Promoting Student Success: Strategies for At-Risk Students and Inclusive Classrooms

 Promoting Student Success: Strategies for At-Risk Students and Inclusive Classrooms

The central concepts of each method are the direct instruction is broken down, explained, and is directly given to the students in both a verbal way and visual for the different type of learners. You ask questions and explain the purpose of the lesson while you are breaking the new scale into parts. This is a method that motivate students to build a background knowledge, the skill or lesson the students are supposed to learn you model what is going to be done then you provide a guided practice to help them with the activity. Constructivism is teaching an activity through learning experiences so if I have an activity I’m going to compare it to real life situations or parrot with role-play or a debate to get the children’s attention. I think the most salient benefit from each method of teaching is creating meaning from experience (constructivism) and asking questions and accommodating to different types of learners (Direct instruction). I also believe that the most notable disadvantage could be that with direct instruction the kids can get a little bored and with constructivism sometimes the kids can get overhyped when doing role-play or comparing it to real life situations depending on the topic. The appropriateness of using either of these primary teaching methods does change according to student age level in certain ways because you wouldn’t give a graphic organizer to a child in pre-K would you? But I do believe it’s always the same concepts it’s just done differently. And as an intentional teacher I think the method I would always rely on is direct instruction I feel like the kids learn better if you speak to them directly and ask them questions and give them different steps to the assignment there’s many different things you can use to teach children and I think breaking it down into steps is the best way of teaching asking questions and also relating it two different scenarios is also good but I feel like kids learn better in steps.

The central concept of direct instruction is to give goal oriented and structured instruction to the students (Slavin, 2018). Dividing a task into parts (breaking it down by number) helps the task seem less intimidating. After telling the students clearly what to do, your next step is to model what has to be done. While modeling what has to be done, you want to ask the students to engage in this and ask questions as you go so that you can see if they’re understanding or not (TeachLikeThis, 2013). After you model it, help them through the assignment until they’re able to achieve the goal on their own. The central concept of constructivist learning is to truly engage with what you’re learning (as the student) and revise the rules when the old rules no longer work (Slavin, 2018). Engulfing yourself in the learning experience, for example role playing, internships, debates (BlueSofaMedia, 2012) helps the student to immerse themselves into the assignment to further understand what is being taught. I believe the most important benefit for direct instruction is modeling what the educator wants done so that the students repeat it. Modeling behavior is important and can work for assignments as well. The most salient benefit for constructivist learning is immersing yourself in an experience to further understand a topic. Learning about sharks through conversation and textbooks isn’t as beneficial as going to an aquarium and watching the movement and feeding cycle of a shark up close and personal. The disadvantage of direct instruction is that steps won’t always be broken down for the students in other aspects of life, like first jobs and so on. It’ll only really work for grade school students. The disadvantage of constructivist learning is that children who are too young to understand role playing or experiences won’t be able to take full advantage of this method of learning. Both of these theories would work best on different age groups. I could see direct instruction working well for grades kindergarten to possibly sixth grade. I could see constructivist learning working excellently for fifth grade and up. Working with the younger students, I’d most likely use direct instruction the most as an intentional teacher because I want my students to understand each step without being completely overwhelmed and I would always make sure to model the assignment with them in a fun and engaging way so that the assignments always seem doable, even if it’s just a touch of a challenge.

Category: Dropout Prevention Programs

Dropout prevention programs address the needs of at-risk students by implementing strategies and interventions aimed at keeping these students engaged in their education and reducing the likelihood of them dropping out of school. These programs recognize that at-risk students often face various challenges, such as academic struggles, socioeconomic difficulties, lack of parental support, or behavioral issues. By providing targeted support and resources, dropout prevention programs help improve students’ chances of succeeding academically and graduating from high school.

Check & Connect: Check & Connect is a well-known and evidence-based dropout prevention program. It involves trained mentors who regularly “check” on at-risk students by monitoring their attendance, behavior, and academic progress. The mentors then “connect” with the students to build positive relationships and provide personalized support. This program has been shown to improve school engagement, attendance, and graduation rates for at-risk students( Sinclair, M. F., Christenson, S. L., & Thurlow, M. L. (2005)

Study Link: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?ProjectID=400

Communities In Schools (CIS): Communities In Schools is another widely implemented dropout prevention program that works to surround students with a community of support. It involves placing trained site coordinators within schools to assess students’ needs and connect them with necessary resources, such as academic tutoring, counseling, health services, and family support. By addressing the various non-academic barriers to success, CIS has shown positive impacts on graduation rates and academic achievement for at-risk students ( Brown, L. D., & Mielke, M. (2004).

Study Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/0034654318821579

Part B: Form of Grouping that Promotes Student Success

One form of grouping that has been found to effectively promote student success is “Ability Grouping” or “Tracking.” This practice involves grouping students based on their academic abilities, placing high-achieving students together, average-achieving students together, and low-achieving students together. Each group then receives instruction at a pace and level that aligns with their abilities.( Oakes, J. (1985).

Benefits of Ability Grouping

1. Individualized Instruction: Students receive instruction that matches their learning needs, as teachers can tailor the content and pace to suit each group’s abilities(Oakes, J. (1985).
2. Increased Engagement: When students are in groups of similar abilities, they may feel more comfortable participating and engaging in discussions without fear of judgment or falling behind.(Oakes, J. (1985).
3. Opportunities for Growth: High-achieving students can be challenged with more advanced material, while struggling students receive targeted support to catch up, promoting overall academic growth.(Oakes, J. (1985).

Controversies Surrounding Ability Grouping

1. Labeling and Stigma: Students placed in lower-ability groups may experience stigma and develop a negative self-concept, potentially impacting their motivation and self-esteem (Oakes, J. (1985).
2. Inequity and Bias: There is a risk that ability grouping perpetuates existing inequities, as historically marginalized or underprivileged students might be disproportionately placed in lower tracks, limiting their access to challenging opportunities ( Oakes, J. (1985).
3. Limited Social Interaction: Ability grouping can restrict opportunities for students of different abilities to collaborate and learn from each other ( Oakes, J. (1985).
4. While ability grouping can offer benefits in terms of individualized instruction and academic growth, it is crucial to address its potential drawbacks and implement the practice with sensitivity and equity in mind. Teachers should continuously assess students’ abilities and be prepared to adjust groupings as needed to ensure all students have access to high-quality education and opportunities for succes( Oakes, J. (1985).

Question

Considering the dropout prevention programs and ability grouping practices discussed, how can educational institutions strike a balance between providing targeted support for at-risk students while ensuring inclusivity and equity for all learners?

Comprehensive school (school wide) reform programs addresses the need of at risk students in many ways such as cbildren who have difficuilties with school and the learning comprehension also for the student who need that extra push.mandating extra help for the student and parents that need it an dhelping them with anything they may need help with. haviung the parents and students know that they always have the help they nee dand deserve is the extra push they may have never knew they needed. There are many different types of help that can be provided such as help for low income families and help with children who have special needs.Differential instruction is a key factor when it comes to working with inclusive classrooms because all children learn different and they have differnet ways of adapting.

Early intervention– helps students reach goals they need to get to the next level on their own pace good for developmental delays and early milestones.

Special Education-any studnet who gets an IEP (Individualized Education Programs) qualifies for special education classes they can take their standerized tests in the LRE least restrictive environment.

Betweeen class ability grouping is the one i think is the most effective and it promotes student success. becaus ethe children are working with the other children who are on the same level as they are. it helps the class go by smoothly and in the pace that they need. it also has many great outcomes of them developing alot faster and getting more knowledge at a faster pace.