TUTORING SERVICES
STUDENT TUTORING ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (STEP)
Most successful students don’t succeed without help along the way!
Montgomery High School students can receive tutoring from other students who
have demonstrated academic success. The program will focus primarily on the
subjects of Mathematics, English and Study Skills. All other academic
subjects are offered according to the abilities and availability of the
tutors.
NEW SCHEDULE!!! AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING:
It is held in the MHS library where students also have access to all the
resources the ibrary has to offer, such as computers, dictionaries,
encyclopedias, articles, etc.
The new schedule is from 3:10 to 4:15 Tuesdays and Thursdays!
MORNING TUTORING:
Mr. Bautista in room 70, DAILY
Please check in with your counselor for enrollment and earn partial
credits.
LUNCH TUTORING:
Ms. Collins, our school librarian and Mr. Salazar provide a lunchtime study
hall in the Student Services Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please check
in with them if you are interested. The phone number for our school library
is 528-5341.
INDIVIDUAL INTERVENTION MEETINGS:
One of the primary functions of Montgomery High School's Intervention
Counselor is to provide services for “At-Risk” students. Our school board
defines “At-Risk” students as students who are not on track to graduate.
During the Spring semester, our Intervention Counselor is scheduling
individual conferences with 9th and 10th graders which advise the student
and his or her parent or guardian of the following:
1. Cumulative records and transcripts of the student.
2. Performance on standardized and diagnostic assessments of the student.
3. Remediation strategies, high school courses and alternative education
options available to the student.
4. Consequences of not passing the high school exit examination.
5. Information on post-secondary education and training.
6. Programs, courses, and career technical education options available for
students needed for satisfactory completion of middle or high school.
STUDENT MATHEMATICS TUTORS
The mathematics department has developed a list of student who are willing to
tutor their peers. The list includes the subjects they are willing to tutor
in and student contact information. You can get a copy of this list in the
Counseling Office.
In addition to MHS tutorial services, here are some private sources:
Chemistry: Janet Lowenthal, PhD www.mindspringscience.com
Math Science
English, History Jessica Carr, MS (707)481-6889 or(707)527-7303
Reading, Writing
Math Hirsch Coffey Academic Restoration 707-508-9258
English
SAT Prep Catlin Tucker 707-538-0268 or 707-292-4806
CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAMINATION
The primary purpose of the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE)
is to significantly improve pupil achievement in public high schools and to
ensure that pupils who graduate from public high schools can demonstrate
grade level competency in reading, writing, and mathematics. There are two
exams: English-Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics offered over the course
of two days.
The CAHSEE helps identify students who are not developing skills that are
essential for life after high school and encourages districts to give these
students the attention and resources needed to help them achieve these
skills during their high school years. All California public school students
must satisfy the CAHSEE requirement, as well as all other state and local
requirements, in order to receive a high school diploma. The CAHSEE
requirement can be satisfied by passing the exam or, for students with
disabilities, receiving a local waiver pursuant to Education Code Section
60851(c), or receiving an exemption pursuant to Education Code sections
60852.3 or 60852.4.
If a student in the 11th or 12th grade has not yet passed one or both of
the California High Schoool Exit exams, s/he has another opportunity to take
the exams on March 11th (ELA) and 12th (Math). If a 10th grader was absent
for the February 6th or 7th examinations, he or she will have the
opportunity to make up the exam in March as well.
Students will receive passes and notices to take the exams. Please note that
our high school provides a CAHSEE preparation course in both subjects.
If you have questions, please call 528-5367.
WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THE AREA OF STUDY SKILLS?
Your student must develop a study style that will meet classroom demands. To
assist in this effort, discuss with your student that the job of being a
student is an important one during these high school years.
Assist your child in furthering the development of study habits that will
aid concentration, classroom performance, and will reduce academic stress.
Good study skills improve school performance. The better a student's school
performance, the more opportunities there are to choose from after school.
Talk with your student about attitudes toward homework, class participation,
note-taking skills, and test-taking strategies. Your student needs to feel
prepared in these areas and you can help by doing the following:
A. Identify commitments with your student (homework, sports,
lessons, jobs, friends) and establish a schedule for
completing all items.
B. Suggest that your student budget time, and work on one project
completing at all items.
C. Create a consistent space for homework to be done. Preferably,
it should be clean, well-lit, quiet, and outfitted with
appropriate materials. Buy several good reference books
(dictionary, encyclopedia, atlas, almanac, etc.)
D. Create a consistent time block (a minimum of two hours is
recommended for high school students) to complete homework.
When your student does not have homework or has leftover
homework time, they can use that time for other activities
such as reviewing work, reading the newspaper, reading
for pleasure, doing crossword puzzles, or sharing work
projects with you.
E. Telephones, TV, and headphones should be off limits during this
projects with you.
F. Let your student know when you are available to help review
projects with you.
G. Ask to look at assignments in advance if you are expected to
projects with you.
F. Provide help and encourage homework. This will add to a
student's projects with you.
H. Encourage sufficient rest and provide breakfast and trouble-
student's projects with you.
I. Consistently praise all efforts your student makes to develop a
student's projects with you. regular and consistent study
style that works for various subject matter. The student who
does this is taking ownership in his/her academic
progress.
J. Watch for workshop opportunities for parents to further expand
their skills in reducing homework and study hassles.
K. Look for memos from staff in student handouts or during Open
House.
L. Attend presentations on how to nurture study in particular
subject areas.
M. Be willing to serve as a communication link between your
student and a teacher when problems arise.
N. Always invite your child to attend meetings with teachers.
ATTEND OPEN HOUSE
ASK FOR MIDTERM PROGRESS REPORTS
BE AWARE OF MAJOR GRADING PERIODS
ASK TEACHERS FOR GRADE TRACERS ON
CLASSES TO BE CHECKED MORE CLOSELY
KNOW SOME STUDY METHODS
Different methods of studying can be used for different assignments. Here
are a few which can be helpful for your child to use.
STUDY PLANS
It's common to hear students say, I've read my assignment but I don't
remember what I've read." That may be happening because the reader has no
plan to follow. Students are not likely to make that statement If they are
in the habit of using a study plan when reading assignments.
By knowing the steps that improve understanding and remembering, you can
help your son or daughter switch from a read, daydream, forget method to a
read, react, remember method. Many study formulas have been written to make
it easier for students to remember how to read an assignment.
Two examples are:
• SQ3R -Survey. Question. Read. Recite. Review.
• (3R) PQRST-Preview. Question. Read. State Test.
These study methods usually include some of the following steps:
1. Getthrough the lesson and read all the headings, questions and
summaries. Look at pictures, maps and graphs. (This
briefglance will give you a general idea of the material.)
2. Establish WHY you are reading. Make questions out of the headings
in the assignment. Read the questions written by the author
or teacher. This will alert you to the important points.
Go one step further and try to think of answers to the
questions before starting to read. IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE
SOMETHING TO LOOK FOR!
3. Read with an active mind. Imagine or picture what you
read. Look for answers to questions. Compare the answers
you find to those you predicted before reading. (The key
is to keep your mind alert by having a silent
conversation with the author agree doubt, ask, compare,
and question.)
4. Look away from the assignment after each section.
STATE THE IDEASIN YOUR OWN WORDS.
5. After reading the entire lesson, read each section heading
and check your memory by trying to remember important facts
and ideas. Review in the same way days and weeks later.
FLASHCARDS are helpful any time a large number of facts need to be learned.
They can be used for such things as definitions, dates, names, and facts
about people, formulas, and new words. Just making the cards in the first
place helps students learn the facts. Here are some ideas for using
flashcards:
1. When using cards for the first time, put them into small groups.
Learn one group of cards at a time.
2. Shuffle the cards often so they aren't learned in a particular
order.
3. Practice often for short periods of time.
4. Spend most of the time on cards that haven't been mastered yet.
FAMILY LIFE CHANGES TO SUPPORT STUDENT
A trusting parent-student relationship may be built by practicing specific
skills:
1.Listen Actively:
*Be available. Make sure you have some relaxed, non-confronting
conversation every day. Concentrate on what is being sold. Make
eye contact and show a genuine interest in what is being sold.
*Listen between the lines to your student's concerns and feelings,
so you hear the feelings of frustration, anger, happiness, etc.
2.Talk With Your Students:
*Use "I" messages or statements about how a specific behavior
affects you rather than "you" messages which criticize and condemn,
creating a defensive reaction (e.g. "I feel angry when...",
rather than, you're so dumb when...).
*Ask open-ended questions to encourage responses. For example, "What
do you think? What does it look like to you? How else could you
handle the problem? " Be accepting of their ideas.
*Avoid name calling and put-down remarks. If you are extremely
angry, wait until you calm down before talking to your
student. "I'm angry right now; let's talk about it in 20
minutes. " Be courteous in tone of voice and avoid abruptness
which may produce feelings of hostility in your student.
which may produce feelings of hostility in your student.
*Remember, how you handle communication in your own life will be
the most powerful.
3.Set Consistent, Firm and Reasonable Limits:
*Establish consequences that fit the situation and are meaningful
for the student and the value system of the parents.
*Give as much freedom as the student is able to reasonably handle,
and increase freedom when responsibility is shown.
*Choose limits that fit the age but have value. Example: drop
bedtime but enforce your established curfew.
*Don't panic when kids test the limit. Calmly enforce consequences
for the behavior and make clear statements about your future
expectations.
*Remember that how you handle consequences in your own life will be
the most powerful teacher of all.
4.Promote a Positive Personality With Your Student:
*Live together in mutual respect. As you do so, you and your young
adult will be more trusting and less interested in denying
each other's rights.
*Focus on positive behavior. Notice and comment on efforts,
contributions, and any movement toward cooperation. Minimize
mistakes he or she makes.
*Let your student learn from the logical consequences of living.
Avoid a relationship based only on reward and punishment.
*Have the courage to be imperfect. Recognize your own limitations
and don't place unreasonable demands on yourself. In the same
way, encourage your student to have the courage to be imperfect
and to live with limitations.
*Take your young adult seriously. Care about things that are
important to them: friendships, art, music, school activities,
books, movies, etc.
*Understand and accept the wonderful way your young adult is
developing.
5. Make Sure Your Student is Developing the Capacity to Make Decisions
and Accept Resonsibility for Those Actions:
*Understand and use decision-making strategies so that their choices
are made by action rather than inaction or reaction. As decisions
become more difficult and/or fine lines become grayer, more and
more elaborate decision-making skills must be put into play.
*Give your student first a voice, and, when appropriate next give
and help rather than direct and decide. the student a choice in
matters that affect them. Parents need to suggest
*Examine the potential consequences of choices: choosing, and then
accepting the responsibility for the choices they make.
*Model decision making in your own life will be a valuable teaching
tool. Explain how and why you made the decision. If you feel
that department you could use more information in this
area,contact the school counseling for references.
6. Give Continued Emotional Support; It Helps Students Withstand Peer
Presure. Peer pressure is a reality; and the need for teens to
conform is great. Finding importance and sense of belonging.
outside the home is a necessary step to maturity. To the teenager
this conformity may mean making a decision totally different
from his/her parents.
*Give support through eye contact, brief physical contact, and most
important, Time.
*Give more time, not less. When parents genuinely offer time,
pressure is relieved, and open communication and trust can occur.
This can be a very meaningful time in your lives.
7. Know Who Your Student's Friends are, Even in Highschool:
*Accept the friendships, as long as you are certain that the friend
in question is not influencing your child in a negative way
(drugs, alcohol, sex, behavior in ways unacceptable to your
family style). Negative responses usually encourage relationships
style). Negative responses usually encourage relationships of
which you disapprove.
*Encourage your student's friends to come to your home so that you
can get acquainted.
*Call other parents; often they share the same concerns.
8. Develop an Awareness of Warning Signs and Symptoms of Drug Abuse:
*Learn symptoms:
Some of these are normal in a young adult and must be approached
with concern rather than suspicion:
a.withdrawal from family and former friends
b.lack of interest in formerly favored hobbies,
sports, or activities
c.extended periods of moodiness, irritability,
depression, anxiety
d.frequent outbursts of temper and a generally
resentful attitude
e.sudden interest in a new group of friends or new hangouts
d.persistent boredom and lack of motivation to do anything
f.noticeable drop in attention span, lack of concentration
g.vague or secretive attitude about friends and activities
h.stealing money or salable items from home
i.drop in performance levels at school
j.over-reaction to minor mishaps
k.loss of short-term memory
l.distort time
*Practice as a parent:
a.keeping open communication with your student.
b.serving as responsible role model for your student.
c.giving your student emotional support and a strong,
loving family life.
d.expressing your expectations regarding your student's
use of alcohol and other drugs.
*Communicating with other parents:
a.mMking sure that parties are chaperoned.
b.Letting other parents know you expect alcoholic
beverages will not be served.
c.Finding out when parties will be over.
d.Knowing where your students are.
e.Learning what the school can do for you by providing
counseling help, referral resources, and the student
assistance program.
Call your student's counselor immediately if you suspect your student has a
problem.
