The countdown is over, summer is finally here for me. Teaching summer school certainly had its ups and downs. Ups being the pay, downs being actually having to attend each day. I grew increasingly frustrated with the complete lack of ability in my classes. I had to read the exam to one student today. It was in that time that I realized why my summer students were doing SO poorly on all their open note/open book tests. Not only do they struggle with the material, they do not understand what the words in the question mean. They are vocab weak on top of reading disabilities. When I graded the test for this student I felt really bad. The first half of the test was done alone. The last half was me reading, upon request of the student. The second half had a significantly lower rate of missed questions. In the regular school year I would have the knowledge of who received what modifications and interventions. Either way, the term has passed. No one failed second term. I’m so proud of them. I really did enjoy this last group. My boys especially. They stepped up and really got into participation. Verbally they could really show what they knew. Written response and test taking is where they struggled. I’ll have to remember to follow up with them next year. Despite the frustration, despite the long days, and despite the summer time spent in a classroom…I’m glad I did it. I got to know some great kids and they got the feeling of working toward a goal and achieving success. Priceless.
now…countdown to the beach!!! 4 days!
June 30th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
Hi Michele sent me.
Glad the kids are getting a measure of success. June can be a long haul in school for student and teacher.
Almost there. Keep going.
June 30th, 2006 at 11:16 pm
I’m surprised that the student’s IEPs don’t travel with them to summer school. Isn’t that sort of asking for a law suit, since NCLB requires summer school for failing students?
I’m glad that everyone did well second term, and happy for you that you get to go to the beach. Lucky you!
Here from MIchele
July 1st, 2006 at 8:41 am
Summer school is offered for failing students so the requirements are met. Not sure about the IEP and how it applies in summer school. Many of my sped students were resource students and part of their IEP calls for the resource class. However, summer school is a different bird and resource is not something that is offered. That will likely have to be revisited. There were a few students that I knew their ruling so I knew to do basic modifications…extra time for assignments, modify assignments, and extra help. However, I did not know the specific issues with each kid. Could have pulled a pr on them and probably should have. Now I know for the future what I will be dealing with. My philosophy is to go the “extra mile” no matter what the ruling is and you can never be strung up for a student failing…and let’s not forget document, document, document.