Remedial Academia is no Laughing Matter
Posted on July 1, 2008
Filed under Uncategorized
I realize some of my anecdotes from my Summer School Sagas minimalize the value in remedial summer school, but my true feelings are closely tied to making such remedial opportunities real, applicable and supported.
In my years of teaching summer school and Saturday school, I’ve found each program to be quite ineffective in format. Essentially, our job as teachers of remedial sections is to provide a packet of materials that students presumable missed duirng the school year. In addition, our job is to provide a structured, quite space where students can get the one-on-one help necessary in order to “catch up” from the year previous. Anyone with a pulse and a backbone can do what I am paid to do. There are more discipline cases to deal with rather the cases who “just don’t get it.”
This brings me to the breakdown of summer school students:
Student A: Failed 4 or more semesters of core subjects, disengaged from classroom duties for reasons related to behavior (behaviors is a loose term which umbrellas over a. little home support b. little ambition c. little self-value d. immaturity)
Student B: Failed 4 or more semesters of core subjects, disengaged from classroom duties for reasons related to NOT GETTING IT.
Student B is the ideal customer for summer school. He is suited for this simply because he could benefit from one-on-one attention, quite space, and few other distractions outside of the ticking clock and snack break.
Student A is still slated for the same non-success once she puts in her 6 weeks and undoubtedly moves on to the next grade.
This is specific to my district, I know. Another specific to my district is that few students are held back in primary grades. Thus, when Student A or B gets to middle level, he or she may be given the disservice of not being retained when learning is far more critical (reading skills, math facts, problem solving). I am not convinced that ours is the only district with remedial programs that need remediating (more like reconstructing) themselves.
There are solutions out there that take time, $much money$, and staff who are just as dedicated to the cause during the summer as they are the other nine months of the year. Cost factor, someday, will have to take the backseat to propelling students when they need it. One district added “about $2,000 per child, in a district whose average general-education spending per pupil is about $13,000 — “; which is a testament to investing in students. I know that varying factors like taxbase, socio-economic make up of student population, and overall needs in a district are going to dictate remedial programs. The Gift of Time program at Hempstead Elementary in Spring Valley, N.Y is controlled and seemingly producing desirable results. It works for them. However, can a program like Gift of Time work for every school, every struggling student?
The correct answer is vague. The correct answer is not a one-size-fits-all. The correct answer meets the needs of both Student A and Student B while presenting a cost-effective, student centered remedial program that any district invests time, brainpower, and teacherpower into. Whew.
Conclusion not available here. Additionally, I am left with a few more questions.
*is there value in middle level students being held back?
*do middle level students deserve a second chance if they are Student A or Student B?
*when is the best time to run remedial programs?
*should core teachers be the remedial instructors?
*why are remedial programs that worked in the past, not working for students today?
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Welcome to the blogosphere
Thank you for the post. I think there are many students out there, not just in your district, that would fall into your catagories.
Kathy-
Thanks for reminding me that yes, students like this don’t only exist in my district. Much appreciated. What are some solutions to summer school programs, though? What works?