overhaul from above
Meriden’s changes began in late 2019.
A former principal, Crispino, was hired to oversee all the elementary schools after helping rebuild a district’s schools that were in danger of being taken over by the state due to poor performance. The school eventually won a prestigious national award, and Mr. Crispino was asked to learn the lessons learned by the entire school district.
Then came the pandemic.
Meriden will be reopening sooner than many locations by Fall 2020. This was a decision that certainly helped mitigate the more serious academic loss. Still, many families have chosen to stay home, including the Franklin School.
To make up for lost learning, schools across the country are trying to add classes, but often outside of school hours, in afternoon tutoring or summer school. Such programs are useful, but they depend on student attendance.
Meriden kept betting on the school day itself.
District officials repurposed the 30 minutes for additional assistance on various subjects from teachers or through worksheets, and spent that time on math.
All around Franklin’s corridors, math is taught in the same way. Short lessons followed by group work. For 15-20 minutes, the teacher meets with some students while others work in groups. Students who need additional assistance will go with a tutor. Some of the tutors were paid with federal pandemic relief funds.
When the chime or buzzer sounds, the students spin.
Julie Salama, who studies early math education at the University of Denver, said working with students in small groups was “very important, and many teachers who graduated kindergarten don’t want to.” Part of the resistance, she said, comes down to tradition. She said, “You just teach the way you were taught.”
At Franklin, change hinged on a tight schedule for the 350 or so students. The school principal, Joao Conte, observed the classroom with Mr. Crispino. Even if she was just 5 minutes late coming back from the break, those 5 minutes of her lost teaching time could have grabbed your attention.