Carol, My district is piloting a program by Rigby called Literacy by Design
http://rigby.harcourtachieve.com/en-US/literacydesign_home It is suppose to be strategy instruction but it will allow every elementary teacher in the district (we have 9 elementary schools) to be on the same page. A friend of mine is piloting the program and is very excited. . I'm anxious to how the teachers feel about the program and whether the district adopts it. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carol Carlson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, September 01, 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: [email protected]> >>>> 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 >>> [email protected] >>> 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 >> [email protected] >> 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 > [email protected] > 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 [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. 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