1. Improving Math Scores For Garrison Middle School Presented By Todd A. Kerr AD682.51 11.20.2010

2. Garrison Middle School Demographics .

3. Personal Interest I was employed as a mathematics teacher at Garrison Middle School from 1996 – 2007. I was interested in the progress of the school from the time which I taught there until now.

5. Analysis Of Data Only 19.8% of the students in the school are scoring in the proficient and advanced categories. My specific focus will be on the 8th grade performance on the MSA which is a good indicator of a students ability moving into High School.

6. 8th grade compared to the rest of the school The eighth grade is under performing compared to the rest of the school Only 14.1% of the eight grades at Garrison Middle School have achieved scores that would be considered proficient or advanced. That’s about 6% less than the rest of the school.

7. The Content Standards

8. Mathematics Improvement Targets AYP Mathematics Target for the 8th grade has to be to make improvements of at least 20%. This may not bring Garrison current with the AMO but I believe it will help the school to reach AYP. By June 2012 the 8th grade will improve the percentages of proficient and advanced scores on the MSA from 14.1% to 35%.

9. Garrison compared to similar schools

10. Mathematics Intervention Plan Garrison should implement a time (maybe the last fifteen minutes) in class when students can start their homework in order to be able to ask questions of the teacher while still in class. At the end of the day Garrison should make a classroom (s) available in order for students to have a space to get homework and other school-related work completed. For those eighth graders who are scoring proficient to advanced on the MSA offer opportunities to tutor his/her peers.

11. Mathematics Intervention Plan Cont’d Garrison may want to take a look at the schools that have similar 8th grade populations to theirs and examine what those schools are doing differently within the curriculum. Garrison should also reexamine it’s use of technology throughout the school to be sure that best practices are in place along with updated hardware and software.

12. Teachers should… Understand what the targets are for the eighth grade. Teach and assess the the content standards the students are expected to know. Know where each of their students is in relationship to the content standards. Use that information to inform their instruction. Monitor student progress in a format that will inform instruction and program interventions.

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