Laurie, This is an excerpt from my post below. I agree whole heartedly that the teacher must be an informed practitioner.
"The script cannot and will not ever replace what a teacher can do. Again, it is > an empowering tool if you know how to make it work for the kids. But it is > not > the script or the program per se that is teaching the kids to read....it's > the > teacher making it work for the kids. " > Amy > To: [email protected] > Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:04:45 -0500 > From: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] heartbreak /response to Reading Mastery > > Hello All, > > > > I have something very simple to say in response to the recent thread on the > listserve regarding a certain reading program: It is not programs that > teach, but teachers who are well informed practitioners who teach. Staff > development is a key component, but, in my opinion, scripted programs assume > that teachers don't know enough about their subject matter to teach it > effectively. From where did this assumption come? Definitely something to > consider, especially in light of the incredible research that has generated > the likes of this listserve. Thank you Elin Keene and Company. > > > > > Laurie > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Amy McGovern <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:37 am > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] heartbreak /response to Reading Mastery > > > > > > > > > > Hello Gail, > I read your post and I hear your frustration with the situation your school > appears to be in. Having said that, it may surprise you to read that I am one > of > those teachers who loves Reading Mastery. I have spent the better part of my > 14 > year career teaching, training and consulting on Direct Instruction programs > including and especially Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading. I don't know > the specifics of your school, but I do know from experience that to > successfully > implement any reading program, philosophy, strategy or methodology--no matter > where you fall on the spectrum of options--it takes a team effort, tons of > training (initial and on-going) and the > willingness to implement whatever you > are teaching with fidelity. > > Contrary to popular belief, and despite the fact that you appear to be in a > school that is struggling, I can say with certainty that it is not the > program > itself that has caused the problems you mention. That may be hard to read, > but > bare with me as I try to explain. The moderator for this site, Jennifer, has > frequently spoken about her role as a reading specialist and reading teacher. > She has eloquently written about regularly meeting collaboratively with > teachers, reviewing data, moving kids based on their needs, sharing ideas and > best practices. All this and more must happen in a successful Direct > Instruction implementation as well. > > > > I have found that many experienced Direct Instruction teachers feel they have > already been trained or coached enough and because the program is scripted, > there isn't anything more to learn. Indeed that is not the case. Like all > teaching, learning to make Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading work for > the > kids is an on-going process. There is always more to learn. > > > The design of the Reading Mastery program can serve as an amazing vehicle to > help kids achieve. The scripts in these levels are a tool. But someone > extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of Direct Instruction needs to be > steering the ship of a whole-school implementation. There needs to be LOTS of > progress monitoring, frequent on-going training targeted to the needs of t > he > teachers and the students, lots of classroom coaching for ALL the teachers, > and > regular movement between groups based on student needs. Oh yes, and dare I > say...the most skilled teachers need to be working with the lowest students. > The script cannot and will not ever replace what a teacher can do. Again, it > is > an empowering tool if you know how to make it work for the kids. But it is > not > the script or the program per se that is teaching the kids to read....it's > the > teacher making it work for the kids. > > > Again, I don't know the specifics of your situation. I suspect that somewhere > along the line your staff received training and probably some coaching. Many > times administration does not realize the huge on-going commitment to staff > development required to successfully implement Direct Instruction. (Really, > on-going staff development is needed with all the content areas, including > and > especially literacy. ) I highly recommend encouraging your administration to > consider sending a literacy coach, program implementer, lead teacher, and or > reading specialist to the Association for Direct Instruction's summer > conference. (It would be great if the principal would go too :) this > conference is always held the third week of July in Eugene, OR. It's an > excellent conference that may help refocus and re-energize your staff. If > sending some lead teachers to this event is out of the question, then seek > out > what ADI might be offering closer=2 > 0to where you live. The web site is > ADIhome.org > > One final thought. As an independent consultant with a specialty in Direct > Instruction, I can tell you that just because I recommend something change in > a > building...and even if I have tons of rationale for why that change should > occur > and ideas for how it can occur; I am one voice--on the outside. It takes a > team > effort starting from the top-- working all the way through the building to > create a high achieving community of learners. I agree with the others that > something needs to change in your site, but throwing out Reading Mastery may > not > necessarily be the answer. The research supporting Reading Mastery stretches > back 40 years. In my opinion, it keeps showing up because there are schools > that do it well and get results. Please feel free to ask any additional > questions, I am happy to share some ideas--though that may be more > appropriate > in personal emails. > > > > > Respectfully, > Amy McGovern > > > > > > From: [email protected] > > To: [email protected] > > Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:39:45 -0800 > > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] heartbreak > > > > My school has had school wide reading mastery for 10 years --and we still > > aren't testing in the upper half of the nation! We have a group of 10 third > > graders in 5th grade RM, and 16 in 4th grade RM. Each time I suggest > > those students should have time to read science and/or social studies (k-3 > > isn't tested in those subjects), literature > circles, novels, etc., I get > > treated as if I'm a "nut case." We have some students that just stay in > > corrective reading--never progressing. Nevertheless, forget suggesting we > > should try something else since RM isn't working. We have one elementary > > school in 6th year program improvement. They can't/won't see any need for > > change in this area. > > > > We are probably going to have massive layoffs and the end of class size > > reduction. "Groups" (small groups of students going to the "lab" or another > > classroom for their daily dose) are regularly cancelled because the > > district > > can't hire subs for the aides that implement groups. These students are > > sent back to their classrooms to be housed while their teacher is > > conducting > > her/his group lesson. It always happens at the last minute, the students > > are usually at the lowest levels, and of course they aren't at the "level" > > being taught in their classroom. > > > > What has astounded me is the fervor of some teachers in their belief in > > this > > program. It seems as if they have acquired a new religion. I've heard > > teachers say that this is their favorite part of the day because they don't > > have to do any lesson planning and often the students with the worst > > behavior problems go out to a "group." I think principals love it because > > they can hear a teacher start a sentence, then hear the same sentence > > finished in the next room. > > > > Our administration is bringing in the distri > ct's director of maintenance, > > chief budget officer, and human resource director (she does not have a > > degree in education) to observe our teaching. I was told that "a good > > business has their managers on the floor," and that, "it is so important > > for them (the directors) to understand our need for markers and white > > boards." > > > > Without sarcasm-- I truly feel for you, I know your pain. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Beverlee Paul" <[email protected]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 9:28 AM > > Subject: [MOSAIC] heartbreak > > > > > > > Dear Friends, > > > > > > I guess this is a Dear John kind of post, in a way. Ironically, this list > > > is the only place I can actually "talk" about what just happened in our > > > school district. You probably understand at least as much about the depth > > > of despair our staff feels. The backstory: We are 2 and 1/2 years into a > > > strong, district-supported, balanced literacy movement, which follows on > > > the > > > heels of years of workshop, etcetera teaching, always reaching toward best > > > practice. We have what I consider an extraordinary staff. We won the > > > 2008 > > > International Reading Association Exemplary Program Award for our state. > > > > > > I can't imagine why any of us would reach deep down to understand > > > effective > > > comprehension, or any other kind of effectiving instruction, given the > > > latest events in my district. Why would we want to know > more and more > > > about > > > what is out there to make a better way? > > > > > > Our superintendent just announced yesterday that, in addition to the > > > layoff > > > of 20% of our staff which was announced in December, we're about to commit > > > to an enormous outlay of funds -- to purchase Reading Mastery. > > > > > > Our school has a 64% poverty rate (free and/or reduced lunches), a 25% > > > mobility rate, a 35% minority rate, 2400 square miles in our district > > > (think > > > something larger than two of our states--Rhode Island and somewhere else), > > > an extraordinary staff, and wonderful families. > > > > > > But RM has guaranteed that all our children will TEST at least in the > > > upper > > > half of the nation (probably higher) by the end of third grade. > > > > > > Anybody have any openings for 25 amazing teachers? > > > _______________________________________________ > > > 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. > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > See how Windows Mob > ile brings your life together—at home, work, or on the go. > http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093182mrt/direct/01/ > _______________________________________________ > 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. > _________________________________________________________________ See how Windows Mobile brings your life together—at home, work, or on the go. http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093182mrt/direct/01/ _______________________________________________ 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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