What is the intervention block?
i-Block at MEI Middle is a great opportunity to help to students who need some support, without disrupting learning in other classes. Using our baseline standardized assessment, teachers are able to identify where there might be some gaps in student learning. Students are then directed to intense intervention groups where a small group of students works with a staff member to target and remediate the gap in learning. Our focus in i-Block is READING, MATH and WRITING. If your work/assessment shows you need strengthening in one of these areas, that becomes the priority, you will be placed in an intervention group and we will provide support to you in this area. Students who demonstrate mastery in these areas, will be assigned to a Challenge group. Our Challenge groups also focus on reading, math and writing.
What interventions are available?
- Reading – lots of different groups
- ELL/International English
- Math – lots of different groups for students who need to catch up on some concepts that they haven’t learned yet –assessments identify these areas
- Writing 6 and Writing 7 and 8
- Math Support – for what is currently being covered currently in classes
- Homework Support (at times) – for people who need some help with homework completion
Who decides where I go for i-Block?
All the teachers at each grade level. Each term we look at how EVERY student did in writing, reading and math during the term. GMADES (math); Grade-wide writes and GATES provide us with important information as does your class work. Teachers make decisions as to where to place students. Students indicate their areas of interest so that when academic intervention become unnecessary, their desires can be considered when placing students in Challenge opportunities.
How long do I stay in an i-Block option?
Most often students will stay in their designated block for the full term. Students in Math intervention groups who exit groups will typically do a term of Math Support after exiting and on occasion, teachers may pull students from one option to place them in a better option, but PLAN ON STAYING in your i-Block for the term.
What if my work shows that I do not need help this term?
Congratulations! This is our goal. Students at MEI Middle will move in and out of Intervention blocks as needed. Sometimes a student will have intervention all 3 terms. This does not speak to student intelligence – but rather gaps in learning that need to be filled. At other times, students will be invited to advantage of other opportunities. If students are not in an Intervention, they will be placed in a Challenge block as i-Block is not meant to be a block of free time. Our desire is that this time will remediate and challenge all students in the areas of Math, Reading and Writing.