Ready or Not....Here We Go!!

Response to Intervention

     RTI is coming! I will be traveling to Des Moines with Mr. Buseman, Mrs. Koenen, Mr. Morton, Mrs. Dillon and Mrs. Wikert, September 9, 10 & 11th to receive our first round of RTI training.  South Side was chosen to pilot our state’s RTI model.  This will allow us to use many features of the state’s model & computer system.  There might be many changes ahead and hurdles to jump, but it is my goal to make sure we have a plan that works for our students and the classroom teacher.   We will try our best to develop an RTI plan that aligns with our beliefs in regard to Balanced Literacy.

     To do this effectively, I requested to be in a classroom to implement and try what is to come.  Abby and I will be co-teaching literacy each morning.  We will work hard to try all the new intervention ideas and then share what we discover and learn along the way.  We also want to invite you to come observe any morning.  We hope at any time you will see differentiation activities, small group work and 1-1 conferring work & classroom management ideas in the areas of reading and writing.  

     Abby and I previously co-taught together for two years and we took the Co-Teaching training together from the AEA- it was a working relationship that was easy to rekindle and begin with little preparation! 

      We also began using the CAFE system ....its AWESOME!!   I think it will help our RTI work immensely. 

     I will share more about this & my coaching duties at our work days.  I know you are all working as hard as you possibly can!  Our kids are so fortunate to have such a dedicated staff.  You do make a difference even when you may feel like no one is noticing!

The CAFE menu

The CAFE focus board and strategies are working beautifully in 1st!  How did I teach reading without it??  I love using the sister’s ideas, language and their ccpensieve.  We have only modeled lessons but it allows for differentiation immediately.  The high readers can begin to use the strategies instantly and the beginning readers are seeing it, hearing it and soon they will practice the strategies in their group work or while conferring with a teacher. 

BOOKS FOR LESSONS:  There is a basket of books for check out in my office on the round table.  These are great books for procedures, routines and CAFE lessons.  IF you come across a title that works great for a lesson please share your idea!  There are also big books laying out.  These titles work great for the word reading strategies. (Eagle Eye, Lips the Fish, Stretchy Snake, Chunky Monkey and so on....)

Being a Writer

We are finding this curriculum to be easy to use and it easily allows us to differentiate during writer’s workshop.  I love that it gives students an anchor idea for writing and the featured texts seem to be inviting.   The 4-day week allows room for additional lessons, differentiation or enrichment.  

Building Reading Stamina

What do you do with the kids that can’t keep up due to lack of stamina & focus?

• Divide your reading time into smaller chunks throughout the day.
• Make a small task card-list 3-5 simple tasks.  Do together, then independently.
• Allow students to look at high interest books to motivate and intrigue them-especially our nonreaders!
• Start read to someone for motivation-reading should be fun! 
• Begin Listen to Reading for ELL and/or nonreaders. (Fair doesn’t mean Equal)
• Have the child stay in at recess for 3 minutes to practice.  Encourage: “I knew you could do it!”
• Keep your voice at a normal tone-direct and firm but not biting or angry.  This can be hard, but we do not want kids tuning our voice out by next quarter. 
• Need more ideas-email and we can brainstorm together.

School in Need of Assistance 

We have begun our 2nd year as a SINA school in regard to our reading proficiency scores.  The SINA team will begin developing the plan for South Side.  We have so many, many new things to implement and we will do our best to link everything together in our plan.  Be sure to ask your team’s representative for an update at your PLC time.  This year’s SINA committee: Mr. Buseman, Mrs. Wikert, Mrs. Butson, Mrs. Meyer, Ms. Frank, Mrs. Ainley, and Mrs. Speake.    

   Literacy Work Days

Monday, Sept. 23rd - Kindergarten

Tuesday,Sept. 24th - 1st Grade

Thursday, Sept. 26th - 2nd Grade

Friday, Oct. 4th - 3rd Grade

                          Details to come!

Inspiring Words

“We have created a culture of reading poverty in which a vicious cycle of aliteracy has the potential to devolve into illiteracy for many students.  By allowing students to pass through our classrooms without learning to love reading, we are creating adults (who then become parents and teachers) who don’t read much.”

The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller

Happy Reading! Mrs. Speake