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• Approach Proposal: work on one standard together. Look at some data together; then break up into subgroups—jigsaw.
• Assessments—Scoring the regents: a group will be selected to score separate portions of the Regents. See draft information from Jacqueline Marino.
• Time—Perhaps by end of January we will see sample assessments: check with your administrators.

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• July 1996-April 1997 Committee for Reading Recovery:
• RR won’t solve all problems; good teaching/instruction is required.
• Report contains survey of what districts are doing to create effective RR programs
• Outline of effective qualities & the three recommendations

• Identifies some of the features that do not promote success; emphasizes strong instruction; strong staff development; extended time, etc.

• Introduction summarizes each chapter.

• What improvement actually occurs (p. 3 and following)
  • Labs instead of study hall staffed by professional in the field
  • Extended courses

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• More homework? Needs to be meaningful!
• Stronger athletic policies
• More one on one
• Assess data of testing
• Staff development
• Recommitment to honor

• Outline administrative support—what is learned here needs to be taken back to the classroom.

• Article Groups
  • Schoolwide reform models – Laurie, Renee, Linda
  • All Regents HS – John, Dee, Fran
  • Early Literacy – Karen, Elizabeth, Kris
  • Schools that work – Sandy, Penny, Dale
  • Cluster smaller articles – Dale, Ann, Joy

• Parent/Community involvement
• Strong leadership – instructional & administrative
• Effective Professional Development Schoolwide
  • Tied to Student needs
• Clear high expectations of staff, students & community
• All students can learn with peers
• Existence of vision, goals and a mission
• Focus and time on teaching & learning
• Accountability of students and teachers
• Continual monitoring
  • Ongoing formal, systematic assessment every 6-8 weeks used to drive instruction
  • Communication systems of data from grade to grade
• Align core curriculum from grade to grade
• Facilitate curriculum internally and externally
• Positive atmosphere
• Disciplined, safe motivating climate
• Positive reinforcement
• Student rights and responsibilities
• Allocation of resources—technology
• Staff as role models
• Small schools/classes
  • Majority of time in small group instruction or one to one
  • Conferencing
  • Also applies to instruction
• Strong collection and staff of library materials:
  • Books in classroom and library
  • Broad range with natural and predictable language
  • Materials selected for teaching at the instructional level
  • Promotion of voluntary reading
• These Standards are more challenging
  • Do not manipulate standards to fit into curriculum.
• Extended courses and creative use of time
• More classroom instructional time for reading and writing
• Stress reading & writing in content areas
• Full day kindergarten
• Extended day opportunities – Saturday & summer
• Instructional support provided additional time
• Learning lab instead of study hall
• Curriculum alignment within and across grade levels
• Wrong to teach the test not wrong to teach to the test
• Educational support programs for parents with children ages 0-5 years
• Use of consultants to evaluate literacy program to provide data for districts to improve
• Integration and immersion – daily read alouds; thematic instruction and reading for real purposes
• A print rich environment: word walls
• Kids actively engaged – hands-on
• Teacher collaboration
• Cooperative learning groups
• High quality classroom instruction
• Support staff/intervention needs to be more personal & intensive
• Multiple approaches to literacy instruction
• Model, explain, show examples of powerful thinking skills
• As schools restructure, roles will change
• Use of paraprofessionals and specialists to support teachers
• Time—literacy instruction takes time
  • Teacher management of time
  • Site-based management
  • What do teachers want to see more of and less of in the classroom

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