#SOL19: Quality Matters
I reread this quote.
“Students who are placed with highly effective teachers for three years in a row significantly outperform average students. A student who has an outstanding teacher for just one year will remain ahead of their peers for the next few years.” (Source) Alex Freedman
And then I took a deep breath.
“Calm. It’s an article about math!” But I’ve heard this from Nell Duke and Linda Darling-Hammond. It’s not a new statistic.
It’s scary when it seems to be the opposite of what happens in many school building across the country every day!
Why does it matter?
In my family, it’s the grandkids and the great nieces and great nephews that I’m “fretting” about. What will their educational future bring? Three good teachers in a row? Three mediocre teachers? Three poor teachers? Or some combination?
Where is the sense of urgency?
Valinda Kimmel’s post yesterday was so spot on. Here’s the link. Go read it. We will wait for you! “WHEN RTI SEEMS LACKING AND WHAT WE CAN DO” There is no time to waste. Every single year matters. Every single day matters. Every single hour matters. Every single minute matters. Every single second in every school building matters!
What do literacy teachers need?
Kimberly Moran’s post yesterday, was no April Fool’s joke. There is no one way to teach a child to read. “The Science of Literacy Is Not a Thing, So Can We Please Stop Saying That It Is?” Every child brings their own little section of the world with them to school. No one methodology works for all students, and it’s so strange that some people believe that they now have the “perfect” answer for ALL students. And I have some swamp land for sale . . . I can assemble a group of four educators with a total of over 150 years of teaching students to read that have the knowledge, experience and expertise to explain why teaching reading depends on the student.
What is our role as a teacher?
Regie Routman says it BEST! (But I’m borrowing Dr. Mary C Howard’s words about Regie’s book . . . )
“In Literacy Essentials, Regie asks us to move from teacher-as-technician dutifully following scripts, programs, and rigid data to teacher as thinker responsibly keeping children at the center of all we do. (p 3-4) (Source) Literacy Lenses
Teacher as THINKER!
What thinking will you be doing today?
How will you keep children at the center of all you do?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Kelsey, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum from Two Writing Teachers. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
All resources above are available through Twitter. Remember you choose who to follow and who your trusted resources are.
#SOL18: #LitEssentials
What is essential in literacy instruction?
How do you know?
Is this something you were taught?
Or is this something you have learned?
As you can see, “curious”, my #OLW is already in play for 2018. It sits on my shoulder daily encouraging me to wonder about new and old issues. So let’s take up “essential”.
What does essential mean?
“1. absolutely necessary; indispensable:
Discipline is essential in an army.2. pertaining to or constituting the essence of a thing.3. noting or containing an essence of a plant, drug, etc.4. being such by its very nature or in the highest sense; natural; spontaneous:
essential happiness.” Dictionary.com
Why this book?
What additional information is available?
@Stenhousepub tweet:
“”…without that culture of joy and celebration of strengths…we are never going to get our students where they need to be and where they want to be.” @regieroutman talks about her new book, Literacy Essentials:”
What makes this book so appealing?
- The format of the book.
The three big “units” are Engagement, Excellence, and Equity.
You CAN begin with any of those sections. They are very well cross-referenced so that you can dip into the pieces that you need!
2. The format in the chapters.
There’s a conversation with Regie with facts, questions, and anecdotes that illustrate the point. Then there is a detailed “Take Action” section. This is repeated multiple times in each chapter which has endnotes for a closing. A single teacher could choose actions to make changes in their classroom. A group of teachers could choose actions to make changes in their building or district. The possibilities for thinking teachers are endless.
3. The teacher in the book.
Calm, practical, thoughtful and thought-provoking conversations. Not a bunch of “mumbo jumbo” from publishers, test-writers, or those who have not been in classrooms recently or perhaps . . . EVER! Real solutions that will NOT add hours to your day. Real solutions that you can advocate for. Real solutions that will bring joy back into your life!
Not yet convinced?
Join the #G2Great chat Thursday, January 11th. Be a part of the conversation or listen in – whichever role is most comfortable for you. Listen in to hear the essence of the text, the indispensable actions, the natural, spontaneous actions that can bring JOY back into your teaching life. Then consider your next steps!
Why does this matter to me?
I remember meeting Regie at a Regis Literacy Institute in the late 1980’s or early 90″s. She was the first real live, up close and personal “edu-hero” that I ever met. She was so kind, so thoughtful and so willing to talk to me even though her coffee was growing cold in the cafe and I was totally interrupting. She’s a teacher. She’s a leader. She’s a reader. She’s a writer. Regie’s amazing!
What professional reading do you have planned for 2018?
What books are you “curious” about?
Where will you begin?
