Study Hall 2.0

            While talking with a high school Math teacher at an event, this weekend the teacher expressed his concern about his inability to meet the needs of academically struggling students in his class.  As with all teachers, they have to walk a tight rope in the dissemination of the lesson.  A teacher cannot dilute the content to aid academically struggling students and lose the rigor at the expense of non-struggling students.  A teacher cannot be too rigorous with the content to enhance the knowledge of non struggling students at the expense of academically struggling students.

One of the many frustrations teachers have is how to help academically struggling students.  The traditional strategies of after school tutoring, extra homework, and peer assistance have provided mixed results.  Other strategies such as partnering with colleges and universities or partnering with for-profit tutoring centers are not sustainable. Academically struggling students and their schools are dependent on the schedules and continued interest of college/university students.  For-profit tutoring centers serve a small amount of academically struggling students and the programs last until the grant or subsidy runs out.  The academically struggling student looks to the school for help, frustrated about the inability to get the he he/she needs.

            Fortunately, with a little creative thinking and better utilization of school resources, academically struggling students might find solace in an archaic concept:  Study Hall.

            The original premise of study hall was to provide students the opportunity to work on class projects and assignments and support students struggling with math, reading and writing.  Over time, study hall became a holding place void of academic support and eventually study hall was phased out.  It is now time to bring back study hall.

            With diminishing resources and a steady increase of academically struggling students, the study hall concept could be revamped to help support academically struggling students.  This could be accomplished in two ways:  First make, study hall a first period rostered class that rotates on a weekly basis.  For example, a student who is struggling in multiple subjects (i.e. Math, Science, English) would be rostered for first period study hall.  Week one would be rostered in Math, week two, Science, week three English, week four would begin again with Math.  At the end of each marking period/semester, the academically struggling student would be assessed to determine if the study hall should continue with the same subjects, new subjects, or the study hall could be discontinued. 

            Second, teachers would be able to provide academically struggling students with the extra help they need and end their frustration over not having enough time in the school day.  Academically struggling students will gain confidence in their ability to understand the subjects they are struggling.  Lastly, parents will begin to feel confident the school is doing everything it can to help their child overcome their academic struggles.

            Sometimes getting back to the basics could lead to breakthroughs in reversing poor achievement trends.  Study Hall 2.0 could be a solution.