Raising the Bar at Seaford House An Incremental Approach

1. Raising the Bar at Seaford House An Incremental Approach Preparing for Higher Education, Employment, and Independent Living

2. Everything Works Together Teaching The Core Standards • High Expectations Co-Teaching Educational Technology Problem Based Learning

3. Teaching the Core Standards • These are the most important concepts and understandings in each subject area. • Useful information for the future of each student. • Curriculum Mapping (Fenwick English) There must be a solid connection among the written curriculum, the taught curriculum and the tested curriculum. • The core standards are the curriculum set by the state. It is what we teach at SHRTC, since it is what the state tests. Our favorite lessons may not be tested, and consequently, the students may not be successful on state assessments. In that case, our favorite lesson must give way!

4. The Core Standards • We teach the core standards because they are what the state believes all students must know for success. • We teach the core standards because they make sense. • We teach the core standards because the students’ education is not about what we find fascinating. It is about what they need to know to prepare for higher education, successful employment and independent living.

5. High Expectations • We have found that our students rise to our expectations. • We have found that our students good naturedly whine about challenging work, but flat out complain about work that they view as too easy. • We have found that students respond well to work drawn from and identified as practice for the SAT. • We have found that our students respond well to constructive criticism that tells them what they can do to meet expectations.

6. High Expectations • Teaching SAT Vocabulary • Higher Level Thinking Skills • Problem –Solving Strategies • Grammar, Grammar, Grammar • Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum • Reading Comprehension Strategies

7. Reading and Writing Across The Curriculum • Daily Reading (Tome Readers) • Reading Comprehension for expository works. http://www.edhelper.com Hundreds of reading passages with comprehension questions at all different grade levels. • Short answer questions in math, science and social studies that must be answered in complete sentences. • Writing projects in math, science and social studies.

8. Problem Based Learning • Authentic Problem- Solving • Using Strategies • Working Cooperatively • Learning From Each Other • Doing the Difficult Task, Without Giving Up

9. Educational Technology • Using Technology to Plan, Research, Practice Skills and Motivate • Classroom Programs: Skills Tutor, Nova Net, IXL Math, Microsoft Office, Open Office • Classroom Web Page for Easy Assess to Information

10. Co-Teaching at Seaford House • Provides extra “Man Power” to help students who need it • Creates a “Team” Atmosphere • More instruction time and ties between curriculum topics

11. A Work in Progress • We have seen some progress, but the process continues.