Lori, Thanks for the link, your district site is wonderful! I think the problem with talking about balanced literacy is that unless you go into great detail, like your district has, the critical components are not obvious. Basal reading series can and do claim to utilize all the components (read alouds, shared, guided, and independent reading, and modeled, shared, interactive, independent writing and writer's workshop) to teach phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. Administrators do not see a difference, and the program may be viewed as an inoculation against ineffective teaching. That is why teachers need to be so vocal and diligent about what they believe in. It is a never ending process and teachers cannot afford to tire of always explaining themselves and their practices, or they may be teaching programs instead of teaching children.
-----Original Message----- From: mosaic-boun...@literacyworkshop.org [mailto:mosaic-boun...@literacyworkshop.org] On Behalf Of ljackson Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 5:54 PM To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] RTI 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. _______________________________________________ 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.
