get prepped - scholastic
TRANSCRIPT
GET PREPPEDFOR THE YEAR AHEAD
ARTICLES AND TIPS TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR
BE A LEADERBecome a school leader—without leaving the classroom
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL CO-TEACHINGFail-safe strategies to set up a successful co-teaching relationship
FOUR TIPS FOR GUIDED READING SUCCESSPower strategies to launch your guided reading groups
PARENT-TEACHER PARTNERSHIPSStart the year by building great relationships with families
Taking The Leadeleven ways to become a leader in your school—without leaving the classroom. by calvin hennick
when valda valbrun had success as a teacher, it didn’t take long before she was tapped to move up the ladder into admin-istration. But the bigger job wasn’t necessarily better, she says, because it meant she had to leave her students.
“i was encouraged to leave the classroom,” says Valbrun, now a director of professional development at the education nonprofit aSCd. “in hindsight, i’m thinking, Wow, I’m really missing the classroom.”
But do you have to leave teaching to demonstrate leadership? More and more, the answer is no. Teachers are stepping into a variety of roles that help to shape how their schools are run. Read on to see how you can take the lead in your school while continuing to do what you love most.
Your goals
scholastic instructor spring 2013 47
1. Start a Student Incentive Program Craig Martin and his colleagues at a Boston elementary school created a sticker incentive program to promote good citizenship. a teacher-led initia-tive has the advantage of coming with instant buy-in from the staff, he says.
daina Lieberman, a Fairfax County, Virginia, high school teacher who sits on a committee that runs a program rewarding positive student behavior, agrees. and her program gets results.
“The feel here is very welcoming,” she says. “kids will offer to carry things and hold doors open for you.” il
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34 scholastic instructor back to school 2015
Power tips to launch
your guided reading
groups this school year.
by kim greene
strategies needed to advance to the
next level. Children at the initial stage
may need instruction about left-to-right
progression, while those at a higher
level can learn to use picture cues to
decode new words. Small-group work
with guided reading is critical to meet
the needs of all learners.”
According to Hepfer and other
experts, the beginning of the year
is a crucial time to set the tone for
guided reading groups. From rules
and routines to activities and assess-
ments, we’ve compiled a guide to
guided reading to help you get your
groups up and running.
many teachers have guided reading
in their instructional toolbox, and they
consider it a necessary strategy, espe-
cially in classrooms where differentia-
tion is key. For Allison Hepfer, who
teaches kindergarten at Hamagrael
Elementary in Delmar, New York,
guided reading is a cornerstone of her
literacy instruction. She meets with
small groups of students on a daily
basis, supporting them as they learn
to use reading strategies.
“Guiding reading is one of the best
ways to differentiate,” Hepfer says.
“By grouping children by reading
levels, I can target specific skills and
Ready Readers
INS1•GuidedRead[34-36]v10tf.indd 34 7/21/15 4:40 PM
07212015154953
Use our fail-safe strategies to set up your co-teaching relationship for a successful year. by anne beninghof
scholastic instructor back to school 2014 49
Fill in the blank: The marriage between co-teachers is like ______. In my work-shops on co-teaching, I ask participants to complete
that simile. The responses run the gamut from horror
story to every teacher’s dream: The marriage between co-teachers
is like an elderly couple—constantly bicker-ing about trivial details but dependent on each other.
The marriage between co-teachers is like a fine wine—it gets better with age.
For the past 20 years, I have worked with schools on their co-teaching initiatives. I have seen an explosion of interest—not just among special education and general education teach-ers but among ELL teachers, literacy specialists, and speech and language therapists, all of whom are recognizing the benefits of inclusion teaching. They know that students with a wide range of special needs can thrive when they’re taught in classes with their peers.
No matter co-teachers’ respective expertise, some relationships work smoothly, while others are rocky. Why is that? In my own co-teaching and my work with educators, I’ve found suc-cessful relationships boil down to three essen-tial ingredients, which I will discuss in detail.
It Takes Two...
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scan the illustration for a co-teaching task chart. (For scanning directions, see page 5.)
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Tips for helping your teacher–parent partnerships make the grade. by calvin hennick
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scholastic instructor BacK to school 2014 45
Your Goals
Parents are the most important partners teachers can have.
They, like you, want what is best for their kids—and will
work tirelessly to that end. Still, even if it’s not intentional,
they will occasionally act in ways that make your job
tougher. Here are some surefire ways to fix or prevent the
most common parent problems so that you can be the best
partners possible in your students’ education.
Problem No oNe Reads YouR NewsletteRs
You spend hours compiling class information, and yet
parents still have no idea that today is the class field trip!
solutioN: diveRsifY aNd simplifY
Pernille Ripp, a middle school teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin,
gives parents the option of receiving paper or e-mail news-
Parentsa+
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Taking The Leadeleven ways to become a leader in your school—without leaving the classroom. by calvin hennick
when valda valbrun had success as a teacher, it didn’t take long before she was tapped to move up the ladder into admin-istration. But the bigger job wasn’t necessarily better, she says, because it meant she had to leave her students.
“i was encouraged to leave the classroom,” says Valbrun, now a director of professional development at the education nonprofit aSCd. “in hindsight, i’m thinking, Wow, I’m really missing the classroom.”
But do you have to leave teaching to demonstrate leadership? More and more, the answer is no. Teachers are stepping into a variety of roles that help to shape how their schools are run. Read on to see how you can take the lead in your school while continuing to do what you love most.
Your goals
scholastic instructor spring 2013 47
1. Start a Student Incentive Program Craig Martin and his colleagues at a Boston elementary school created a sticker incentive program to promote good citizenship. a teacher-led initia-tive has the advantage of coming with instant buy-in from the staff, he says.
daina Lieberman, a Fairfax County, Virginia, high school teacher who sits on a committee that runs a program rewarding positive student behavior, agrees. and her program gets results.
“The feel here is very welcoming,” she says. “kids will offer to carry things and hold doors open for you.” il
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rati
ons:
ray
fen
wic
k
INS5•Lead[47-49]v8ds.indd 47 3/5/13 7:43 AM
2. Get Parents (Especially Dads) More Engaged If parents show up at your school only for open house night, conferences, and when their kids are in trouble, consider starting an initiative to get them more involved in the school and with their children’s education.
Martin has worked to bring fathers in for monthly breakfast meetings to discuss simple ways they can help their kids learn math, like talking about measurements and nutritional labels while cooking meals.
“The fathers really responded to that,” Martin says. “I believe that parents do want to know that they add value.”
6. Become a Policy Wonk If you want to make your voice heard beyond the walls of your school, apply for organized teacher leadership programs.
Lieberman says her participation in such programs has given her the chance to talk about education to policymakers in the federal government.
Or, says Tampa, Florida, fifth-grade teacher Megan Allen, teachers can try to influence policy in less formal ways, like attending school committee meetings. “It can be as small as crafting an e-mail, writing an op-ed, or looking for opportunities to get involved at the district level,” Allen says.
Allen argues that it’s vitally important for teachers to have a say in the policies that affect them and their schools. “In many situations, decisions are made by people who don’t teach. The huge missing piece is that teachers are the experts. They’re the ones who know how the policy and curriculum impact students.”
3. Develop Curriculum Some schools hire teachers to work on curriculum over the summer. If that’s not an option for you, consider approaching curriculum changes more informally, by pioneering creative units of study.
Charlotte Danielson, author of Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice, tells the story of one teacher who designed a whole week of curriculum around bringing her students to the zoo every day.
“It was enormously more valuable for the kids than just going to the zoo one day and wandering around,” says Danielson. “The whole point is to figure out, What is it that I want kids to learn, and how can this help? It’s the teacher not just taking the teacher’s guide and doing a lesson, but taking initiative.”
5. Spearhead, and Share, ResearchLieberman took a course on how to be a teacher researcher and ran two studies in her classroom—one on remediation and another on using nonprint texts with at-risk students.
Once you’ve compiled research from your classroom observations, don’t keep it to yourself, says Lieberman, who shared her findings at a county-wide conference.
4. Chair a Team Christine Valenti, an elementary teacher in Boston, says leading grade-level team meetings has been an ideal way to take a step forward in her career. “I can work with teachers and lead them, but I’m still in the classroom.”
When suggesting potential improve-ments, team leaders can build trust by looking to their own practice first, rather than immediately calling out their colleagues. “If people don’t trust each other, they’re not going to put themselves out there,” Valenti says.
Jon Reid, a team leader at another Boston elementary school, says he keeps his colleagues involved by del-egating responsibilities and encourag-ing everyone to share ideas. “We’re all teachers here, and we can all benefit from one another,” he says.
taking the lead
7. Crunch the Numbers Most teachers know the value of using data to inform their instruction, but not all feel confident in their ability to comb through spreadsheets full of numbers. “I think a lot of teachers are like, ‘Ooh, data, I don’t do data,’ ” says Valenti.
She has spearheaded an effort to analyze test results, as well as “softer” data like student work, and use the findings to modify instruction. Teachers often think their teach-ing is “fine,” Valenti says, until they see the numbers. “Sometimes when you look at the data, you see it isn’t fine. So let’s take a look at this and figure out what we can do to improve it.”
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scholastic instructor spring 2013 49
Leadership do’s and don’tsDO
Work to develop a good relation-ship with your school’s admin-istrators. If they see you as an antagonist, they’ll be less likely to listen to your ideas.
DON’tDon’t be afraid to propose a new program. Most principals will be thrilled that you want to help solve a problem!
DORecruit other teachers to help. Being a leader means taking initiative, not going it alone. DON’t
Don’t be afraid to admit your own struggles. Leaders who acknowl-edge that they’re still learning build credibility with others.
DOJoin a network of area teacher leaders to share ideas and learn about new opportunities.
DON’tDon’t underestimate yourself. Remember that as a teacher, you know better than anyone what kids need. Your ideas matter.
DOCreate your own opportunities. Ask what programs or systems are missing in your school, and decide whether you’re the right person to implement them.
DON’tDon’t say yes to everything. If your plate is full, and adding a responsibility will force you to take the focus off your teaching, don’t hesitate to say no.
4. Chair a team Christine Valenti, an elementary teacher in Boston, says leading grade-level team meetings has been an ideal way to take a step forward in her career. “I can work with teachers and lead them, but I’m still in the classroom.”
When suggesting potential improve-ments, team leaders can build trust by looking to their own practice first, rather than immediately calling out their colleagues. “If people don’t trust each other, they’re not going to put themselves out there,” Valenti says.
Jon Reid, a team leader at another Boston elementary school, says he keeps his colleagues involved by del-egating responsibilities and encourag-ing everyone to share ideas. “We’re all teachers here, and we can all benefit from one another,” he says.
7. Crunch the Numbers Most teachers know the value of using data to inform their instruction, but not all feel confident in their ability to comb through spreadsheets full of numbers. “I think a lot of teachers are like, ‘Ooh, data, I don’t do data,’ ” says Valenti.
She has spearheaded an effort to analyze test results, as well as “softer” data like student work, and use the findings to modify instruction. Teachers often think their teach-ing is “fine,” Valenti says, until they see the numbers. “Sometimes when you look at the data, you see it isn’t fine. So let’s take a look at this and figure out what we can do to improve it.”
10. Write Grants There’s one initiative no principal will ever fight you on—attempting to bring more money into your school.
Most grant writing is easier than you might think. Valbrun remembers a teacher who wrote a tiny blurb that turned into $16,000 in grant money.
“Some of those opportunities are so simple, they don’t really require a great deal of training,” Valbrun says. “Many of them are just a form. There are opportunities that range from $500 to thousands of dollars, if you’re looking for them.”
8. Lead Professional Development Some teachers don’t take their profes-sional days, preferring to skip out-of-school workshops in favor of more time with their students. But that approach may be robbing you of the opportunity to become an expert in new areas—and to share that expertise with your colleagues.
Valbrun, the ASCD professional development director, says that before teachers lead PD sessions for the first time, they should present their mate-rial to a small group of trusted peers and ask for feedback. Another tip—survey other teachers to find out what they already know about your subject and what they want to learn. “You’ll make sure you’re meeting the needs of your colleagues,” Valbrun says.
9. Start a Peer-Observation Program Lori Nazareno, who helped start a teacher-run school in Denver in 2009, says peer observation is a powerful tool because teachers work with col-leagues to identify areas of improve-ment. That can be more productive than sweating it out while your boss takes notes in the back of the room.
“If I know you’re coming in to give me feedback to help me get better, it’s going to be easier to have trust than if you’re signing off on the final evalua-tion,” Nazareno says.
To start a peer-observation program in your school, you’ll likely need your administration’s help in organizing coverage for teachers to observe one another. You’ll also need a good rubric to keep debriefings focused.
11. turn Your Classroom Into a teaching Lab Remember to keep the “teacher” in teacher leader. If there’s an instruc-tional strategy you think your school should implement, test it out in your own classroom to make your case.
“Run a little pilot with another teacher or two,” advises Nazareno. “If you have evidence in your own class that it works, why not advocate for other kids to have that terrific learn-ing experience?”
“The culture in schools has been, Yeah, yeah, I’m going to close my door and do my thing,” she adds. “Well, if you’ve closed your door and done your thing and it works, open your door and share it across the hall.”
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Use our fail-safe strategies to set up your co-teaching relationship for a successful year. by anne beninghof
scholastic instructor back to school 2014 49
Fill in the blank: The marriage between co-teachers is like ______. In my work-shops on co-teaching, I ask participants to complete
that simile. The responses run the gamut from horror
story to every teacher’s dream: The marriage between co-teachers
is like an elderly couple—constantly bicker-ing about trivial details but dependent on each other.
The marriage between co-teachers is like a fine wine—it gets better with age.
For the past 20 years, I have worked with schools on their co-teaching initiatives. I have seen an explosion of interest—not just among special education and general education teach-ers but among ELL teachers, literacy specialists, and speech and language therapists, all of whom are recognizing the benefits of inclusion teaching. They know that students with a wide range of special needs can thrive when they’re taught in classes with their peers.
No matter co-teachers’ respective expertise, some relationships work smoothly, while others are rocky. Why is that? In my own co-teaching and my work with educators, I’ve found suc-cessful relationships boil down to three essen-tial ingredients, which I will discuss in detail.
It Takes Two...
illu
stra
tion
: MiG
uEl
DaVi
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thEi
spot
.coM
scan the illustration for a co-teaching task chart. (For scanning directions, see page 5.)
INS1 Co-Teaching[49]Digimark.indd 49 7/15/14 5:16 PM07152014163505
Choose a Model earlyThe beginning of the school year, or
even prior to the start of school, is the
key time to decide which co-teaching
models you want to use.
In the Duet Model, both teachers
share everything—planning, imple-
mentation, assessment, reteaching,
parent–teacher conferences, bulletin
boards—literally, everything! Think
of this as a well-balanced meal, always
nutritious and flavorful, that you will
serve to students. It incorporates lots
of other models on a daily basis, and
every day is a bit different (which stu-
dents love). This is an excellent model,
but be aware that it requires an enor-
mous amount of co-planning time.
The Lead and Support Model works
well when a specialist is assigned
to co-teach with multiple classroom
teachers. In this model, the classroom
teacher takes on responsibility for
advance planning and then shares her
ideas with her partner. The specialist
offers suggestions to tweak the plan
to make it more accessible for strug-
gling students. Both teachers are then
fully involved in teaching and assess-
ing students. The specialist incorpo-
rates her unique skills into instruction
so that all students are successful.
Once you have identified which
of these two overarching models best
suits your situation, you can explore
the day-to-day plans. Co-teachers
might decide to use a parallel model
one day, splitting the class into two
so that students get more of a chance
to participate. On another day, teachers
might choose to use a station model,
where a small group of students
receives intense, direct instruction
following the mini-lesson. Whichever
models you choose, the most suc-
cessful co-teaching occurs when the
choices have been intentional, with
the students’ needs kept in mind.
have Courageous ConversationsEven with the best-laid plans, there
are bound to be occasional relationship
challenges. Just as in a marriage, part-
ners may have differences of opinion
or develop resentments. If these occur,
it is essential to have “courageous con-
versations”—to be open, honest, and
professional about what is happening.
These conversations can be uncomfort-
able, so teachers often avoid them.
But doing so comes at a great cost, as
it usually results in a loss of instruc-
tional quality and student progress.
A co-teacher in Nebraska asked me
to suggest specific prompts she could
use when she and her partner reached
an impasse. Here is what I offered her:
“Help me understand your point of
view.”
“What I think you are saying is _____.”
“What have you done in the past
that has worked?”
“What if we try this idea for one
week and then discuss how it went?”
As part of communicating openly,
partners should also clarify who is
responsible for specific tasks. A special
education teacher at one of my work-
shops in California told me that she
was tired of “being the one to always
make copies.” I suggested that she and
her partner brainstorm a list of tasks
that make their class run effectively
and decide who will do what. You can
keep track of these tasks on a chart.
(Download a sample by scanning the
illustration on page 49.) By having
a proactive discussion, you reduce
confusion and avoid hurt feelings.
assess Students With a Fresh eyeThe best co-teaching happens when
both teachers believe they are facilitat-
ing learning for all students in the
class—not just those they are assigned
to support. Here are a few suggestions
for making this goal a reality.
Use “our students” rather than
“your students/my students” in your
conversations. Teachers who use “our
students” hold high expectations for all
students and make sure that everyone
is receiving just-right challenges.
When planning lessons, flexibly
group students based on formative
assessment rather than labels (IEP, ELL,
gifted, etc.). During a co-taught lesson
last year, my partner and I quickly
assessed our students’ understanding
of figurative language to decide how
to group them. My co-teacher was sur-
prised to find several “gifted” students
who didn’t quite get it. If, instead, we
had automatically grouped students
based on their labels, a few might have
fallen through the cracks.
Develop a lesson-planning format
together that is student focused. My
favorite lesson-planning form contains
reminders to consider things such as
visual supports, hands-on activities,
and modes of participation. To down-
load a copy of the form, visit ideasfor
educators.com/downloadables.
A true partnership grows as you
get to know each other. But for the
sake of our students, we need to
develop a strong working relationship
as quickly as possible. I hope you’ll
begin the year with thoughtful plan-
ning, embrace challenges as opportu-
nities for growth, and embark on
a fruitful co-teaching journey.
Anne Beninghof is a consultant and
former special educator. She has trained
teachers across the United States and is
the author of Co-Teaching That works.
all things considered
other topics to discuss with your co-teacher before the first school bell rings:
• When is our common planning time?
• Should we set aside other time (early-morning coffee, lunchtime walks) for additional planning?
• What are your pet peeves?
• How will we introduce ourselves to the students?
• How will we arrange the classroom for flexible grouping?
• What is our grading policy?
• How will we evaluate our own co-teaching practice?
co-teaching
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Power tips to launch
your guided reading
groups this school year.
by kim greene
strategies needed to advance to the
next level. Children at the initial stage
may need instruction about left-to-right
progression, while those at a higher
level can learn to use picture cues to
decode new words. Small-group work
with guided reading is critical to meet
the needs of all learners.”
According to Hepfer and other
experts, the beginning of the year
is a crucial time to set the tone for
guided reading groups. From rules
and routines to activities and assess-
ments, we’ve compiled a guide to
guided reading to help you get your
groups up and running.
many teachers have guided reading
in their instructional toolbox, and they
consider it a necessary strategy, espe-
cially in classrooms where differentia-
tion is key. For Allison Hepfer, who
teaches kindergarten at Hamagrael
Elementary in Delmar, New York,
guided reading is a cornerstone of her
literacy instruction. She meets with
small groups of students on a daily
basis, supporting them as they learn
to use reading strategies.
“Guiding reading is one of the best
ways to differentiate,” Hepfer says.
“By grouping children by reading
levels, I can target specific skills and
Ready Readers
INS1•GuidedRead[34-36]v10tf.indd 34 7/21/15 4:40 PM
07212015154953
ph
oto
: Z
UM
A p
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My
a guided reading group (only in a true
emergency) and when not to interrupt
(basically for any other reason).
“We spend the first three or four
weeks of school just doing manage-
ment and rules and routines,” says
Kelly Anderson, a third-grade teacher
at East Side Elementary School in
Marietta, Georgia, who uses guided
reading with the struggling readers in
her class. “We teach student respon-
sibilities and teacher responsibilities.
The students should understand that
as a teacher you also have a job to do.”
What type of work should students
do independently while you’re meeting
with a group? That may depend on
your school’s literacy block model, but
here are a few ideas.
• “Dosomethingpurposeful.Ioutlaw
worksheets,”saysRichardson.“Do
independent reading or any letter-
sound work, spelling, or vocabulary
practice. Allow students to write
extensions to stories they started
in writers’ workshop.”
• Hepfer’sstudentsusethetimeto
read a book at their independent
level or to read with a partner.
“Imodelpartnerreadingalotand
create anchor charts with visual
models.Ievenvideotapepartner-
ships, and we watch them on the
SMARTBoard.Ishowstudents
what reading partners look like
and sound like.”
• “Listeningcentersareeasytoman-
age and great for your younger
learners or for your English language
learners,” says Richardson, “For the
intermediate children, they should
be reading, preparing for their book
clubs, or doing research.”
Practice these routines and activi-
ties every day. Build students’ stamina
until they can function on their own
for the 15 to 20 minutes you’ll need to
meet with a small group.
Make Smart Text ChoicesWhen you’re ready to kick off your
small-group guided reading lessons,
begin by placing students in groups
based on their reading levels and
instructionalneeds.“Iliketogroup
children according to a reading range
aroundafocusstrategy.Itcouldbe
monitoring, decoding, fluency, or com-
prehension,” says Richardson.
Next, choose the right book—and
choose wisely. “Guided reading can
flop or fly based upon the text choice.
Ifit’stooeasy,there’snothingforthe
child to learn,” Richardson says. “But
if it’s too difficult, the teacher has to
do the reading for the student. That
doesn’t increase the child’s problem-
solving skills.”
Ifyou’restaringatashelffullof
LevelDtexts,whichbookshouldyou
choose?Interestlevelandconceptual
knowledge are considerations. “For
primary readers, be sure the story
makes sense. Sometimes early-level
texts are so focused on developing
sight-word knowledge that the story
getslost,”saysDebbieRosenow,a
literacycoachforHamiltonCounty
Schools in Tennessee. “For the inter-
mediate grades, try to identify shorter
texts such as short stories, nonfiction
articles, and poems that students can
finish in one or two days.
“The text should provide multiple
opportunities for students to apply
strategies and skills [you have identi-
fied for the group],” advises Rosenow.
Establish Routines to Foster IndependenceEstablishing routines at the beginning
of the year is crucial. “Before you ever
meet with a small group, make sure
the rest of the class understands the
routines and activities they’re doing
while you’re working with the group,”
says Jan Richardson, author of The Next
Step in Guided Reading and a former
classroom teacher, reading specialist,
and Reading Recovery teacher. “You
get in trouble if you try to start the
year without having taught children
how to be independent.”
Even the youngest students can
become independent through explicit
instructionandpractice.Inthefirst
weeks of school, you might teach
a mini-lesson about how to choose
a “just right” book for independent
reading, or one on when to interrupt
Do independent reading, letter-sound work, or vocabulary practice. Allow students to write extensions to stories they started in writers’ workshop.”
—Reading specialist Jan Richardson
Teacher Christy
Platt guides first
graders at Reagan
Elementary in
Fresno, California.
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36 scholastic instructor back to school 2015
Dive Into InstructionDivide your lesson into segments:
before, during, and after reading.
• BeforeReading:“I’veseenteachers
spend 15 minutes talking about the
book, and the children have only two
minutes to read it,” says Richardson.
She suggests a one-sentence “gist”
statement and a quick preview. For
second-language learners, you might
need to spend more time, “but for
other children, look into the book
and then let them start reading.”
• DuringReading:Allowstudentsto
read independently—either by read-
ing silently or by whisper reading.
Students should not read round-
robin, as they used to do. Instead,
make your way around the group to
work one-on-one with each student
Writing about the text is a good
practice as well, and it allows you to
collect a writing sample. “The children
might do a dictated sentence at an
early level. As they move up, they get
more responsibilities for coming up
with the message,” says Richardson.
For older students, Rosenow says these
post-reading writing activities could
include creating five or six imitation
Facebook posts or tweets from a char-
acter’s point of view.
Assess, and Be FlexibleRemember: The composition of your
guided reading groups isn’t etched
in stone. Your groups should be fluid
and should change as your students’
instructional needs change. That’s
where informal and formal assess-
ments come in handy.
Of the informal assessments, run-
ning records are extremely useful for
determining whether students should
be moved to another group.
“I complete informal running records
on a biweekly basis,” explains Hepfer.
“Because the children in kindergarten
change at such different paces, the
groups must be flexible. I also look to
see if there are children who need help
with similar skills and group them
accordingly.”
Formal assessments, such as the
Developmental Reading Assessment
or the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark
Assessment System, given at the begin-
ning, middle, and end of the school year,
will also help with tracking students’
progress. By year’s end, you’ll see just
how much they’ve grown as readers.
“At the beginning of last year, I had
a student who entered kindergarten
identifying only a few letters and
sounds,” says Hepfer. “He did not
see himself as a reader. At first we
focused on things such as concepts
of print, letter sounds and names,
and using pictures to help figure
out a tricky word. As each month
passed, he gained confidence. [At the
end of the year], he looked up at me
and exclaimed, ‘You were right, Mrs.
Hepfer. I am a reader!’ ”
for a few minutes. If they are reading
silently, ask them to whisper read
to you when it’s their turn. Different
students will need different strate-
gies—some may need support using
first-letter cues, while others may
need help monitoring their compre-
hension (see sidebar). “The idea of
guided reading is scaffolding children
while they read, doing it with the
teacher’s support,” Richardson says.
• AfterReading:First,youshould
check for students’ comprehension,
which can be done in the form of a
discussion question, such as “How
did this character change from
beginning to end?” You can also
use the time for a predetermined
word study (e.g., on digraphs) geared
toward the group’s needs.
Monitoring Decoding Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension
Are you
right?
Say the first
part and
check the
picture. What
would look
right and
make sense?
Try
reading
it without
pointing.
Is there
a word you
don’t
understand?
What’s
happening
on this page?
Does that
make
sense?
Can you break
it into parts?
How
would the
character
say that?
Are there
clues in the
sentence or
illustration to
help you?
Is there a
confusing part?
What don’t you
understand?
Does it look
right? Check
it with your
finger.
Do you know
another word
that looks like
this one?
Put some
words
together
so it
sounds
smooth.
Is there a part
in that word
that can help?
Why do you think
the character
did (or said) that?
PromPting for successAuthor and former teacher Jan Richardson offers a host of free guided-
reading resources on her website (www.janrichardsonguidedreading.com),
including these prompts for “during reading” instruction.
guided reading
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07212015154953
Tips for helping your teacher–parent partnerships make the grade. by calvin hennick
illu
str
atio
ns
: v
icto
ria
ro
be
rts
scholastic instructor BacK to school 2014 45
Your Goals
Parents are the most important partners teachers can have.
They, like you, want what is best for their kids—and will
work tirelessly to that end. Still, even if it’s not intentional,
they will occasionally act in ways that make your job
tougher. Here are some surefire ways to fix or prevent the
most common parent problems so that you can be the best
partners possible in your students’ education.
Problem No oNe Reads YouR NewsletteRs
You spend hours compiling class information, and yet
parents still have no idea that today is the class field trip!
solutioN: diveRsifY aNd simplifY
Pernille Ripp, a middle school teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin,
gives parents the option of receiving paper or e-mail news-
Parentsa+
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07092014163536
letters. Also, she includes only
the most important informa-
tion in those weekly updates.
“I try to be very picky with
what I send so that people
know if I’m sending some-
thing, it’s something they’ll
need,” she says.
Problem a paReNt
thiNks You’Re siNgliNg
out heR Child
You make a phone call home
about a problem at school,
and the response is, “Why
are you always picking on
my kid?”
solutioN: seNd out geNeRal
RemiNdeRs to eveRYoNe
When Ripp noticed dress-code viola-
tions starting to pop up in her class-
room, she didn’t call individual kids’
parents. Instead, she sent out a note
reminding all families about the rules.
The move saved her time, and ensured
that kids didn’t feel they were being
individually targeted. “It usually solves
95 percent of the problem,” Ripp says.
Problem laNguage
aNd CultuRal BaRRieRs
You wish you could talk to all of
your students’ parents in their native
tongue, but you’re limited to English.
solutioN: emBRaCe diveRsitY
Even if you can’t become fluent in
a half-dozen languages in time for
parent–teacher conferences, you can
still create a welcoming multicultural
environment. Thomas Hoerr, an edu-
cation author and administrator at
a private school in St. Louis, recom-
mends printing greetings in multiple
languages, holding some school meet-
ings in community spaces, and serv-
ing different ethnic foods at school
functions. You’ll also want a translator
on hand for important meetings.
parents
Problem the amBush!
A parent has a bone to pick, and he
shows up unannounced during your
prep period wanting to discuss the
problem—right this minute.
solutioN: sChedule a meetiNg
foR a lateR date
“Surprise visits aren’t good,” says
Nicholas Provenzano, an English
teacher in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. He
recommends saying you already have
a meeting scheduled, and then suggest
finding a time that works for both of
you. Invite a third party like a counselor
or an administrator to the meeting. The
point isn’t to blow off the parent, but
to ensure that you have a productive
discussion instead of an argument.
Problem CommuNiCatioN
via e-mail is NoNstop
A parent is clogging your in-box with
three or four e-mails a day, requesting
everything from behavior updates to
homework clarifications.
solutioN: set a 24-houR
ReplY poliCY
Even if you check your e-mail
twice an hour, let parents
know at the beginning of
the year that they can
expect a response from
you in about a day.
“That way, parents
know they’ll hear
back within 24 hours,
but if they have
something urgent,
e-mail is not the way
to go,” says Jason
Flom, an administrator
at a private school in
Tallahassee, Florida. If
parents still e-mail every
day, he recommends batch-
ing your responses at the end
of the week.
To deter the worst offenders from
sending multiple e-mails, set up an
automatic reply that directs parents
to your class website for homework
updates and other class news.
Problem iNvisiBle paReNts
You’ve heard rumors of this mom’s
or dad’s existence, but you’ve never
actually met the parent.
solutioN: iNClude them
iN aN eaRlY pRojeCt
John Spencer, a middle school teacher
in Phoenix, gives students a get-to-
know-you assignment at the beginning
of the year and encourages them to
involve their parents.
“Kids will videotape their parents
cooking, or working on their car, and
it gets parents involved in telling their
story,” Spencer says. “That helps me to
get to know the parents.”
Many parents may be hard to track
down because of busy schedules—
some may work multiple jobs or have
crushing family responsibilities. To
accommodate these parents, Hoerr
suggests scheduling both daytime and
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07092014163537
scholastic instructor BacK to school 2014 47
evening opportunities to attend the
school play, conferences, and other
important events.
Problem aRguiNg a gRade
You gave that essay a B?
A parent begs to differ.
solutioN: Request
a faCe-to-faCe meetiNg
Provenzano says it’s “easy” to complain
about a grade over the phone or in an
e-mail, but that most parents will let
a grade stand rather than make their
case in person. “Over 12 years, I’ve had
maybe three or four parents come in
to discuss the grading of an essay,”
he says.
Provenzano recommends having
a clear grading rubric to back you
up: “You add up the columns, and it
equals a 92, and it’s an A-minus.”
Hard to argue with that.
Problem a ReluCtaNCe to let go
Call it “helicoptering,” “snowplowing,”
or just old-fashioned babying. A par-
ent insists on tying the child’s shoes
for him every morning, and doing a
thousand other things that he should
be learning to do himself.
solutioN: geNtlY poiNt
out age-appRopRiate skills
Pinedale, Wyoming, first-grade
teacher Cori Ann Lloyd
tells parents, “At this
point, most kids
are hanging up
their backpack by
themselves.” Parents
usually respond
positively. “They
want their kid to
be successful,”
Lloyd says.
Core CommuniCation
It can be difficult communicating
information about Common Core
with families. So, for example,
when their child brings home
math assignments showing a
different approach from the way
they learned it, parents can be
sent into a tizzy. Here are two
solutions for addressing Core
questions and misconceptions.
• Spencer, the Phoenix educa-
tor, says his district has held
Common Core info sessions
for parents. Spencer prefers
to show parents how their kids
put the standards into action.
“When the parents see the
work, and they realize that
it’s Common Core–aligned,
they’re so proud of what their
kid did, and they’re much more
comfortable with it,” he says.
• Dykes, the middle school
teacher from Alabama, also
favors a “show, don’t tell”
approach. Although there’s
a growing movement in the
state to opt out of the Core, the
Alabama College- and Career-
Ready Standards are aligned
with the framework. Dykes says
her daughter’s school held a
math night where presenters
didn’t just talk about the stan-
dards but actually took parents
through a hands-on, standards-
based math lesson. “The par-
ents left with really good things
to say,” Dykes remarks.
Problem paReNts go sileNt
iN meetiNgs
You hold a meeting to discuss a stu-
dent’s individualized education plan,
and the parent doesn’t seem to have
any thoughts or opinions.
solutioN: demYstifY
the pRoCess
If a parent gets quiet, she may
simply be trying to decipher a stream
of “teacher-speak” acronyms being
tossed around the table. Jeffrey Benson,
a Boston-area education consultant,
recommends inviting parents in for
a premeeting—before the official IEP
meeting—to help get them up to speed.
Problem the paReNt has
heaRd oNlY half the stoRY
A kid has told his dad the truth…just
not all of it. (Hint: Your side of the story
is the one that’s missing.)
solutioN: ask the Child to
tell the stoRY iN fRoNt of
You aNd the paReNt
“With middle schoolers, the story
changes a million times,” says McCalla,
Alabama, teacher Amanda Dykes.
“I always tell parents, ‘I’ll believe half
of what they say about you if you believe
half of what they say about me.’”
Dykes says that kids usually get a lot
more honest if they have to tell their
story in front of a parent and the teacher
at the same time.
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