As you are reading this, I am in Slovakia and am probably presenting my workshop there. Thanks for your feedback before I left on my description of my presentation. I'll bring you each something from my travels to have on our next weekend together.
As you all noted on our Adobe Connect class on Sept. 29, Program Improvement is all about making what you have better. In the case of literacy, it is about improving the school wide literacy program, including how literacy is taught across the disciplines.Think about your own involvement in program improvement. What strategies do you think helped support change and improvement? Literacy programs should be a collaboration of the educational community in and around the building. It should be built around common goals and expectations for all children, and be comprehensive so that in addresses all aspects of language and literacy. Program improvement, you all noted, is ongoing across all age levels in your educational institution. It is systemic and not just aimed at a classroom or a teacher. Before thinking about how to improve your program, you need to think about the aspects of a program that you will need to look at to see if or what needs tweaking, adjusting, or transforming. Those aspects include the following: the curriculum (what is taught and learned), instruction (how literacy is taught and learned), assessment (how learning is determined), materials (what is used for teaching and learning, such as books, technology, manipulatives, real life materials, games, etc.), the organization and environment (what happens when with whom, time, grouping, staffing, PD, school and classroom climate), and parent and community involvement in the program.
An important piece of program improvement is PD. It can either precede plans for improvement or it can be an integral part of the improvement process. Describe what you think is the role of a literacy leader (whether a reading specialist or a regular classroom teacher) in program improvement?
There are 7 chapters to read for this week in WSQ. I've divided them up into 4 pairs of chapters. You will need to decide (and let your group know via this blog) which of the 2 chapters each of you will read. Each pair of chapters needs to be read by one member of your group.
A) WSQ Chaps 4 adn 6 which discuss programs for early learners and adolescents
B) WSQ chaps 7 adn 12 which discuss materials and writing in literacy programs
C) WSQ Chaps 13 and 14 which discuss programs for linguistically diverse and learning disabled students
D) WSQ Chaps 10 an 14 which discuss issues of achievement, assessment , and children needing RTI
When you write your own blog, you will need to discuss the key points of what you read,connecting the 2 chapters together and relating them to the aspects I listed above of literacy programs. Please ask for questions about the topics and for your group to make connections to their own chapters. Remember that you will have to return to your blog several times before Thursday to check if there are questions and to respond to any that are there. You will also have to visit the blogs of others to see what the answers to your questions are and perhaps ask for clarification. Think of this as a jigsaw discussion.
Even though I"m out of the country, I'm on e-mail and will be back late Monday. If you need anything or have questions, send me an e-mail.
When I think about program improvement, relating to literacy, I think about how I was involved in the implementation on Literacy First at a school I was at. It was a several year implementation process that I attend many PDs to learn about. I attended a 2 week PD the summer before it began. Once I'd been trained the literacy coach and principal helped a lot with observing and coaching us through the process of getting it started. We had weekly meetings about of progress and what we needed help on. I think the role the literacy coach took on was coach and model. She would come in to the class and observe and then give feedback and help me with areas I needed improvement. She also helped with my small groups. She'd teach a lesson and I'd observe. There was immediate feedback sessions too. I would go in the hall and she'd give me pointers instantly. I think the role she played for this school improvement was also encourager. She would meet with us if we felt overwhelmed and pump us back up. She also help data meetings that helped us get on track.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of the role of a literacy leader in program development I think of someone who is actively involved in the latest literacy research and is willing to share with the staff. I have not had very strong literacy leader models in the schools I've taught. I attended a language curriculum workshop that my principal really likes. It was a week long of observing and modeling. The instructor actually is a 2nd grade teacher at my school this year. She had been very supportive with any questions that I might have about the program and is willing to demonstrate a concept if I don't understand. Since the program is designed for 1-5 grades, if anyone has questions she is the persons to go to. I think being able to be flexible and knowledgeable with curriculum sources and willing to help other staff members are qualities that a literacy leader should portray.
ReplyDeleteTo my group, I am able to read any of the paired chapters.
I think program improvement needs to be a balance between focusing on the whole school and differentiating for each department, grade level, and teacher. It shouldn't focus on just a small portion of the school, but it should be responsive to the situations and needs of everybody, which I think is what would make it a challenge. I imagine that a literacy leader could help with both of those aspects and would serve as an ongoing reference for the improvement program. The literacy leader would likely help facilitate the design of the improvement plan, as well as being one of the main people who communicates with the teachers in the school about what is going on in the classrooms and what the areas of strength and need are. The literacy leader would also probably be a "go-to" person for people who need support with improving their own department or their own teaching.
ReplyDeleteTo Melissa and Jacqueline: I can read the first two for this week, chapters 4 and 6. Would we also all need to read one of the pairs in addition to the pair that we each volunteered for, since there are only three of us? I'm turning on notifications for the comments on this blog post so we can discuss it briefly.
When I think of program improvement in an early care setting, it should focus on what is appropriate practice for each age group. A literacy leader in this setting should be capable of sharing/training/teaching staff why early literacy is important and how it affects literacy development as the child ages. This person should also be able to help teachers prepare appropriate literacy centers and lessons for each age group. I would also expect them to have a deep knowledge of literacy development and suggest appropriate children's books for read alouds or independent reading. I agree with Angela that the literacy leader should be a "go-to" person.
ReplyDeleteErin & Kaitlin-----I'll read chapters 10 & 14 (achievement, assessment, RTI). I can also read chapter 13 since there are three of us and seven chapters.
When I think of a literacy leader in program development, I think of a reading specialist who is very aware of all the needs of the school. The literacy leader needs to be very involved in the literacy program that the school/district is using and then determine how to continually build off of it and find ways to improve specific areas. I think the literacy leader should find times to survey and/or observe the staff to determine areas of strength and areas that could use more clarification, modeling, and/or discussion.
ReplyDeleteI can read chapter 7 &12. Do we all need to read to read chapter 10, since the last two pairs include chapter 14?
A literacy leader should know what improvements are needed in the building. They should know resources and strategies that will help teachers individually, as departments, and as a whole. They should be actively involved in the classrooms and with planning.
ReplyDeleteProgram improvement should focus on multiple areas, and it needs to take into account departments and grade levels. Program improvement should be tailored to its participants, clearly demonstrate why the improvements are needed, and provide adequate time to plan, implement, and reflect on the new strategies.
Angela & Jackie, I'll read 7 & 12. I don't mind reading an additional chapter as well so that Chapters 10 & 14 are read.