Where did the summer go? Forget that. Where has 2017 gone? I can't believe it's September already. I'm in denial.
BUT...I am so excited to get back to work this year! I spent most of the summer reflecting on my work last year. I really felt like a first-year teacher and I have a list a mile long of things I want to do differently this year. I have some really fantastic professional learning opportunities planned and I can't wait to get back into schools and classrooms and help you all teach our kids!
I attended our annual Literacy Coaches Conference last month in Traverse City. It's always great to be in a room with 100+ like-minded people, excited about the latest research in literacy education. Several things that were said changed my own thinking about literacy, and I can't wait to share those things with you over the course of this year.
I am going to start out negative, though. Sorry. Like most states, we have an assessment that our students take. Ours is the MSTEP. I think you've heard of it. I'll be the first to admit that it is heavily flawed. I don't think this is the best way to see what students know or what they've learned, BUT this is state-wide data, and we do need to use it to see where we are, and where we can improve so that our kids are successful. On the third grade reading test, 58,303 students were not advanced or proficient. Fifty-eight thousand, three hundred three. That number represents 54% of the third grade students in Michigan. This number tells us that something has to change, and it has to change now. We don't have time for baby steps anymore. We are messing with kids! They get one year in each grade, that's it. We get them for about 13 years, and what they learn from us will impact the rest of their lives. That's perspective.
What do we do? How do we help these kids? Well, first, we look at research. This might be different than how you were taught when you were in school. This might go against what you learned in college. This might not necessarily come from someone you like. This research might go against what you thought was best practice. Don't ignore it! For example, I was trained in Guided Reading over fifteen years ago. This training focused on assessing kids and grouping them based on their instructional level. Sound familiar? That's what I've been telling teachers ever since! Group by level! Well, not anymore! Mind blown? Yeah, mine too, but when I read the research and thought about the impact on kids, it all made perfect sense. Are you ready for my guided reading instruction bomb? Group by NEED, not necessarily by LEVEL. Do what?? That's what I said! Think about it. Students can be on the same level for very different reasons, and when we look at the reason, we can meet the underlying need so much faster! I promise! We will talk more about Needs-based grouping at our grade-level meetings this year. If you just can't handle it and you have to know now, email me and we will talk!
We have a state of emergency here for our kids. We have to make big moves to ensure our students get the best we have to offer. I'm here to help. Kids are counting on us, and you know what? We Got This.
Stacy
BUT...I am so excited to get back to work this year! I spent most of the summer reflecting on my work last year. I really felt like a first-year teacher and I have a list a mile long of things I want to do differently this year. I have some really fantastic professional learning opportunities planned and I can't wait to get back into schools and classrooms and help you all teach our kids!
I attended our annual Literacy Coaches Conference last month in Traverse City. It's always great to be in a room with 100+ like-minded people, excited about the latest research in literacy education. Several things that were said changed my own thinking about literacy, and I can't wait to share those things with you over the course of this year.
I am going to start out negative, though. Sorry. Like most states, we have an assessment that our students take. Ours is the MSTEP. I think you've heard of it. I'll be the first to admit that it is heavily flawed. I don't think this is the best way to see what students know or what they've learned, BUT this is state-wide data, and we do need to use it to see where we are, and where we can improve so that our kids are successful. On the third grade reading test, 58,303 students were not advanced or proficient. Fifty-eight thousand, three hundred three. That number represents 54% of the third grade students in Michigan. This number tells us that something has to change, and it has to change now. We don't have time for baby steps anymore. We are messing with kids! They get one year in each grade, that's it. We get them for about 13 years, and what they learn from us will impact the rest of their lives. That's perspective.
What do we do? How do we help these kids? Well, first, we look at research. This might be different than how you were taught when you were in school. This might go against what you learned in college. This might not necessarily come from someone you like. This research might go against what you thought was best practice. Don't ignore it! For example, I was trained in Guided Reading over fifteen years ago. This training focused on assessing kids and grouping them based on their instructional level. Sound familiar? That's what I've been telling teachers ever since! Group by level! Well, not anymore! Mind blown? Yeah, mine too, but when I read the research and thought about the impact on kids, it all made perfect sense. Are you ready for my guided reading instruction bomb? Group by NEED, not necessarily by LEVEL. Do what?? That's what I said! Think about it. Students can be on the same level for very different reasons, and when we look at the reason, we can meet the underlying need so much faster! I promise! We will talk more about Needs-based grouping at our grade-level meetings this year. If you just can't handle it and you have to know now, email me and we will talk!
We have a state of emergency here for our kids. We have to make big moves to ensure our students get the best we have to offer. I'm here to help. Kids are counting on us, and you know what? We Got This.
Stacy