Tracing Elements through the Common Core

As we worked in groups tracing one element through the Common Core it was interesting to see how the element developed greater depth grade by grade. It was eye opening to see where we are starting and where we are headed. The Common Core assessments are going to be very different in their focus on depth, complexity, and performance. It certainly will take a lot of rigor to get us there. To deliver the level of instruction necessary to prepare students it is essential to take in the big picture.

As in Bloom’s Taxonomy it’s all in the verbs. The DOK training was in my opinion very similar. DOK levels describe the level of complexity of thinking involved in completing a task. Webb took all the verbs and objectives from Bloom’s and ordered them into 4 levels of complexity to guide planning and instructional practices and increase rigor.

Our team focused on the verbs or rather the student’s expected abilities as we traced the element. It’s always good to be able to talk things through with peers. We have such intelligent people with keen insight and perspectives in our class. The activity could have only been improved upon with more time and perhaps smaller groups.

BLT

Didn’t want anyone to think my colleagues and I have been using the BLT. I obviously did not know what the BLT was. Well, I learned something new. Six years ago when I started teaching I was handed a lime green binder in big bold letters on the spine it said BLT. Apparently the guts had been taken out and the binder reused to store running records materials. With all the acronyms in teaching it could just as well have been the SRA running records for all I knew. Please forgive my ignorance. I wouldn’t want it to reflection poorly on my school or colleagues.

Domain Reading vs. Content Reading

Domain reading is the broader base of knowledge that is acquired through experiences with text, the basic act of reading. Content reading is reading for information in a specific subject area (ex. Math, science, social studies...). It requires the more deliberate actions of deciphering content are text. A student must know how the text for a particular subject is organized and how to pick out the important or useful aspects of it. Along with understanding the layout and organization which could also include the reading of tables, graphs, maps and the purpose for the given graphics.

With the new Common Core requirements the old adage of “I’m not a reading teacher” is going out the window, as it should. Teaching in the continent areas logically would include the more specific skills of deciphering the CONTENT (vocabulary, organization, comprehension, tables, graphs…) of the text used and not just the ability to decode words. Content knowledge by itself is different from the pedagogical knowledge required to teach a subject.

Definition of a non-reader

A non- reader is an individual who has not learned the necessary skills needed to read and comprehend. These skills include phonemic awareness, decoding skills, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. A non reader is often seen as a behavior problem in the classroom due to their frustration and lack of success in school. Basically they will do whatever distracting behavior necessary to avoid the problem of illiteracy. If their reading deficiency is properly diagnosed and instruction is provided for focused and specific purposes a student will learn to read. Thus restoring self esteem and obtaining a necessary lifelong skill. There is no greater goal in teaching.

Teaching reading is my very favorite part of teaching in kindergarten. When I see those smiles and the “light bulb goes on” and a child surprises themselves by reading for the very first time, it is absolutely priceless. I get to say YES you did it all by yourself, YOU ARE A READER!!

Diagnosis: The Missing Ingredient in RTI Assessment

 Diagnosis: The Missing Ingredient in RTI Assessment

In Kindergarten assessments are all one on one and having no Para for eighteen, well, it’s time consuming.  That being said when I print out those DIBELS NEXT graphs I can see the big picture and grouping for differentiation is a breeze. I never thought of the RTI as an approach to identifying those that are learning disabled. I thought it was, as stated in the article by Lipson “intended to reduce the number of students identified as having a learning disability by preventing difficulties.” In kindergarten we are starting from scratch. We have a blank slate, sometimes more blank than we’d like. Making up for a lack of language in the home many timesis difficult and assumed to be in place at the beginning of the year.

I think the template included in the article for analyzing student data and creating profiles would be very useful.  It is essential to separate the componentsof reading development to pin point astarting place for intervention and instruction.  Without very clear diagnostic information there is a large chance of wasting valuable time in implementing instruction that is neither beneficial to the child reading ability and adds to their frustration. Children identify at such an early age whether school is a place for them or not, it is our duty on the front lines to guide them to seeing that learning is fun and the only way to responsibly do so is to remove the berries between them and success. Obviously I take laying thefoundational reading skills very seriously. I feel very blessed to have good tools and programs in effect right now.

Also the article stated that attacking the bubble group as largely unsuccessful and an approach that made the school “realize improvement”. I disagree; attacking the bubble lessens the case load for specialists than can focus their attentions on students in real need. It puts the focus on the specific deficit the young reader has and pulls them up with the pack at our grade level.

I feel that we have the data but are not afforded enough time to analyze it with our peers who could bring in added insights especially veteran teachers. I agree that the real challenge before us is using the data we have collected in the most useful instructional decision making. The administration in our school the past two years has a large focus on just that. The more time spent with it the less overwhelming and more useful it feels.