Setting Up in the High School

While it is every educator's hope and dream that students are caught up and ready for high school level reading because of all our efforts in elementary and middle school during interventions and our data-driven, balanced literacy approach, this does not always work out for us. We are, after all, dealing with humans and not numbers on a statistical chart. And that's okay!

Where the high school teachers are unlucky is that there is no "interventionist" as there is in the elementary and middle schools. But we still have to show growth and meet the demands of several standardized tests which impact these kids' future college placement. Research has shown that students need to be on a 1300 Lexile level in order to be successful in a four year college. No pressure. ;)

Because of these circumstances and after many conversations with our state department Literacy Specialist, this is how we are *planning* to complete testing and some of the interventions.

Keep in mind that there are a number of "qualifiers" for testing in order for us to be able to begin testing these students ASAP in order for them to receive their interventions.

If you want to learn how the ninth graders are being tested, visit the elementary page. It's the same process, just harder texts.

9th	10th
“Does Not Meet” – SC PASS	Below “70” on EOC
EOY 8th Grade MAP Reading RIT below 218	EOY 9th Grade MAP Reading RIT below 220
Received LLI Interventions in 8th Grade	Credit Recovery for English I
BOY 9th Grade MAP Reading RIT below 218	BOY 10th Grade MAP Reading RIT below 212

Where we got these numbers:

What You Need to Do As High School ELA Teachers:

1 - Know your students and build relationships with them!! This is of the UTMOST importance!!! I can tell you from watching my own child struggle through the "high school scene" that this is the most important thing that a teacher can EVER do for a child, especially a teenager. See these ideas from a fellow high school teacher on the "First 20 Days" for High School:

2 - Know their level - We will have a google form for this.

3 - Conference with your students and keep notes! See our "independent reading and conferencing" page for more information.

Some other ideas on the internet you might want to try for tackling those first few days of school :)

A good refresher... ;)