TL-M students, staff seeing benefits of added support
By Suzanne Werre
Editor
About half-way through their three years of comprehensive support directed by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, the students and staff are reaping the rewards of that support, this school year putting a lot of emphasis on improving the students’ writing capabilities.
“At all grade levels,” commented Turtle Lake-Mercer Supt. Sheila Schlafmann, but specifically focusing on students K through eighth grade.
Key to the success of the program is the additional training the staff members have been receiving, and their working together to create plans that will mesh together from one grade level to the next.
The teachers are encouraged to provide more feedback to students – specific feedback, noted Schlafmann – not just saying, “good job” but being specific about what the students are doing well on, and what they need to work harder on.
“That has a large impact, if you provide specific feedback,” said Schlafmann.
The teachers are also getting more feedback, which is helping them do an even better job. Teachers, students and parents were recently interviewed by the school’s comprehensive support coach, and she asked a lot of specific questions.
