In the high schools many students have stopped coming. During the HSA's when there was a delayed opening students did not come to school and the majority have not returned. Finals are next week, so most students won't come after finals.

I think I am also trying to spark a balance, irrespective of time of year, of keeping the peace and focusing on academics.

High school presents a different situation than middle school. I was in middle school last school year and we definitely, towards the end of the year, focused on crowd control and activities that kept the children engaged in NOT behaving badly-field trips, field days, outside time, etc. I

As opposed to MSA's in March, HSA's were last week so this is the first full week since the intense focus of the entire school year has passed. Attendance has dropped off markedly and the children who are here are presenting challenges behaviorally. All that being said, we still have final exams next week so we are focusing on getting ready for those. We have by no means been given any administrative "white flags" to give up on focusing on academics-we were in fact told at the beginning of this week that WE as staff need to refocus and challenge our students academically as a means to help control the behavior.

I am trying my best to do lots of review games, but its hard. I am tired, the kids and myself are HOT, and attendance is flagging. We have exams next week and I suspect that after those exams, the last week will be nothing more than institutional baby-sitting....

On the bright side of the last week, we can provide the students who DO show up service learning hours to help get classrooms cleaned and organized as well as the general school property.

Well, in at least one grade at Roland Park Elementary School last year the teachers used the last week of school to show Disney movies. Why do administrators tolerate this kind of nonsense? The teachers already get every afternoon the last week to clean rooms and do end of the year paperwork. Principals should insist that the teachers teach SOMETHING during the morning and nip this Disney movie thing in the bud!

It is not easy. We are attempting to maintain academic rigor, teaching "March to March" as it has been called. However, between warmer temperatures and the inability to provide real consequences for behaviors, it is like the kids have given up.

Maybe because there is not so much talk of the test, they have in their own minds determined or picked up the feeling from adults that the rest of the year is a breeze.

The focus on the HSAs has given many students the impression that the school year is over when the tests are over. They may come back to take their final exams, but those who believe they're failing will probably not do that. Many of the students who continue to come do so to "play" in the halls and create havoc. There are no consequences for that behavior, so they do what they want while teachers try to maintain an academic atmosphere for the few students who continue to come to learn. With all the distractions, though, it's difficult.

Its over, TOAST... and with the last week being all half days many will stop showing up after June 6th.

David Ortiz, I enjoyed your comment but was disappointed to hear about rewarding service learning hours for cleaning the class room. I know that you're not the only one to give service learning hours for things that are not actually service learning, in fact you're probably one of the stricter teachers! I've heard of teachers signing off service hours for students who haven't fulfilled their commitment just so that they can graduate. Literally helping students for doing nothing.

Which leads to my big idea, USE THE LAST 1-2 WEEKS FOR SERVICE LEARNING!

I'm not talking about a canned food drive, I'm talking about what service learning was supposed to be when the law was created. Anyone can use this basic format.

1. Do an asset mapping of the school's surrounding community.

2. Based on the community's resources and needs pick a topic and create a service project, potentially partnering with some local non-profits.

3. Do some readings on the issue you've decided to address.

4. Work directly with the people you are trying to serve.

5. After the project reflect as a class about Baltimore City's problems, how people are fighting for change, and how successful they/you are in affecting change. This should include a classroom conversation but also a written response.

Baltomommie, don't be hatin' on Disney movies!

Corey:

I love your service learning project idea! Have you brought that to the attention of the school-it's such a great idea that I am sure a pricipal would grab onto it.

For high schools, exams start on Tuesday, run through Friday with makeup days, and it does take some time to read and grade essays.

We won't see kids after exams; we cannot grade on attendance or behavior-- so the course is over, they stop coming.

I would think you would have less trouble with discipline if the kids weren't bored out of their minds as they are when learning stops three weeks before school does. And attendance must be horrible now. My kids generally are into going to school, but these days it's pulling teeth to get them going in the morning.

I totally agree with you Corey on the idea that giving service learning hours for cleaning my room and the general school environs is a little lame, but per usual as teachers, we are always trying to strike a balance.

I definitely see that it is a deviation from the spirit of the idea, but my kids LOVE helping me out with "chores"-be it sweeping my room at the end of the day, helping me make tools for future lessons (as some did today when they were done with their review activity), or hanging/getting things off my walls and chalkboards. If it gives them a sense of pride and purpose to help in these remaining days....ehhh, I'm willing to okay it.

That being said, I love your idea for completing a more meaningful long-term service learning project as a way to keep the kids engaged this time of year. I am already thinking of ideas I can use for this time next year. Thanks for the great idea!

In response to "a parent", its kind of a chicken and egg conundrum. We as a staff are definitely guilty on some level of dropping off in terms of rigor and engagement, but we drill the idea of these HSA's into their heads from August as the end-all-be-all and then watch as the unintended consequence of its conclusion is lack of order. Couple that with the shoddy attendance and its almost futile to construct meaningful lessons. Therefore, we end up turning to more "filler" as a band-aid to the attendance and discipline issues.

We ALL need to come up with ideas about how to keep the kids motivated until the last bell-changing the day grades are due, community projects, etc. This way your kids will not be so bored and those discipline issues will wane (a little anyways).

The teachers in my school are working to prepare students for the finals but it is difficult to focus when we are still doing makeup HSAs at the same time and all of the seniors are doing their end-of-school/graduation activities as well. I see teachers making a real attempt to get students to focus on classwork but not having much success as the mindset is "School's out for summer."

This isn't new OR a city issue. I remember going to school (Harford County) and the last week and a half being a complete wash as well.

It is unfair to characterize a common practice as a "city problem."

When I used to teach in a BCPSS middle school, the last few weeks would be a total joke. It was so hot some days (no AC in the school) that I would be dripping sweat and the kids would be languishing in their desks sweating all over the place. I would ration out the roll of paper towels I had to use to try and cool off with water from the sink.

When it wasn't a sauna in my classroom, I was expected to have my whole room packed up, cleaned up, and absolutely nothing left in the building when 12pm rolled around on the last day. Students rarely came to school during the regular school year so attendance became even worse. We would play card games and do little fun hands on activities but there was no real teaching. What student wants to focus on learning when there is no final exam or end of the year test?

Also students were well aware of the fact that NO ONE was going to be held back. You could come to school 2 days out of the 180 and still pass to the next grade. Why should they do anything at all if they get the same result either way?

Kelly, (shameless plug) I'm the High School Program Director for a non-profit www.studentssharing.org that works with 8 Title I middle schools and a mix of 17 public/private/city/county high schools trying to conduct meaningful service learning. I'd love to tell every principal in the BCPSS about how to properly implement the state mandated service learning hours, but, the projects take time and man/womanpower, and our staff is too small to take on any more.

If anyone was interested in trying to make their own service project or wanted to get something started at their child's school, I would be happy to answer any questions or direct you towards some good resources, cgaber@studentssharing.org

Big Papi,

I hope you didn't take my last post as accusatory in any way, it's easy to tell that you're a dedicated teacher, and everyone in Baltimore is indebted to you and your coworkers.

I wonder if there is another way to reward students who help with these chores besides service learning hours? If you are thinking of forming your own project I'd like to arrogantly lecture a few points.

1. The more student-driven the project is the better, let them choose the issue and take ownership of it rather than a top-down, this is what we're doing approach.

2. Working with these kids in a new environment can lead to amazing things, we've noticed that the "problem children" inside the classroom often become our best students outside of it. However, working outside requires volunteers to maintain order. A 4-1 student-adult ratio is ideal, you don't want to get above 6-1 if possible. There are many places to recruit volunteers, such as the new 500+ recruited by Alonso.

3. Partner with the do-gooders around your neighborhood!

I had many more points but I've got to go work! Peace!

-Corey

I almost forgot!! Let's look at the people who make the testing schedule and don't move the dates of high school finals when the end of the school year changes. Why do we take the finals over a week before the school year is expected to end? And, then, we complain because the students "don't come" and the teachers "don't teach." Get real!

Ummmm, guess what, Joan? Have you been paying attention? Most schools in the BCPSS are NOT AIR-CONDITIONED. It is a blessing that kids don't have to be there full-time during the last week because they would barely survive it. This spring has been cool, but most springs it is physically unbearable by this time of year. For lucky people who get to work in air conditioning (people ranging from fast-food workers to Dr. Alonso), they have no idea how HOT it can be inside an un-airconditioned school -- third floor -- 80 degrees outside, but mid to upper 90's inside, full humidity). And there ain't much learnin' gonna take place in them thar quarters... let's add mice and roaches, and Deerpark water coolers that have long since run dry... do you people really not understand what it's like in schools???

We're not playing, here...

And if we have finals the last week, will teachers get paid to have a few days to pack up in that heat? Teachers don't have assistants or secretaries...

Look at weather data for Baltimore -- sometimes it really is the difference of just a week or two between the progression from "hot" to "unbearable"... it's actually one of the FEW decisions that administrators make that I agree with -- I wonder if YOU would do very well taking a final in sweltering conditions...

I know it is work to come up with cool projects, but I used the last several weeks of school to do mini-thematic fun academic work. For example, we'd do a lemonade challenge - readings related to lemonade; I'd bring in three different kinds of lemonade (from concentrate, carton and crystal light or kool-aid); we'd taste them all and vote, make graphs; write persuasive letters.

It is possible to keep learning in a fun way. Tough, but possible.

Dear Ummm,

I have probably been in those hot, unbearable schools for more years than you. My point was that we cannot expect students to come after exams so why should the school calendar be set up to end a week after the exams have finished. No, we do not work in air-conditioned schools and yet the school year calendar continues to take us into the late May-early June and, guess what, next year students come back before Labor Day again. Since when do the 180 instructional days count for something when we all know that at least 20 of those days will be too hot to expect anyone to concentrate or perform at their best. I will admit that air conditioning is something that would improve instruction but unfortunately most schools in BCPSS are too old to support the demands that AC would place on their infrastructure and we all know that new buildings are not in the offing. So let's be realistic and set a calendar that takes weather into account as well as instructional goals.

Joan says, "Since when do the 180 instructional days count for something when we all know that at least 20 of those days will be too hot to expect anyone to concentrate or perform at their best."

Well, the STATE decides how many days we need, and guess what? Most schools across the state are air conditioned and heated better than in the BCPSS, as well as funded better than ours are, so I am pretty sure the state won't adjust the calendar for little old Baltimore City... We teach in the CITY, get it?!?! Since when is someone at MSDE going to make policy that pays attention to the needs of the poorest and the minorities? Since you've been working here longer than I, you should know that -- since when is public education about logic or equity?!?!

Hey, Sara: there's an article. How many schools in the state have air conditioning??? Maybe I am wrong.

And, by the way, I have taught in the BCPSS for 12 years...

Poly Pride said it best. This isn't just a city issue.

I never had air-conditioning in my buildings in the county. They were all at least 50 years old.

The last couple of weeks were always a wash.

I did my student teaching and a long-term sub gig out in Howard county, end of the year was movies and projects that should take 3 days to complete but are stretched out 6.

Testing should be the last week students need to report. In college after you take your finals you go home.

Ummm, James, testing IS the last week students have to report -- in high schools, that is. It's in elementary and middle schools where they don't have finals and kids have to keep coming to school up until the official last day, although the last week is half days, really...

And K-12 isn't college. College is college. They are different for many reasons... the primary one being that in college, you are a legal adult.

Ummmmm -

High school IS run differently. But we aren't TALKING about high school are we?

The MSA's and such should be done at the end of the school year. Just like the finals which my students are taking currently.

The problem is, after the MSAs many people don't see the point in another 3 weeks of school. Simple solution, move the MSAs.

also UMMMMM, I know that college is college.

I was just making the point that in the real world when your job is done you go home.

These kids have the importance of these tests beaten into them the minute they step through the door on day one. After those tests are done, they assume your job is over.

Now we can debate the importance of the MSA all we want, but the reality is the testing schedule should follow the school year closer. If this were to happen you would not have an excuse for filler-weeks like you see not only in the city but everywhere.

Thanks for sharing this nice post.