For about 35 minutes each day, our school has an intervention period where we are supposed to work with students who need extra help. For the first time this year, it was entirely up to our team how to divide up the students and teaching responsibilities. On other teams, there's one person who figures out where all the students should go. 2 teachers will teach remedial reading, 2 will take remedial math, and one will take enrichment. Typically, teachers on other teams fight for the enrichment spot and will even try to have multiple enrichment classes. It makes sense; not only are these the smart kids, these are the "good" kids.
Here's why my team is awesome. Today we met to figure out all this stuff. First of all, it does not fall on one person to do the dividing up of students.
Second, everyone wanted to work with the remedial classes. I immediately volunteered to take the lowest readers, because, of course, those are the kids I always wish I had more time with. The math teacher obviously wanted his lowest students, too. "So, who wants enrichment?" our team leader asked. No one said a word.
The writing teacher spoke up and said she should take a remedial reading group, and the science teacher said he'd really like to teach remedial math. We all looked at the social studies teacher, and he said, "But I did enrichment last time!" He wants a remedial group, too. So basically the honors kids will all go to elective teachers during this time, and all five of us are taking the kids who need extra help.
I know this isn't very interesting to read, but I work on a team where everyone wants to work with the low kids, the kids who have behavior problems, the kids everyone else tries to avoid. Because isn't that why we're teachers? My team is genuinely excited to have an opportunity to provide extra help to the kids who need it most. That's freakin awesome.
Here's why my team is awesome. Today we met to figure out all this stuff. First of all, it does not fall on one person to do the dividing up of students.
Second, everyone wanted to work with the remedial classes. I immediately volunteered to take the lowest readers, because, of course, those are the kids I always wish I had more time with. The math teacher obviously wanted his lowest students, too. "So, who wants enrichment?" our team leader asked. No one said a word.
The writing teacher spoke up and said she should take a remedial reading group, and the science teacher said he'd really like to teach remedial math. We all looked at the social studies teacher, and he said, "But I did enrichment last time!" He wants a remedial group, too. So basically the honors kids will all go to elective teachers during this time, and all five of us are taking the kids who need extra help.
I know this isn't very interesting to read, but I work on a team where everyone wants to work with the low kids, the kids who have behavior problems, the kids everyone else tries to avoid. Because isn't that why we're teachers? My team is genuinely excited to have an opportunity to provide extra help to the kids who need it most. That's freakin awesome.
Comments