Ch+6-+Results-+Ques+2

**New Question as of Thursday, April 9th.

As a teacher... 1. Do you begin September of each school year with a solid knowledge of where your students stand in relation to academic goals? 2. Do you pay attention to benchmarks and indicators of progress along the road to your final goal? 3. Do you immediately intervene when you see that a child is not progressing, and do you have a systematic way of knowing what interventions you will employ based on the child's struggles? (NOTE: Number 2 is not the hard one... number 3 is the challenge!) 4. Are you better at this in some subject areas than in others? What makes you better in those areas? 5. Share a Nugget: Offer this completed sentence to your fellow teachers... "When a child is struggling with (skill) in the area of (subject area) _, I have found that it helps when I_ (strategy). I know that things are improving when he _ (outcome).

(Note: We all understand that home life plays a huge role in a child's success, but there is a limit to how much you can impact any change there. Please address things that YOU can do. And as before, you may choose to address one of these questions, or you may choose to address all in a summarized answer. I would love for you to Share a Nugget!)**

"When a child is struggling with a phonics skill in the area of reading, I have found that it helps if I put things on their level and even make up a funny story to assist in mastery. I know things are improving when he can explain the specific skill to me and apply it when reading." (K. Smith) It is far easier to get a plan in place when you know where you are going. Using benchmarks to drive instruction is essential. I do feel like I have a goal for my students in mind at the beginning of the year, and frequently adjust pacing and instruction to align with those goals. It has certainly been easier this year in reading with Reading Street. Between the selection tests and the Unit Benchmark tests, it is quite easy to see where we are lacking...as well as where we don't need to spend a lot of time. This sort of focused attention ends up targeting instruction in the form of small groups. RS gives us the immediate feedback that this question talks about. As for other subject areas, that is much harder. Sometimes it is frustrating in math to have to move on when not all the class understands a concept. Time is the enemy here. It is not that I don't realize a child is struggling, I just don't have the time I would like to remediate. (A. Harris) Because of the amount and variety of assessing we are doing, we have more data to look at to know our students strengths and weaknesses sooner in the year. This definately helps since it takes so long to really get to know a child's academic skills. Throughout the year the benchmarks help define the students who need extra help. I personally struggle to get writing time in and picking out the students who are struggling in that area although they are easy to pick out from their work samples. It is more a time issue than anything though.(proy) Several comments jump out at me. I do have an idea where my kids are usually even before September. As the year progresses however, I pick up on more and more that might be a problem. The comment about time is so true. As I mentioned in the first question, I realize math is a weaker area, but time is against me there. I would love to have the time to do small groups in math just as I do in reading. It would leave little(or no) time for science and social studies if I were to do that daily along with the small groups we already do in reading. It would be an ideal situation to be able to devote as much time to math, but the day is only so long and we tire as the day moves on and can absorb less information. Lack of time is the enemy, but hopefully we can work on that issue as we look at adopting a new series for math.(R. Hames) I feel this all goes back to metacognition...thinking about your thinking...We want our kids in a state of metacognition. We want our kids to be thinking about their learning while they're learning because we know the brain benefits. In much the same way, teachers need to be thinking about their teaching while they're teaching, before they're teaching, during, and after. Planning, reflecting, analyzing...a teacher's brain needs to be very active because we are teaching kids, not subjects. Yes, in September I feel like we have a clear view of where our kids stand in reading, but we will need to delve deeper into data to be at this point in math. However, no matter the subject, yes, I intervene as soon as I see the need. I am not suggesting that we test them more, our kids are being tested plenty. I would just like to see an emphasis on guarding the math block as closely as the reading block is guarded. Also, AMSTI has brought about endless opportunities for our kids, but we will need to put an emphasis on the importance of this as well. My nugget...When I see a child struggling with the math skill I am teaching, I go back and put that manipulative back into their hands. Reteach, and then try the application on paper/test again. Some children are more developmentally ready for certain concepts than others. Some kids just need those materials in their hands a little longer for their brains to make the needed connections for applications. Slapping a "F" on a paper without revisiting should never be an option. (C.Hagemann) By Sept. teachers have already met and greeted, completed DIBELS and then are rushing to prepare for Open House/Sock Hop/Book Fairs and are getting the first report card ready. All these activities create less time for instructions. With Parenting Day following guickly, are we adequately able to discuss goals and gaps. The first six weeks of school should be rethought so more time is spent with planning academic goals. All the above activities are greatly needed but could they be combined into less days to save massive interruptions. (C. Riddlehoover)** Adding to the comment above, next year at BB we’ll have fewer “events” during the first six-weeks (no school fund-raising sale and the book fair/sock hop will be in mid-October). It may make a positive difference to start the year with fewer student distractions and a clear focus on academic goals and productive routines. (E. Land) By September, I feel that I do have a solid knowledge of where my students stand in relation to academic goals. It doesn't take long to see each student's area of need. As Mr. Land stated, fewer events in September would give more time for beginning of the year routines and assessments. (L. Adams) It is such a relief to hear that we are going to spread out some of our traditional beginning of the year events. We cram too much in too quickly and it is exhausting for teachers and parents. (pweaver) I agree that we do too much at the beginning of school. I feel that I know much about my kids by Sept. but I'm so distracted by all the opening activities and preparing for Open House and all the other things that are going on that I don't always have the time to devote to really getting to know the kids. It is quick and fairly easy to spot shortcomings. The hard part is making a plan to address these problem areas. I think it would be worthwhile to shift some of the responsibilities and time devoted to other activities to other times. Reading Street helps with reading, but time to think and plan would be very helpful. I am more effective at intervening in math and language because there are specific identifiable skills. Reading is a little more difficult because it is hard to pinpoint what the problems are. We have put so much emphasis on reading that other subjects are being left behind. Small groups would be great in all subjects, but time is always an issue.(E Lee) I agree. We do try to cram so much too fast and it is exhausting. Time is always an issue and I feel we are doing as much as we possibly can all day long. Reading is in place. We have been trained on AMSTI math and science. Now, if we could just stick with what we have "**already been trained on"** and use any extra time spent being able to think, plan, and prepare, I believe we would see a great deal of progress with our students and happier teachers.(K.Powell) Riddlehoover points out the frustration of most classroom teachers. Yes, teachers know by September where students stand in relation to academic goals. However, time is rushed due to so many extra functions. This has an impact on the extra help that we can give the students early in the year. It will be nice to have fewer events early in the year. (M. Parker) I am aware of dibels scores, report card grades, STAR assessments etc., but it takes more than a few weeks to get to know your students and their abilities. Test scores do not always reflect a child's ability. I do not believe dibels' scores are the best indicator of what a child can do. I feel too much emphasis has been placed on dibles' scores and not enough emphasis has been devoted to comprehension. I still think the best way to help a struggling reader is to listen to the child read and discuss what is being read. Individual and small group reading works best with strugglers. (I. Fisher) I do feel like I have a solid knowledge each September of where my students stand. We have various indicators that give us a "clearer" picture than what we started with. I don't think I have ever fully had the "whole" picture of a student even in May because students' minds are constantly being molded and changed with the new learning and information. Immediate intervention is essential when one is struggling and not progressing. A child's mind is "open for a season" with a skill or strategy and that "open season" is shortened tremendously if they are struggling. I try to address the struggle and lesson to be learned by teaching it through an interest or hobby of the child. You talk (teach) to them through an interest, they will open that mind up for you to come on in(J.Waynick) I think our teachers are prepared at the beginning of the year to meet their students' learning challenges. They want each child to have total focus on learning. Therefore, it is important that we keep "extra activities" to a minimum at the beginning of the year. I also think field trips should work around DIBELS testing throughout the year instead of taking place in the middle of it. If we are truly serious about these assessments, then we should put them first on the list of importance in the eyes of our students. (J.Hall) By September of each year I can tell where my children are academically and socially; one has to go with the other in Kindergarten. We work on all areas, with a little extra attention where it is needed to make each student feel confident and ready to learn. (LWren) Teaching the ED kids, I have found that I have to step back from the academics and work on behaviors before I can begin any academic area. I have the IEP to help me with this, I know that classroom teachers cannot do this, they have to do it in addition to the academics.(J.Haynes) Most often by the beginning of September I do have a good grasp of where my students are academically. Paper tests, of course, don't give all the essential information; however, some of that, in addition to whole-class lessons and small group or individual meetings help me gather information about the students. I can then plan where to go from there. I do pay attention to benchmarks along the way, yet I don't let benchmark tests be my only guide. I realize some students simply do not test well, so I use what I know about them as an additional guide (I do realize students typically must prove their abilities by a written test, and I am not against them at all. I just like to take into account that some students don't produce well on paper.) I do try to intervene with students as quickly as I find out it is needed. I am definitely better at this in math than any other subject because 1) I love math, and I place a lot of emphasis on it, and 2) it is easy to identify the skills students struggle with. My nugget: When a child is struggling with place value in math, I find it helpful to work individually with the student to identify the places and values. Relating the places/values to money is sometimes helpful. I know a student is improving when he/she can more confidently identify each. (J. Layman) My nugget: When a chiId is struggling with reading fluency, I find that modeling a short managable passage first, then chorally reading the passage with the student as many times as they like before asking them to try it. It gives the student the confidence and the control to give it a try. I know that things are improving when he or she says, "can I read it again?" I try to listen as many times as they want to read it.( A. Land) agree that less events at the start of the school year will certainly help in assessing students' needs more quickly. I usually give the fitness test around the end of September or the first of October this gives me an idea of what we need to work the most on in P.E. I re-test in April to see the improvement we have made. With less events at the first of the year I might could test sooner. (T. Bates)
 * I am much better at intervening in some subjects because of the background and resources that I have. There are some areas that I have to gather resources to use before the intervention can begin. “When a child is struggling with problem solving in any subject area, I have found that it helps when I model my thought process in solving the problem and ask questions about the problem. I know that things are improving when he can solve problems on their own.”(EHarris) I agree with E. Harris, I am better at intervening in some subjects because of background and resources! I think that we have had special emphases in certain subject areas, I am thinking about Reading especially, and therefore we are all focused more on that. I think that Reading is a priority, since it is the key to other subjects, so I am not saying that as a criticism. I know that as teachers we intervene almost automatically when we see a child struggling with ANYTHING we are teaching. Some subjects are just easier to help in. I think that those automatice interventions are probably systematically done. We see a lot of the same types of problems and therefore respond in much the same way. If that works great, if not, then we try something else. Especially in reading, we have clear benchmarks and indicators of progress. Personally, I pay a lot of attention to those goals. I use many things to measure where a child is relative to where he/she needs to be, as well as, where I THINK they should be. Our benchmarks are beginning places, not arrival points. The bar should constantly be moved up as a child continues to move forward. (J. Thomas) We have to meet each child where he/she is and go from there. Benchmarks provide a way to do that. Each child has a different strength in some area and as we all know automatically be lumped in a low group just because he does not know //some// things. Constant assessments are necessary to keep this from happening. Moving those children in and out of groups to meet their changing needs as they meet the benchmarks is the goal. (PBradford)