My district has adopted HM with fidelty.? The district has "provided" us with a timeline that gives each story, the skill, etc. and when to teach it.? We are required to teach a 90 minute literacy block, 60 minutes of which must be stations and small group instruction.? We have even been told this how to weight grades -at the elementary level-and what categories we must use.? Because our school is in school improvement K-3 teachers will have 80 hours of reading first training, although "we aren't becoming a reading first school" according to our principal.? We also have to write a personalized education plan for EVERY student regardless of their achievement level.? In the past we only did this for students who were in jeopardy of failing.? I have decided that since we can't control what children come to our school, then we have decided that the teachers are "broke" otherwise everyone would be at grade level, so they are trying to fix us!? Not sure why I spent 6 years in school.? Sometimes wish I could get find a new profession.
Rosie -----Original Message----- From: Carol Carlson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> Sent: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 7:32 pm Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Small Group Instruction I have been waiting to post this, but now seems like the right time. When I came to my current, I was thrilled--their articulated curriculum was reading strategies with specific genres for each grade level. In grades K-3 there was a basal, but it was used differently in each of our buildings. Reading and writing workshop were used in all buildings.The biggest problem was that intermediate teachers could really do what they wanted because there was a lack of direction. WE adopted 6 traits the first year I was in my position. I thought I could provide that direction. Together with a language arts committee, we refined expectations; we gave meat to what teaching the strategies meant. We moved away from whole class novels. We created book rooms so teachers could provide guided reading when appropriate. I purchased the comprehension toolkit for every 3-6 grade teacher. Together with the Great Source Daybooks, these materials helped teachers explicitly teach strategies and gave students opportunities to practice their strategies. I felt we were making progress. However, last year we had a new board--they wanted differentiation. They COULD NOT be persuaded that the language arts curriculum WAS differentiated. Two consultants pointed out our strengths, but the board didn't see it that way. There was inconsistency, but the complaints came from parents whose children attended those schools were whole class novels were more the norm than not. So, the whole district is suffering. For this year, a language arts task force is being created to "look at materials for teaching reading." In speaking with the outside consultant who was hired, it is obvious he feels a basal meets the needs of the TEACHERS. He says it equalizies instruction--never mind that it might not be the best instruction. An "enrichment coordinator" was also hired for this year. Now, he is pulling out students for William and Mary curriculum. He's also told me that a basal will help teachers identify specific goals and objectives. Yet, in the junior high where we are using a completely new anthology, he wants teachers to go through the anthology to identify goals so that differentiation can occur. I don't know how he expects teachers to find the time to teach--they will be doing so much assessment in order to identify those who need the differentiation!!! For the first year in my entire career, I dread going to work, and it's only the first week!!! This will be my last year because my position is being eliminated to make room for enrichment teachers. I'm trying hard not to be bitter and disappointed, but it's so hard. Thanks for letting me vent my frustration at this move away from best practice to a "BASAL." Carol On Sep 1, 2008, at 6:03 PM, Renee wrote: > This is true in my little corner of the world as well.... to an > extent. > I say "to an extent" because frankly I haven't seen a whole heck of a > lot of evidence of instruction that is out of the box. Interestingly, > a good number of teachers "teach to the program" and the district > chose > Saxon Math for the second time in a row (ick ick ick ick) but as > far as > I know nobody's neck is breathed down and I know at least one teacher > who says she didn't use it before and won't use it now. Plus, in more > than one conversation with my principal last year we discussed > "fidelity to the program" vs "fidelity to the standards" and "fidelity > to the students" but with all that..... there is a rubric for teacher > evaluations, and in that rubric, teachers supposedly get a higher > score > if they supplement programs appropriately vs sticking to the program. > So go figure. > > Renee > > > On Sep 1, 2008, at 3:47 PM, Beverlee Paul wrote: > >> Okay, I'm going to have to reply to my reply because I read my reply >> :-) and it's unclear the way I wrote it--my reply :-). I mean that I >> have the survivor's guilt because IN MY LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD we >> still have professional judgment and can use it, for however >> pitifully >> long we can hold out. >> >>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> >>> Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 15:26:31 -0600> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Small >>> Group Instruction> > I'm starting to have a hard time continuing to >>> read these list serves I've been reading this summer. I feel so >>> badly >>> for so many of you. If we have anything left to save in public >>> education by the time this "phase" is through, I'll be surprised. At >>> a time when new thinking is pushing into the profession, the >>> teachers' hands are increasingly tied and they are unable to use the >>> new knowledge. I'm having enormous difficulty remaining hopeful >>> listening to your trials; I can't imagine how you must feel. I am >>> so, >>> so sorry this is what has happened to probably nearly all of us. I >>> think I also have a little "survivor's guilt" because if we just >>> ignore the RtI-ers, we are able to teach in the way we see is best >>> for our kids. :-( >> _________________________________________________________________ >> Talk to your Yahoo! Friends via Windows Live Messenger. Find out >> how. >> http://www.windowslive.com/explore/messenger? >> ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_messenger_yahoo_082008 >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ >> mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> >> > "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect > Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the > common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings > of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish > this > Constitution for the United States of America." > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ > mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
