010112JournalEntry

A "quick lookup" of the current progress of a student often reveals a disturbing pattern. While there may be only a few absences per class overall, students often have well above that number during first period, sometimes even over 6. 

Attendance, an issue that interferes with overall student achievement, has received wide spread attention and directed resources in the school system, including in the worst case scenario, the services of a truant officer.

However, tardiness to first period for whatever reason,is an issue that has,largely,stayed under the radar. Students who come to class late tend to make noise and distract other students. The teacher often must repeat part of the lesson. At times, a tardy student could cause a confrontation as the teacher must question the reason.

Students come late to class for a variety of reasons,some legitimate. There are students who need to go to court or those with with family issues like providing child care for their own children,or babysitting younger relatives. Some of the students are responsible for taking their siblings to school. A few come to class late because of logistics, they miss or are late for the bus and must walk or take public transportation.

Others miss because,they are simply uninterested in school or apathetic about their own education or crazy as it sounds, they don't want to look like they are too interested in school or because it's raining or snowing.

In my own classes, first period is attended sparsely with only half, sometimes even a third of the students showing up. The educational effect is obvious. Students miss out on opportunities to learn and create large gaps in their knowledge.

To improve attendance first period I have come up with the following plan:

Review tardy pattern with each student during Advisor/Advisee.

-Identify students with significant tardy issues.

-Discuss the importance of being in class on time prepared to learn and work, the impact on school and grades.

-Award a stipend for perfect ontime attendance for the week, the month, the quarter including extra credit on scheduled quizzes/tests for the week, additional points towards level system and early release for lunch. Points could also be used for invitation only pizza parties, early release with level 4 students, and even a school sponsored drawing for a gift certificate.

Before Christmas vacation, I began to review each of my advisee's tardy pattern.

I will be eager to implement the remaining plan as students return in January. 

120111JournalEntry

At the beginning of the year, SeaCoast High School began a new initiative: using agenda books to help students to organize their assignments. The use of agenda books is a useful skill that once learned, can help students throughout high school as well as in college or even business. Teaching students organizational strategy through the use of agenda books is a positive academic strategy.

While some students seem to understand the purpose and structure of an agenda book or student planner, many students may simply lack the skills to independently use this organizational tool. As a result, one period from advisor/advisee was devoted to an agenda book lesson teaching students about the different sections in the book and how to use the planner to help to keep track of upcoming tests, assignments due and important dates and information to be relayed home to parents.

Most students accepted the idea and were eager to use this new tool. A small number, right from the start, were resistant, not bringing it to class, not using it, not intending to use it. I saw this in my own advisor/advisee classes, as students were not able to participate in advisor/advisee lessons, go to the bathroom, go to the nurse or be let out of the classroom at all because they were without an agenda book.

I came up with the following strategies which I presented to my class of advisees:

Emphasize

The agenda books are a tool to help be more responsible with classroom work, as well as your homework. Use the book to help remember important information that is necessary for work at home for tests and large projects by writing study time, or project time, into the agenda book for example:

Homework: Every assignment stands a better chance of being completed if you know you have it. Note page numbers and write what you have to do with any additional information from your teacher.

Projects: Projects normally have due dates over a week or two. Make some notes concerning due dates a reminders a few days before.

Extracurricular Activities: Write down when you have football or basketball practice or when you need to bring in a picture for yearbook.

Events: Write down important days, field days, dress up day, birthdays, whatever information is so important, school-related or not, it just can’t be forgotten.

Work: Write down your work schedule for the week.

Job Interviews: You won't get the job if you don't get there on time.

Model 

I demonstrated where they should write the necessary information (e.g., homework, test dates, etc.) in the book while verbally explaining what is being recorded, how it is being recorded, and why it is being recorded. I pointed out that math homework, for example, is written in the same space every day, and that test dates should be recorded in a different color so that they stand out on the page.

Supervise 

I supervised the process ensuring that the students had recorded the assignment

accurately, and that it was written neatly enough to be read.

Review

I encouraged each student to review important information in the agenda book each

evening with their parent, including a review of that evening's homework, as well

as future test dates and large projects. 

Remind

Each advisee period, I review the use of agenda books, reminding students to be mindful of upcoming tests and assignments and to turn in homework ontime.

As a result of this practice, I've found a marked improvement in the use of agenda books in my classroom. I'll be keeping track over the remaining weeks in the term to make sure students don't "backslide."