Case
Retention

Mr. A recently attended a faculty meeting where they presented current educational research. Based on this research, retention was stated as being one of the least effective ways to help a student. Mr. A was shocked because he has several students in his class whom he is not sure how they were promoted. Sally is in the third grade, but performs on a kindergarten level. She cannot read, or even write her name. Mr. A is only told to differentiate in order to best meet Sally's needs. Mr. A differentiates his heart out, but knows that when spring comes along, the mandated state standardized test will not be differentiated in the slightest. How can Mr. A most effectively help Sally in order to to better prepare her for fourth grade?

Posted on: 10/17/14 | Views: 1359
Solution #1
This is a problem that I also see frequently. The best we can do is simply improve what we have to work with. If the student arrived on a kindergarten level my goal would be to increase the student by a grade level or two. Building the student's foundational skills while exposing them to grade level content will help the student be successful.
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Solution #2
Hopefully by now this student is being survey through RTI, and if not this needs to happen immediately. This student needs to be moving through the tiers and accommodations need to be implemented and her progress needs to be monitored and if an intervention is not working it needs to be modified or possibly she would need to move to the next tier and eventually be tested. Once a student has an IEP it can include teasing modifications.
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Solution #3
Mr. A needs to make sure that Sally is being documented and has contacted the coordinator for testing services. She sounds a like a good candidate for an IEP, so Mr. A should start this as soon as possible. With an ESE pullout, Sally will have to the opportunity to get more one on one help that will never be met in a normal whole group setting.

I like this solution. If they child needs help performing on level then the case needs to be documented.

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Solution #4
I order to help Sally perform well on the standardized test at the end of the year Mr. A could work on basic skills during the remediation time. Sally still needs to be exposed to the curriculum of the forth grade, but working on the basic skills she is missing with show growth and it will help to improve her scores for the spring.

I would keep track and monitor what the student is doing a little more closely. I would also surprise with pop quizzes to make sure we are all comprehending the material.

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Solution #5
Mr. A needs to teach his students were they are currently. If that is on a kindergarten level, then that is where he needs to start. He can teach a mini-lesson to the whole group on grade level, build in small group rotations and centers, and use the high performing or gifted students who show leadership to be peer tutors and mini-professors. Mr. A needs to find the lower children's strengths and interests, utilize them to engage the student and offer them to raise their own bar to build those student's confidence and growth. Another way that I have found to reach low performing or IQ students is that many of them are very "street savvy" they have more common sense and defensive mechanisms to provide for survival. Utilize these mechanisms to build academic milestones as well. A portfolio or interactive journal is a great way to encourage these students, and enables them to see their own growth. These notebooks offer the students the ability to see what they have accomplished, utilize their notebooks to look back at notes, and receive instant feedback from the teacher through a checklist on work completed. This promotes more self responsibilty but also self-esteem and confidenc in themselves.
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Solution #6
It sounds like Sally might need to be tested! Mr. A needs to collect DATA DATA DATA to get this! Also work closely with Sally's parents (if possible) to explain and show what he is seeing.

This solution is also such a great one. I think parent involvement is vital, and documentation and facts are even more important.

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