Middle school kids primed to learn
March 15, 2005

By Angela Townsend

Mentoring, relationships are Prime Time's educational aids

University Heights

Rather than begin days with science, math or English, students at Wiley Middle School play charades, build toy boats or have their teacher read Dr. Seuss aloud.

They call this Prime Time, a quirky and successful approach to raising academic achievement by building stronger relationships among students and teachers.

"We've created a family-like atmosphere," said Assistant Principal Paul Destino.

Modeled after programs at large urban districts, including Cleveland, Chicago and Detroit, Prime Time at Wiley has drawn praise from the Ohio Middle School Association.

Next month, at its annual conference, the association will give the school awards for its adviser program and for scheduling and will have teachers and staff give a presentation on their program.

Tom Burton, the association's president-elect, said the program is successful because, among other things, advisers play key roles in the lives of students.

Prime Time is 25 minutes reserved at the start of each day for one-on-one teaching or mentoring, and for activities that encourage relationship building.

Research suggests that middle school programs like Prime Time contribute to student achievement.

Citing some of that research, the nonprofit Public Education Network in Washington, D.C., suggests that middle schools group teachers and students into small teams and that every teacher serve as an adviser to a group of students.

At Wiley, teachers oversee no more than 16 students, and mentor them for the three years they attend the school.

To encourage a sense of community, groups change only when sixth-graders enter and eighth-graders move on to high school.

The idea for Prime Time emerged four years ago from brainstorming sessions that Destino has with teachers. In December 2002, the Gund Foundation provided $7,200 for travel to districts with similar programs.

The staff later approved extra time for Prime Time -- 25 minutes in the morning, 22 minutes at day's end -- and launched the program in fall 2003.

Activities vary on days not devoted to one-on-one teaching. A few weeks ago, groups focused on conflict management, playing charades to show how people communicate with body language. Dr. Seuss' 100th birthday on March 2 prompted the reading of "Oh, The Places You'll Go" and other titles.

Seventh-grader Charles Fulton liked the boat challenge the best. Student teams built boats out of such things as aluminum foil and pipe cleaners. The teams then competed to see which boats could hold the most pennies.

Charles' team finished third.

Getting to know her students on a different level has challenged teacher Felicia Bell. She said she keeps tabs on the progress of her students in and out of school.

"As teachers, we're so used to being the authority figure," she said. "Normally you don't get an opportunity to build relationships with the children. The relationships are the key."

Those relationships are what Charles, 13, says he will miss most when he graduates from the eighth grade next year.

"I'll miss the people and how we laugh and talk," he said.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: atownsend@plaind.com