29 Aug 2016

Notes…On Text Complexity, Learning to Read and Balanced Literacy

by | posted in: Literacy, Reading, Teachers | 0

For whatever reason, we in education like to create problems where none need to exist. We debated phonics vs. whole language, student-centered learning vs. teacher-directed instruction, and now it’s complex text vs. just right books. In all of these cases, the answer is balance, not one or the other. But exploring these arguments can serve to deepen our understanding of the issues and practices.

After a review of the current research and after years of working with teachers and students, we have come up with the guidelines below. We believe that teachers, as professionals, know how to use their expert knowledge and common sense. In reading, the expertise is around understanding the learning process and the complexities of learning to read. The common sense is about realizing when to draw on which tools for particular purposes or student needs, and when to seek out more knowledge.

Guidelines for Text Selection:

1.   Students need regular exposure to all levels of text (easy, instructional, hard) across the whole day and in all content areas. Guided reading is only one of many daily instructional contexts.

2.   There are many factors to consider when choosing texts for guided reading. The level serves as an important guideline, but other things to consider are your goals for the students, content, interests, and background knowledge.

3.  Recognize that there are times when it is appropriate to use challenging texts in guided reading (for example, to support content learning, to prepare for high stakes testing, to provide high levels of support for complex text).

4.   Despite some research evidence that kids can learn to read with high levels of support and challenging texts, we can’t ignore the 70 years of research that tell us that students become better readers when they have daily opportunities to read with high levels of accuracy and comprehension. Support student learning by providing them with this opportunity.

5.   Balanced literacy is about balancing the level of support teachers provide to students with the level of text complexity. We have, in a balanced literacy framework, the contexts for providing this support to all students (independent reading, guided reading, shared reading, read alouds).

_____________________

References:

Calkins, L. & Ehrenworth, M. (2016). Growing extraordinary writers: Leadership decisions to raise the level of writing across a school and a district. The Reading Teacher, 70(1), 7-18.

Fountas, I.C. (2014, Jul.). The critical role of text complexity in teaching children to read. Retrieved from http://www.heinemann.com/fountasandpinnell/supportingMaterials/ fountasAndPinnellTextComplexityWhitePaper.pdf.

Heitin, L. (2016, Jul. 6). Should teachers still be using just right’ books? [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2016/07/should_ teachers_ still_be_using_just_right_books.html.

Porter-Magee, K. (2013, Feb. 8). Common core v. the false promise of leveled literacy programs. [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://edexcellence.net/commentary/education-gadfly-daily/common-core-watch/2013/common-core-v-the-false-promise-of-leveled-literacy-programs.html.

Shanahan, T. (2016, Jun. 27). Further explanation of teaching students with challenging text. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/blogs/shanahan-literacy/further-explanation-teaching-students-challenging-text.

Shanahan, T. (2016, Jul. 5). The slow path forward: We can-and do-learn from reading research. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/blogs/shanahan-literacy/slow-path-forward-we-can-and-do-learn-reading-research.

20 Feb 2015

Braving the Risks

by | posted in: Principals, Schools, Teachers, Uncategorized | 0

“I’m not doing it right.”

“I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“Can you put that in writing?”

These are just a few of the phrases I hear from teachers each week when I work with them at their schools, providing support as they implement a new strategy in their classrooms. They want to try what they’re learning but there are roadblocks:  they’re not confident; they don’t feel safe; they’re getting mixed messages.

And so, many are frozen, afraid to try something new.

There are dozens of reasons why. State tests loom, ever-ready to judge and humiliate teacher and student alike. If what you’ve been doing has reaped acceptable results, why change, especially when your salary depends upon it? In addition, teacher time is increasingly limited. Evolving standards require new learning and curriculum-writing for teachers. The emphasis on assessment eats up teacher instructional time faster than you can say Data Driven Decision-Making. And numerous initiatives, often rolled out simultaneously, leave teachers wondering what to prioritize, and how to fit it all in.

I google phrases such as, “helping teachers be risk-takers” and “getting teachers to trust their instincts,” hoping for some insight and maybe even some tips I can share. Instead I get loads of information on what teachers and other adults can do for kids. We have lots of ideas for motivating kids to take risks, but few for teachers who need to model this behavior for their students.

Taking risks and trying new ideas can lead to amazing learning and growth. We’ve all heard the expression, “Nothing ventured; nothing gained.” Think of scientists, inventors, artists. Imagine if Jonas Salk had never risked the polio vaccination trials? Regardless of profession, new learning can make things better, stronger, more efficient.

I don’t know a single teacher who hasn’t encouraged his or her students to take risks in their learning. We know how to build confidence in the child who won’t attempt reading the difficult word or solving the tricky division problem. As teachers, we also know the benefit of modeling for our students. We tell our students that we don’t know the answer, that we are trying something new and it might flop. They see us try something different, something scary. They see us fumble, succeed, or even fail.  They see us reflect on the experience. And then they are more willing to try.

But the risk-taking goes beyond teachers, or course. For teachers to be willing to take risks, school and district leaders must develop a culture of safety. We can’t ask our teachers to try something new, and then criticize the way they are doing it. That’s not fair, and it leads to the types of comments I hear from teachers. This happens too often, and is why many teachers stick to the known, the status quo.

So the onus is on teachers to be brave, to try new things, to be willing to fail. But the onus is also on the administrator, to encourage risk-taking, to reward effort, to remove the fear of test scores and to help teachers identify what is most important. If we want our children to look at options, to take risks, to improve the world, we must support those who would teach them how.

John Shedd wrote, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” Teachers, let’s untie from the docks. Administrators, please provide fenders to cushion our bumps.

4 Jun 2014

Stop the Summer Slide!

by | posted in: Achievment, Parents, Schools | 0

What do you think of when you think of summer vacation with your kids? Pool parties? Cookouts? Maybe even a trip to the beach? How about losing two months of knowledge?

Yes, you read that right. Many children lose the equivalent of two months’ worth of learning over summer break. The phenomena is called Summer Slide and—unfortunately—it is very real.

According to a report from the Rand Corporation (McCombs et al., 2011), summer vacation often means a loss of learning for students in both reading and mathematics. And, as you might expect, the loss does not affect all students equally. While many students lose math skills over the summer, the effect is more pronounced in low-income students, who also lose ground in reading. The losses in reading snowball over the years, and affect students’ high school achievement and even graduation rates (Alexander, et al., 2007).

Of course, disparity among children’s achievement based on socio-economic status is nothing new. A quick glance at the newspaper when State test results come out illustrates quite well the relationship between income and achievement. What is not well-known, however, is the fact that, regardless of income, students are making the same gains in reading and math during the school year. In fact, Alexander (2007) found that summer slide accounts for more than half of the difference between the haves and have nots. That is huge in a field like education, which has so many variables. Bottom line … schools that serve low income children are the scapegoat for problems that are really societal in nature.

So … what can we do?

For schools, the solutions are challenging. Summer programs are expensive to operate and to staff. The Rand Report (“Making Summer Count:  How Summer Programs can Boost Children’s Learning”), as mentioned above, is an interesting read, and discusses the effectiveness of various programs designed to support summer learning. Components that positively influence outcomes include:  small class sizes, differentiation, instruction that is aligned with the school curriculum, maximized participation among students and, of course, parent involvement and support.

Speaking of parents, what can we do to stem the tide of knowledge that is flowing out of our children with each passing week of mindless tv? Well, we can do a lot! Regardless of our respective income levels, we can have an impact on our own child’s summer slide. Below, are a few ideas that are free and/or inexpensive.

Ideas for Keeping up Math Skills in the Summer (adapted from insidetheclassroomoutsidethebox.wordpress.com):

  • Read math stories:  Kill two birds with one stone and combine math with reading to improve both numeracy and literacy skills. Try this website for some math books:  http://bit.ly/9MXY3E
  • Connect math to the real world:  Have your child add items at the grocery store. Such as, apples are $3.99 a bag, about how much will two bags cost us?
  • Play traveling math games:  When you stop for gas, have your children round the prices to the nearest number of your choice. For example, you drive by and it’s $2.41 per gallon, have them round to the nearest dollar or dime.
  • Cook Together: There are lots of measuring and fractions in cooking! Have your child measure a cup and see how many ounces are in it.
  • Board/Card Games: Play these classic board/card games with the whole family:
    • Bingo or War for preschoolers and kindergarteners to identify numbers
    • Life, Monopoly or Payday for students 3rd grade and up to work on adding and subtracting money
    • Battleship for students in 4th and 5th grade to work on coordinate points
    • Chess, Clue  or Checkers for strategy and problem solving in 1st grade and up
    • Don’t forget games such as Sudoko, 24 or many card games such as Go Fish
  • Free Apps:
    • Adding Apples:  Addition
    • Coop Fractions:  Multiple fraction games
    • Virtual Manipulatives:  Fractions, decimals and percent manipulatives
    • Square 9 Lite:  Practice with facts (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing)
  • Journal or Blog: Have student write about their summer academic fun in any subject area to also practice writing in content area.

Ideas for Squeezing more Reading into your Summer (adapted from Reading is Fundamental):

  • Combine activities with books:  Encourage them to read a book about their activities. If you’re going to a baseball game, suggest that your child read a book about a favorite player beforehand. In the car or over a hot dog, you’ll have lots of time to talk about the book and the game.
  • Visit the library:  In addition to all those free books, libraries often have fun activities and motivating reading clubs.
  • Lead by example:  Let your kids see you read, whether it’s the newspaper, a magazine or a novel. If kids see the adults around them reading often, they will understand that literature can be a fun and important part of their summer days.
  • Read with your kids:  Pick up a second copy of the book they’re reading and read and discuss it together. If there’s a movie version, watch it together and debate the book versus the movie.
  • Relax the rules for summer:  Make it fun. Don’t set daily minute requirements.  Instead, encourage them to pick up books for fun and help find ways for them to choose to read on their own. You may even want to make bedtime a little bit later if you find that your child can’t put down a book.
  • Have plenty of reading material around:  Storybooks aren’t the only thing that kids can read for fun. Be sure to have newspapers, magazines, and informational material on hand that might spark the interest of a young reader.
  • Use books to break the boredom:  Without the regular school regimen, kids need more activities to fill the hours. Don’t forget to take your kids’ favorite reading series along on road trips or even when waiting for a table at their favorite restaurant.
  • Read aloud with kids:  Share a favorite story or choose one together. Children learn a lot about reading from listening to an experienced reader.

So let’s make the most of our summers. And may the only “slides” our kids experience be at the park and the pool!

_________________

References:

Alexander, K.L., Entwisle, D., & Olson, L. (2007). Lasting consequences of the summer learning gap. American Sociological Review, 72, 167–180.

McCombs, J.S., Augustine, C.H., Schwartz, H.L., Bodilly, S.J., McInnis, B., Lichter, D.S., & Cross, A. B. (2011). Making summer count: How summer programs can boost students’ learning. Santa Monica, CA: Rand. 

16 Apr 2014

Drowning in a Sea of Compliance

by | posted in: Principals, Schools, Teachers | 0

Are we all about compliance these days in education?

It certainly is feeling that way.

Ordinarily, compliance isn’t a bad word to me. I’m fairly organized and am happiest when things are in place and the trains are running on time. But lately, it seems as if doing what’s best for kids has taken a back seat to regulations, at least at the administrative level.

Let’s take a look at a few current mandates:

TGRG (Third Grade Reading Guarantee):  Ohioans have seen this one before during proficiency test years as a Fourth Grade Reading Guarantee (2001). TGRG “guarantees” that no third grader who fails to reach a passing score on his or her OAA (Ohio Achievement Assessment) in reading will move on to the next grade. Schools must identify which students are at risk by assessing kids the first weeks of school (in some cases, the first days of school) and then notifying their parents by September 30.

In the Schools:  Third grade teachers and school administrators have identified vulnerable students and are doing everything in their power to ensure these kids pass the reading test – whether they’re truly capable or not. Because failing kids is rarely a solution and we don’t currently have the resources to build and staff all-third grade buildings.

In addition to affecting schools, this mandate can negatively impact both kids and parents. In many cases, we’re testing our students before we even learn their names and then telling their parents – often before we’ve met them – that their child may be held back in third grade. Not necessarily the best way to start the year.

OIP (Ohio Improvement Process):  Requires TBTs (teacher-based teams) to meet at grade level around a very specific, five-step process of assessment and instruction. In theory, sounds like a great idea. When teachers collaborate and focus on student work, meaningful conversations and action are usually the next steps.

In the Schools:  The problem may be the complexity of the forms used to “document” teacher meetings. Teachers, many of whom were already meeting around student data and discussing student progress, now spend much of their limited team time tallying up student performance on an assessment and then entering the data on the forms. Although TBTs can certainly be productive, often the opportunity to discuss students, share ideas and collaborate around reaching at-risk students is scarce by the time the forms are completed. Is there a way to simplify the process so as to honor teachers’ collaboration time?

OTES (Ohio Teacher Evaluation System):  Ohio’s new system of evaluating teachers asks principals to make 6+ touches with each and every teacher in the building – conducting classroom observations and meeting with teachers before and after each observation. Principals must also perform unscheduled “walk-throughs” of classrooms with a substantial checklist of items to be observed, and then write lengthy reports of their observations.

In the Schools:  Any principal will tell you that classroom observation is an essential component of his or her job; but how user-friendly is the OTES system? Does it allow principals to focus on those teachers who are new and/or who need more support and give latitude to the experienced, master teacher? It appears that cumbersome reporting structure of OTES has taken over the principal’s day to the exclusion of other (also important) tasks.

A second concern is the fact that this new system bases HALF of a teacher’s job performance on his or her students’ ability to pass a single high-stakes test, regardless of the students’ abilities. It’s been my experience that principals often assign the strongest teachers to the students with the greatest need, thus increasing their chance to succeed. That will change when everything is tied to the test.

And the list goes on … 

The million dollar question is:  How do we know that strict adherence to these new initiatives will result in stronger schools and better outcomes for kids?

Will repeating third grade truly result in students who can read better, or are there other avenues we can take? Will we ever address poverty’s impact on education or will we continue to mask it with mandates that punish kids and schools but do little to sort out the real problem?

Will we keep the strongest teachers in our neediest schools when we judge them by how their students do on a test, or will the best tire of the judgment and move on to greener pastures? Will good teachers sacrifice their sense of ethics and “teach to the test” or will they simply leave the profession?

What do you think? Do we educators continue to accept the status quo, doing what we are told, or do we stand up for ourselves, for our students, for education? Are we merely compliant or do we take control of our profession and look for solutions? What is the next step?