1-16-08

=1-16-08 AM Literacy Lead Teacher Meeting=
 * 8:00-11:30 PLE Room 210**

> Review Learning Walk focus, divide into groups & select classrooms to visit > Debrief 1-9-08 Faculty Meeting (Learning Walks presentation) > > 8:50-9:20 Learning Walks - Yellow & Green Families Whole Group Reading: Student Engagement > 9:20-9:40 Debrief Learning Walks Feedback regarding the LLTs Learning Walk on 1/16/08 Everyone felt that the Learning Walk was beneficial. The group understood why administration was participating in Learning Walks. It was easy to see the Harcourt program. There was consistency among classrooms.
 * AGENDA**
 * **Learning Walks**

First grade students were highly engaged in shared reading and re-reading of text. Some students who had difficulty with word-by-word matching were able to stay on track and turn pages with the CD and comprehend the text. Activities we saw included morning message, listening to the CD, and choral reading with the teacher. Second grade activities included shared reading (teacher read aloud of Harcourt story), partner reading, and buddy work. There was lower student engagement in most rooms during the Harcourt teacher read aloud. In a number of classrooms, students were highly engaged and focused on locating evidence in the story and working with a buddy to determine cause and effect combinations from the text. Overall, the level of engagement varied by the type of activity. A majority of the students were able to describe the task they were working on and explain the focus strategy/skill. The Learning Walk affirmed the work that we are doing in our own rooms and gave us insight into student engagement in our own classrooms. We are looking forward to teachers participation in Learning Walks. The details of release time for teacher need to be planned.

Not all students will be assessed just prior to report cards. Assessment occurs throughout the year, based on student progress. Those who are ready to be assess now should be assessed with the "old" benchmark book or the "new" F&P assessment.
 * **Matrix of LA Assessments**
 * SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT DISCUSSION:**

Need to check Kindergarten standards - are students reading familiar or cold text?

Discussion of Harcourt holistic assessment. Initial response was not to use it, because we are getting the information from F&P and it does not differentiate based on our reading levels. However, teachers requested that the holisitic assessment be used again. Using the holisitic assessment will help us to understand how it fits into the Harcourt focus skills and strategies and how it informs students reading levels for instruction.

We need a graphic that shows the concept of on-going assessment.

Some teachers are using Harcourt weekly tests on occasion. Students use the book to get evidence from the story. It builds test-taking skills. It is followed by a class discussion about the selection of answers.

No changes in assessment are planned for Stages 1-5.

We need to look at MAP results at the end of the year.

Ongoing assessments prior to F&P can include texts chosen by teacher: any independent reading book, any small group book, any anthology story. The F&P text level should be a guide for selecting the text.

Discussed the use of a "status of the class" sheet - by stage or by classroom - to track student progress and to help streamline the progress sheets. Room for comments is needed. Can the F&P summary sheet be inserted into the progress sheets?

If an existing benchmark book has been used, it counts as an assessment and does not need to be redone with F&P.
 * **Fountas & Pinnell Professional Development: Next Steps**
 * SUMMARY OF F&P DISCUSSION:**

Can teachers prompt students to do a picture walk? No. Students may choose to independently do a picture walk - just lay the book in front of them as you prepare your materials.

We should compare the new fluency rubric with our old fluency rubric (see Assessment Binder). Are there examples showing how to use the fluency rubric?

Concern about Kindergarten - Should K use F&P? Should K read cold or familiar text? More than two "E" level texts should be placed on the progress sheets for Stage 6. How do MAP results compare in first grade with students' reading placement in K?

The "old" benchmark books are still to be used for assessment. We will not move them to instruction yet. Can we add a "purpose for reading" statement to them, similar to F&P's purpose for reading statement?


 * PHONICS**

Some teachers are using what they remember from Project Read, eg: bossy r

Title I - Grade 1 - using Project Read lessons on a daily basis. Currently inserting Project Read into grade 2 lessons.

Phonics is measured through F&P fluency and teacher observation through instruction. It is also measured through spelling acquisition. Referrals to Read Naturally will include a Names Test assessment by the Reading Specialist.