Save Our Challenge Program: November 24, 2015 Academic Subcommittee Notes

Notes taken by Angie Hancock

Today's Purpose

Continue Building Collective knowledge regarding

characteristics of early adolescents and their decision making process
Challenging and Rigorous Curriculum for all in Math and Science
Decision making process regarding math direction

Comments from 11-9

What problem are we trying to solve?
Time is our enemy - more time is needed

Group got a handout that they looked over and summarized as a group...I do not have this handout

Group 1: Many statements said equity and Level Playing Field

Group 2: Equity without limiting access to anything

Group 3: Equity and equity for all mentioned in comments - how do we do it?

Group 4: Equity for all

This We Believe - committee directed to read several pages in the book then discuss

What statements could impact a Middle School student's ability to make decisions?
How do Middle School Students perceive themselves socially and emotionally?

Comments and favorite quotes from reading:

May show disinterest for traditional subjects by be interested in teh world around them
May feel inadequate in comparison to peers
Active rather than passive learning
Might not show engagement but is still engaged
increasingly able to think abstractly -applies to algebra readiness
Experience levels of self esteem that fluctuates. self esteem may decline in Middle school.
Independence with support
ethnic identity awareness
aware of differences
gender identity and exploration
psychologically vulnerable - differences between themselves and others are more obvious.
Resilient
experiment with social positioning - gravitate toward disruptive peers but lean on parents.
mood swings
dependent on adults but seek to make own decisions
Interested in Group membership - feel excluded easily if not actively accepted by peers
Enjoy being in groups and participating in fads

Math discussion

Science supports differentiation well and math is harder to differentiate
more interactive curriculum would make teaching math easier
math is covered too fast and not deep enough. Students don't enjoy that
grade level content makes it impossible to accelerate within a classroom for different students
Can't make challenge for all in math since no real challenge in math now except 7th grade
Regular (gen ed) classes are so much lower achieving. There aren't high achievers to prop them up when challenge kids are removed.
harder to keep an academic culture in gen ed where kids are n't as eager to learn
Elementary needs to prepare kids better in math
Current 7th grade doesn't have background of common core that future kid will have.
may need to revisit this math decision in a couple of years as kids change

Can the subcommittee make a decision to keep accelerated math in Middle school?

M taught regular 7,8,9 math and Support-Algebra, never taught Challenge Math or Science
J taught regular 7 all the way through Alg 2/Trig and challenge
In M's school he had one class which was mostly struggling learners. "It was a madhouse". Now they are mixing struggling learners and regular gen ed.
How can higher level learners advance with focus being on struggling learners in the room?
Algebra for all: J says with current system of separate challenge math, it is heavily tracked taking advanced learners out of gen ed classrooms, which creates no way to meet the needs of all learners. Strugglers are struggling more.
How will kids have good self esteem with high and low learners in the same room?
Math curriculum doesn't lend itself to helping struggling learners.
No easy access point to next level of math if you don't get in on high track from the beginning
It's not one kids' responsibility to teach the other kids
some kids think differently and have novel ideas - sometimes those ideas come from gen ed
It's difficult now to create extension activities for higher level learners, but common core's higher ceiling helps.
some kids even call gen ed classes the dumb class.
Some schools have LAP classes for struggling learners. They pre-teach to these kids then allow the kids to be leaders in their gen ed classes by knowing information first.

Math proposal to be sent to Task Force - I did not get a copy of this proposal

6th grade won't be accelerated
Acceleration would begin in 7 and 8th grade.
Challenge 7 kids would be mixed with gen ed 8th grade kids
Double jump 7 and single jump 8 would be in same classroom
District wants more kids in Algebra but teachers on committee think most kids aren't ready by 8th grade
One parent on committee commented on proposal saying "I like that this proposal removes the self-select option"
Students would have to pass some requirements in order to get into Challenge classes - could be a test to pass or a teacher recommendation or something else or a combo (It was hard to tell from comments people were making what the requirements would be since I didn't get a copy of proposal)
A teacher commented that "when you remove the self select from Challenge it takes the impulsiveness out of the decision". He went on to say that some kids will sign up for Challenge now because their friends did even if they aren't ready. And some kids will not sign up for challenge because of low self esteem.
6th grade common core is more rigorous
identify for tracks - one teacher said "teachers don't want the responsibility of putting kids into tracks. We don't want to push them ahead if they aren't ready." (so I assume the proposal said something about teacher recommendations being a part of requirement for challenge.)
Need to continue to evaluate the math curriculum
There are holes in current curriculum.
6th grade would be un-tracked.
C said Coming in as 6th graders to experience Middle School first before choosing tracks allows for better transition.
Selection process for higher tracks
Self reflection and self select don't match. (I took this to mean that they believe Middle Schoolers don't really know themselves well enough to choose on their own whether to take challenge classes or not.)
S says 6th grade transition year is appropriate for student evaluation
kids have a hard time going backwards if they choose the high track.
Not sure about doing 2 years compacted math curriculum for 7th grade
with common core acceleration is 3 years of teaching in 2 years (not sure I understand this)
O says there will be mixed grades in accelerated classrooms. identify standards to be met - SBAC scores from 5th grade would arrive too late to determine if 6th graders qualify for challenge that way. Teachers aren't consistent in their evaluation. so how would you evaluate 6th graders for Challenge?

Vote on chunks of Math proposal:

Grade 6 sections 1-4 - All members gave a 3 or 4 finger consensus
Grade 7 - 3 or 4 fingers from all except M who gave 2

Default Holt 2
Qualify for double acceleration goes to Alg 1
One teacher said "We Don't want possibility of self select added into the wording"
7th and 9th would be together in double jump (social emotional problems here?)
M wants support for gen ed 7 and 8th grade teachers if acceleration is allowed

Grade 8 - all 3 or 4 finger consensus

Default Holt 3

Itallics section of proposal - all 3 or 4 finger consensus

L asked for addition adding parent input to selection criteria for Challenge - opt in or opt out. Suggested an email, flyer or robocall to parents to inform them they have a say
Opt in to challenge courses could leave out students of non-responsive parents
table asked for an opt-out option for students who qualify for challenge. Felt it would include the most students
G says that after this proposal is approved by Subcommittee it will go to a team of math teachers who will start meeting in the spring. They will make the final recommendations on math curriculum in Middle School.

Science Discussion by J

teacher surveyed all of her Challenge and AAP students as well as all teachers in department about challenge
All kids surveyed like being with like-minded peers and motivated eager kids.
Kids are dismayed that district is considering cutting challenge
The kids are sad that challenge might be taken away
9th grade students felt Challenge was good preparation for High school and AP/IB classes.
Teachers in department: 4 want to keep Challenge, 1 is against challenge and 1 is non committal
Teacher is proud of department and wants to stay, hopes differing opinion doesn't hurt job
Worried about district being as competitive with other districts that offer honors-like programs
Kids get a good value from Challenge
Proficiency based learning in science
Special Ed teacher also consulted in the survey and is for Challenge
S says we need to think like a business and keep competitive with other school districts which offer opportunities, choice schools, etc.
A says Science Teachers at her school don't like the challenge program. Another teacher at table said science teachers at her school didn't like challenge either because it made gen ed harder to teach.
J taught gen ed classes in the past. She said the gen ed kids rose up to be leaders when the higher achievers weren't in the room to play that role.
Department says they want some requirements to be in challenge progam
Before Challenge, Higher end wants to move on but lower achievers are holding them back,
Next Gen Science Standards (NGSS) are coming soon
Special ed kids are in gen ed science and Social Studies.
Other schools science teachers don't like challenge science because it makes gen ed harder to teach.
What will 6th grade science look like? - a group has been studying this for a while and will be recommending by Dec. 1
More Regular than Challenge kids in Science and SS, language arts has a higher rate of challenge kids.