Wendy: I read this and went back to a journey I began in my present role 6 years ago and my teaching role 31 years ago. It was to move away from the pull-out reality that was happening within our district. What I felt 6 years ago, as the person left to implement programs such as you describe, was that I was the keeper of the penalty box kids. The students were NOT being respectfully served. They were not learning what reading could really look like. They were not hearing the language they needed to hear. They were not experiencing the modeling necessary to go forward. In fact, they were being identified as have nots and experiencing programming that left them unconnected to the regular classroom situation. ( Does your principal describe the model he hopes to implement? )
On the other hand, should the school use the Gradual Release of Responsibililty Model/Optimal Learning Model, these students could ideally move forward WITHIN the regularly scheduled readers workshop within the classroom. They would get whole group instruction. They would get time to practice. They would get time to share. And they would, most importantly, belong. And if, within the three components, they were unable to demonstrate the necessary skill levels, as identified through formative assessment, they would get another opportunity to go through Guided Practice with flexible groupings. My questions for the principal would include: 1. Why is it better to remove students and identify them as low? They get it. They KNOW why they are leaving. Huge time is lost that could be better served with support being provided within the regular classroom literacy block. 2. Is he willing to provide release time during the regular school day to plan for the interventions/debrief observations? Is there a regularly scheduled way to connect between what is happening within the classroom and within the pullout groups? It is obvious that you are connected to your students. It is obvious that you understand that ALL students are not on the same level as their classmates. It is our job to stretch EVERY student within the classroom community. It's time for me to get off MY soapbox. Would love to know your principal's reasoning BEHIND what he is suggesting for your students. Kathy Borden Literacy Coach Yellowknife Education District #1 Yellowknife, NT, CANADA > > _______________________________________________ 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.
