Vanessa M. Johnson
About My Classroom
Where do I teach?
James Madison High School
13719 White Heather Dr.
Houston, TX 77041
Houston Independent School District
Teaching Placement:
Teaching Placement: 9th-10th grade
Content Area(s): English I & II, Strategic Reading & Writing, and Dyslexia Intervention.
I currently teach three Reading classes and three English I classes. Each class varies between 40-90 minutes depending on the school schedule. Each class has 15-37 students, ranging from English Language Learners to Special education students, which are mainstreamed with general population. 49 students currently receive special education services from me through Dyslexia intervention or in the Reading or English course, and 8 of those students are in my classes. 41 of those students receive dyslexia intervention from me.
I am a part of the 9th grade Reading and English team, which consist of four other teachers. We participate in monthly Professional Learning Communities, and weekly Small Learning Communities to collaboratively plan, discuss data, and share resources. This year, a program called Achieve 3000 has been provided and required to implement in the Reading courses and must be used for 45 minutes daily. As an extra-curricular assignment, I am the Cheerleading Coach and Sponsor for the school. The school is located in the Hiram Clark Community, southwest of NRG Stadium. The school is surrounded by a Multi-Cultural Center that provides health and educational services.
What are the current demographics of MHS?
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Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity
African American: 40%
Hispanic: 57%
White: .1%
Other: 1%
Gender:
47% Female 53% Male
Enrollment by Students Group
Economically Disavantaged: 74.1%
Special Education: 12.4%
English Language Learners: 11.8%
Free or Reduced Lunch: 49%
Mobility Rate: 23%
What are the School Based Programs?
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PowerUp: a districtwide initiative aimed at transforming teaching and learning to create a personalized learning experience for the 21st century learner. Each students receives a free laptop computer.
Ilit: The program provides students with interacting reading and writing activities that increase their Lexile Levels, promising growth in one school year. The program includes relevant content that addresses the Common Core Standards and is engaging so that the students don’t feel like they are really reading. The program provides scripted lessons and assessments that correlate with the standards.
PBIS: Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a proactive approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social culture and needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional and academic success.
One Goal: a college preparatory course that students take during their junior and senior year of high school. When Fellows enter college, Program Directors bridge the transition from high school to college by providing one-on-one intensive coaching through the second year of college.
Linked Learning: An apporach to learning that transforms the traditional high-school experience by bringing together strong academics, a demanding technical education, and real-world experience to help students gain an advantage in high school, postsecondary education, and careers. Students can choose from industry-themed pathways in fields such as engineering, arts and media, and biomedicine and health.
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Special Education Programs:
Behavior Support Class (BSC)
Preparing Students for Independence (PSI)
Skills for Learning & Living (SLL)
Student Support Services