Providing Access to Opportunity

Planning for AccessPart 1: Initial Exploration

Teacher Taylor Lee Subject: General and Advanced Science

Students Ages 11-14 Grade Level(s): 7th grade

Context: Commented [TL1]: This document has

th
been modified from its original version to
The journey to provide pathways to opportunities for Holbrook Junior High (HJHS), 7 grade students
build context specifically around my work
began with identifying a need. Access opportunities were not available on campus for Grade 7. After to create a sustainable Gear Up like
program for the Grade 7 students. The
interviewing the Counselor and Principal at HJHS it was agreed by all, that 7th grade students were in need of context provided showcases my planning
and thinking around providing outside
access opportunities earlier rather than later. However, no such program was in place or available. For that opportunities that are not regionally
obvious or readily available.
reason I began vetting potential partners both within my school district and within the larger community. I

began writing a 7th grade Access to Opportunity program, which included objectives, tracking systems and

target classes. This document highlights how I used Teaching For Transformation course material to bring

my dream of providing early exposure to postsecondary options to light with my 7th grade classes. This

excerpt focuses on how I built a relationship with A. Dennis and used her High School sophomores (class of

2018) as mentors to my 7th graders, Class of 2021.

Resource 1: Gear Up coordinator at Holbrook High School Amber Dennis:

adennis@holbrook.k12.az.us Commented [TL2]: I began by looking at
what was available within the district but
Value: had been ignored at the 7th grade level.
A. Dennis had previously been awarded
Having early access to postsecondary opportunities upon entry to high school promotes access to a Gear Up grant for roughly 16 students
opportunity at the middle school level. I believe 7th graders having access to high school students in the 2018 cohort, using her connections
experiences regarding the journey from Grade 7 through to Grade 10, and the benefits and with NAU and my desire to build a
knowledge gained form Gear Up, builds a deeper, more authentic understanding of access program similar for Grade 7, I explored
opportunities among my 7th graders. Due to our geographic isolation, I believe that mentorships using the class of 2018 as High School
formed within our school district are more sustainable and consistent. For this reason, I believe that mentors for an Access Opportunity
venture affecting 7th graders.
Johns Hopkins University School of Education
Providing Access to Opportunity
partnering with A. Dennis will create a pathway to opportunity otherwise not available to my Grade 7
students, with the 10th grade students highlighting opportunities and gateways they find relevant.

Strategies: Initial Request

I sent A. Dennis an email explaining my overall goals and asked if it was possible to get two or three
Gear Up sophomores to visit my classroom and share their experience surrounding Gear Up. A.
Dennis was excited to participate, however wanted to meet in person to ensure that the sophomores
presenting had a clear aim. One clear request was that I research the Gear Up grant she was
working under so as to deepen my understanding of what the sophomore Gear Up students
experiences were. The goal of my research was so that I may provide a realistic direction to the
sophomores presentation. Commented [TL3]: Prior to meeting with
A. Dennis I researched the Az Gear Up
Strategies: First Meeting: program through NAU. Through my
The first meeting focused on building groundwork. I had prepared a presentation about college. A. research I was able to find interventions,
Dennis vetted my presentation and requested certain aspects be added such as the Aspirations goals and outcomes from many schools
model, as she had found this useful at the high school level. Further, she had offered to use her across AZ. This research affected my
connections to Northern Arizona University (NAU) to secure freebies for the 7th graders that would planning in two ways: First, it made me
be given out by the sophomores during their presentation. I stressed my design and objectives and more vigilant on creating a workable
how I wanted to bring to my 7th graders an opportunity to build an alliance with the sophomores so alliance with the High School. Secondly,
that they may feel that work surrounding Gear Up at the 7th grade level has real world relevance. it made the program I was creating for
Grade 7 increase in value. I began to
realize how disadvantaged the 7th
graders were at having no pathways to
Access. I was determined to create a
gateway to success for my students.

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Providing Access to Opportunity
 Commented [TL4]: In preparation to
meet with A. Dennis I had drafted my
initial objectives and prepared a rough
draft PPT that I felt could guide the
sophomores during their presentation to
the 7th graders.

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Providing Access to Opportunity
 Commented [TL5]: Our first meeting
was a beneficial aspect of my planning,
as it focused on where my weak areas
were. To align my program goals and
student opportunities to those being
offered at the high school but absent at
the 7th grade level, it was suggested I
add critical aspects to my teaching. For
example using the Aspirations model.
Commented [TL6]: It was during the first
meeting I hit my first road block. My
original objective was to reach 120 7th
graders, however, due to regulatory seat
hours and High School expectations any
sophomore mentor would only be
granted off campus mentorship
opportunities during their lunch hour. This
means that I had to rework my objective
to target my 5th period class of 17
students. These 17 students would
receive mentorship and Gear Up like
opportunities as their pathway to Access.

Intended Outcome:

My goal with creating this partnership was to align my program objective to mentorship opportunities
using sophomore students as the postsecondary experts. Ultimately, I wanted to fill a need at the
Grade 7 level, as no students were receiving any guidance around postsecondary options. Students
were not able to articulate needed high school classes. Moreover, 7th graders had no real vision for
their life moving from middle school to high school and beyond. I wanted to allow them to explore
those options through peer-to-peer teaching and learning.

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Providing Access to Opportunity