MEDT 7461 Barbara Daniels

1. Student Client Instruction Project • A Comparison of a Forsyth County School, • and an Atlanta City School MEDT 7461Barbara Daniels

2. suwaneeatlanta This report will highlight the differences between two Georgia schools; one in a large metropolitan area, one in a suburb. Suggestions for instruction between the two schools will be included.

7. Clearly, there are extreme differences between the students attending Settles Bridge Elementary School in Forsyth County, GA and the students attending Scott Elementary School in Atlanta, GA. Settles Bridge is in the city of Suwanee, which is an upscale suburb north of Atlanta. Atlanta itself is the largest city in the southern region of the United States with a population of 443,775 in 2012, according to the US Census Bureau. In contrast, Suwanee is reported as having a population of 16,253 by the Census Bureau. Surprisingly, there is not much difference between the two school districts as reported by the Georgia Department of Education in the per capita income, the expenditures per pupil on instruction, the rate of student retention, the absence rates, and even the number of students in the districts. The big discrepancies are in the number of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, the number of TANF (temporary assistance for needy families, or welfare) families, and the amount of money spent on food in the schools, which is puzzling since so many of the families receive federal assistance.

8. In the schools themselves, figures report that there is little discrepancy in the percentage of students receiving special education services, the ratio of male to female students, and relatively small differences in the number of students enrolled in Early Intervention Programs. However, there are large differences in the number of students enrolled (almost twice as many students in the wealthy Suwanee Elementary as Scott Elementary), and the number of students enrolled in the gifted program. The real division between the two schools lies among the results of the CRCT tests in every subject area, with Suwanee Elementary far outscoring Scott Elementary. Scott Elementary is a Title 1 school, and therefore receives services based on the economic needs of the students. Settles Bridge Elementary does not receive Title 1 services. The other major difference between the two schools is the ethnic backgrounds of the students. The Georgia Department of Education reports Suwanee Elementary as being 3% Black, 9% Hispanic, 20% Asian, and 64% White. Whereas Scott Elementary is reported as being 0% Asian, 0% White, 1% Hispanic, and 98% Black. It seems apparent that the number of families requiring financial assistance, and the racial makeup of the schools has a direct correlation on the test scores. It is also to be noted that there is a significant difference in the percentage of married citizens in the two cities. This has also been seen as a major factor in student success.

9. At first glance at the websites, the schools appear to be comparable. The media center at Scott Elementary looks well stocked with books, has a cozy spot for leisurely reading, and a large screen for viewing. They have links to GALILEO and the Atlanta Public Library on their website. Media Center News listed the reading initiatives that the school has adopted. In looking through the Settles Bridge website, however, the library is colorful, well-stocked, and the media center website is full of links and information. In addition, Settles Bridge has a technology page listing the multitude of resources for student and teacher use including activboards in every classroom, active votes, digital cameras, scanners, and wireless laptop carts. Settles Bridge also has a STEM lab to enhance science, technology and math instruction through the use of hands on activities and experiments. While Scott Elementary has a homework hotline which students can call from 4-9 p.m. on schooldays for help, Settles Bridge has an after school program. Unfortunately, there was no evidence of an after school program at Scott Elementary, which would greatly benefit the students there. Sadly, the school that needs the most help with student learning, appears to lack the resources that the well achieving school seems to have in abundance. This would appear to be another important factor in the success of the Settles Bridge students. A key component to the success of any school is parent and community involvement. It is vital that schools of low achieving students make strong connections with the parents and family of their students. Without the support of parents, it is difficult to encourage students and ensure that they are receiving help and encouragement at home. Through parent newsletters, and frequent contact teachers can keep parents informed of what children are learning, and how to reinforce concepts in fun and engaging activities at home.

10. In teaching students in a school such as Scott Elementary, where many students are low income, it is recommended that the curriculum not be “watered down”, and that high expectations are the norm for all students. Constructivist learning is beneficial to low achieving students as lessons should have meaningful contexts to allow students to make connections to their prior knowledge, and the world outside of school. All students should be expected to use advanced thinking skills. It has been shown beneficial for students to take an active role in planning, organizing, and evaluating their own progress. Likewise, active and engaging lessons, and the use of technology can greatly enhance lessons, by capturing the attention of the most reluctant students, and motivating all students to learn. Clearly, the number of students that exceed expectations in all areas among the students of Settles Bridge suggests that the students here would benefit from enrichment activities and lessons, and an increased emphasis on higher level thinking skills. Young African-American males have been documented as having a lack of male role models. The hiring of African-American males in schools has been seen as a positive advantage, though this is not always possible. Another solution would be to have African-American mentors for students without a supportive family background. Peer tutoring of older students of the same sex and race is an additional option. At the very least, teachers should make an effort to highlight African-American role models in society in both the past and present, and use as much ethnic literature in teaching all subject areas as possible at schools such as Scott Elementary.

11. In addition, it has been shown that early and frequent assessment is essential for low achieving students. Diagnostic assessments should begin as soon as children enter school, in order to prescribe the best solution to any perceived disabilities or learning deficiencies. Frequent assessment allows students to be rewarded for progress, which can be very motivating, and enables teachers to be alerted to problems before they become out of hand, and effect the student’s self-esteem. For students who may have difficulty performing on written tests, alternative assessments such as projects, displays, oral tests or portfolios, which document progress over time, can greatly benefit the low achieving students. While I believe that alternative assessments are beneficial to all students, they would be especially helpful with low achieving students. While there are vast discrepancies between Settles Bridge Elementary in Suwanee, and Scott Elementary in Atlanta, there are ways to bridge the gap. Though funding may never be equitable, Scott Elementary is a Title 1 school, which entitles the school to extra funding and increased support services. It would be recommended that Scott Elementary increase their efforts to get the community involved with the school and its students, to locate possible volunteers and mentors. Outreach to parents and families must be strengthened through frequent communication. Local businesses should be pursued to become business partners who can help raise funds for additional resources for students and parents. Most importantly, the teachers and staff at Scott Elementary are urged to analyze their teaching and assessment strategies to be sure that they are motivating, encouraging, and reaching students at all ability levels.

12. Bibliography City Data. (2013). Retrieved from http://archives.gadoe.org/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=211&PID=61&PTID=67&CTID=216&StateId=ALL&T=0 Education Reforms and Students at Risk: A Review of the Current State of the Art -January 1994. (2013) Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdReforms/chap8e.html Georgia Department of Education. (2013). Retrieved from http://archives.gadoe.org/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=211&PID=61&PTID=67&CTID=216&StateId=ALL&T=0  Ogle, Donna M. (1997). Critical Issue: Rethinking Learning for Students at Risk. Retrieved from North Central Regional Educational Laboratorywebsite: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/atrisk/at700.htm Scott Elementary School. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.atlanta.k12.ga.us/Domain/2317 Settles Bridge Elementary. (2013) Retrieved from http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/Domain/1126 State and County Quick Facts. (2013). Retrieved from United States Census Bureau http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/1304000.html