”! Avery R. 11

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS, cont. “I go to OR when I have questions or confusions on my schoolwork. I can ask questions there and get through the confusions, and then my grades are better.” Dylan 12

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS, cont “OR is a great way to get a second chance on your schoolwork” Caroline “OR helps me when I am struggling with a lesson. I know that I can get one on one help from a teacher. Basically, it is like a second chance to get a better grade on my work.”Ali 13

Deena Crete, Jacqueline Lincoln, Karla Rigsbee Durham Intermediate School 14