Joel Giffin, principal of Maryville Middle School in Maryville, believes in targeting each student individually for improvement. To that end, Mr. Giffin has incorporated the Multi-Grade Level program (MGL) at Maryville, which allows low-achieving students in grades 6-8 to grow at their own pace using a combination of hands-on, non-traditional, traditional and technology-based instruction. He created a program called Academic Intervention, which provides at-risk students from low-income, single-parent families with supplementary instruction during the school day. Students in the program have demonstrated considerable academic improvement. He has shared his successes with other educators as a presenter at various workshops and state conferences. Mr. Giffin's leadership earned Maryville recognition as a Blue Ribbon School.
If you are interested in serving each student based on his needs, my experiences and story will be very helpful to you. Designing the school to fit individual students is my specialty and experience. We used an IEP concept to place students in a multi- leveled curriculum that enabled each student to be challenged and successful. Students will only be successful if given the appropriate level of instruction and proper support. We developed the Giffin School Reform Model that gives each student the opportunity to be successful. "You can't teach students what they already know" and "you can't teach students what they are not ready to learn." Placing students at the proper place in the curriculum based on their achievement levels and teachers teaching the proper subject and level based on their value-added sores ensures the proper placement for both students and teachers. This approach will make a major difference in the success of each student and teacher. I don't have the space or time to go into intervention class, teacher support system, testing, technology that supports the core curriculum, technology projects (learn by doing) that requires students to use their core knowledge, imagination and ingenuity, and many other aspects of the Giffin School Renewal Model. If any of these things interest you, give me a call or email, and we will discuss them. Email: joelgiffin@aol.com & cell #865-806-4292
1962 Mayville State University, B.A.
