Thoughts+-+Support+for+struggling+learners

=What are some ideas and thoughts you have about how struggling learners can be supported at Horizon Middle School?=

List and/or write about ways to support our learners.
"It would be nice to have support for things like La Mecha--I know the high school group goes and tutors the elementary kids. Maybe a group that does study time and then goes to Eagleridge to connect to younger Spanish speakers?

Also we used to have JOM lummi tutors. I know dollars have dried up, yet it would be nice to have something for those kids.

I guess ultimately I think about how little opportunities our kids have...how little exposure to the world. Can we create more of that..in and out of the classroom?" ~kris

Thoughts from the recent readings ... Interesting programs being developed as small groups of students are being identified, such as obesity and sleep disorders due to technology.

Think of how much more we could know about students and then be able to support them to learn and grow through programs that address their individual needs. Difficult to learn when you are too tired, hungry, angry, or basic needs unmet. A way to reach the 'whole child'?

There is a theme of digital citizenship that is concerned about Health and Wellness. How is technology (inside and outside school) affecting health and wellness of our learners? We will be seeing the issues created by technology in our classrooms (we are already) and eventually need to invent ways to lessen their impact. John S.

Read an article, then watched a video about a school in San Francisco that instituted a program, school-wide, for 15 minutes of meditation (almost wrote mediCation) in the morning and 15 minutes just before leaving for the day because of high amounts of stress in the neighborhood of the school. Kind of intriguing thought, ways to reduce stress in our lives and the positive impact that could have.

Webpage with text and video concerning stress (edutopia) [] Video on school-wide meditation []

Saw that video on meditation and LOVED it!! Just time to sit and be still--amazing. Nancy Stillness, with a purpose, is certainly missing from our world. John S.

I don't know if I am tracking with what we want re: RTI for Wednesdays discussion but here goes... Di

Academic RTI currently at Horizon LAP math periods 5 and 6 LAP math M/W 2:30-3:30 LAP reading T/TH 2:30 -3:30 After School Study M-Th 2:30-4:30 Reading Interventions periods 3 and 4 Special Education groupings Individual study in the library

What other academic interventions would we like to see? How can they be incorporated during our school day?

Social /Emotional Interventions

Care Team Groups: Girls and boys "Why Try", Chill Groups, Monday Support Group. Tuesday Native Girls Support Group,

Individual: Horizon Counselors, Barb Nobles Tuesday Native Boys, Jen Teitz Lummi Yess program Native girls and boys, DVSAS Advocates for individual girls, referrals for individual students for outside services

Classroom DVSAS Empowerment Project 7th grade Health Relationships workshop 7th grade health from an outside agency

Other PLC Supportive Learning Environment Y Adventure

What other student support services would we like to see? How can more students be reached? What vehicle would be needed to reach more students? Are there community groups and organizations that could/should be present at Horizon? Developing the community school feel with resources that are designed for our 'clients' and their families to be available at Horizon. Health services, counseling services, recreation services, etc.

We need to know more about the individual, if they have interests and perhaps passions that they are either pursuing to would like to investigate if given an opportunity.

I want to mention the idea of reaching out to Western's Woodring students. They are required to do service learning, practicums, and learn how to collect student based evidence. We could reach out to a professor in charged of these programs and get western students who fit what we are looking for. They can help facilitate reading groups, math groups and work with individuals one on one. We can request students who are fluent in languages other than English. Western is a free resource to use! Western is really beginning to realize how important it is for future teachers to have as much experience in the field as possible. ~Kristle

How about compass to compass students? Can they help run the after school study time? Or lunch study?

Education and life skills require more than reading, writing, and math. Taking away electives or lunch to provide academic intervention time is not the best answer for every student. We can come up with creative ways to incorporate some academic support in an elective they actually enjoy (by choice).