Kyrene Aprende Middle School

Aprende is a good school and many of the teachers have enthusiasm. My biggest issue with Aprende is the size of the classes. My child had 36 students in 6th grade classes and now has 43 in 7th grade classes. Though the teachers have good attitudes & good intentions for our kids, they are too busy meeting the expectations that our political climate has put on them. Our kids are basically learning to memorize for the standardized tests & not learning. The students aren't granted enough time to grasp ideas, concepts & learn history as a result. We need at least a 20:1 student/teacher ratio and real hands-on teaching. The new teacher evaluation system is good but we won't see the impact of this change for another 3-5 years. The PBIS program at Aprende is a good one. However, many kids do slip through the cracks even when they do receive PBIS tickets. I know at least 10 students who have received many PBIS tickets in both 6th and 7th grades and have yet to be selected to attend the monthly "golden ticket" PBIS events, including the most recent. It's unfortunate because the PBIS program is a really good venue to reinforce, acknowledge and reward positive, proactive behaviors that demonstrate personal responsibility, good leadership and mentoring skills IF the kids buy into it. Another big issue is this win/lose focus on the gifted program. A large part of the student body believes that "if you are not in the gifted program, you are pretty much a loser." I have fully observed how students are getting this message. What happened to simple Honors programs? The ones that offered a more rigorous curriculum for students who qualified and had the option to enroll into? And, if they chose not to, or simply did not qualify, they, too, would still receive a good, challenging curriculum that would prepare them for future grades and college prep. Instead, there is apparent segregation between gifted & regular students & in the quality of their instruction. Students are now labeled smart (gifted) or dumb (non-gifted) & this has introduced a whole new territory on social & peer pressures on our students. Also, students are feeling overwhelmed, rushed & stressed out by their teachers! How you ask? Most teachers are stressed out & overworked & wear this on their faces & bodies forgetting that all communication is 59% non-verbal. The language teachers use with students indicate their levels of stress (You need to! I don't care if! You better...Etc)! That kind of language is very negative and punitive and doesn't stay focused on issues. The students observe and experience this daily with simultaneous RUSH>RUSH>RUSH instruction and class work! We need our teachers to become aware that they are modeling & teaching the students "how to react," instead of modeling "how to "respond" and "how to retool." I find it a disservice that our kids are experiencing this so early in life. With all of the pressures of middle school already, must we also teach learned helplessness?! These tools definitely do not set up our 7th and 8th graders for success in academics, in jobs, in life in general. The new principal is well intentioned & I'm confident he will bring good leadership, mentoring & better communication to the students & the student-teacher-parent-staff relationships and partnership. He has a good balance of the "politics" of policies that are taking place within the district and the state, AND the reality of what the students are experiencing daily as a result. Moreover, PARENTS, GET INVOLVED! It is ADAMANT that parents are actively involved daily, weekly, and monthly; talking & working with the teachers, getting to know the staff, volunteering and supporting the PTSO by attending meetings, Meet & Greets & Coffee Chats. If we all speak up, educate ourselves & get involved, each one of us can make a difference & help improve our students experiences & our educational system from the inside out! I would suggest requiring teachers AND staff to engage in regular leadership workshops (such as Stephen Covey) that focus on active listening and effective communication (language, responses, personalities). I encourage teachers & staff to take advantage of daily life lessons that they are provided. Many of the teachers are so over it (you can't blame them with the unrealistic expectations put on them) and/or burnt out & it shows in their language to the students & their lack of being effective, positive modeling to them. As Becky Bailey points out to stressed teachers...In those moments where you've had it, tell yourself "I am so grateful for this opportunity to teach." It actually works for parents too.