Our Approach
Set Academy will reflect many aspects of Metro’s instructional approaches but designed for elementary grade-level abilities. We will utilize practices for regular and special student populations for reading and literacy, mathematics, environmental education, and other valuable subjects and any other learning needs that arise. Key elements will include:
Backward Design - Set Academy teachers will analyze student MCA results from the previous year and MAP results to identify key concepts and skills that students need to master to become grade-level proficient. Then they will identify assessments that measure mastery of those benchmarks and identify curriculum resources that will help students understand the concepts and develop the skills that lead to mastery. This is commonly referred to as “backwards lesson design.” Teachers also will utilize Bloom’s Taxonomy and Depth of Knowledge (DOK) in their objectives, lesson planning, and instruction. Each lesson will include a pathway for students to go up the ladder towards higher levels of thinking.
RTI - Teachers will meet weekly in teams to analyze assessment results and devise interventions for students not reaching grade level in reading and math. Teachers will use the Fountas and Pinnell reading level assessment system to assess students' reading levels. Set Academy also will use internally developed or selected benchmark assessments directly aligned with Minnesota standards on a bi-weekly basis to determine grade level proficiency in reading. The students will also be assessed in reading and math through NWEA MAP twice a year.
Set Academy will continue to make a significant investment in Chromebooks and will also utilize an online library and curriculum resource. Set Academy’s teachers will use the online books during guided reading, independent reading, and mini-lessons.
Reading Corps – Set Academy plans to find Reading Corps staff tutors for one-on-one tutoring using research-based specific interventions. This provides K-3 students additional practice to improve deficient skills such as letter-sound and nonsense word fluency correspondence, phoneme blending, phoneme segmenting, word blending, repeated reading with comprehension, and oral reading fluency. This strategy is most effective for those students who are closest to achieving grade-level reading standards and will improve their performance in a timely manner.
Title One - The Title I program will also have a specific focus on reading literacy. The Title I teacher will work with one-on-one or small groups of students focusing on increasing the students reading skills.
English Language Learners (ELL) - Set Academy likely will have a high percentage of students that are identified as English Language Learners. Set Academy will hire ESL teachers to support the language skills of ELL students. English Language Learners are identified at the beginning of each year by the MNLS Survey. Only a student whose parents have a completed Minnesota Language Survey (MNLS), participated in the grade-appropriate English language screening assessment, and has been identified as an English learner will be enrolled in an English language educational program. Set Academy will use two primary methods to serve ELLs - individual/small group support and co-teaching. Co-teaching is an ongoing process that requires teachers to communicate more intimately with each other and with their students; and incorporates well-planned, team-taught lessons.
Leadership Team - The overall Set Academy Leadership Team will meet on a regular basis to review benchmark data and plan aligned professional development activities to support teachers in helping students that are not achieving their full potential.