Today I went to Smyrna West to meet Kelly's students and talk about scheduling. Since the TTRM program requires 15 high school students, she is using two of her classes to participate as mentors for the 3rd graders at DYE. Right now, she has 15 students between her 2nd and 4th period classes, and the numbers may change any day. In fact, she says she wouldn't be surprised if she gets 2 more students tomorrow. She has already been training her students to mentor from the curriculum that TTRM has sent her. Each high school student will mentor a 3rd grader using the magazine that is focused on great leaders in history. Each mentor will have 10 sessions with their mentee this spring semester. Towards the end of each session, the mentors will give their mentees free books to take home with them and keep. The TTRM program provides these books to us as long as we have 15 participating mentors and give them a few statistics. For more info about TTRM, here is the website: http://www.teentrendsetters.com/.
Also, today was my first time at Smyrna West, so I observed how different the environment is there compared with other high schools. They are not allowed everyday privileges like using ketchup at lunch unless they have shown good behavior long enough to be at a high level, I think like level 4. The lower level students have not been at Smyrna West for long or have not shown enough good behavior yet to get up to higher levels. They are evaluated on their behavior everyday. Also, in most classes, they are not allowed to talk to each other, and they are especially not allowed to talk about why they are there. Kelly said that since her class is service learning, they are allowed to talk in there more than any other class. Also, some of the other teachers have commented that the students should not be allowed to go to DYE and talk if they are not at high levels, but since she does not have many students, she does not have much choice. The important thing is that the principal is on board and accomodating to what we need to do to participate in the TTRM program.
After I met with Kelly and her students, we travelled over to DYE to meet with Angela Montgomery, the 3rd grade teacher that Kelly has been communicating with over email. We worked out scheduling and met some other 3rd grade teachers. Kelly gave her permission slips as well. The teachers seemed very excited and accomodating about having the Smyrna West students mentor their 3rd graders! This will be a great opportunity!
I also got to meet the principals from Smyrna West and David Youree today, and they were both excited about the reading program. Mrs. Davenport, Smyrna West principal, was glad to have me helping out at the school. Both principals were very welcoming and glad to see us starting up this reading program.
That's all for now!
Elizabeth
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2 comments:
so what do you think about the program itself--are you a believer in it that it helps kids...or is it like other grant-funded programs that help some kids, give the schools money, but don't really help the majority?
how are you and kelly going to work out the changing SWA population--always a challenge in doing a project there. will it be ok if you have 15 different mentors? i mean, if a kid can leave SWA and return to SHS or LHS, s/he's going to, right?
ahh...i had forgotten you hadn't yet gone to SWA. yep, it's a different place, but think how positive the school is--how they try to encourage the kids to improve rather than treat them like little hoodlums and lock them in classrooms. system seems to work pretty good, and it's been a great fit with the service learning elements and partnerships. interesting point about other teachers commenting on kids going to DYE...i have not heard this from my other students. i know the principal is very supportive of the programs. wonder if the other teachers are less supportive b/c it takes away from the school day? dunno?
what was your feel for the 3rd grade teacher--what is her goal in this partnership? and the DYE principal? The former principal (who I knew from other SL projects) was gung ho. Same with the new one?
i think you're going to get some interesting behind-the-scenes views of how grant and other programs go. keep a scrapbook/journal. this program will look great in your teaching portfolio.
keep up the great work.
Based on what I saw at the Summit in FL, many high school students have benefited from the program because it boosted their confidence and got them to take on a leadership role instead of their usual student role. I think it will help the majority, but I'll have more observations and insights on this later I'm sure.
The biggest challenge for Kelly and me is going to be the changing SWA population. We have kept in touch with Teecy, the FL leader for TTRM, and she says it's fine if we have different mentors throughout the program as long as 15 mentees participate throughout. The disadvantage of having different SWA mentors is we'll need to train them as they come in and also that the 3rd graders might not get to know them well, and that's a big part of the effectiveness of the program. Yes, if the student can leave SWA to return to SHS or LHS, they will go.
Also, when I observed the school, I didn't think negative things about it. It was just different, and I think it's what the students need. Also, the students I observed the other day were positive, so they don't completely dislike being there.
Also, SWA principal is VERY supportive of us starting TTRM. I can understand why other teachers wouldn't approve of SWA kids going to DYE without obtaining a level 3 or 4 because they are supposed to earn privileges, and TTRM will be a HUGE privilege for them since they'll get to leave the school and talk. I'm sure the students will enjoy the experience because of the freedom they'll have.
Angela (3rd grade teacher) seemed very excited about TTRM. She told us that she wants to become a reading specialist so this will be a great experience/opportunity for her as well.
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