We define it like this: http://www.tcsdk12.org/literacy//literacy/District%20Literacy%20Plan_files/T odd%20County%20School%20District%20Literacy%20Plan%5B4%5D--A.pdf
On 12/17/08 4:38 PM, "Maureen" <jmpeterse...@msn.com> wrote: > I am following these posts with great interest. I wonder if everyone has a > common definition of "Balanced Literacy". I have seen so many different > explanations, some simple and some very complex. There are teachers who > believe they are using a balanced literacy approach, but I would have to > disagree. I would be curious as to how some of you would define the term. > It helps in discussions to be sure everyone is one the same page. > > Thanks, > Maureen > > -----Original Message----- > From: mosaic-boun...@literacyworkshop.org > [mailto:mosaic-boun...@literacyworkshop.org] On Behalf Of Beverlee Paul > Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 8:00 AM > To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] RTI > > And in a bit hotter hell on earth as a literacy coach or coach supervisor. > > On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 7:03 AM, Ljackson <ljack...@gwtc.net> wrote: > >> That would be nice except...our teachers of literacy have all had (or >> are >> having) the opportunity to participate in a year-long literacy class >> focusing on balanced instruction. Our teachers have unbelievable >> summer training opportunities. We have coaching support available in >> all buildings. Teachers are supported in opportunities to observe. >> These opportunities are carefully undertaken, with an opportunity to >> visit before and after with the teacher they will observe. The visits >> are facilitated by our coaching staff. Lack of training is not the issue > for most of our staff. >> >> I realize how gloom and doom these two posts sound, and I don't mean >> for them to be so. We have a number of teachers, a significant number, >> who are simply doing amazing work with students. But after seeing >> Regie Routman at N CTE this year, I am pondering her comments. She >> said, basically, for an underperforming school impacted by poverty to >> see systemic change, 90% of staff members need to be 'on board' with > changes in literacy instruction. >> That remark hit so deeply home with me, as we are so far from that >> 90% mark in nearly all of our buildings. >> >> This year, under new leadership at the district level, the district is >> exploring that issue of who is responsible for implementation and for >> the first time, that conversation is going beyond the teacher level. >> All of this makes me potentially giddy and terrified--I know that >> under different circumstances, as in replace balanced literacy with a >> prescribed same-page literacy program, this could be my own idea of hell > on earth as a teacher. >> >> Lori Jackson >> District Literacy Coach and Mentor >> Todd County School District >> Box 87 >> Mission SD 5755 >> >> ----- Original message ----- >> From: djchan <djc...@charter.net> >> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group < >> mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> >> Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 7:50 AM >> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] RTI >> >>> Lori, >>> >>> To me, that sounds like insufficient training in literacy. A teacher >>> may >> not >>> need to be 'on board' with the program, but they should definitely >>> be >> using >>> appropriate and research supported teaching methods for literacy. If >>> they don't, then whose responsible for the training that they should >>> have received to make them effective literacy teachers? I have seen >>> this in >> the >>> school system I retired from and it was a lack of training. However, >>> that >> is >>> not to say that there aren't teachers who will deliberately sabotage >>> a schools program because it requires them to move from their >>> comfort zone >> and >>> they don't want to. I think your key phrase was 'effective teachers' >>> and >> my >>> question becomes how did they become effective teachers and the >>> others didn't? And what needs to happen to help the other teachers >>> become more effective in their literacy methods? >>> >>> >>> Deidra Chandler, NC >>> MA Early Childhood Ed >>> MA Reading >>> MultiSensory Structured Language Intervention Tutor >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Ljackson" <ljack...@gwtc.net> >>> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" >>> <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> >>> Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 8:23 AM >>> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] RTI >>> >>> >>>> The 80% mentioned here probably refers to the RtI pyramid, in >>>> which--ideally--80% of the student population have their needs met >> within >>>> the regular classroom and are performing within acceptable ranges >>>> in >> terms >>>> of grade level expectations. To me, this implies that the first >>>> step in beginning an RtI program is to carefully examine >>>> curricular practices >> but >>>> it does not follow that there is necessarily a prescribed or >>>> correct single means of doing this. Like Kelly, our district >>>> feels that >> balanced >>>> literacy and a general pacing guide for unit study will support >> teachers >>>> in attaining this goal. I do see, however, a danger in my own >>>> district >> in >>>> seeing this approach damned and dumped because we are not seeing >>>> the >> kinds >>>> of results one would hope to see. As much as I am nervous about >>>> the bantying of the term fidelity, I think Kelly has hit the nail >>>> on the >> head. >>>> We have ample evidence to show that children in classrooms where >> balanced >>>> literacy practices are honored under the orchestration of >>>> effective teachers, children are making excellent progress. The >>>> issue we have to grapple with is this. How do we begin to address >>>> the issue of teachers >> who >>>> aren't, for lack of a better term, on board? I can say that the >> majority >>>> of these teachers are implementing their own brand of instruction >>>> that looks much more like traditional basal instruction than any >>>> direct instruction program I have reviewed. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Lori Jackson >>>> District Literacy Coach and Mentor Todd County School District Box >>>> 87 Mission SD 5755 >>>> >>>> ----- Original message ----- >>>> From: Kelly Andrews-Babcock >>>> <kandrews-babc...@killinglyschools.org> >>>> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group >>>> <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> >>>> Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 6:56 AM >>>> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] RTI >>>> >>>>> Oh my, how scary! I'm not sure what you mean by 80% requirement >>>>> for >> RtI, >>>>> are you talking about implementing RtI up to 80%? Anyway, we were >>>>> told that if you do not have a "program" that whatever your core >>>>> curriculum >> is >>>>> will be fine as long as it's being implemented with integrity and >>>>> fidelity. Our core curriculum consists of guided reading, shared >> reading >>>>> and independent reading. However it does not look the same in >>>>> every classroom nor the same at each grade level. >>>>> As a coach my job has become interesting in assisting grade >>>>> levels to meet expectations. We also formulated some pacing >>>>> guides for reading >> last >>>>> year which has helped us stay on track. I'm not sure I'm >>>>> answering >> your >>>>> question here... >>>>> Kelly AB >>>>> >>>>> On 12/16/08 5:05 PM, "Beverlee Paul" <beverleep...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Help!! I've been told that the only way a district can meet the >>>>> 80% requirement for RTI is to adopt a direct instruction program >>>>> as its >> core >>>>> curriculum. Please--those of you out there that still use >>>>> balanced literacy, how do you fulfill the RTI requirement? >>>>> Thanks. BP _______________________________________________ >>>>> 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. >>>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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. > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > -- Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach & Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 57555 http:www.tcsdk12.org ph. 605.856.2211 Literacies for All Summer Institute July 17-20. 2008 Tucson, Arizona _______________________________________________ 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.
