So our school has the RTI thing next year with two 30-minute modules/blocks per week. The question remains, at least in my mind, what should we do with them.
We had a meeting about this yesterday and the subject of enrichment came up. I mean, what DO you do with the kids who don’t need remediation? And, for some kids, they just come to me at snack and lunch and get any questions answered.
Thirty minutes, twice a week. I don’t know if I could have the same kids every time, but it wouldn’t really matter. We’d have rock and roll tutorial. Two songs, each session, complete with history, lyrics, and whatever else makes the song a big deal. We could argue, maybe write something at the end of it, have kids give suggestions–I know I’m just talking crazy right here and now.
My next-door teacher neighbor wanted to do fantasy sports. I don’t know how that would look if you couldn’t get the same kids every time, but maybe you get them every other time so you have a couple of leagues going. Gee, statistics, communication, something that people do in the big world outside of school. Decisions to be made, learning as you play–wouldn’t that be horrible?
I get it. Some kids need extra help. But why oh why oh why can’t we give the other kids who build our school’s brand an opportunity to do something FUN, but still learn something new at the same time? When 130 kids are in honors English in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade AP Language, and around 80 are in AP Language in 12th, that’s 470ish kids right there alone. Add in all the other students doing well in regular and online classes.
Where do they go? Don’t paint me as a cynic–I already know that I am. Don’t paint me as not being a team player–I’ve been at school and every meeting this year, creating many a lesson for my colleagues. But don’t paint me as an idiot either–okay, maybe a little.
Don’t kids need to know who Iggy Pop is?