Several years ago the leadership team set aside Tuesday and Thursday for grade level work. We will not schedule any meetings during this time. However, the questions at hand are:
1) If a grade level has nothing planned can a student leave and see another teacher?
2) If a grade level has nothing planned can a student leave and see another grade level teacher? (this is different then #1)
3) If nothing is scheduled during AEP can a teacher request to meet with a student, small group? This could include meeting with a college rep?
4) Should we simply lock down this time and allow NO move what so ever?
Please share your thoughts.
11 responses so far ↓
Stacey Kramer // September 4, 2008 at 2:35 pm |
My students seem to enjoy working on their ACT prep during that time. I am monitoring them through a website and they were interested to see how well they are doing. I say leave T/TR alone and let the meetings happen the other 3 days.
Tad // September 4, 2008 at 3:01 pm |
Tuesday and Thursday, I would like to see all do their reading the first 15 minutes of class again. I know we 9th grade aep teachers are doing this. I would also really like to see more use channel 1 in their classrooms. WE have been given this free resource that we don’t even look at, especially during an election year.
In regards to the vote: I say lock down on Tuesday and Thursday’s for an opportunity for the students to focus on grade level, THE ONLY EXCEPTION is a signed note from a teacher requesting the student. Just my 2 cents. With channel 1, there is more than enough discussions that could take place with students to enhance the instructional day and period, when grade level activities are not planed.
lang // September 4, 2008 at 3:10 pm |
I like Tad’s note on locked down with the only exception being a note from the teacher.
Joni // September 4, 2008 at 3:15 pm |
Freshmen use the first 15 minutes of aep to read on Tuesdays/Thursdays. After that, I think students should be able to go visit one of their teachers if they need to — with a note or email from the teacher. “Locking down” the aep seems like a silly idea to me. If a student has been absent the day before, needs to finish a test or assignment, or just has a question, they need time to get this accomplished.
Karen Ford // September 4, 2008 at 3:19 pm |
I tend to agree with Joni. Channel One will always be presented in my room, and I do plan some ACT reviews with my juniors but I also understand the need for absent students or students with questions to go see a teacher. Also, since I have one editor in class for yearbook and one who is taking independent study, this is a good time for them to get together to complete classroom work if I can request them and if they are not working on a grade level activity at that moment.
Mark M // September 4, 2008 at 3:33 pm |
I agree with Tad, My thoughts are to lock down, only exception, note from teacher to see a student.
Brooks BArta // September 4, 2008 at 3:39 pm |
I agree Tad, lock it down and must have not to move. There is nothing wrong with locking them down two days a week. We cannot get channel one in the room, but we can do fine without it. I think a lot of great things like act prep, grade level activities, homework, reading and etc can get done during this time. But it has to be created and organized.
Debbie Harshaw // September 5, 2008 at 7:00 pm |
Total lock-down is too extreme, but a note or e-mail from a teacher requesting students could be the exception. Also, absent students really need to gather assignments from missed classes and the AEP was originally designed for this purpose. An AEP teacher would know if the student was absent. No meetings should be scheduled on Tue/Thurs- grade level activities, only. If no activities, AEP is should be the time to see teachers for help and missed assignments.
Kurt Haussler // September 7, 2008 at 2:08 am |
I think the more open we make Tuesday and Thursday for movement around the building the more unstructured culture we build. If the intent of Tuesday and Thursday if for Grade Level activities, then we need to keep all organizational meetings off those days and keep our students in our AEPs on those days to focus on Grade Level activity. I have Channel One on in my room every day and students may watch it or do homework during that time. Most choose to watch the program and I agree with Tad in that there are many opportunities for us to extend with discussion or activities on their website. The OneVote that Channel One is doing is also an opportunity for us ALL to teach the importance of civic duty in voting to express one’s voice in this country. Junior AEPs are planning to use the Online ACT Prep program on Tuesdays and Thursdays in an attempt to help increase our students’ ACT scores (an area that has been overlooked). I believe this time may prove beneficial in preparation for the ACT much like we use AEP to prepare students for State Assessments. Best news for students is it is free and they are given time within the school day to help them on a test they pay for and take outside of school time. I would not be opposed to students having a note from a teacher to see them BUT, if there is a grade level activity scheduled THAT has priority over meeting with that teacher on Tuesdays and Thursdays and AEP teachers need to be prepared to tell students “no, we have a grade level activity and that is priority on these days”. I would recommend that teachers that give notes to students to see them should make that note good for Mon-Wed-Fri AEPs.
Jason Larison // September 7, 2008 at 9:58 pm |
Tues/Thurs definitely need to be more restricted than MWF days. The question is how restricted…
My Definite Suggestions
T/TH – No Activities, Class Meetings ONLY, Reduced Traffic in Hallway (How much is the ?), Channel 1, then of course grade level specific activities when scheduled.
I do agree with many above and hate to tell a student “you cannot go see a teacher” if you were absent… or go see another grade level teacher if requested. Seems like bathroom traffic goes up on gradelevel days… another very hard thing to say no to. For example, Thursday of this past week if a kid needed to go see a teacher because they were gone, how could I tell them no… knowing that there was a pep rally during AEP on Friday and they would not be able to see any teachers then? This unfortunately is a very complex issue without many real easy answers.
On days we do not have an activity, I use T/TH as homework days. Be Quiet and have something to work on. Channel 1 is shown each day… I agree it is getting better and my students seem pay attention when it is on.
What about the library? If a kid needs to go to the library on a grade level day and we are finished or did not have anything planned is that allowed. A trip to the library seems pretty Academically Enriching to me.
Also, I do have this to share about the organizational meetings during AEP. Not every organization is “extracurricular”. FBLA, FFA, and FCCLA are an intracurricular part of our classes (as required by state Career Clusters). We can meet outside of the school day if we have to, but I just wanted to mention that some organizations are outgrowths of classes the students are enrolled in.
Meeting in the morning is a HUGE challenge. Thrusdays are off limits during late start, every other day might have a Zero hour class that would eliminate some students. I used to meet before school for a lot of things with students, but for the last few years it always seems that one or two kids are in zero hour english… so some weeks we can meet on Tues, but the next only Wed and then some weeks is FCA. Of course with lots of freshman involved in an organization some canot drive and during the winter many will have basketball practice every morning. Just wanted to throw out the thought that it is not always as easy to say… just meet outside of the school day.
Jason Larison // September 8, 2008 at 2:43 am |
As I re-read my post, I want to clarify that I am not for organizational meetings on T/Th… i just wanted to mention the other issue since it is related to AEP since there has been discussion of eliminating all meetings when we move to MTSS.
Probably could be clearer… this blogging deal is something we are all learning together right?