Catching Them Before They Fall: A Literacy Safety Net

Chocowinity Primary SchoolBeaufort County Schools

Chocowinity, NC

Alicia Vosburgh, PrincipalSpencer Pake, Assistant Principal

Co-Presenters: Lauren Buck, Lisa Silva, and Summer Dail

Collaborative Conference for Student Success, 2015

How do we Compare to YOU?

2014-2015 Demographics

55 %Caucasian

22% AfricanAmerican

15% Hispanic

6% Multi-Racial

1% AmericanIndian

1% Asian

• Approximately 560 Students

• Pre-K through 4th Grade• Rural Area• Staff of 95• Average Class Size of 20• K-1 Full Time Assistants• Title 1 School-Wide• Free/Reduced Lunch

Rate of 75%

5 Steps to…

…CATCH THEM BEFORE THEY FALL!

#1 Leadership

What is a LEADER?

What word(s) do you think of when you describe a leader?

Think of your administration…

Enter words via this link http://answergarden.ch/view/159612

CPS Leaders are…

What does a leader HAVE to do?

Strong Administrative TEAM Upholds Accountability Observes & Listens Learns what is UNKNOWN

and/or NEW Provides a Model Leads Difficult Conversations Delegates Leadership Roles Encourages Student Leaders Insists on Collaboration Knows ALL students and

family dynamics

#2 Urgency

720

Know your STUDENTS!

It can be determined if a child will have reading difficulties 32 hours after birth.

When do we start intervening? Why are we waiting? Early interventions

are key! How do you refer students in need? Do

you have a team? Do you have support personnel in your

school? What teams are formed to help?

Early Interventions are CRUCIAL!

Reading Recovery®◦ One-on-One 12-20 week program (1st grade)

Supplemental Small Group Instruction◦ Guided Reading/Writing Literacy Groups (K-1st Grade)

English Language Arts Transition Class◦ 90 minute block for 5-8 students (3rd-4th grades)

Exceptional Children’s Program◦ Identified through SST, all grade levels

Hill Rap (2nd-4th grades)◦ Systematic Multi-Sensory Remediation

Tutors (3rd-4th grades) Teacher Assistants (K-1st grade) Encore Tutors (2nd grade) Research-Based Classroom Strategies

TARGET Emergent Readers!

Pre-K Initiative in Balanced Literacy

Emergent Readers Program (Pre-K Reg.)

Spring Book Exchange

Summer Book Mobile

Summer Program

Summer Library Hours

Summer Book club

#3 Analyze Data

The challenge is facing both an overabundance of data and a scarcity of information that educators can readily use to make better decisions.

~Douglas B. Reeves

The Importance of ASSESSMENTS

Formative/Summative Assessments Benchmark Assessments Observations and Anecdotal Notes Progress Monitoring Running Records Identify Strengths/Weaknesses Select Critical Skills to Target Select Classroom/Supplemental

Interventions

It’s easy to create PowerPoint slides and wall charts showing data. Only when we can articulate the “why” behind the data and turn the lens on our own teaching and leadership behaviors can we understand how to move from drowning in data to improving professional practice.

~Douglas B. Reeves

Creating an EFFECTIVE Data Wall

Color Cards for each Teacher per Grade Level Use Student Initials (full name on the back) Identify

◦ Attendance◦ New to the school◦ Pre-K program◦ Retention◦ Interventions ◦ Identifications

Text Reading Comprehension (TRC)◦ Kindergarten: PC/RB-C-D◦ 1st Grade: D-G-J/K◦ 2nd Grade: K-L-M◦ 3rd Grade: M/N-O-P

DIBELS Critical Skills ◦ Kindergarten: Nonsense Word Fluency◦ 1st Grade: Nonsense Word Fluency◦ 2nd Grade: DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency◦ 3rd Grade: DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency

How do you Target Assistance?

Lowest 15-20% Highest 10% Use formative assessments to identify needs initially

◦ EOY from previous year◦ BOY/BOG from current year

Get teacher requests—they NEED to know their kids!◦ Classroom rankings◦ Attend grade level meetings to discuss

Review classroom progress ◦ Work samples◦ Anecdotal notes◦ Teacher-made tests

Observe students in the classroom if necessary Give additional assessments if necessary/required Have DATA meetings throughout the year to analyze

progress and select additional strategies/interventions

#4 Integrated Framework

Can you read this?

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulacltyuesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The

phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde

Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdrthe ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnttihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and

you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey

lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot

slpeling was ipmorantt!

School-Wide Literacy Model

Modeled/Shared/Interactive Reading Modeled/Shared/Interactive Writing Writer’s Workshop Word Study

◦ Primary Spelling Inventory

◦ Dictation (K-2)

“Daily 5” Literacy Stations (K-2nd) Small Group Instruction

◦ Guided Reading/Writing Model (K-2nd/3rd)

◦ Literature Circles (3rd-4th)

◦ Ability Level Grouping

◦ Reteach skills

Our Small Group Literacy Model

Kindergarten (2-Day Plan)◦ Levels PC (Pre-A) and RB (A)

First/Last name Alphabetic principle Easy sight words Print Concepts How books work Choral reading Interactive writing

◦ Levels B-D Sight words & Word study Whisper reading Strategic teaching for decoding Retelling Journal writing (dictated)

1st Grade (2/3-Day Plan)◦ Levels D-E

Sight words Word study (initial/final consonants

& short vowels) Whisper reading Retelling Strategic teaching for decoding Journal writing (multiple sentences)

◦ Levels F-J Sight words Word study (blends, vowel patterns,

taking words apart) Whisper reading Fluency Practice Retelling & Oral Comprehension

Questions (deeper thinking) Strategic teaching for decoding Journal writing (response to text)

2nd Grade (3/4-Day Plan)◦ Levels K-M

Word Study (chunking, vowel patterns)

Whisper/Silent Reading Oral Comprehension Questions In-Depth Retelling with details Fluency Practice Journal writing (response to text,

multiple questions)

VIDEOS

Guided Reading in ACTION

Guided Writing in ACTION

Literature Circles in ACTION

MCLASS (K-3rd)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%

2013-2014 (EOY) TRC Proficiency

2013-2014 (EOY)DIBELS Composite

2014-2015 (MOY) TRC Proficiency

2014-2015 (MOY) DIBELS Composite

Red Yellow Green/Blue

EOG (3rd/4th) 2012-2013 vs 2013-2014

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

3rd Grade Reading 3rd Grade Math 4th Grade Reading 4th Grade Math

2012-2013 2013-2014

Fear Diminishes Growth

“If it is too hard—they will quit!”

…MAKE LEARNING FUN.

…MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE.

…MAKE THEM FEEL LOVED.

…LET THEM KNOW YOU CARE.

#5 Build Teacher Capacity

Lowering Teacher Turnover

It is not easy to build a strategic teacher…some never get there!

Provide interactive coaching to help solve difficulties

Mentor Teachers Teachers need to feel:

◦ Safe ◦ Supported◦ Respected ◦ Like Good Models

Invest in your Teachers

Choose a FOCUS

Utilize the experts in your building

Utilize the experts in your area

Provide funding for professional development opportunities in ALL subject areas

Share new learning—give “turn around” training for staff at your school

Provide CORE workshops for families

Encourage career advancement

Does your staff strive for MORE?

40 Certified Classroom Teachers

37% Advanced Degrees

35% National Board Certified

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Years of Experience

0-3 Years 4-10 Years 10+ Years

How STRONG is your Safety Net?

#1 Leadership#2 Urgency#3 Analyze Data#4 Integrated Framework#5 Teacher Capacity

Questions? Comments?