ZAP-ping problems by helping students finish their work

First-grade teacher Amy Schroer supervised a game of Go Fish! among after-school activities for students.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

The data is amazing and the school atmosphere is changed. But student pride may be the best result of the recent emphasis on student accountability and after-school programs at Cole County R-1 Schools in Russellville.

Four years ago, when Karen Ponder took the elementary school principal’s chair, she was astounded to see 69 grades of "F" in the middle school at the end of the first semester.

Ponder immediately researched Zeros Aren’t Permitted (ZAP). “It guarantees they are accountable for their work,” she said.

When a student doesn’t complete assignments, they are sent to a shorter “eighth hour” where they may finish their work with teachers there to help them, if needed.

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GrumpyGus 5 months, 2 weeks ago

And we wonder why we graduate illiterates in this country. By never allowing the child to fail based on the merits of their own work, the child never learns the consequences of failure. They go to schools that don't allow them to learn how to learn. Instead they try to teach "accountability" by "helping" the child with second, third, fourth, etc. chances. There is not an adult in the world that would tell you they learned more in their life from their successes than from their falures.

Sure the data is amazing and the students feel great about themselves, but they haven't learned a darned thing.

asb 5 months, 2 weeks ago

While I'm no fan of grade inflation and the everybody gets to win approach to sports and other contests, the idea that you have to do it until you get it right just seems as logical as toast to me. You learn more.

GrumpyGus 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I would agree if the children had learned to keep working until they get it right themselves. This is about helicopter teachers hovering over the kids so they can't fail. Failure is the best teacher. These kids are in for a sharp learning curve when they get out on their own and there is no one there to keep encouraging and helping along. All those finished 2nd and 3rd chance homework assignments won't amount to diddly.

jcguy25 5 months, 2 weeks ago

So you'd rather see the kids fail the class? Possibly even fail the grade and be held back? Some kids just do not learn well in a group environment, this is a time where they can get some one on one attention to understand what is being taught. Typically they will not get full credit for an assignment that as been redone.

spelchek 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Parenting helps.

jcguy25 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I agree. However, this is a rural area where not all parents have college degrees, so I'm sure not all the parents will understand and can properly assist with biology, physics, advanced math, etc.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

We have plenty of evidence of failure all around, and plenty of evidence that no one learns a thing from failure. Look at our government and our country.

I'm with asb on this one. You gotta keep working with the kids until they get it. Six hours in school for 180 days a year may not be enough time to learn all the stuff that kids have to learn these days. Then when you figure all the non-instruction time that is wasted during those 180 days, it is a wonder that kids learn anything at all.

This is a great effort by a teacher who obviously CARES about her students. We have to do something. Failing them all doesn't cut it. Some students may need more time to learn. Some may need to learn in different ways from the rest of the class.

Extending the time for all students may be needed to get our education system geared to STUDENT LEARNING.

Littleinvestor 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Yeah, like my parents could explain physics and advanced biology when I was in high school almost 50 years ago. I had enough moxie to go to teachers before or after school (I walked a mile, up hill both ways to school) to get the help I needed in those subjects. My sister and I are struggling with decoding grammar education for her youngest. They've changed all the names of things! We had to go to the internet to figure out what a "verbal" was. Most schools have some kind of tutoring or additional help program set up either every day or a couple of times a week. Maybe they need some tutoring help for parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles in the evenings!

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

What is a verbal? I would apply it to myself as an interaction between myself and a employee, or a boss and myself! Educators ought to quit changing the rules, they did that all through JR High for myself with split sessions, and open class rooms in 1971? All I remember was one kid shooting the fire ext into the other class? 800 plus kids in my class, I survived, but I also took notes. Rob

Littleinvestor 5 months, 2 weeks ago

It can be an adjective or a word derived from a verb. I'm still not sure exactly what it is. What was wrong with calling an adjective and adjective?

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I have a hard time understanding what schools are doing now? There may be a few kids who know what they want to do in high school, but the majority are going to change their minds constantly? My Grandson just became a Sikeston policeman this spring, before though it was want to be a pipefitter, he was a welder on barges, Case mechanic assembling combines/cotten pickers, agriculture, and business with 5 semesters of college and 1 of police training. We are worn out watchin him chose, but very proud of him in his final decision! I just cannot fathom the choices these kids will have to make at an early age? (he is 23) Rob

Sequoia 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Gus, you'd complain about the sun shining.

The failing kids have to stay after school... how is that not a consequence for failure?

These teachers are staying late and helping these kids for free, on the teacher's time and dime, and all you got are complaints?

Go soak your head, Gus. I hope no one ever treats you the way you want others to be treated.

God bless these teachers. These kids won't regret taking the opportunity for another chance. Keep at it.

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