1. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Motivating At-Risk Math Students to Succeed Dr. Sheila Griffith Knowsys Educational Services

2. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Who are At-Risk Math Students What makes a student “at-risk”? The State defines “at-risk students” as those who are at risk of dropping out of school due to: 1.Academic issues: prior failures in core subjects or having been held back a grade 2.LEP: Limited English Proficiency 3.Social factors: homelessness, pregnancy, etc.

3. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Who are At-Risk Math Students Incapable of taking on-level courses Must learn fundamental skills they missed the 1 st time around – fill in the gaps Include a mix of Special Ed and 504 students Retention is a MAJOR problem

4. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. The Needs of At-Risk Students What 3 things do at-risk students need most? From my experience, the 3 things that at-risk students most need are: 1.Hope 2.Support 3.System

5. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Giving Hope to Hopeless Students 1.Building a relationship 2.Setting expectations 3.Using grading as a force for good 4.Making magic with the Magic Pencil Rule

6. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Giving Hope to Hopeless Students 1.Building a relationship All really great teaching is about building a relationship But with at-risk students, the relationship element is even more vital What can teachers do to build this relationship early & strong?

7. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Giving Hope to Hopeless Students 2.Setting expectations This happens on the first day of class, the first week of class, and every day of class With at-risk students, we need to let them know that we are going to do something different – something that that will break the cycle of failure If we don’t set the expectation that the student can succeed, there is no reason to think the student will succeed What is going to make this year and this class different?

8. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Giving Hope to Hopeless Students 3.Using grading as a force for good Most at-risk students see grading as a weapon used against them, a proverbial gun held to their head Can we change that perception? How? We recommend setting up the grading scale as: 1/3 class work 1/3 participation 1/3 test grades

9. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Giving Hope to Hopeless Students 3.Using grading as a force for good With the grading in thirds – class work, participation, and tests – no one thing can sink a student’s grade What is class work? Work that you actually assign in class Work that the students earn a real grade on Should at-risk students be given homework assignments? We don’t assign homework to at-risk students.

10. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Giving Hope to Hopeless Students 3.Using grading as a force for good What is participation? The participation grade is based on doing what is asked and staying on task (and immediately getting back on task when directed to do so). Participation should be either 100 or 0. If the class is managed appropriately, all participation grades should be 100. What is the difference between participation and class work grades? Each assignment is either class work or participation. Make the split about 50/50. Don’t tell the students in advance whether the work will be class work or participation.

11. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Giving Hope to Hopeless Students 3.Using grading as a force for good What about test grades? Since they are only 1/3 of the grade, they cannot sink the student’s overall average Test anxiety issues? If these students are doing “ok” in class work and participation, then even if their tests are weak, they can still earn a passing grade How does “curving” grades affect the at-risk student?

12. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Giving Hope to Hopeless Students 4.Making magic with the Magic Pencil Rule If you tried and tried and failed and failed, would you keep trying? What would it take to get you to start trying again? Knowsys use the Magic Pencil Rule to get students to start trying again.

13. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Giving Hope to Hopeless Students 4.Making magic with the Magic Pencil Rule The Magic Pencil Rule: Any student who has a 100 average on Participation Grades WILL PASS the class! Students hear: I can try without failing – so it’s worth trying. All I have to do is try, and I will pass. This is possible! I can do that!

14. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Giving Hope to Hopeless Students 4.Making magic with the Magic Pencil Rule The Magic Pencil Rule: Any student who has a 100 average on Participation Grades WILL PASS the class! Teachers know: 100 on Participation means staying on task and working hard. Anyone who stays on task and tries will pass the course on their own merits – no adjustment needed!

15. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. The Needs of At-Risk Students What 3 things do at-risk students need most? From my experience, the 3 things that at-risk students most need are: 1.Hope 2.Support 3.System

16. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Supporting the At-Risk Student What does it take? Break the cycle! This is not “math as usual” What is the typical format in a math classroom? Middle School? High School? The “usual” format didn’t work for these students. We need something that will work.

17. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Supporting the At-Risk Student Classroom setup to support the at-risk student 1.Peer tutoring arrangement 2.Check as you go method What is the benefit of peer tutoring? The “usual” format didn’t work for these students. We need something that will work.

18. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Supporting the At-Risk Student 1.Peer tutoring We break students into groups of 2 or 3. The S.O.P. is ask another student before you ask the teacher. What is the benefit of peer tutoring?

19. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Supporting the At-Risk Student 2.“Check as you go” methodology These students need immediate feedback – are they getting the concept? Are they getting the problems right? Is something going wrong? Teachers can waste large chunks of class time if they assign an entire assignment, have students turn it in, and then grade it and return it The “Check as you go” method: Work 3 problems at a time Check your answers Ask questions from your peers Get clarification, get the right answers, and then move on

20. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Why bother “Checking as you go”? Students work 3 problems, then check the answers

21. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. The Needs of At-Risk Students What 3 things do at-risk students need most? From my experience, the 3 things that at-risk students most need are: 1.Hope 2.Support 3.System

22. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Systems for At-Risk Students 1.An emphasis on mastery 2.A series of successes 3.A focus on the essentials

23. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. An Emphasis on Mastery Mastery is what they’ve missed in prior math classes Without mastery, each new concept is built on shifting sand With weak students, mastery takes more time and more repetition, but the effort is worth it What are 2 ways to build mastery?

24. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. An Emphasis on Mastery Ideas to build mastery: 1.Start with foundational concepts 2.Take baby steps 3.Repeat, review, retry 4.When introducing new material, focus on a single concept (don’t overwhelm the students) 5.Use cumulative warm ups 6.Use cumulative tests

25. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Current Material Start with the basics The “basics” for each math class may vary, but there are always things that you know the students are missing and need to get.

26. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Focus on a single concept so students don’t get overwhelmed Step-by-step introduction Plenty of example problems to work through as a class Class Work Lots of problems Lots of practice Lots of opportunities

27. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Use cumulative warm-ups to remind and re-teach Solve Factor FOIL Exponents Systems Factor Simplify

28. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Older, Cumulative Material Current Material Use cumulative tests to build confidence and reinforce mastery Test 3 out of 11

29. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. A Series of Small Successes Students need the opportunity to see and celebrate successes: 1.Have students grade their work before turning it in so they can see how the scored They are “checking as they go” – so what kinds of grades will they be making? 2.If the grades aren’t passing – or the students clearly don’t get the concept – make the assignment a Participation Grade and then re-teach the next day. 3.When you move away from a lesson or concept, students should be able to confidently say, “I got that!”

30. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. A Series of Small Successes 4.Later, when students are struggling with a cumulative concept and saying things like, “we’ve never seen that” or “I don’t know how to do that” You can remind them confidently that they did know the concept – that the class only moved on once they got it. Then you can help them see that all they have to do is remember it – they don’t have to start from scratch (there’s hope!). 5.When working on cumulative warm ups, keep praising students for getting things right and keep pointing out that these warm-ups go back to Day 1. 6.Emphasize that their successes are “cumulative”!

31. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Focus on the Essentials While you are 1) emphasizing mastery and 2) building a series of small successes, keep 2 things in mind: #1: Always put needs before luxuries Never waste time and energy on things that aren’t essential: Exploratory investigations, tangents, stories, and “fluff” can work well with on-level and above-level students because it can spark their interest... But with at-risk students, it detracts from what’s really important Focus on the needs – what concepts and skills do these students absolutely have to have to be successful in your class, at the next level, on the state exams, etc.

32. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. Focus on the Essentials #2: Give the students the tools to succeed Depending on the level of the math class, the essential tools may differ: Mental math? Calculator use? Whatever tools are needed, devote the necessary time to making sure the students know them Emphasize that the goal of the tool is to make the work easier, faster, and more efficient Teach the tool as soon as possible Provide ongoing opportunities to use the tool

33. ____ __ ____ _____ ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level Basic Genius Math Program Copyright © 2008-2013 Knowsys Educational Services LLC. All rights reserved. The Needs of At-Risk Students What 3 things do at-risk students need most? From my experience, the 3 things that at-risk students most need are: 1.Hope 2.Support 3.System For more information on our materials & methods: www.myKnowsys.com 512-961-8530 info@ktprep.com