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For decades, there has been a hyper focus on instruction in kindergarten through 3rd grade, and with reason. The developmental timeframe of laying the foundation for students to grow into strong readers and mathematicians is crucial. Attention to the details of the needed appropriate, whole child approaches to these early years of learning should continue with hyper focus. And…. we need to add the same hyper focus to the needs of our upper-grade students. For decades, curriculum is bought and sold with a microscopic lens on how it teaches kids in grades K-3. Keen detail is given to its alignment to evidence in research in these grades. Legislation is written based on what programs some groups decide are worthy of purchase based on K-3 approaches. The cycle of analyzing and purchasing curriculum based on the needs of K-3 continues decade after decade while people scratch their heads about why kids in 8th grade have lower than desired comprehension scores.
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Teachers have long understood the powerful role novels can play when incorporated into their ELA block.
However, with state mandates prompting an increase in adoption of basal programs, novels are being quietly pushed out of classrooms in districts that are demanding strict fidelity of the adopted basal. With this approach, the ELA block is dominated by short stories and passages. While there is strong evidence and need for students to engage in a wide variety of texts, including short passages, the absence of novels is proving to be detrimental to a crucial part of student learning- deep engagement. When students are actively involved and interested in their learning, they are more likely to develop strong literacy skills that will serve them well throughout their academic career and beyond. This podcast does an excellent job of reviewing the research and explaining the need for teachers to adjust their approach to ensure students have time in the day to build a love for reading. One effective way to boost student engagement in literacy is through the use of novels. By introducing students to a wide range of genres and themes through a balanced integration of short passages and novels, educators can spark student interest and curiosity, making the learning experience more enjoyable and memorable. This engagement with literature can significantly improve students' reading comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills. So how do teachers do this? This year, my class showed tremendous growth. While I do have a record of strong growth on measures like iReady and State Tests- even I haven't seen growth quite like this.
On Twitter I simplified it all to a point of - "I used novels." - but wow was it so much more than that. So here is a brain dump of this year, what it was, the supports we had and how to maybe replicate it (**Maybe as every great educator knows results are hard to replicate and are so dependent on the year, the kids and what they need.) Here's a look at my class- simplified into one chart based on one test. We had a new student join us in April- she scored "light green" in the end of the year and is the one untested in the beginning of the year. Top look- Beginning of the year results and bottom- end of year placements. |
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July 2024
"The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don't tell you what to see." - Alexandra K. Trenfor |
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