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MAKING READING MEANINGFUL 1
Making Reading Meaningful for Eastern Greene High School: Combining Philosophical Shift with Progressive Pedagogy
Amanda Bright
Introduction and Overview
Every school has its challenges. Test scores, attendance rates, student motivation, and
college-readiness are on the minds of administrators and teachers at any educational institution.
However, it is the unique combination of factors at any school building that determines what
philosophies and framework should be employed—particularly in regards to curriculum. For
Kevin Frank (2014) and his colleagues at Eastern Greene High School in Bloomfield, Ind., the
need is clear. “Each student will demonstrate improvement in reading comprehension skills
across the curriculum” (Frank, 2014). The goal is based on collected data that showed a lack of
student readiness regarding both future college and career reading. In fact, the vast majority of
Mr. Frank’s school improvement plan presentation is based on standards and standardized test
data in regards to reading.
Although the world of education is now a place of data—perhaps more than ever before
—the process of education shouldn’t completely revolve around those numbers. The political
dimensions of having a school that meets benchmarks is obvious, but the motivation for students
to engage in better reading practices is usually not tied to how their school scores on statewide
tests. Instead, the students are more encouraged by the utility of their learning and its application
to their lives and the world.
Mr. Frank’s school is a small and rural one, with fewer than 400 students in grades 9-12.
Although they are near Indiana University, Frank mentioned in his full-text school improvement
plan that there is a disconnectedness between the small-town life that EGHS students inhabit and
the world around them (Eastern Greene, 2013). Based on my own concept of curriculum and the
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MAKING READING MEANINGFUL 2
needs of Eastern Greene High School, I have developed a framework that will hopefully increase
reading comprehension and motivate learners to see outside of their current environment.
Curriculum is a living entity that gives boundaries and structure to what students learn, but it also
has the inherent ability to create connections between information, self, and community. I
believe that curriculum should be versatile in a world where delivering information isn’t the goal
any longer. Instead, curriculum has become about providing context and application to that
information, which can be so easily found on the internet. While the current action plan for
EGHS involves professional development for teachers, curriculum expansion, and small changes
in assessment, I believe a curriculum framework that includes social reconstructionist and
humanistic principles, constructivist and cognitive-based pedagogy, and aggressive formative
assessment would create not only a rise in test scores but also a sense that reading is purposeful
outside of the school’s walls. Only then will EGHS be able to fulfill its goal of “provid[ing] an
academic program and educational learning environment which will empower students to
become lifelong learners with the knowledge and skills that will equip them for future academic
and workforce success” (Eastern Greene, 2013).
A Review of Current Curriculum
The administration of Eastern Greene High School has not been idle in pursuing its
purpose. According to the presentation created by Kevin Frank (2014), who is the principal of
Eastern Greene, many steps have been taken to raise reading scores. From literacy trainers to
reading apprenticeships, teachers are clearly being provided with professional development to
help their students read better. Beyond the investment in teachers, the support for students has
been augmented including tutoring, RTI-style interventions, and targeted class time. Those
supports are primarily for struggling students, but EGHS has not forgotten about high-achievers
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MAKING READING MEANINGFUL 3
either. Expanding curriculum options to involve more choice in ELA classes, as well as
Advanced Placement offerings underlines an emphasis on the SIP goal.
In order to gauge the effectiveness of the strategies employed above, EGHS has used
several standardized assessments. The great news is that the scores have improved overall. For
most testing completed, the improvement was slight, although a few indicators were more
dramatic in their results. The high school tests seem to be drawing better numbers than the
standardized, college-level exams. Regardless, reading is still very much on the radar for this
high school, and their desire to see even more growth in students is warranted.
The next steps of this school involve those that have already happened in my district and
many others. Data-driven SMART goals, collaboration and accountability for reaching those
Test Date # of students testing
% Passing Reading Comprehension(% mastery)
Writing Application(% mastery)
May 2010 112 49 56 49
May 2011 96 65 71 63
May 2012 102 66 69 56
May 2013 87 72 71 72
May 2014 95 75 73 80
Graduating Class % of Seniors taking SAT
Critical Reading
EGHS State
2010 51 471 4942011 43 478 4932012 55 470 4932013 61 479 493
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MAKING READING MEANINGFUL 4
goals, and a focus on best practice and student testing ability are on the menu for EGHS. The
question becomes: Will those strategies truly make the difference between meeting—or even
exceeding—the state average for this small, Indiana high school?
Curriculum Framework and Justification
The administration and staff at EGHS has done a textbook job of implementing reforms
from a systemic standpoint. Using standards and standardized test scores as guideposts, they
have improved teacher knowledge and student support. They are obviously cognizant of where
they are in relation to the benchmarks, and I believe the staff has made a concerted effort toward
that end as well. Judging a school from a single improvement plan is challenging, but based on
the extended narrative in Mr. Frank’s full improvement plan, it is clear that more is needed in
order to get at least another 25% of students succeeding in reading (Eastern Greene, 2013).
Although I am far from a reading specialist, one major focus for my high school has been
reading as well. We have been down a similar road as Mr. Frank in the past five years.
Unfortunately, it has led to similarly mediocre results. Based on research, my own teaching
experiences, and analysis of the larger trends in reading education today, I would suggest a three-
pronged approach to making the reading curriculum more than just a lackluster set of numbers
on a page. Although idealistic in philosophy, I have found during my public school teaching
career (with five semesters of college instruction previous) that students do indeed rise to the
challenges before them, particularly when we look at their larger position in its proper
perspective and context.
Framework Component No. 1—Model and Explanation
While 100 years ago information was something to be valued, treasured, and fought for,
today’s student is not in the same context. Gathering information is easy; making sense of it in
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MAKING READING MEANINGFUL 5
light of self and world is much more challenging. So much of the focus of education today is on
test performance, and students tire of data-driven perspectives with their lives set before them on
a series of spreadsheets. Of course, the reality is we still must test, but how we present those
essential learning outcomes and key reading skill sets makes all the difference. Therefore, I
would propose a philosophical alteration to the framework of how reading is taught. Injecting a
humanistic bend would lead reading to be personal in nature and therefore more applicable.
Hiemstra and Brockett (1994) talk about incorporating humanistic beliefs into a standards-based
paradigm with pragmatism. It isn’t that all curriculum should be taught based on the individual
learner’s whims or preferences. “However, it is our contention that even in situations where
prescribed learning is the ultimate goal, the learning process will be enhanced if learners can
perceive corresponding instruction as meeting individual needs, or they can at least take some
responsibility for aspects of the process” (Hiemstra & Brockett, 1994).
To that end, the authors
created a graphic that represents
their concept of a humanist
curriculum that still fits inside
of today’s education. It
highlights the input of the
learner on the direction of the
learning, which particularly in a
time-consuming endeavor like reading can mean much more motivation. More practically
speaking as a curriculum model, I would encourage Frank’s English teachers to use a “mirrors
and windows” philosophy, which asks students to conceptualize and categorize all they read
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MAKING READING MEANINGFUL 6
from either a reflection of their own life experience (mirror) or a chance to see something beyond
their understanding (window). Reading then becomes a process of self as much as it is acquiring
and comprehending information. In fact, one of the original purposes behind reading literature in
education was to involve the self in the process, not just answer the correct multiple-choice
options on an exam. The teaching and questioning of morality, and the introspection that
followed, are the greatest lessons to be learned from the literary canon—as well as nonfiction
texts from current publications. In order to create a curriculum that both engages and moves
reading scores forward, students need to be personally involved in the reading they complete and
see how their interpretation of a text makes a difference.
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MAKING READING MEANINGFUL 7
The second component of changing the reading philosophy at Eastern Greene High
School is just as necessary as the first—particularly to balance the humanistic concept. High
school students are notoriously self-focused to the point of indulgence. Technology has only
enhanced that reality. Yes, students need to read from a place where they are reflecting on
themselves, but they also need to understand reading in the larger societal context. That is where
I would marry humanistic and social reconstructionist philosophies in the reading curriculum.
From the social reconstructionists, I would take the self-focus and place it in the context of the
globe in order to find purpose and application within what is being read—not just as reading
itself. In social reconstructionism, “students are provided with the learning opportunities for
critically analyzing social
problems faced by
humankind. The
curricular emphasis is on
group experiences and the
development of students’
critical consciousness and
sense of social
responsibility” (Cheung,
2000). A model of this
type of learning created
by Matt Lewis shows how multi-faceted this approach can be. Regarding lessons, students would
be reading about contexts outside of their own (windows) but then working to apply them as
mirrors. Learners could engage in the critical thinking necessary to consider various sides of a
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MAKING READING MEANINGFUL 8
real issue (or as it was portrayed in literature), or they could produce their own materials as a
social justice project—reading and writing to politicians and other decision-makers about issues
in today’s world. All of these higher-level skills of course are built upon the foundation of better
reading comprehension, and with the explicit desire to engage in the reading, that factor would
be multiplied.
The Eastern Greene reading curriculum, based on Frank’s presentation (2014), seems
rooted in the systemic curriculum. Of course, some drill and skill is necessary, and direct reading
instruction is needed for today’s testing paradigm. However, just because our data is driven by
statistics, it doesn’t mean our curriculum has to be. Cheung (2000), expanding on John D.
McNeil’s Contemporary Curriculum: In Thought and Action, advocated for meta-curriculum
that combines philosophies into more pragmatic wholes. I would suggest Frank moving his
reading curriculum from Cheung’s No. 1 “Traditionalist/transmission meta-orientation—a
cluster of cultural-transmission, subject, and competency-based orientations” to a No. 3
“Transformation meta-orientation—a cluster of social-change, humanistic, and transpersonal
orientations” (p. 152). As Cheung (2000) notes, it is difficult to empirically prove that one is
better than another. However, if the current curriculum at Eastern Greene is infused with
humanistic and social reconstructionist principles, students will likely engage more meaningfully
and connect information and knowledge to a greater purpose that will give them reason to
achieve on the next standardized test—or at least purposeful practice of the skills needed to do
so.
Framework Component No. 2—Model and Explanation
A philosophical shift would go far in engaging readers, but that alone depends on the
unity of department members who may or may not ascribe to those ideas. Especially in a time of
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MAKING READING MEANINGFUL 9
scrutiny on the test scores of Frank’s district, something more tangible would be welcome as
well. It seems like much of the professional development of Eastern Greene’s SIP centered
around strategies that were teacher-driven. Many times, as educators, we believe that if we
present the right information in the right way, students will learn more, read better, and perform
more effectively on assessments. However, as a teacher for more than a decade, I have learned
that it isn’t about me. The curriculum is driven by the pedagogy, and many times, students learn
when they create meaning for themselves (versus it being delivered to them). My second
recommendation would be to emphasize constructivist and cognitive-based pedagogies for
delivering the reading curriculum in order to awaken students to their own capabilities.
According to Pressley, Harris, and Marks (1992), constructivism is an “extremely student-
sensitive form of teaching designed to stimulate students to construct effective and personalized
ways of tackling academic problems” (p. 4). By using this curriculum framework, students will
be part of raising their reading scores and solving the problems of testing below the state
average. A constructivist set of strategies is also much more responsive to the needs of
differentiated instruction, which is surely needed in a school the size of Eastern Greene’s. For a
practical example, we turn to Pressley, Harris, and Marks (1992):
Students cooperate in groups to read passages using prediction, questions, clarification,
and summarization strategies. Children take turns acting as group leader. The adult
teacher only intervenes when prompting is necessary to move the lesson along. There is
indirect evidence that a month of such instruction produces internalized use of the
strategies taught. For example, reading comprehension as measured by standardized
achievement tests improves as a function of reciprocal teaching. (Lysynchuk, Pressley, &
Vye, 1990; Palincsar and Brown, 1984)
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MAKING READING MEANINGFUL 10
Their research, and collaboration with other educational researchers, shows that constructivist
learning doesn’t only propel student learning forward, but also allows students to integrate
reading strategies into their banks of knowledge through creation. As a writing teacher who has
heavily emphasized writer’s workshop for years and seen its overwhelmingly positive benefits, I
believe this type of constructivist reading strategy as part of a curriculum framework would
complement the earlier philosophy recommendation and provide a deeper learning experience
for the students.
Framework Component No. 3—Model and Explanation
The final piece to the reading comprehension scores puzzle goes back to the research I
recently completed on assessment. All of the good curriculum and pedagogy in the world doesn’t
provide students, teachers, and administrators with the information they need to know: is it
working or not? It was clear from Frank’s (2014) presentation that standardized tests (both state
and national) were used to gauge the ultimate reading comprehension levels of students.
Research done by Akpan, Notar, & Padgett (2012) showed what many educators already know:
an abundance of purposeful, targeted formative assessments will aid students through the
challenges until they reach success. Part of the reason why students struggle on our reading
comprehension assessments is not because of their inherent inability for reading and
comprehending. Often, elements of test anxiety, misunderstanding, and unfamiliarity play a large
role. Formative assessments give students feedback on what they need to improve. Formative
assessments give teachers feedback on what they need to reteach or clarify. Formative
assessments give both parties a sense of stability and comfort—the outcome of the high-stakes
testing will not be a surprise if the formatives are insightful and applicable. My third and final
recommendation to Eastern Greene High School and Principal Kevin Frank would be to augment
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the philosophical and
pedagogical changes
in the curriculum
framework with
formative assessments
that are instructive and
meaningful. In the
chart below, the
purpose is clear, but I
would also place a big
emphasis on the second box—timely student achievement information. Well-executed formative
assessments give students relevant and quick feedback, so they can make changes in their
behavior or process in order to procure success. The amount of feedback and implied student
accountability would reflect on the student-driven constructivist strategies and inward/outward
conceptual focus of the curriculum itself. If we want students to take reading seriously, we need
to take our feedback of their performance seriously. There is little risk for either student or
teacher in this paradigm, just a bit more work. However, I am convinced that the outcome will be
better readers, which is not only Eastern Greene’s goal, but a goal for all educators.
Conclusion and Reflection
It would be deceiving to all parties to believe that a simple research paper and set of three
ideas would solve the reading comprehension score problems for an entire student population. I
also don’t want to assert that my personal preferences regarding curriculum should be assumed
by all other educators. However, based on the challenges mentioned by Kevin Frank at Eastern
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Greene High School in Bloomfield, Ind., I do think the administration and faculty have done all
they could to raise those scores within the present systemic paradigm. It is likely, as in my
experience, that the teachers are tired and the administration is frustrated by a lack of growth that
has put the small, public high school below the state level in reading comprehension. That is why
my curriculum framework suggestion for Eastern Greene includes a fairly dramatic shift in the
three main areas of education—philosophy, pedagogy, and assessment. The changes in all three
of these areas are meant to dovetail to create an environment where students begin to see reading
as not a task to complete but a window to themselves and the world. At the same time, they will
take ownership by leading the learning and making sense out of a variety of readings through
constructivism. The tell, then, of whether these concepts are working will be clear to both staff
and students through a myriad of formative assessments providing meaningful and targeted
feedback. All of these framework pieces are meant to engage students in their own learning,
while making reading efficacious. With this framework in place, I would hope that Eastern
Greene would indeed be able to make even more progress toward its ultimate curriculum goal
that “every student has the opportunity to be successful at Eastern Greene High School” (Eastern
Greene, 2013).
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References
Akpan, J., Notar, C., & Padgett, S. (2012). Formative assessment: A basic foundation for
teaching and learning. National Teacher Education Journal, 5(1), 83-97.
Cheung, D. (2000). Measuring teachers’ meta-orientations to curriculum: Application of
hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis. The Journal of Experimental Education, 68(2),
149-165.
Eastern Greene High School 2012-2013 School Improvement Plan. (2013). Retrieved from
http://egreene.k12.in.us/UserFiles/Servers/Server_550661/File/HighSchool/SIP.pdf
Frank, K. (2014). Eastern Greene High School: Curriculum improvement [PowerPoint slides].
Retrieved on August 3, 2014, from Indiana State University Blackboard website.
Hiemstra, R., & Brockett, R. (1994). From behaviorism to humanism: Incorporating self-
direction in learning concepts into the instructional design process. In H. B. Long &
Associates, New ideas about self-directed learning. Norman, OK: Oklahoma Research
Center for Continuing Professional and Higher Education, University of Oklahoma.
Pressley, M., Harris, K. R., & Marks, M. B. (1992). But good strategy instructors are
constructivists! Educational Psychology Review, 4(1), 3-31.