Odle PRISM Teacher Survey

1. May 12, 2010 Odle PRISM Teacher Survey

2. Methodology • On-line survey of all PRISM teachers in May 2010. • 100% response rate. • Most questions were open-ended in nature. • Undertaken by the PRISM Parent Committee. • Note: Individual responses are shown verbatim for the most part, and may not reflect the opinions of the PRISM staff collectively. Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

3. What are the 2-3 most important skills that students need to bring to the classroom to help them be successful in your class? How can parents support/encourage these at home? • Curiosity, ask questions. • Organization skills. • Time management skills. • Critical thinking skills. • Personal responsibility. • Strong foundation. • Parent role: • Establish good habits. • Do binder checks; Ensure planners are used. • Help with transition to middle school. • Check teacher websites. • Ask students to get to the “How”. Verbatim on Appendix slide 13 Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

4. Conversely, what are the 2-3 common reasons for low performance in your class? In any of these cases, how can a parent support the child at home? • Passive learning, apathy. • Poor organization, time management. • Poor writing skills. • Not taking responsibility for self. • Incorrect class placement; weak foundation. • Parent role: • Review homework to ensure that assignment criteria is met. • Ask student follow-up questions. • Make sure student follows-up on make-up work during absences. • Encourage students to pay attention in class, attend tutorial. • Help strengthen [subject] skills/foundation. Verbatim on Appendix slide 14 Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

5. Are there any tasks parents could help you with regarding PRISM work (e.g., grading help, class materials preparation, etc.) ? • Lab preparation. • Help with graduation, field trips, evening events. • Class material preparation (photocopying filing, etc.). • Guest lectures by experts/specialists. • Help design projects. • Become advocates for the program. Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

6. What are the most effective things parents can do to communicate & collaborate with you to address issues with their students? • Email with specific questions/concerns as they arise; don’t wait until real issues develop. • Continued and open communications to monitor progress. • Feedback to track progress. • Check class/teacher website and PIV regularly. • Ask questions and listen to answers. Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

7. Is there anything the PRISM parent committee could do to improve the PRISM experience for you and the students? • Keep parents informed about upcoming projects, PRISM events. • Packet for new PRISM teachers: a page or two of quotes from parents & students sharing what they love about PRISM, specific successes from the past, and any expectations that parents feel may be different from non-PRISM parents. • Help new parents understand the rigor of the program and how to help their children in the first months. • Add a "service" project to our year, coordinated by parents. • Help manage class size; help other parents. • To organize parents-teachers-administration meetings where everybody would be able to address concerns and ways to improve our program. • Be supportive and ask questions when appropriate. • Get facts and avoid rumors. Help with accurate communications. Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

8. What are 2-3 tips you would give students about how to get the most out of attending tutorial with you? • Be honest about why you are in tutorial (concept clarification, homework completion or revisions, socializing, etc). If you were absent, come to tutorial the day you get back. • Check in with [the teacher] when they first arrive and let me know what their goal is that period and if they need my help. Come in with a plan. Bring in the work that may be of concern. Ask questions directly of the teacher. • If I have assigned them tutorial, have all materials out and ready to go. Let me know if they need my help. Don’t just sit in tutorial and expect me to come to you. • Connect one-on-one with me (I may not come to you!) with SPECIFIC questions, phrased like, "Tell me if I have this right: I think ______. Is that how I should understand it?" • Read through all parts of a homework assignment while at school so there are no surprises when you get home & immediate questions can get answered. • Don't think of tutorial as just a social time. Parents could help their child plan for the time, and after ask what they accomplished during tutorial. • Organize a regular study group of 3-4 students. • Review your assignments/quizzes and get more personal and in-depth feedback so you will improve on future assignments. Ask questions! Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

9. If you could give parents one piece of advice for how to have the best PRISM experience for their student/family, what would you tell them? • Focus on improvement rather than grades. • Seek out communication with teachers one-on-one. Then teachers can make sure the unique gifts and needs of each student are uncovered and responded to. This is not an annoyance to the teacher, but a highly prized opportunity. • Be positive and supportive - understand the complexities of the program and the students. Look at the good. • Help organize your students' materials and help them use their time at home wisely. • Students sometimes spend a lot of time on homework but that may not be because of the quantity of work. If your student is having this problem please contact the teachers immediately so we can work together to overcome this challenge early. • Don't pressure the child too much because the child needs to be self motivated to perform. Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

10. Would you choose to give the same advice to the students or would you tell them something else? If something else, please specify. • Keep up with homework---the load can be overwhelming if students fall behind. • Seek out communication with teachers one-on-one. Pursue what excites you in each subject area. • Be positive and curious - ask for help when needed. • Be active participants. Listen to your teacher and peers. Ask questions -- about content, about assignments -- If you already know the "idea/facts" then focus on what skills we are trying to develop and push yourself. • Have to be self-motivated to succeed. • Be positive; Look at the good. Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

11. Is there anything else you would like the PRISM parent community and advisory committee to know or do regarding your work with the PRISM program? • We are here to teach and support the gifted children. We advocate for them regularly. We can be most effective as partners with parents. • With the volume of work to grade, sometimes feedback through PIV is a bit delayed. If parents are ever wondering, they can ask about 'up-to-the-minute' student progress by sending a quick email. • We work hard. • Advocate for a person to oversee the elementary to high school PRISM program to see that it is well articulated. Regular curriculum does not always address/understand the needs of the PRISM program. Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

12. Appendix Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

13. [VERBATIM] What are the 2-3 most important skills that students need to bring to the classroom to help them be successful in your class? How can parents support/encourage these at home? • Listening skill (focus in class), questioning skills (be proactive to ask clarifying question), organizational skills. • 1. Curiosity 2. Personal responsibility 3. Integrity 4. Self-induced motivation • An organized binder with dividers for each class. Parents--do a weekly binder check to be sure students have the most recent assignments on top A pocket or section for homework due is helpful. A planner completely filled in for each class. Parents--check each night to be sure their child has completed the homework. Also check the teacher websites. • Drawing justified conclusions (from a text OR sample of data). Parent questions: "what part of the reading helped you draw that conclusion?" Uncover HOW they get info from a text. 2)Self-evaluation of understanding: students must monitor if questions left unanswered & seek clarification. Parents can ask, "HOW are you sure you understand _____ ?" • 1. Organizational Abilities – Strategies 2. Ability to think critically and be willing to think through ideas they find difficult. 3. Time Management • 1. A basic understanding of organizational skills. Parents can help by regularly checking backpacks/binders and folders and helping their students organize these materials. Also check the class website. 2. Students need to also pay attention to details and directions by actively listening/questioning in class to help them stay focused. • organizational skills; completion of assignments; strong mathematical foundation • Parents need to monitor their children especially during the beginning of the year to see that good habits are established. The transition into middle school can be quite rough for some going from one teacher to six or seven. • Organization and a willingness to learn. Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010

14. [VERBATIM] Conversely, what are the 2-3 common reasons for low performance in your class? In any of these cases, how can a parent support the child at home? • 1. Apathy 2. Lying 3. poor time management • Wrong [subject] placement, lack of focus during class discussions, inconsistency in doing homework assignments. • Late work receives no credit so it is important to do all homework each night. Parents--check teacher websites. Incomplete answers to questions. Parents--read student's assignment sheet/rubric; ask to see assignment to be sure directions are followed. • 1) Passive learners: the expectation that if they have done the work & participated in the lesson, they 'get it', & can ace a test. Parents should encourage students to attend tutorial, ask many questions, and not compare themselves to others in order to chart their progress. 2) Making up absences: Parents should not assume students are doing this. • 1. Poor organization: thinking, writing, papers, backpack, etc...1st semester - help with an organizational system and check it frequently. Discuss issues and help child stay relevant and logical. 2. Not completing homework carefully. • 1. They did not do an assignment or did not turn that assignment in. 2. They are unorganized. 3. The students do not complete their work to the standard required. Encourage your students to pay attention and ask questions in class, use their planner and check their finished work against the criteria they were given. • Lack of organization, lack of effort, poor writing skills. • lack of time management and good organizational skills. Not completing assignment ws. Incorrect [subject] placement (student accelerated too fast). Weak [subject] foundation. Monitor child to see that assignments are finished, encourage child to attend tutorial to ask questions, find ways to strengthen child's [subject] skills. Odle PRISM Teacher Survey; May 2010