Summer school took on a different twist at Franklin High School in Baltimore County.
Instead of students playing catch-up or getting a jump-start on next fall?s studies, about 25 teachers from high schools in the Baltimore region were taking their place.
Engaged in eight days of intense study, from June 30 through July 10, the teachers were students at the Governor?s Academy for American Government where they added to their knowledge and teaching skills in order to improve students? performance on the Highs School Assessments in social studies.
“It sort of feels like summer school, but it?s a wonderfully challenging and creative experience” Allison Haley, a special education department head at the Carver Center for Arts and Technology, said during the first day of classes.
“I?m getting an incredible amount of information that?s going to be invaluable in getting our students excited about learning American government.”
Beginning with the graduating class of 2009, students are required to earn a satisfactory score on the HSA in order to earn a Maryland high school diploma. Passing scores for math are 412, trailed by 394 for government, 400 for biology 396 in English, according to the Maryland Department of Education.
The academy is in partnership with the College of Notre Dame and is one of several held in districts throughout Maryland. Other areas of focus include improving teachers? instructing skills in math, biology and English.
Retired teacher Sue Spencer works with the academy as a consultant. She said the program was started to provide teachers with more content knowledge in government, but also caters to special education teachers.
“Many teachers come out of college and they?re assigned to teach government and they may or may not have had a lot of experience in that content area,” Spencer explained.
