Welcome to Reading First!

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Welcome to Reading First!
From the Professional Development
Architects Dr. Sharon Walpole University of
Delaware Dr. Michael McKenna University of
Virginia
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Todays Goals

• Learn about the aspects of a comprehensive
  reading reform initiative
• Learn about the characteristics of effective
  school leadership in RF
• Revisit the roles of an LC
• Make a plan for getting started at your school

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Goal 1 Learn about the aspects of a
comprehensive reading reform initiative
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Reading First relies on . . .
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At all levels, this means
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Professional Development During Grant Writing
http//www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publicat
ions/k-3.html
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Professional Development for Literacy Coaches and
Principals

• State-level conferences
• Frequent visits and support from state staff
  members
• Materials for teaching best practices to teachers
• Materials developed by the Architects and placed
  online
• Professional books, esp. those recommended by the
  Architects

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Professional Development for Teachers
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Procedures for Selecting Instructional Materials

• Identify essential components for instruction to
  heterogeneous groups, needs-based groups, and
  intervention groups
• Consider commercial materials to help teachers
  teach components explicitly and systematically
• Consider outside evaluations and ratings
• Conduct inside evaluations and ratings

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Once the materials are chosen

• Use experts, consultants, and close analyses to
  specify how, when, and why the materials will be
  used in all classrooms
• Which parts?
• How much time?
• What grouping configurations?

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Once the materials are used

• Use observations to assess individual teachers
  fidelity to the model in the school
• Provide support
• Use student achievement data to assess the match
  of the materials to the students needs
• Provide support

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Assessment systems

• As you know, four types of assessments are used
  in Reading First.
• They make it possible to plan and provide
  instruction that is truly based on the needs of
  the children you serve!

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Types of Tests
Type of Test What does it do? Examples?
Screening Provides a quick indication of problem areas.
Diagnostic Provides detailed information on skill deficits, once a screening test has identified a problem.
Progress Monitoring Quick method of gauging student growth periodically administered similar to screening test.
Outcome Used to measure long-term progress, usually at the classroom, school, and state levels.
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Intervention Systems

• Interventions are programs designed for literacy
  acceleration
• Instruction that enables struggling readers to
  make rapid progress and read as well as or better
  than their peers not struggling in
  reading.(Duffy, 2001)

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Characteristics of Interventions

• Multiple Entry Points
• Feedback and Engagement
• Progress Monitoring
• Intensive Focus
• Temporary Duration
• Small group size

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Accountability to the GARF Model
State Federal Monitors External Evaluation
Regional Staff Quality/Quantity of support to LCs
District Staff Budgeting decisions
Literacy Coaches Time inside classrooms Time outside classrooms
Teachers Fidelity to model
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• What questions do you have about the model in
  general?

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Goal 2 Learn about the characteristics of
effective school leadership in Reading First
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Successful School Reform is

• Specific The program is sufficiently
  detailed.
• Powerful The program produces results.
• Authoritative Leadership is involved and
  informed.
• Consistent The program is uniformly
  implemented.
• Stable The program is not changed without
  reason.

Desimone, L. (2002). How can comprehensive school
reform models be successfully implemented?
Review of Educational Research, 72,433479.
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What problems do you foresee in making sure your
school has these characteristics?

• Specific The program is sufficiently
  detailed.
• Powerful The program produces results.
• Authoritative Leadership is involved and
  informed.
• Consistent The program is uniformly
  implemented.
• Stable The program is not changed without
  reason.

Desimone, L. (2002). How can comprehensive school
reform models be successfully implemented?
Review of Educational Research, 72,433479.
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The Effective RF Principal
Joseph Murphy, in Leadership for Literacy
Research-Based Practice, PreK-3 (2003, Corwin
Press), summarizes key qualities possessed by
principals of schools where achievement is strong.
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Setting Goals
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Has a more child-centered vision Has a more
adult-centered vision Sets manageable, realistic
goals Favors broad goals Sees student
performance as central Likes to see things run
smoothly Expresses goals in measurable
terms Expresses goals vaguely Uses goals for
planning Refers rarely to goals Asks parents
staff to help set goals Limits goal setting
input
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Communicating Goals
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Periodically reviews discusses Infrequently
discusses goals Actively clarifies
goals Rarely clarifies goals Has teachers who
know goals Has teachers unfamiliar with
goals Has teachers who see themselves Has
teachers who see themselves as good
instructors as good managers colleagues
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Promoting Quality Instruction
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Insists on certain teaching strategies Has less
focus on methods Favors interactive
teaching Is content with less
interaction Assigns teachers on the basis
of Assigns teachers bureaucratically improving
achievement
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Supervising Instruction
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Relies little on formal observations Values
formal observations Values informal visits and
meetings Rarely makes informal visits Often
reads about instruction Seldom reads about
instruction Often provides specific
feedback Seldom provides specific
feedback Counsels and assists poor
teachers Less likely to confront poor teachers
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Allocating Instructional Time
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Carefully sets time allocations Less likely to
set time allocations Coordinates time
allocations Less likely to have uniform
schedule across teachers Schedules more
instructional and Less likely to favor
instructional over fewer non-instructional
activities non-instructional activities
Insists on time for basics Less likely to
ensure their coverage Protects uninterrupted
block Less likely to preserve block
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Coordinating the Curriculum
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Is highly involved in curriculum Is less
involved in curriculum alignment alignment Is
concerned with the continuity Tends not to focus
on continuity of curriculum from grade to
grade of curriculum from grade to grade
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Monitoring Student Progress
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Supports testing programs Views testing as a
necessary evil Provides test results to
teachers Is less timely in reporting results In
a timely manner to teachers Discusses results
with groups and Is less likely to discuss
results individual teachers Encourages teachers
to use test Does not emphasize the
connection results to plan instruction between
testing and teaching
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Setting Expectations
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Holds adults accountable for student Does not
hold others accountable learning
outcomes Requires mastery of grade-level Is
more likely to socially promote skills for
promotion to next grade students
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Being Visible
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Is often out of the office Spends large amounts
of time in the office Makes an effort to
move about Is less mobile the campus and in and
out of classrooms
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Providing Incentives
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal

• Recognizes teachers with rewards Seldom
  acknowledges teachers
• such as
• distributing leadership
• showing personal interest
• making public acknowledgements
• giving private praise
• Ensures that student rewards are Is less
  concerned about student
• frequent and they they go to a large rewards
• percentage of students
• Focuses rewards on achievement Is less likely
  to reward achievement

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Promoting PD
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Is more likely to be directly involved Often
avoids PD sessions in PD activities Follows up
by ensuring that PD Is unlikely to follow up
PD methods are implemented Cobbles temporary
coalitions Is not adept at working with of
teachers to help implement teacher groups to
implement Encourages professional dialogue Is
indifferent to dialogue Helps teachers attend
conferences Resists conference attendance
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Creating a Safe Orderly Learning Environment
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Works with teachers to develop Is less focused
on management skills classroom management
skills Establishes a clear and consistent Fails
to set up a clear policy disciplinary
policy Enforces discipline fairly and May be
inconsistent in enforcing consistently discipli
ne Involves teachers and students Sets rules
independently In setting rules
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Creating a Safe Orderly Learning Environment
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Confronts problems quickly and Is tentative and
indecisive forcefully Supports teachers with
discipline Is unsympathetic to teachers
with problems discipline problems
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Promoting Collaboration
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Encourages teamwork and Allows teachers to
function collaborative efforts independently Gi
ves faculty a formal role in Excludes teachers
from decision decision making making Informall
y seeks teachers ideas Is indifferent to the
ideas and and opinions opinions of teachers
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Securing Outside Resources
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Is skilled at influencing district Reacts to
district decisions decision making about
resources Actively seeks resources Is passive
about finding resources Assertively recruits the
best Follows standard hiring teachers (even from
other schools) procedures Allocates money based
on goals Makes allocations based on
other factors
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Linking Home and School
The More-Effective Principal The
Less-Effective Principal
Communicates with parents on a Infrequently
communicates with regular basis parents Involv
es parents in school activities Is more likely
to ignore parent participation Establishes
programs that promote Fails to facilitate
parent-teacher parent-teacher interaction intera
ction Promotes the school to Does not
participate in community community
groups groups Provides ways parents can
learn Doesnt about school and help their
children
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Which qualities of the principal relate to
reading achievement?

• Principals race
• Principals sex
• Number of years as a principal
• Number of years as a classroom teacher
• Knowledge about reading

Kean et al. (1979), What Works in Reading?
(Federal Reserve Bank Study)
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Which qualities of the principal relate to
reading achievement?

• Principals race
• Principals sex
• Number of years as a principal
• Number of years as a classroom teacher
• ? Knowledge about reading

Kean et al. (1979), What Works in Reading?
(Federal Reserve Bank Study)
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Goal 3 Revisit the roles of the LC.
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Literacy Coaches are Learners

• Learn about reading development
• Engaged and active participation in all levels of
  professional development
• Self-directed reading of professional materials
• Self-directed networking

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Literacy Coaches are Learners

• Learn about professional development
• Engaged and active participation in all levels of
  professional development
• Self-directed reading of professional materials
• Self-directed networking
• http//www.nsdc.org/

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Literacy Coaches are Grant Writers and Site
Managers

• Understand and review federal guidelines
• Keep careful record of budgeting decisions and
  professional development activities
• Collaborate with district personnel to provide
  reports
• Manage site visits

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Literacy Coaches are School-Level Planners

• Work with administrators to build school-level
  schedules to protect time for classroom
  instruction and intervention
• Both whole-group and needs-based time
• Work with administrators to plan time for
  small-group and whole-school professional
  development
• Work with administrators and teachers to direct
  specialists and paraprofessionals
• Work with teachers to build classroom schedules

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Literacy Coaches are Curriculum Experts

• Learn about core curriculum and intervention
  materials
• Extensive personal review of manuals
• Research of program reviews
• Interaction with publishers representatives
• Observe curriculum in action

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Literacy Coaches are Researchers

• Design, schedule and manage data collection
• Interpret and share data with all stakeholders
• Assess fidelity to school-wide model through
  observations
• Assess relationship of fidelity to student
  achievement
• Propose changes in school-level plan based on
  these analyses

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Literacy Coach as Teacher

• Arrange for training in core program materials
• Provide outside-the-classroom professional
  development through presentations and study
  groups
• Provide inside-the-classroom professional
  development through modeling and
  observation-feedback

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What strengths do you bring?
Learner
Manager
Planner
Curriculum Expert
Researcher
Teacher
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How will you EVER learn all of this stuff?

• Listen to Cece, a two-year veteran of Literacy
  Coaching
• http//curry.edschool.virginia.edu/reading/project
  s/garf/Cece.htm

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Whew! Serving in all these roles will require
real organization. LCs need to think carefully
about their own schedules if they are to
accomplish all they need to. Lets look at some
possibilities . . .
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A sample LC schedule Week 1
Am Grade Level Professional Development Sessions Grade Level Professional Development Sessions Observations Observations Work with Materials
Pm Grade Level Professional Development Sessions Set agenda for next Grade Level Meetings Prepare Whole School Session Write up Observations Work with Materials
AS Program Administration Program Administration Whole School Professional Development Meet with Individuals re Observations Meet with Individuals re Observations
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A sample LC schedule Week 2
Am Observations Observations Observations Observations Organize Materials and Data
Pm Write up Observations Write up Observations Prepare Whole School Session Write up Observations Prepare for Professional Development
AS Meet with Individuals re observations Meet with Individuals re observations Whole School Professional Development Meet with Individuals re observations Prepare for Professional Development
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Goal 4 Make a plan for getting started at your
school.
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Whats on your to-do list?

• Understanding your grant
• Understanding your core program
• Planning whole-group and needs-based instruction
• Planning assessments
• Planning professional development

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Understanding your grant
Who?
How?
What?
When?
Why?
Where?
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1. Make a chart
Who? Key Responsibilities
Classroom Teachers
Principal
District Rep
Special Educators
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Sample (LC Handbook, pp. 42-43)
Times Fall Year 1- Spring Year 2 Task Conduct whole-school, after-school professional development session one hour each month Conduct small-group, after-school professional development sessions two days each month Conduct two in-school professional development sessions each month for each grade level team Conduct six formative observations of instruction for each teacher Establish professional development library Team Literacy Coach Principal Assistant Principal
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2. Decide how to do your grant

• Review your understandings with your Regional
  Specialist.
• Remind administrators of the shared commitment
• Use preplanning to remind teachers of shared
  commitment
• Present to School Board and parents
• Present quarterly updates

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3. Get acquainted with your core program

• Conduct a personal review of every grade levels
  manuals with the LC Handbooks Descriptive
  Template (p. 133)
• Pay special attention to any placement or
  progress-monitoring tests and any materials
  intended for needs-based use

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• Check for other review information to identify
  potential strengths and weaknesses
• http//www.fcrr.org/

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• Consider other ways to learn about the program in
  action
• Can consultants help?
• Are there videos?
• Are there schools using the program that you can
  call or visit?

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• Decide what stuff must be stored, displayed,
  and used in each classroom
• Make a checklist for your teachers
• Make sure everyone has what he or she needs

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4. Plan time for whole-group and needs-based
instruction Think about time
Phonemic Awareness Decoding Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension Strategies Writing
K 20 10 20 30 10 10
1 10 20 20 20 10 20
2 10 30 10 30 20
3 20 20 30 30
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5. Then think about groupings
Phonemic Awareness Decoding Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension Strategies
K Needs-Based Group Whole Group and Needs-Based Group Whole Group and Needs-Based Group Whole Group Whole Group
1 Needs-Based Group Whole Group and Needs-Based Group Whole Group and Needs-Based Group Whole Group Whole Group
2 Intervention Only Needs-Based Group Whole Group and Needs-Based Group Whole Group Whole Group And Needs-Based Group
3 Intervention Only Whole Group and Needs-Based Group Whole Group and Needs-Based Group Whole Group and Needs-Based Group
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6. Think about support

• How can it be managed?
• Push-in programs?
• Paraprofessionals?
• Circle-Seat-Center rotations?
• What will teachers need to be successful?
• Routines?
• Materials?
• Modeling?

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7. Plan for assessment

• Decide who will assess
• Get your school-level calendar with all
  vacations and events
• Find out when the required assessments will be
  due
• Schedule trainings and due dates

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8. Plan professional development

• Make a strict schedule
• During the day for grade-level teams?
• After school for the entire staff?
• On release days?
• Start with the CORE!!!!
• Will you have consultants come during
  preplanning?
• How can you help teachers set up their rooms so
  that they have what they need?

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• Make direct connections between the summer
  trainings and your core
• Make sure that all of your attention is directed
  to giving everyone the support needed to start
  teaching

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Area Focus Priorities





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Although RF has many components, and although you
may feel a bit overwhelmed at first, its
important to take the plunge and get
started. And remember
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You dont have to change everything to change
anything.