I like to think I am solutions orientated so on the back of my last piece here are some ideas around how we can be better at catching students up.
Make Catch-Ups Purposeful
Ensuring catch up sessions aren’t just an opportunity to recover what was taught in lessons. Because this may convey the message that if they don’t listen first time in class, they can listen to it again in our time after school.
Enrich
Instead of catch up classes, can sessions after school actually go beyond the curriculum? Can we link with specialist providers in our field to show how our subjects are used in industry? Can we bring in experts to share their knowledge and push learning beyond its existing level?
Set Boundaries
There are students who genuinely need this additional support and I don’t know any teachers who would want to not provide this. But do we ensure that those who need it get it rather than those who can’t be bothered getting a second chance
Phase them out
Could the way we design lessons, curriculums and schemes be reviewed? Could we analyse our teaching and learning? Asking the question why additional sessions are actually needed could lead to some real improvements to the department. Why do we not have the time to deliver the course in lessons? Why isn’t the content sticking? How could we use technology to complement this?
In conclusion though and why would you remove them if hardworking students are seeking to improve their grades further? But then again, would removing them and addressing why we might need them solve the problem itself?
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