THE INSTITUTE for Learning Centered Education NEWSLETTER

THE INSTITUTE for Learning Centered Education NEWSLETTER

TOPIC: WHAT MAKES MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ACHIEVE?

Date: February 3, 2003 Newsletter Edition: Volume 4, Issue 5

Middle school students, recently interviewed, say they achieve closer to their potential when they like the subject matter, have hands-on tasks, and do not have lessons disrupted by unruly students.

Thirty nine middle school students were asked why the achievers achieve and why other students don’t perform to their potential. Their responses in a minute.

I am indebted to Jennifer Bishop and her colleagues at the Talley Middle School in Delaware for allowing me to learn about their CSR “Mini-Society” model. Following my work in Delaware last April I took their concept of a student advisory committee and integrated it into the Institute’s CSR model which is being implemented with the Malone middle school.

Since September, guidance counselors Amy Hayes and Van Alexander, and assistant principal Kathy Seymour, have been working with twelve middle school students who were selected through a process designed to be representative of the student body and to provide equal representation from 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade. St. Lawrence University students are assisting with facilitation of the group.

We now have evidence of the middle school students’ enthusiasm and of their accomplishments. How do we measure their enthusiasm?

At the end of the first meeting in September, we asked each student to share a thought about the process. Almost to a person, the students said, “We thought you’d want to ask our opinions and have us do a few things, but now we realize you really want us to play an important role.”

In September, the facilitators were reluctant to request more than an hour a month from the students, and had ruled out Fridays because of their eagerness to start the weekend. Now, meetings are being scheduled on an as-needed basis because the students want to continue their work and they have informed their facilitators that they can meet on Fridays if it is necessary to accommodate the schedules of the university students.

This weekend, we concluded a Friday evening/Saturday retreat for most of the staff engaged in the CSR process, and, of course, the students were included. The retreat was a mini version of our week long summer conference – no speeches, just small groups, working with a facilitator. The students spent their time at the retreat organizing data on causes of high and low student achievement and writing their report. Between October and February, the 12 member student advisory committee had designed their questions, created representative focus groups, interviewed their peers, and categorized the responses. Here is the report which they completed at the weekend retreat and are circulating to the middle school staff:

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT STUDY RESULTS

We surveyed 39 students from all three grades to get a representative sample of student opinions. We asked seven questions - two main questions, and five follow-up questions. Listed below are the questions along with our findings:

1. Are you achieving what you are capable of? (If not, why not?)

Yes: 29 No: 10

Some examples of why students feel they are achieving:

I am achieving what I am capable of because I have high goals, I do the best I can, and my parents push me to get good grades.

I am achieving what I am capable of because I study for tests and quizzes.

I am achieving what I am capable of because I complete homework.

2. Do you think most of your classmates are achieving what they are capable of (if not, why not?)

Yes: 9 No: 28

Some examples of why students feel they are not achieving:

Discipline problems in the homeroom

Apathy

Disrupted by classmates

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS

1. WHY DO YOU DO WELL IN SOME CLASSES AND POORLY IN OTHERS? IF SO, IN WHAT WAYS?

Difficulty of work: 11 Better teachers: 6 Like subject matter: 18

2. IN GENERAL, WHY DO STUDENTS DO POORLY?

Don’t try: 13 Don’t want to do the work: 10 Don’t pay attention: 5

3. DO TEACHING STYLES IMPACT THE WAY WE LEARN? IF SO, IN WHAT WAYS?

Yes: 23 No: 4 Maybe: 1

a. Some classes are more interesting than others.

b. Some classes do more activity work.

4. HOW DO YOU PREFER TO LEARN?

Hands-on: 23 Notes: 5 Worksheets: 4

5. DO OTHER STUDENTS IMPACT HOW WELL YOU LEARN? IN WHAT WAYS?

Yes: 23 No: 14

Here are some reasons why other students do impact how you learn?

a. Some kids talk back to the teachers and take time away from other students.

b. Kids are fooling around and teachers sometimes don’t see them.

If you walk through the halls of Malone Middle School, you’ll be able to identify the twelve members of the student advisory committee by the beautiful sweatshirts they are likely to be wearing, in school colors, with the school logo and the words “Student Advisory Committee.” The sweatshirts were authorized by the school leadership team, at the suggestion of principal Keely Dunshee who recognized the need, not only for the students to be recognized, but for the entire school to have cause for celebration. The students received a standing ovation from the staff when presented with their sweatshirts at the start of the weekend retreat. Staff received an even greater value when presented with the students’ report at the end of the retreat.

The results of this survey are printed with permission of the students on the Malone Student Advisory Committee: Stephanie Briere, Ashley Grimshaw, Matt Hernandez, Molly Hooper, Nicole Hovis, Robert Lamica, Ashley Monette, Brooke Rankin, Amber Spinner, Ben Thomas.

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