Reading Comprehension

      Race and socioeconomic status are definite factors with students not comprehending reading.  I teach at a Title 1 school and face this with many children.  Reading Chapter 7, I came across modifications and strategies that I'm using now to increase reading comprehension for all of my students.  Modifications that fall under direct instruction such as dynamic presentation of info, clear organization and structure of instruction, step-by-step progression of teaching elements, and explanatory instruction are some that I'm using.  With explicit instruction, I'm guiding students during initial practice, providing students with high levels of successful practice from modeling, highlighting, providing feedback, reviewing, and then having the students practice and apply knowledge cooperatively in groups and/or individually.  As for strategies, there is spatial organization with graphic organizers and also mnemonic practice.  There are many opportunities for my students to progress in reading comprehension from questioning, main idea instruction, multicomponent elements, summarization, reciprocal teaching, cooperative learning, and peer tutoring.
       There are strategies and collaboration from the chapter that I haven't yet put into practice in my classroom.  They are having the reading disabled students serve as tutors, students performing self-regulation, and full implementation of a multicomponent strategy program.  Looking at the tables for reading comprehension procedures, when it comes to summarizing and main idea, there are steps I haven't taken to provide higher achievement in these areas. 
      Realizing that reading comprehension is the basis to do well in all subjects, there is always room to apply additional research-based strategies in teaching.  To help boost confidence and self-efficacy in my reading disabled students, I could demonstrate to them how to be a reading tutor in cooperative groups.  With self-regulation, I could model self-instruction such as think-aloud skills, teach for self-monitoring, and provide students with strategies that they can apply independently with confidence.  A multicomponent strategy program that I've heard of and could start with is the SQ3R program (Survey, Question, Read Retell, Review).  We do a lot of this already in my classroom, but to have my struggling students put together these skills into one name and know steps for the process, it would help text information be clearer and more organized. 

Reading Instruction

Regarding teaching Reading to all cultures, languages, disabilities, and exceptionalities in my class, I have the following evident:

• addressing cultures in my class within the curriculum
• meaningful activities when focusing on basic reading skills
• most components of Culturally Responsive Reading Instruction (having students make connections between school and their lives,helping students access prior knowledge, and high expectations)
• Literacy Instruction with Emphasis on Oral Language Development (oracy instruction)
• Intensive Reading Interventions (modified Guided Reading in small group)
• most components of Reading Comprehension Strategies within Content-Area Instruction (reciprocal teaching and collaborative strategic reading)

Strategies and theories I've learned about in this chapter that I'm not implementing are:

• transferring reading strategies already known in first language to second language
• practicing different ways to distinguish between a learning disability and a language acquisition
• learning as much as possible about all cultures of my students and celebrating similarities/differences more often
• recognizing literacy experiences at home
• giving students roles in cooperative learning groups

The following is on my "To-Do" list with Reading instruction:

• To transfer between languages, I'll make my students more aware of how they can transfer literacy skills and knowledge already acquired in first language and will demonstrate to further advance students in the process.
• I'll pull my Hispanic student I'm concerned with to help distinguish between LD and language acquisitionn by giving her oral directions in English to follow.
• I'll double check permanent records and ask parents to confirm all cultures and will research all holidays and traditions that can be integrated into lesson plans.  I can take books on diversity and separate them in labeled book baskets.
• I can send home an interview form for students and parents to fill out together on all literacy experiences at home.  Then, we can have a designated day where the parents come in and they present the form's info to the class, whether it's a poster they made, books they brought in, projects they created, movies made from books, and/or simply storytelling.
• When students are in cooperative learning groups, I can give them roles such as Leader, Clunk Expert, Questioner, Time Keeper, and Encourager.

Assessments

      The right concepts that I'm applying towards my students being assessed (as mentioned in Ch. 12) are using most of the steps of the Problem Solving Model, giving different types of assessment, and preparing students for high stake testing. I currently don't have any students with IEPs and therefore, do not have to accommodate or modify assessments for students with disabilities.  I've just received permission from one child's mother that I can go forward with referring him to A-Team (my school's problem solving team) for the gap between class expectations and his low academic performance. I'm still waiting on permission from another child's mother to go forward with referring her to the A-team process.  Both children's areas of concern have already been identified with their classroom grades and being screened and submitted for RTI in Math and Reading. I'm using positive reinforcement incentive charts for both with trying their best and staying focused on quizzes and tests.  I have them in the front and away from the peers that could distract them.  For my whole class with assessments, I offer checklists, rubrics, running records, interviews, quizzes, unit tests, projects, presentations, cooperative group activities, and hands-on activities for a variety of given assessments.  When it comes to high-stakes testing, my students are in 2nd grade and do not have to take PASS.  However, they did have to take CoGAT and ITBS testing this past Fall and complete MAP testing in the Fall and Spring.  We go over test-taking strategies such as using time wisely, double checking answers, using best-option guessing, reading all the answers before making choice.  I also show them empathetic understanding of possible pressure during these kind of tests and we go over ways to reduce anxiety. 
      Unfortunately, there are areas of weakness in my assessing.  One is how often I give a wide variety of assessments.  I also don't consistently send home weekly a printout of grades from my gradebook.  When it comes to exploring and implementing interventions for my below average students, I don't collect as many work samples as I should.  When it comes to referring students to A-Team, I tend to wait until the last minute in case they start to make adequate progress in the classroom.
      To help with giving different types of assessments more often, it's going to require taking the time to plan out rating scales, checklists, and rubrics and sharing these with the students before they're assessed.  While I do send home grades, it would be nice for the parents to count on a chart of organized data every week to be best aware of how their child is doing.  For my low achieving students that I'm thinking of are going through with A-teaming, I should make copies of work samples for my files before sending them home. When a concern arises about how a child is doing compared to an on-level student in my class, I need to take steps faster with implementing interventions and having ongoing evaluations of the interventions.  This will give me more confidence of when exactly the child should be A-teaming instead of feeling like it was done too late in the school year.  I plan on coming back to this post to keep myself in check with what needs to be done to better assess my class.  

Classroom Management

       I would say my classroom is an effective and managed classroom and this is a result of having a very tough first year of teaching.  Towards the end of my first year, my school decided to implement PBIS (Positive Behavioral Incentive System).  In order to decrease behavior problems, the administration wanted to look into a program that had proven to be successful at other schools.  Having PBIS at my school helped me to be more on the lookout for positive behaviors, and consequently, became a habit to draw attention to what students were doing right rather than wrong.  Since my first year was so challenging, I knew there had to be a change with how I started out my second year.  I made it a point to practice the qualities of a sound PBIS teacher.  How my classroom was effectively managed that year and from then on is that the following is being implemented: 

• a well-designed physical environment that makes the students feel safe and respected. 
• clear rules and routines (the first week of school is strictly for practicing rules and procedures)
• appropriate and effective instruction
• reinforcement for positive behaviors
• consistent consequences with inappropriate behaviors
• teaching and modeling prosocial competencies

Also, my posted rules are between the 3-6 suggested number and they address multiple situations.  These rules are referred to daily and role modeling is done if needed to show what could happen if this helpful rule wasn't in place.  During whole group, one of the rules is you have to raise your hand to be the speaker.  During transitions, there is no talking or touching and when I count down from 5-1, they have to have their "five things" together (eyes on me, ears listening, mouth closed, hands to self, feet still).  During individual work, they are to only whisper or talk softly to themselves if they need to talk out their thinking.  If they have to talk to someone, it's only to use manners like "Excuse me" or "May I please borrow an eraser?"  During partner/group work, they are to have "soft work talk," talking only about the assignment they're doing.  They are to stay seated and show numbers for getting up out of their seat.  These numbers are for using the bathroom, getting water (not during whole group), and getting supplies (only tissues during whole group).  There is an individual and whole class reward system that has components of a token economy and the students know that each day, they could be caught for doing the right thing.  Individually, they receive stickers and once they get to a certain amount, they go to the treasure box.  As a class, when they're all working hard together academically and/or behaviorally, they could receive puzzle pieces and once the puzzle is complete, they know I'll reward something they've expressed interest in (certain type of treat, extra recess, a Magic School Bus movie, etc).  Now there's also a time of token removal with the puzzle, a piece is taken when there's several students not following rules and procedures.  For their individual reward system, if they got a letter (a consequence for violation of rules), they'll not be able to receive a sticker at the end of the day when I'm signing behavior charts.  However, during the day if they showed proof that they were obeying the rule/procedure of whatever they got in trouble for, they could be given a sticker.
         Sometimes I do forget to be more on the lookout for chances to reward tokens to students, especially my students that are almost always following our rules and procedures.  When transitioning from one place to another in my room (there's different places for whole group:  at the promethean board, classroom library, calendar, and desks) when they have their five things together without me having to count down, I forget to reward them a puzzle piece.  When a child does or says something positive for another in my class, I ignore the importance of praising this to the class as a whole.
        What I'd like to improve with my classroom management is to take every opportunity to be positive and to give praise where praise is due.  This would help with giving more stickers to the students who are consistently doing the right thing.  It would also help with class puzzle pieces being given more when they're all working towards a common goal.  And when a child follows through with PPR (Positive Peer Reporting) I need to always reward that child with a token and/or praise.  I'm going to help PPR become more evident in my classroom by introducing tootling and why it's important to toot each other's horns whenever possible!  I'll give feedback after I've implemented these strategies more and how my class environment has become even more positive (there's always room for improvement!)

Low-Incidence Disabilities

          I’ve been teaching for five years and have never had my own classroom with students of any formally identified low-incidence disabilities such as: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic or Other Health Impairments, Severe or Profound Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Hearing Impairment and Deafness, Visual Impairment and Blindness, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Deaf-Blindness.  I’ll have to really rack my brain on this one to remember my best and not-so-best practices.  When I was doing a long-term sub five years ago, I had a student who was mildly autistic.  I only worked with him for about three months, but did see characteristics such as mild limitations in social interaction and problems with verbal and nonverbal communication.  Most of his language disorders were demonstrated by part of his echolalia with stuttering.  I’d have patience with him and let him know that we all were listening to him and wanted to hear what he had to say.  I would model to the class how he should be treated and respected.  They were very receptive and practiced what was modeled without having to be told.  Another aspect of his language disorder was his difficulty to control the volume of his voice.  I would give him signals as to when to lower the volume, because sometimes he wouldn’t realize how loud he had become.  Every now and then, he’d have a hard time getting his emotions and wants/needs made known without getting frustrated.  Socially, there were frequent misunderstandings with others and it was challenging at times for him to get these misunderstandings sorted out without the help of an adult.  Since he was recently identified as being slightly autistic, he was still having to learn how to handle these situations and had to be closely guided as to what he should do before getting frustrated and losing his temper.  It took several pep talks, modeling, and role playing, but he started to make great gains when it was about time for the school year to end. 

          A couple of strategies that I could’ve implemented was to stay in closer contact with his mom and what they were doing outside of school.  I never found out if he was going to a specialist or counseling.  I also wasn’t as knowledgeable about the disability as I could’ve been and didn’t go out of my way to do any research

          What I could have implemented was to get the guidance counselor involved with working with him one on one.  I should’ve set up a time for them to meet bi-weekly and even set up meetings with any psychologists/mental health workers.  I was new to the school and hadn’t gone through any orientation, so it was a little hard to get plugged in and learn about who and what was around to help.   

High-Incidence Disabilities

          In my classroom, the only high-incidence disability is one case of identified ADHD.  This child is on medication and takes it regularly.  I try not to make it known to him or to others if I don’t think he has it taken his medicine or how I think it affects him.  I make sure he’s seated at the front and is easily facing the area of instruction.  His medicine makes him stay focused and concentrate on assessments, but he does take longer due to making sure he understands the questions and gets all of the information down before moving on.  During assessments, if I look over his work, it makes him sometimes lose focus and get nervous.  So we have a deal that before I look over him and maybe he’s stuck or needs total concentration, he’ll hold up how many minutes he needs until he’s comfortable with me looking at his paper while he’s doing the assessment.  I give him time to finish even if it takes a couple extra days during Morning Work. At lunch, his medicine is still in full effect and makes him not have much of an appetite.  I’m consistent with reminding him of the energy he’ll need later and monitor closely that he’s eaten some of his lunch. 

          Sometimes I’ll let him work with his best friends during partner work or literacy/math stations, but this has mostly caused him to get distracted and off track.  I  want him to enjoy learning with his closest friends and have given him too many chances to get work done at the quality it needs to be and in timely manner, and he almost always becomes too playful and loses sight of the objective.

          From now on in partner and group work, I’ll make sure he’s working with those that will keep him fully engaged and working to his potential without disruptions.  I’ll pull him aside and let him know why I’m no longer letting him work with his best friends and why they need to have that time together just at lunch and recess during the school day.  I’ll get his thoughts on the matter and we’ll come to an understanding of why this is best for him and how it’ll help him accomplish his goals he’s working towards.

Ch. 4 Synthesis

    
I do understand the components of school-based collaboration, including the benefits and barriers.  Right now, I’m in the process of deciding on A-Teaming two students which could lead to implementation of Resource or Speech or possible retention.  For this process, I’m staying in touch with the A-Team Coordinator, Instructional Coach, and Speech Pathologist to make sure I’m taking the right steps at the right time.  I try to be a good team player and have been told by my administration and colleagues that I am.  Giving others the respect that I would like to receive is important to me.  I make sure that my lessons are standard-based and take note of what is essential for the student to learn and not learn when it comes to broad standards.  I use our district portal very much to guarantee that my students are learning according to the pacing guide and are being assessed by the common assessments provided. 

      What I need to implement more and strategize with how to make it work for me and my packed schedule is to try to make more time for higher quality collaboration.  When my grade level meets every Thursday, I am responsible for Math and its planning form for all my grade level teachers and our instructional coach.  While I do take the time and effort to make good lesson plans, they could be better and more creative overall.  Also at grade level, I tend to become frustrated every now and then when something else is piled on us and let it be known of how teachers have TOO much to do that doesn't involve lesson planning and assessment.

      When being told by our instructional coach of what else we have to do that doesn’t involve lesson plans/preparation and assessment, I could try to look at the positive side.  I could suggest to my colleagues how we can make it work so that stress isn’t the go-to and we don’t feel overwhelmed.  With planning for Math, I could do a little along the way instead of cramming it in one night.  That way I always feel fresh and I can give my 100% for the whole week of plans.  Next school year I will have more free time because of being done with grad school and I will volunteer more to help with school programs and even to be chair of committees! 

Ch. 1 Synthesis

With RTI and my knowledge of its benefits, when a child is showing below level work in Reading or Math, I contact those interventionists right away to come pull that child to screen.  When the interventionists progress monitor my RTI students and give me progress monitoring data, I analyze the data and know where he/she is.  This helps with conversation with the interventionists and ensures us to be on the same page.  I also am aware of the certain target instructional goals that are made for the students specifically. 

I could analyze the progress monitoring data more extensively and know exactly what area of the subject needs more work.  Instead, I just focus on the general subject.  I could also know exactly what lessons are being taught when my students go to RTI and what verbiage the interventionists use.  Using terms they become familiar with in RTI will carry over to the general classroom and could help students be more in tune with certain skills being focused on and helping them to progress faster. And with the actual program terminology, I’m not too familiar with such as the tiers and the two different RTI models, I know the basic idea of them but would like to see them in practice.

I should attend more professional development on RTI to know exactly how the program is ran.  I also want to ask the interventionists at my school to give me a copy of their lesson plans.  Our Reading interventionist was doing that in the beginning of the year by his own choice, but has stopped.  I’d like to know the specific data for each child and will ask the interventionists to be more detailed and send an e-mail bi-weekly to let me know what exact areas of the subjects to focus the most on.