Part 1: The Context

The School
Burley Middle School in Albemarle County Public Schools has 558 students and is in a
small, low-middle income neighborhood, interestingly enough, in the city of Charlottesville. The
558 students are comprised of 55% White students, 20% Black students, 15% Hispanic students,
3% Asian/ Pacific Islander students, and 6% students of two or more races. Six percent of the
558 students are of limited English proficiency, 38% are enrolled in free/ reduced lunches, and
12% of students have a learning disability. Within those students with learning disabilities, there
is an overrepresentation of black students, which is a common problem across the school system.
Burley focuses on providing opportunities for students to express themselves through art.
The morning announcement are student run by reporters from the student body who let people
know what is going on. There is a chorus for each grade in addition to an honors choir, an elite
boys choir, and an elite girls choir. There are also 7th and 8th grade bands as well as a jazz band.
In addition to music, there is an art club and a yearbook club. Outside of the arts, there is an open
gym, robotics club, chess club, math club, and youth leadership initiative. The school, being so
close to the University of Virginia, also partners with UVA for different programs. There is the
UVA/ Burley Debate Club, and also, tutors from UVA work in the school often. The school has
its own tutoring program for students to take part in.
The school also has 1:1 technology and each student gets a laptop. The student-teacher ratio
is 13:1, which is pretty low compared to the state averages in middle school. I have also noticed
that the school works to promote an inclusive environment and support students emotionally.
After the inauguration of Donald Trump, the school shared a video of an author reading a story
he wrote about a bird who needed to sing their own song. The story boosted confidence and
ensured students that being themselves is the best way to be.
Classroom
Second block class is 8th grade English Language Arts Advanced Honors. The class has
twenty-five desks with unattached chairs. There are two standing desks. There are also three
comfy chairs, five bookshelves, and a teachers desk. The variety of provided desks and seating
allows for students to find a spot that is most beneficial to their learning.
 Second block has 18 students in it. The class is very diverse with eight White students,
four Black students, five Hispanic students, and one Asian student. The students in this honors
class work at least two levels below their peers in the other honors class. The students are
energetic and talkative, which can be chaotic, but also fosters a strong class community. Most of
the students actively participate in class by raising their hands to answer questions, passing out
materials, and volunteering to help. The students who do not actively volunteer are diligent
workers and always complete their work on time. In the class, there are two ESL students. One
student has a 504 plan, and one student has an IEP.
Student Profiles
Jamie
Jamie is a White female with ADHD. She works hard but often interrupts in class with
something that is not related. She wants to succeed in class and her reading Lexile score is very
high, showing that she is at a 10th grade level. However, Jamie often forgets to write down what
she needs to do for homework, and even when she remembers, she forgets to complete the
homework often. Jamie has a very supportive attitude and wants everyone to succeed. She will
often disrupt class by trying to explain things to a neighbor who might not understand. However,
Jamie can cause disruptions to other students when they are trying to learn. She often gets up to
sharpen her pencil, and she often moves her chair around during quiet time. Jamie has an IEP,
and her goals include learning to organize her materials and use checklists to make sure she
completes her work.
LaQuan
LaQuan is a Black male student. He participates in the free lunch program at school. He
has been labelled as gifted in math, but he tries to keep that side of him hidden. While LaQuan
can do most of the work with ease, he rarely displays his knowledge when doing group work
with his friends. He will play games and make jokes when in small groups to distract his peers,
but he is very quiet in whole class discussions. Despite his lack of interaction and work in group
work, he does incredibly well on individual assessments and homework. He also is always
respectful to adults in that he greets them and responds to questions posed to him. He often does
not go out of his way to interact with adults if he does not have to.
Roberto
 Roberto is an Hispanic male repeating the 8th grade. He is an EL student, and he reads
two grades below grade level. He is in the advanced honors class because he does somewhat well
in English classes; however, the teacher discovered this year that he was getting by because he
read Spark Notes and was able to make up answers. After working on assessments with the class,
I realized how he is far below grade level and knew I needed to intervene. Roberto always
volunteers to help hand out notebooks and materials. He is often the first person to raise his
hand, but then he will often say, I dont know, when called on. He likes to talk with his peers,
and he is often trying to get my attention by calling out and making disruptions. When one-on-
one in Study Hall, Roberto is well-mannered and works hard. He acts up in class in order to
avoid discussing materials with his peers.
Laney
Laney is a White female with 504 plan for chronic illness. She has frequent migraines,
which keeps her out of school for weeks at a time. The migraines also prevent her from being
able to use the computer, which can cause some complications since the school has become so
reliant on using the computer program, Blackboard. Laney is very bright, but with the health
complications, she is often behind and trying to catch up. This factor makes it difficult for her to
participate in group conversation or whole class discussion about the books and work the class is
doing. When in class, Laney is always smiling. Laney usually sits at her desk for the whole
period, and she turns her work in on time when in school. She speaks softly but is quick to
engage in conversations with her peers and teachers. She is always polite to everyone she meets,
and she works remarkably hard in school when she is feeling well.