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connections to high school
By amyw | June 7, 2009
Overview: I would like to help facilitate a smooth transition for a group of special education eighth-graders in their move from the k-8 school where I work to the high school just across the street. I want to help these students by being supportive while encouraging new healthy relationships as well as a growing independence. I have included some of the actions I have taken this year to help specific students, but I would like to put together a simple, ‘bridge’ program that could be used to help Learning Center SPED students going into high school every year. Most significantly, I’d like, if possible, to include students in this ‘bridge.’ I’ll explain how this might work as we go along.
My school’s general population: This school, as well as the high school where the students are moving, is in an affluent urban neighborhood with very low ESL rates, high TAG rates, and socially/politically powerful families. However, about half of the students I’ll be talking about come from families of relative poverty by comparison.
This Year’s Kids- why they are at risk for dropping out: Tom, Fred, Quasha, Tara, and Belinda are eighth graders heading to high school. Their needs vary but each has utilized learning center assistance and each- in her or his own way- is at particular risk for dropping out. Quasha and Tara are of racial minorities, come from low-income families, and have high rates of absenteeism and tardiness. Tom, Quasha, and Tara all express negativity about learning, education, and their futures. Fred has built very few peer or staff connections in his time at our school, acts out frequently in class, reports that teachers don’t respect him, has experienced school violence, and has had a number of school changes over the years. Belinda, Tara, and Quasha are negative about their body types, which they see as different from the norm. All of the students have learning disabilities, while Fred is gifted in science and math as well.
Relationships: Over the last two years- as long as I have been at this school- I have moved from level one relationships, characterized by simple friendly, validating comments, to level two, wherein I have offered continual, more personalized support but without spending much time thinking about the possible individual impact of the relationship, and level three, wherein I hear directly from the kids about what does and does not work in terms of support for them. For example, I have worked closely with Tom for two years. He lives with high functioning autism, an issue which, amongst other complications, makes relationships and emotional expression difficult. He often comes off as abrasive and unsociable till you get to know him. Even after two years almost all of the giving has had to be mine with almost no acknowledgement, let alone open appreciation, on his part. Yet one day a few months ago, as I was helping him get through the assigned To Kill a Mockingbird, he stopped me to ask: “Do I ever say thank you?” When I asked, “Thanks for what?” he answered that he wanted to thank me for “reading to” him and helping him “understand” every day. Of course overt thanks are not why we do this work but it sure didn’t hurt.
As these kids get ready to go to high school our relationship is at the level four, relay point. I have helped prepare both them and their new LC teachers for what to expect with one another by participating in discussions and introductions. Because I do work with many of our LC students, both in the LC and in mainstream classroom, I’ve gotten to know them well, and I am in a good position to help with this transition to high school.
Goals: My short term goal with this bridge has been to help these children (and we often forget that people going into high school are still, however big, kids) have less anxiety around their move to high school. Long-term goals include helping them connect with people who can assist them to make good behavior choices, keep up passing grades, find and explore their passions, graduate ready to be life-long learners, and use their education to positively change and equalize society.
Available resources: My co-workers, many of whom have worked in PPS much longer than I and a few of whom have previously worked at the high school, are resources. These folks have connected me with the appropriate people there and have helped me answer some of the students’ questions. Of course, staff at the high school are now resources as well. Further, students I have previously worked with who transitioned last year, and even parents, are potential resources.
Actions taken/ plan of action for future: A little earlier this year I got to visit the school where they will attend to get the lay of the land. I also borrowed a PowerPoint that a co-worker had helped put together with pictures of the high school, and info on basic rules, school structure, extra-curricular opportunities, credit requirements, academic assistance options, etc. We went over the PowerPoint with the kids and took questions, dispelling some myths and getting back to students later with answers to those we could not answer at the time. Each student received a small, easy-to-read map of the school and help forecasting for next year’s classes. The first week of school I’ll check in with the kids, ask each how they are doing, remind them of ways that they have been successful in the past- using planners to track assignments, asking teachers questions after the bell if they are uncomfortable asking in front of the class, finding a trusted adult if confused, seeking out a trusted peer: Tom and Fred have been good for one another on occasion in this capacity as have Tara and Quasha- and I am always available; they have been given my work email- etc.
The more comprehensive ‘bridge’ program I envision could look like this: each year kids who have successfully transitioned the year prior from our program to the high school across the street could be brought over to talk to our eighth grade kids. The older kids will have first-hand experience, know the SPED teachers and many of the gen ed teachers, know the rules, school layout, procedures, etc. These kids could show the PowerPoint mentioned earlier, answer questions, give the incoming students a school tour at the new building, allow them to shadow for a day, and provide light-duty mentorship during the early part of the transition. All of this would be organized and supervised by someone such as myself, a LC staff who can problem-solve and take responsibility when students need assistance.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
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