Week 6 - Sub-Texts
Before I dive right into grant writing for tutoring, there are some sub-texts that are worth exploring.
Assessment:
The main measurable proof that Mt. Zion will use to establish the effectivness of their tutoring comes in the form of a test. These tests are given as a pre-test and a post-test. The logic is simple. If the students score higher on the post-test compared to the pre-test, then learning occurred. If it wasn't implicit, it is the same test.
When I taught at the local high school, I did something similar. Forced to prove progress that was measurable, I gave my students a pre-test. On the first day of class, I just handed out an 8 page monster that covered everything from poetic devices to literary terms to reading comprehension. Most of the material was stuff that I know they've studied before. Regardless, most students got discouraged and gave up. The highest score I ever registered on the pre-test was a 75%. Most students scored in the 40 to 50% range with a healthy percentage of them scoring below 25%. After a semester of work on poetic devices, literary terms and reading comprehension, I gave them the same test again. I was able to compare students' pre-test and post-test scores showing the percentage increase for individual students as well as in aggregate. Not only did it fulfill my obligation to administration, the students felt good knowing that they actually learned something.
Mt. Zion uses the DAR assessment test for reading and the TOMA assessment test for math. The sub-text worth exploring is the effectiveness of these assessment devices.
DAR Overview
After searching high and low for data or reports that confirm or don't confirm the effectiveness of these assessments, I've decided it's not that important. What I mean is that the test is a tool, and it doesn't have to be perfect. Maybe it could be improved to more accurately describe a student's current reading level, or assess it more quickly. It is still an objective, external assessment where quantitative data can be compared to other quantitative data. It's pretty cut and dry. And the government loves cut and dry. If someone else wants to take this up in this class or another, feel free. It's still an interesting sub-text, but I have more pressing matters to focus on.
The Easiest Path to Money:
Pat made a point to explain that the tutoring will be for elementary school students. Her goal is to expand the program to offer tutoring for middle school students. If you are wondering why high school students are being excluded from this free tutoring, there is some reality that needs to be faced first. The government is willing to provide money to economically challenged young students that are performing below grade level in reading or math. The government is ''not' 'willing to provide money to those same students once they hit high school. The logic is cold, but defendable. If a fifteen-year-old is still reading at a 2nd grade reading level after 9 years of public education, an after school tutoring program will not close that gap.
So what happens to those students? There's the sub-text worth pursuing.
Last semester, I discussed the correlation of incarceration rates among high school drop-outs. While some of these statsitics can be manipulated to yield different outcomes, the underlying logic makes sense. With fewer and fewer economic opportunities and a growing disregard for the system that failed them, many of these drop-outs turn to crime. Here are a few pages, but for any one really interested, we can have a conversation, or I can direct you to other work I've done in this area.
The Silent Epidemic
Drop Out Rates
As it relates to Mt. Zion, any grant I write or help write will focus on expanding the elementary tutoring program. We will look into grants for middle school students as well, but the high school students will be enrolled in mentoring programs more than tutoring programs. Again, the logic is cold, but defensible. If teenagers are that many years behind educationally, they need to start figuring out more pressing issues than their times tables. Similar to a square being a rectangle, but a rectangle not being a square, the mentoring program could include tutoring, but it doesn't have to.
Back to Rich's Main Page
Comments (2)
Anonymous said
at 6:33 pm on Feb 11, 2009
"The government is willing to provide money to economically challenged young students that are performing below grade level in reading or math. The government is not willing to provide money to those same students once they hit high school. The logic is cold, but defendable. If a fifteen-year-old is still reading at a 2nd grade reading level after 9 years of public education, an after school tutoring program will not close that gap.
So what happens to those students? There's the sub-text worth pursuing.
Last semester, I discussed the correlation of incarceration rates among high school drop-outs. While some of these statsitics can be manipulated to yield different outcomes, the underlying logic makes sense. With fewer and fewer economic opportunities and a growing disregard for the system that failed them, many of these drop-outs turn to crime. ..."
Rich, this is a very interesting area to explore. It makes sense that a 15 year-old student who is still reading at a 2nd grade level and has had funds available to support his or her tutoring sessions should be cut off at a certain point. But what does this tell us? It tells me that either the tutoring services offered are not up to par or that the student simply requires a different learning approach that may not be available or practically accessible. This also tells me that it is important to begin tutoring as early as possible so the student may benefit throughout his or her educative journeys. In any case, you have made some extremely valuable points in this post.
Anonymous said
at 1:04 pm on Feb 12, 2009
What about the ability of the student to learn? Has this been addressed or is it a taboo subject? i.e. politically incorrect?
You don't have permission to comment on this page.