1997

Overchoice in curriculum
is the bane of smart kids.

Too many options
and distractions
from mastery practice.

Too many objectives
divide teacher attention
and confuse the students.

Many objectives are difficult,
complex and hard
to understand.

Some reading objectives
have a difficult vocabulary.

Science vocabulary
may be easier
to learn.

Why?

We may be familiar
with many different pronunciations
that have the same meanings.

Political Science,
Government,
Zoology,
Environment,
Geography.
-----------------------------

RESEARCH -
5 YEAR OLD STATS

One variable in these studies
we will not be able
to measure
is the variable
of parental commitment.

Just accepting and providing
the transportation
for the student puts the parent
in a high category.

Perhaps this level
of parental involvement
would produce results this good
without the scholarship program.

Does this program
raise this child
from the top 50 percent
to the top 25 % or 10%?

Is there a way
to increase parental involvement?

Does my scholarship program
focus the parent on the need?

Does the screening of the child
serve as a warning
to the parent?

Does this change the behavior
of the uninvolved parent?

Teacher training?

Strict timing?
-------------------------

Editorial by carl peterson

Mothers and new teachers
tend
to teach the way
they were taught.

If the university
uses lecture systems
the new teacher will copy
or fall back on
the lecture system demonstrated.

If teachers are going
to lecture,
students need
to know how
to make the memory patterns
and Fastwrites
to get good grades.


The most commonly needed
vocational skills
for the 90's
are those of touch typing
and writing.

The children who learn
those skills early
will have a considerable
edge on the competition.

We are all competing
for recognition and status
in our culture.

To not be able
to compete is
to lose status
in our society.

The ability
to compete at a B+ level
is available at
Accelerated Schools.

Public schools have the staff
and money
to duplicate
our results.

Public schools should
pay incentives
for after school
contacting of parents.

By phone $1.00 each
or in person $7.00.
-----------------------------

Accelerated students
make rapid gains

We have good solutions
to educational placement problems.

Students at Accelerated Schools
made rapid academic progress
in the 1991-92 school year,
as measured by standardized tests
in Reading, Language and Math.

These dramatic advances
were accomplished
through the innovative
Accelerated Thinking,
Language and Math programs
pioneered at Accelerated Schools.

These programs feature
multiple exposures
to curriculum materials,
intensive teacher
and peer support,
plus a strong
motivational program.
----------------------

1991-92 SUMMARY

Above 3.5 Grade Level
TOTAL READING LANGUAGE MATH
HOURS (actual) 1,960.0 900.0 610.0 450.0
GAINS 41.5 15.9 13.0 12.6
HOURS/GAIN 47.0 57.0 38.4 36.0
Ages: 10th to 12th Grade

Below 3.5 Grade Level
TOTAL READING LANGUAGE MATH
HOURS (actual) 1,445.00 485.00 480.00 480.00
GAINS (average) 8.95 1.45 3.75 3.25
HOURS/GAIN (avg.) 79.50 165.65 64.50 72.00

For more information
about the ESL program
at Accelerated Schools,
please call us at (303) 758-2003,
or write to us
at 2160 So. Cook,
Denver, CO 80210.
------------------------

COMMENTARY
FOR PROFESSIONALS

Our school
is individualized
so we are able
to start a student
at any time of the year.

There is no group
to catch up to or stay with.

We have host families available
for incoming students
at any time of year.

We can change host families
when necessary.

The following comments
will give you further insight
into our flexible program.
------------------------

BUSSING - TO ALL DRIVERS

Do not drink coffee,
pop,
water or other liquids
in your vans.

This is a severe safety hazard
for you and your students.

It is a major distraction
from your driving
and can be deadly
during an accident.

Stop your van
and finish your drink
before moving.

Do not use cell phones
while driving.

Pull over and stop
then take the call.

Keep the dash and engine cover
clean of materials.

Reflections in your windows
can cause an accident.

Stop at a station
and replace your wipers
as often as needed.

Keep a can of windshield cleaner
in your van
to make sure
you don't have
a windshield dirty enough
to cause an accident.

I UNDERSTAND AND AGREE
WITH THE ABOVE RULES.

SIGNATURE
------------------------

BUSSING RULES

Transporting students--

Never leave students
in a dangerous position -
take care of them first
then the mechanical breakdown
or the accident scene -
use good judgement.

If conduct becomes a problem
pull
to the side of the road
and take control of the situation
then proceed.

Contact
with students
outside of school hours
or away from school activities
places the teacher
in a compromising position
unless the meeting is accidental
and in a public place.
------------------------

Bussing - Driving Rules

Drive like you had an eggshell
under your throttle foot.

No jack-rabbit starts
and lane changes.

Drive one, two, three miles
less than posted speed.

Signs on vehicle,
non-aggressive,
defensive driving.

3000 pounds of students
in your van.

Make very slow lane changes.

Keep several cars
distance behind others.

Allow others
to get
in front of you.

You have my permission
to be late
rather than
to speed
and endanger a child.
-----------------

SEAT BELTS

Seat belts must be worn
by all students
while the vans are in motion.

Any students who refuse
to buckle up will be
denied a ride
and their parents called.

It is the teacher's responsibility
to determine that the seat belts
are fastened before
starting the van.

If you are leaving
on a field trip
and a student refuses
please bring the student
to the office
and they will be staffed
for the duration of the trip.

If you are at a field trip
location
wait a reasonable time
for them
to buckle up
then upon returning home
notify the office.

The student will lose
their riding privilege
for a period of time.
------------------

TO TEACHERS

Unnecessary damage
to vans.

Once a tear or marking
is allowed
to slide by
without charging a student
or fixing the damage,
it is just a matter of weeks
before the damage
to a van
will amount
to hundreds of dollars.

To limit this damage
we are proposing
the following rules.

All marked or torn seats
will be replaced immediately.

We have six spares
ready
to be installed.

Keep seatcovers
on any ripped front seats.

All students must
stay out of the back seat
unless the van is carrying
over nine students.

First damage is usually done
to the fourth seat.

Rear seat passengers
get less ventilation
and are likely
to open the rear windows.

Opening the rear windows sucks in
carbon monoxide,
a very deadly gas.

Students should
use the front seats
and leave the back seats empty.

When leaving the van:

Close all windows
and lock the van.

Keep van locked
until you are ready
to get in the van and drive.
---------------

DO NOT LEAVE STUDENTS
IN THE VAN UNATTENDED BY YOU.

A written report must be
filled out each time
a van is used.

Driver must inspect all seats
in vehicle each time
the trip ends.

Write down all new damage
and indicate the parties
suspected or known
to be responsible
for the damage.

Include any damage you cause,
Any repairs that may be needed.
---------------------

VAN DRIVERS:

In following the rules
of not backing up your vans...
when parking your van
on the east side of the school
always pull your van
to the very front,
so the other vans can pull in
ten feet behind you.

Doing this each time you park
will help all of us.

Bussing

Carry large garbage bags
in the van
to provide warmth
for the students.

Hypothermia in Colorado
is not that unusual.

Do not allow anyone on the van
who compromises safety
in any form.
----------------------

TO : ALL VAN DRIVERS
FROM: CARL
1/4/94

No special licensing is required
to drive a van which holds
15 persons
including the diver.

However
certain rules
must be followed.

You may not stop
in the middle of the street
to pick up children.

Only vehicles which are equipped
with manual and electric
stop signal driven by persons
with a commercial drivers license
may do this.

Always pull
to the curb
to let your students
get on or off your van.

Additional rules
for safe van driving:

1.
Do not pull into driveways
to load or unload students.

Backing the large vans
out into the street
is extremely dangerous.

It is safer
to drive
around the block
or turn around
at the end of a cul-de-sac.

2.
Do not honk your horn
to alert students.

This is illegal
in some municipalities.

One of our teachers lost his job
because he honked
for a student.

A neighbor complained.

He was ticketed twice.

The points he received caused him
to lose his driver's license
and hence his job.
------------------------

SOME DRIVING TIPS/A SUPPLEMENT
FROM DJ

1.
Wearing your safety belt
is not only required by law,
but has the added advantage
of giving you better leverage
with which
to operate the vehicle.

2.
Always anticipate.

Look farther down the road
than immediately
seems necessary.

Congestion,
bottlenecks,
road construction
and emergency situations
can then be neutralized,
such as by changing lanes
well in advance.

(As a general rule,
try
to do this
for the whole course
of the trip.

If you know that your next turn
will be a left,
why not get into the appropriate
lane from the outset?)

a.
Pedestrian lights
can help you anticipate.

A flashing red hand means that
the light you are approaching
is about
to turn amber;
the hand stops flashing
the instant the amber light goes on.

b.
In tight traffic,
the shadows of vehicles
either ahead or behind you
can warn you of their presence,
even if they are not directly
within your view.

When you become adept
at this sort of perception,
you can also use reflections
in car windows,
store windows
and even the reflective surfaces
of vehicle doors and side panels.

c.
Most drivers tend
to "telegraph"
their intentions before --
or if -
they signal.

Vehicles may
change angle subtlety,
or slow before a turn
or lane change
without benefit of signals
or brake lights.

Pay attention.

3.
Logically,
in any situation
with more than three lanes
going the same direction,
the MIDDLE lanes should be
considered the "through" lanes.

No one is making turns
from the middle (we hope).

4.
Plan your route so that
you take best advantage
of electrically controlled
intersections -
ones
with lights,
especially ones
with lights
that control individual lanes.

Uncontrolled intersections
or ones
with plain signs
("Stop,"
"Yield,"
etc.)
offer too many opportunities
for delays and,
most important,
mistakes or assumptions
about who has the right of way.

Go out of your way
to find them.

5.
Don't let driving become emotional.

No one wins if anyone
makes it a contest.

6.
Be aware that sometimes vandalism
to your vehicle can be deadly.

I know of several instances
in which lug nuts
have been loosened,
apparently maliciously,
with only one nut remaining tight.

You won't notice any vibrations
until you get
to highway speeds --
and if a wheel comes off
going that fast,
it will probably flip the vehicle.
----------------------

PARKING LOT SAFETY RULES:


Maximum speed is 5 miles per hour.

Violators will lose
driving privileges.

Cars and vans cannot cross
the white pedestrian
walkway lines.

Students cannot cross
the white walkway lines
into the vehicle
turn-around areas.

Vans are not allowed
to back up.

Teachers park
with a 15-foot
space between vans
so they can drive forward
to leave the parking spot.
---------------------

TESTING TECHNIQUES

I.

Testing problems
Anxiety

What do the kids say?

What is the purpose
for the test?

What will I gain
from taking this test?

I have taken this
so many times before,
why?

I never will be able
to do this?

Reasons
for this anxiety:

Past testing failures.

Setup
to fail.

Avoidance of failure
by not trying.

Inability
to test well.

Belief that they are dumb
and do not know it.

Reinforcing past experience
with failure
and labeling from their past.

II. Ways
to correct the problem

Relieve the anxiety.

Discuss the reason
that they are testing.

Go over their past performances
to show that yes,
they do know the material.

Stress the answers
to the test being correct,
not timing.

teach based on item analysis of testing scores

Evaluate what are the specific areas
that need the most attention
based on which are missed
during the testing.

Teach these specific skills
or items of knowledge.

Test immediately after
to catch them doing it right.

Reinforce their belief
in self by providing a success.

Give them skills.

Go over the instructions
so that they know
what is expected of them.

Test early in the day.
do not surprise them
with the test

Motivation

and rewards
for performing well.

Monetary bonus
to test above grade level.

Monetary bonus
to top out the series of tests.

Other motivations

Knowledge that will not earn points
if test below previous scores.

Knowledge that will not have
to continue testing if top the series.
Other testing strategies

Test typing skills often.

Inform them that the
ctbs are not pass/fail.

Allow some tests
to be un-timed in order
to demonstrate
to the student that they do know it.

Be careful that
you do not use this score
for tracking or reporting.

Scores are
to be used
to demonstrate that the
knowledge of the material
is more important
than that of time.

Not
to be used
with guaranteed contracts.

Teach how
to take a test.

Reinforce that the student
has the ability
to succeed.
----------------------

STAFF MEETING NOTES

We discussed in great detail
what we are doing
and what we can do
to improve testing results
and reduce problems
for kids
with testing anxiety
to a minimum.

Both Ty and Sam suggested
that 25
to 30% of their kids
suffered from a testing problem
that made predicting outcomes
or guaranteeing improvement
on standardized testing
almost impossible.

This was
within the context
of the regular testing periods,
and the periodic testing
that these students
share
with all others.

First,
it was suggested that we could
spend more time working on
test-taking skills,
as well as actually taking tests.

Fifth period might be used
to both
expand on the types of tests
that the students take,
as well as
to offer
an alternative
to second period
for CTBS testing.

Particularly in the initial
stages of testing,
it would be okay
to give students all the time
needed
to finish a test,
especially
for the ESL students
for whom confidence
in reading and interpreting
English is a major concern.

Toni indicated that
she tests her students
about twice as much
as the suggested
forty-hour minimum,
and that the gains
she acheives
are proportionally higher.

Moreover,
she's using the specific item
analysis in a general way.

To provide a basis
for remediation
of specific problems,
which works especially well
for Language Arts and Math tests.

It appears that remediation
of specific problems
like punctuation
or capitalization rules
takes little time;
a day or two
for such a topic,
with terrific testing results.

An additional curriculum
for the test-taking period(s)
might include
the "Scoring High" series,
very much like the CTBS tests
but in a progression
for use in the classroom.

The College Board publishes
former AP exams
which can be purchased
fairly cheaply
for students
needing AP Practice.

Students could write
their own tests
for materials they are using
for their other classes.

Carl emphasized the importance
of allowing the students
to grade their own tests,
and avoiding critical remarks
on the work.

Specific
to the SAT and TOEFL,
Toni emphasized the importance
of helping the kids
with the actual preparations
for the test,
including taking care
of registration details,
making sure
they have transportation,
pencils,
I.D.s,
get up early enough,
etc.
------------------------

Parents need
our parent training sessions

"Team coach" parents
to use daily points
and report cards.

Call the parents weekly
to "catch them doing
the right thing."

Help them
to delay
or eradicate reinforcers
for bad behavior.

You may not have time
to allow them
to die
a natural death.

Conference
on failure of students.

One principal reported,
"The students took 12 years
of education
to be two
or three years behind."

1 trans
to other district

2 dropped out -
didn't follow guidelines

25

2 transferred
to Sembecs

1 grad

1 still there

Didn't meet attendance rules.

Teachers learn shadowing
and apprentice roles.

Step-by-step job progress.

Learn
to supervise work study
independent study.

Counseling

What is missing:

1.
Effectiveness of
paying on the spot.

2.
"Kids spent years
training parents."

Use parent training
to "neutralize the parents"
who want
to pay
for bad behavior.


Rule must be "school comes first."

Our small daily rewards
can't compete
with the social reinforcers
of a job.

All of us
chose different goals.

We search
for education,
money or power.
--------------------

Denver
• Field Trips
• Skiers
• Ski 2001a
• Ski 2001b
• Day Trips

Kansas City
• Missouri
  Field Trips
• KC Buildings
• Kansas City
  Country Club
  Plaza Shopping 1
• Kansas City
  Country Club
  Plaza Shopping 2  

Links

• speech555.com
• test333.com

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newsletter fill in the form below
and click the submit button.

You may also write or call for information at:

ACCELERATED SCHOOLS
2160 S. Cook St.
Denver, Colorado, 80210
Phone: 303-758-2003, 1-800-SCHOOL3
Fax: 303-757-4336

10713 Barkley,
Overland Park, Kansas, 66212
Phone: 913-341-6666


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