Motivating, Enlightening, REAL = The Sisters!!

Friday afternoon Mrs. Butson, Mrs. Houston and I traveled to Chicago for a 2-day workshop taught by THE Sisters. I think Sara and Leanna would agree it was AMAZING. It was one of the most powerful workshops regarding literacy I have ever attended. ( I can say that after 18 years of PD and graduate classes!)

We were star struck! 

Who are the sisters and why are they so popular?  Gail Boushey and Joan Moser are two elementary teachers that created a workshop model and assessment system for literacy. Their method has become a powerful literacy movement across the world.  The Daily Five does not hold content but it is a management system that has the students doing the hard work and it provides time for teachers to meet every student's strengths and needs.

Why is it so popular?  

• it's research based
  
• tested and used by real teachers with real readers of various strengths & needs 
• it takes very few items and materials to implement  (the main source....books,books and more books)
• it is developed around the big five : comprehension, accuracy/fluency, phonemic awareness/phonics, vocabulary and writing  
• it gives a road map of strategies every good reader uses 
• student assessment drives the teaching
• differentiation for every student 
• it places the learning responsibility on the student..students do 80-90% of authentic reading and writing

The Daily Five and The CAFE can be found in every state across our country.  The management system and research based strategies are helping teachers and districts show growth in student's reading and writing success and in teacher's motivation & excitement to teach literacy.  Each system has evolved and improved since the sisters wrote the book.  They continue to learn various research ideas and they constantly do their own action research as a teacher and coach.  Leanna, Sara and I hope to offer an after school session to share our insights and new learning but until then I wanted to share my many "aha" moments.  I have about eight pages of typed notes so I will try to give the big picture.

Wonderful downloads,ideas!

A few of my learning moments:
 The Daily Five is a structure which allows teachers to teach each student.  Based on the Big Five: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Accuracy-Fluency, Comprehension, Vocabulary, Writing

Read to Self is the foundation & Writing is the 2nd most important structure
Students must be reading & writing 80-90% of the time
Richard Allington's research - teachers must know his research!!

This was powerful insight regarding brain research!

The sister's thinking and teaching has changed and progressed since the books were published.
Mini-lessons: 10-15 mins. max!  Longer lessons should be broken into 2 mini-lessons whenever possible.
New research for the sisters: Brain Rules by John Medina and  Dr. Ken Wesson's work (a leading brain researcher)

T-charts
The sisters no longer brainstorm with the students when creating their T charts for each round introduction lesson.  They lead and tell the students what the round should look like.  Keep kids on task and focused.  Too many young students cannot process brainstorming ideas for a quick end result.  Teachers state this is "your job" and this is "my job".  Most importantly...this is going to be so FUN.  Tell them explicitly this is the great fun and stress how important reading and writing will be in their lives.

Word Work in their classroom
10-15 mins max and then have student move into writing
beyond this time..kids begin to mess around or become off task

Listening to Reading
Great for ELL students, beginning readers or non-readers, these readers need to be doing this round more

You only need a few things! 

Older or high readers should not be doing this round. Kids who love to read...let them read over partner reading and listening to reading.
It's all based on NEEDS not because it's fair.

Partner Reading
Explicitly model, model, model
Teach Coach-Time strategy
EEKK
NEVER assume young students can do this...it takes explicit teaching and modeling.  DON'T overuse partner reading

Materials/Supplies

To do the Daily Five a teacher needs very few materials!  

Spend ALL of your money on books NOT supplies.

Supply suggestion: wipe off boards, stamps/magnets, paper, pencils, chimes, sand timers  REALLY this is all you really need!

This management program takes away so much stress and busy work for teachers! We are not in the 90s .....learning to read and write can NOT happen with arts and crafts.
It is all about the READER not the activity!

Launching the Daily Five
Teachers stay out of the way when they are building stamina during the 1st 2weeks...don't hover or constantly talk during the student's work.  Use the 3 minute stamina building.
Do not even make eye contact!! You do not want kids to rely on YOU to ensure they are doing their job.  Even the dreaded teacher stare down is encouraging dependency on you.
Do not create independence by teacher saying "good job" or "sit still" and so on.
Model correct behaviors and practice correct behaviors
Incorrect behaviors:  in front of entire group state what went wrong, label it and stop it right away!
For the challenging kids:  practice 2 mins. at recess then out to play.  Kindly call the child on it- in front of the group.  Tommy, you had a hard time sitting in one spot today, you will practice with me at recess time because I know  you can do it.  This sets the tone to all the other students that the teacher is the ALPHA in your room not a student.   I loved this part!! :)

They would NEVER change the CAFE menu.
Comprehension must come first...it's the most vital part of reading!!
CAFE menu: let the kids write out each strategy you teach to the whole group.  Making meaning must ALWAYS come first.
Its hard, but refrain from printing the strategies.  Let the kids do the writing. Kids need to have ownership in developing it and make each child the expert of that goal if they are chosen as the writer.

With a sound structure of the Daily Five and the assessment-to-instruction steps that the CAFE system offers every teacher, RtI works perfectly.  It allows the teacher to differentiate and truly teach the individual reader and writer.

Curriculum Cohesiveness
All teachers using the same assessment systems for every child.  Pulling a child out of the classroom can create confusion for the student and deter or even delay learning success.
Interventions and classroom instruction both focus on the same skills and strategies each child needs based on their assessment.  ONE assessment for the child-not my assessment or their assessment-our assessment.  The sisters talked about this area a lot!! All based on Richard Allington's research.

We learned so many more things but I will end here! Many of you already do the Daily Five but I hope our new learning will benefit you too.   Be sure to ask if you have questions or something sparked your curiosity.  Stop by or email Leanna and Sara...their enthusiasm for the Daily Five is contagious.  We hope to share before PLC time on April 24th.

Great Advice:  What journey are you on as an educator?   

Teaching is never "done".  The effective teacher must continue to learn professionally, growing and evolving.

Do you complain all the time and point fingers?  

No teacher is perfect but all of us should be improving in some form with our teaching. 

Be proactive not reactive! 

Recommended Books and Research Articles  (links in red)
Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell
Brain Rules, John Medina
Dr. Wesson-What Everyone Should Know About the Latest Brain Research
                (at end of the article..links to other articles by Dr. Wesson)

Reading Essentials, Regie Routman
In Pictures and in Words, Katie Wood Ray
Write Like This, Kelly Gallagher  (highly recommended for upper grades & high school)

Readacide, Kelly Gallagher  (great read and a frightening reality is addressed regarding our society & reading)
The Book Whisperer, Donalyn Miller (especially for upper grades)

RtI From All Sides, Mary Howard
Assessment in Perspective, Clare Landrigan & Tammy Mulligan

Richard Allington (any of his articles and books)

Using Basal Readers, Dewitt (article March 2013)
Margaret Mooney's Guided Reading (New Zealand teacher and researcher, New Zealand has the greatest literacy rate in the world)

Happy Reading- Mrs. Speake









 

Understanding Our Process

As we continue to work in our PLC groups, I'm amazed at the work each team has done!  We have taken the Iowa Core and thoroughly dissected each English Language Arts Standard.  As a result of our work, teams have asked me several tough questions.  I have been on a search for answers.  I also wanted a better understanding of the Core.   I believe research says we must hear something 18-21 times before it becomes knowledge in a our long term memory. Several sites that I have found helpful:
         www.achievethecore.org  and  Common Core State Standards Initiative  and    The Iowa Core homepage

How does the Core help me as a teacher?
The standards provide student learning goals and benchmarks for achieving certain skills & knowledge by the end of the year.
It allows each school district to develop and provide better assessments that more accurately measure whether or not students are learning what was taught.
The standards guide teachers toward choosing better curricula and teaching strategies that will give students a deep understanding of the subject and skills they need to apply their knowledge.

WOW!  Look at the work we have done to align with these core standards in regards to literacy.
(Reading-Writing-Speaking-Listening-Language Arts)

• Literacy Non-Negotiable Document
• Workshop Model-Grandual Release Theory
• Leveled Readers (BSA benchmark assessment kits)  Students reading at their level everyday to build stamina! 
• Making Meaning with Vocabulary & IDR
• Being a Writer-Units of Study ...Students writing every day!
• Differentiation, Small Group Work

This perfectly aligns with the Core !  

How can we possibly assess all of these standards?  We are doing all of this work but how soon will it be forgotten?      ( reality of teacher's feelings or frustrations)

STOP!!  I truly believe this work we are doing will be here for a long time.  We are going to keep improving and getting better at developing our assessments and curriculum.   What we must remember is much of this assessment is going to take place by observation, checklist and performance based.

We will model many of the reading skills through lessons and teachers will be assessing through conferring, small groups and discussions during turn & talk.   Our curriculum and beliefs allow this to happen.  (Gradual Release, IDR, Making Meaning)

We have to let go that every assessment for every child will be a cookie cutter assessment.  Think of all the great graphic organizers that will work or the fabulous checklist we are developing using Google Forms.  Most of the time it will NOT be assessed WHOLE group.  We will truly be teaching and assessing at the child's level through IDR, small groups and strategy groups.  This is an entirely new thought for most of us.  I am thankful we studied Formative Assessment for two years & don't forget our study with Richard Marzano's research.  Look through these text again when needing ideas as your team develops assessments.  

Rubrics will be vital as many readers will not be at grade level but will be able to perform the comprehension strategy with a text at their level.  (1 below level, 2 at grade level, 3 above grade level)  To be at grade level a student must be reading grade level text as our district has adopted the Fountas & Pinnell text gradient system.  ONLY Kindergarten assessments will be based on the child's listening comprehension as most of these students will be entering a beginning reading stage.   

Think back to the years teaching with a Basal and everyone reading the same text.  Did you know each reader?  Could you answer a parent's question of  "What do you know about my child as a reader"?  

Why do we need to teach text deeper?  What is close reading?  Why do we need to teach using far more non-fiction and SHORTER text with students?

We must be able to model and have students practice comprehension strategies at a quicker pace than with 125 page chapter books each week.  It takes students many days and even weeks  to finish long text. 

  

Articles, non-fiction text excerpts, portions of content textbooks, poetry, famous speeches or documents and rich picture books are so important!  The students need to be using reading skills and comprehension strategies each week with text that can be read and re-read in a day or two span.  This allows gradual release...I will do it, We will do it together, You will do it!  The students must have successful practice before they can go off and do it successfully and independently.  Long text will not allow this gradual release to happen.  (During IDR they can still read their choice chapter books but this can not be the only reading material)  

I found a powerful article that made this so clear to me.  Please take time to read it!  I think it will help you understand why we need the gradual release model and most importantly teaching with shorter text and non-fiction text.  I also believe it helps me to understand our Making Meaning IDR scripted activities and questions. 

                             

                                           Closing in on Close Reading by Nancy Boyles

I am proud to be able to say our elemenatry teachers are experts in literacy.  We must persevere! We have much work to finish and we know we will be adjusting our thinking and documents created along the way.  

Happy Reading! Mrs. Speake

Conferring Forms for Reading/Writing (Google Forms)

Reading and Writing Conferring Forms on Google Forms is AMAZING, WONDERFUL, SIMPLE
and the data that is gathered and summarized is POWERFUL.  Check out my video tutorial.  It's my first
video tutorial so go easy on me!  If you need help in person email me and I will stop by to give you a quick lesson.  LOVE new forms that actually save time.
Happy Reading! Mrs. Speake

The Iowa Core Standards (The Common Core Standards)

This year our teachers have been digging into the Common Core Standards for grades K-4 in literacy.  It has been quite a journey!  Iowa adopted the Common Core Standards thus calling it The Iowa Core.  The CCSS initiative is to make all U.S. students "college and career ready".  The standards lay out a map of what children need to learn in regards to literacy at each grade level (and math).  At South Side we adopted these standards and are currently going through each one at every grade level.  This was our first step in our S.I.N.A. (school in need of assistance in the area of literacy) plan.  After surveying all of the teachers at South Side last fall, it was quite apparent that each teacher was following their own path of curriculum which was creating a hit and miss learning environment for our students.  We needed a plan to unite us and to make sure we offer a quality learning environment and curriculum plan for every student in every classroom.

What do teachers need to know to implement the core standards? 
(this list was taken from an article in Reading Today, December, 2012)

*Know that new levels of literacy are required 
Our students have greater demands on them as they enter college or the workforce.  The curriculum must become more intentional and rigorous instruction in the classroom must happen.
*Know the standards
There are 10 anchor standards in both reading and writing and are constant across K-12 (narrative and information texts)
*Know the connection of reading and writing
The standards place equal weight on reading and writing which is essential in reshaping classroom instruction.  We must go beyond just engaging the students in writing but also help them to write about their reading.
*Know the value of challenging texts
Teachers must use more complex texts during instruction.  Teachers must use the gradual release model or scaffolding.  Reading complex texts (which cause students to struggle) but only WITH guidance and support from the teacher.  Easier text can then be read as the student works to gain independence. (non-fiction, non-fiction and more non-fiction!!) Middle school and high school teachers must also teach students how to read the text at every level.  DO NOT assume your students know how.  All teachers must teach effective comprehension strategies in every area of the curricular.
*Do purposefully select the texts used in instruction.
(Luckily we have adopted an wonderful curriculum that did the hard work for us.)  Add more non-fiction.
*Do more with less
Embrace the idea of spending more time with one piece of text and digging deeper for different purposes.  Teachers must make sure to engage students in reading, talking, writing and thinking about these texts.  Teachers must support higher order thinking skills for all students. (Bloom's Taxonomy)
*Do stay current
Work collaboratively with other teachers to learn new practices to meet these high expectations.  Teachers need to be lifelong learners.  Once you get behind in best practices and the latest research, it can be difficult or almost impossible to catch up.

I know I am excited about the CCSS!  There should be no question of what we are teaching or how we are teaching it.  I have spent too many years spending hours figuring out what to teach, its nice to have a plan.

If you are feeling lost and confused about the Common Core...start digging into it.  Find a site that has students "I can" statements regarding the standards, this is a quick and easy way to begin.  There are many resources on the web that can help you understand the CCSS too.

If you are wanting to avoid it or ignore it, then you might want to think about retiring or possibly a career change.  Our students deserve teachers that are lifelong learners and able to provide them the best curriculum opportunities.  The Iowa Teaching Standards are also a good place to review the qualities of a teaching professional.
  (Iowa Teaching Standards)  

Happy Reading! Mrs. Speake

January 2013... One Little Word

Happy New Year!
I can hardly believe the new year is here and the holidays have passed.  I had a wonderful break but time to return to reality...back to work.

I have always been a goal oriented person and of course with the new year... I have to make my list of things I want to accomplish.  My family will tell you I definitely show signs of  O.C.D. or as they like to tease me- Organizational Compulsive Disorder.  

I believe it is so important to make goals and strive for something personally and professionally.  There is no greater feeling than to reach a goal and shout "I DID IT"!  Or to discover something you didn't know you could do.

This will be my third year to participate in the One Little Word movement that I learned through Ali Edwards (her summary is below).  Although it is not school related  I like to share the idea with people as it really has made a huge impact in my life.

      In 2006, I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January—a word that I can focus on, meditate on, and reflect upon as I go about my daily life. My words have included play, peace, vitality, nurture, story, light and up. These words have each become a part of my life in one way or another. They've been embedded into who I am, and into who I'm becoming. They've been what I've needed (and didn't know I needed). They've helped me to breathe deeper, to see clearer and to grow.
Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2013?

It can be something tangible or intangible. It can be a thought, a feeling, or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your spouse's word or your child's word—this is YOUR word.

One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. And here's one thing that is totally interesting: sometimes a word will pop into your brain and it will not make any sense to you right now. Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. I have often found that our heart speaks to us in very unique ways. Maybe this is a word you need to hear but just aren't ready for it yet.

Again, be open to the possibilities.

As for me, my first two words were Believe and Trust.   It may seem silly or too simple, but I have enriched my life both personally and professionally.  For the meditation part of this I used these words with my faith habits as I prayed or tried to be obedient.  I will spare you my list of accomplishments or highlights but as I reflect on the last two years I am thrilled with the goals I have reached and the many new experiences I have had.  

So I encourage you to try One Little Word...you might be amazed what you accomplish or experience. It's never too late to make a change or be the change you want to see in your daily life!

Play. Peace. Vitality. Nurture. Light. Up. Courage. Prayer. Love. Change. Grace. Run. Hope. Connection. Dance. Health. Grateful. Awesome. Save. Vision. Meditate. Stretch. Journey. Create. Believe. Choice. Believe. Trust. Nurture. Encourage. Balance. Do. Discover. Go. Kindness. Cherish. Joy..... What will your word be?

Happy Reading!
 Mrs. Speake

Sandy Hook Elementary Day of Silence

Our thoughts and prayers are with the teachers, staff, students and loved ones that must deal with this tragic event.

  May God give you comfort, strength and peace.

Differentiation

It's been several months after I attended Richard Allington's conference regarding RTI and I am still hearing his words of wisdom.
 "Get rid of your "one-size-fits-all" curriculum!"
"Make your content area teacher throw away their text books that many students can't even read!!"

 Our district has made HUGE gains in the area of literacy.  We THREW out our "one-size-fits-all" curriculum and began to embrace our student learning diversity through a workshop model.  I am so PROUD of our H-D teachers who took on change fast and furious.  As a group we decided to jump in feet first....new writing, new reading, new small group reading, new phonics, new workshop model and a new title reading plan.  All this change in one year???  I sometimes forget what we have accomplished in such a short time frame.  

Diversity=  variety, miscellany, assortment, mixture, mix, range, array, multiplicity; variation, variance, difference, contrast.

Mr. Allington stated over and over.... we must have our students reading materials at "their" reading ability level.  This is a great way to differentiate.  We haven't thrown out our textbooks for science and social studies yet but we are definitely bringing in rich picture books and informational text to help in this area.  Our scholastic BookFlix and TruFlix sites through our AEA are helping in this area too.

Differentiation doesn't mean everyone is doing something "different".  Differentiation is responsive teaching rather than one size fits all teaching (Tomlinson, 2005).  To put it yet another way, it means that teachers proactively plan varied approaches to what students need to learn, how they will learn it, and/or how they will show what they have learned in order to increase the likelihood that each student will learn as much as he or she can, as efficiently as possible (Tomlinson, 2003).  This model and statements are from Carol Tomlinson.  Her work in differentiation is powerful. Check out her work !



I am an early childhood graduate and have my reading masters,  but even through this training in developmentally appropriate curriculum and best practices in reading, I still have much to learn about "differentiation" or creating quality lessons that truly meet the needs of ALL learners.

(Another reason we must establish the RTI process!)

 Through our South Side S.I.N.A. (School in Need of Assistance) reading plan we hope to further study differentiation to help our diverse learners.  If you are a teacher take time to look at Carol Tomlinson's work.  Each child is different unique and he does deserve a teacher who knows his strengths and weaknesses.  Along with Tomlinson's work don't forget Bloom's Taxonomy and the Zone of Proximal Development theories.  Check out the links!  Share your knowledge and learning with others but remember to embrace your own learning.  Model to our students that we are life-long learners!

Happy Reading!  Mrs. Speake