You Are Not Alone: Why Every WL Classroom needs an EduCorps Intern.

You Are Not Alone: Why Every WL Classroom needs an EduCorps Intern. Presenters: Monica Abuliak & Beth Matcham-Shepherd

Session Outcomes • Discuss the increased need of peer tutors and mentors in academic classes • Share information about the EduCorps Intern program and how it impacts student learning • Present student testimonials that support the benefits of the program for teachers and students • Discuss how the program provides opportunities for student leadership and builds resumes for college • Examine models of implementation that maximize student participation

Are you alone? • You know you are alone in the WL classroom when… • You have 30 or more students in each of your beginning level world languages classes and are responsible for their learning of a standardized curriculum with a corresponding final exam. • You have 4 or more students in these classes with accommodations, many of whom need human readers, copies of notes, and repetition of directions.

Are you alone? • You know you are alone in the WL classroom when… • You have ever envied your colleagues in math, science, English, and social studies for having a co-teacher and/or a para-educator assigned to their on-level classes. • You have students who need extra time to learn concepts and would benefit from one-on-one or small group instruction. • You are expected to take attendance, have students in their seats and working on their warm-up, and check their homework for completion, all within the first 5 minutes of class.

Justification of Need • Why does my school need an EduCorps Program? • School Progress Index (formerly AYP)and Annual Measurable Objectives • District targets for attendance, academic eligibility, reading, math, and college readiness • Accountability for teachers through SLOs (student learning outcomes) • Closing the Achievement Gap

Justification of Need (con’t) • Why does my school need an EduCorps Program? • Increased number of students who have accommodations in World Languages classes • Larger class sizes (33) with one general educator • Increased need of embedded structures for peer mentoring and tutoring • Increased number of seniors seeking capstone and leadership opportunities for graduation • State requirements for student service learning hours

What is the EduCorps Program? • A school-based internship program for 11th and 12th grade students who have successfully achieved the goals and objectives of entry-level English, math, science, world languages, and social studies courses. • Students submit an application and recommendation. Students must have demonstrated academic strengths.

What does an EduCorps intern do? • Tutors, teaches, and mentors • Is an active role model in the classroom • Reinforces course objectives • Works with students one-on-one or in small groups • Assists with note-taking and re-teaching • Reviews homework for learning • Helps keep students on task • Assists when a substitute teacher is present

How is an intern evaluated? • Logs • Self Reflection • Quarterly Summary • Self Evaluation • Teacher Evaluation

Intern Benefits • 1 Student Leadership Credit • 30 SSL hours/semester • Capstone opportunity for graduation • Resume builder for college and careers

Recruitment & Support • January/February/March • Visit WL advanced level classes and share information about the EduCorps Internship Program • Identify students who are leaders in the school and invite them to an EduCorps interest meeting (invite former interns to present at the meeting) • Provide students with applications and follow up with them one week after the meeting • Communicate with counselors about prospects and review enrollment in March • Tally numbers and personally recruit students to fill needs in remaining classes

Recruitment & Support • June/July/August • Review applications and match interns to available classes • Follow up with WL interns who may need a schedule change in order to be placed in a novice WL class • Contact the MCPS Task Force for Mentoring and set up a time during the first week of school to train interns • Present the EduCorps orientation, by period, on the first day of classes to review roles and class expectations • Provide mentor training the first week of school • Match student and teachers schedules

The EduCorps Poem • Line 1: Your first name • Line 2: 4 traits that describe you as an Educorps student. • Line 3: Educorps student in ________________________ (your Educorps subject) • Line 4: Lover of….. (three things or ideas that are important about your subject matter) • Line 5: Who likes to… (two things that you did that were positive in your class) • Line 6: Who (earned or learned)… (two examples of what you got out of this class ) • Line 7: Who (gives or contributed) …(What did you give or contribute to the class? ) • Line 8: Who is concerned about…. (one or two concerns you have about Education, teaching or students ) • Line 9: Who would like to be a ( a prediction of the future) • Line 10: Thoughts about pd. ____ • Line 11: your last name, nickname or a one or two word descriptor.

Where Do I Start? Models for Program Implementation • Counselor Coordinator • Stipend coordinator • Single period Internships • Creative use of Alternative Ed. Or Special education resources.

Discussion Questions • Where is there a need in your school or learning environment to develop an EduCorps program? • What resources does your school have to develop an EduCorps program in a creative way? • What challenges do you foresee in implementing such a program? • Do you see ways to improve the current model and/or enhance learning opportunities for EduCorps interns?

Presenter Information • Monica Abuliak Monica_Abuliak@mcpsmd.org • Beth Matcham-Shepherd Beth_E_Matcham-Shepherd@mcpsmd.org

You Are Not Alone: Why Every WL Classroom needs an EduCorps Intern.