12-06-07+Notes


 * 12-6-07 Notes**

Attending: Veronique Taylor, Marji Small, Donna Elmore, Kim Rollings, Sue Feaster, Joanne Engel, Debbie Pye, Mary Teresa Maule Alft


 * Roles & Responsibilities of LLT**
 * Margie Sharp distributed handout
 * Margie suggested that teachers consider participating in learning walks: the goal is to look for consistency & ideas in an non-evaluative format. Margie will support subs.
 * LLTs are participating in a 2-way communication between classroom teachers & LLTs. LLTs craft responses in writing that outline parameters with consistency.
 * Coaching duties: Professional Development, data analysis, curriculum work, one-on-one coaching
 * Needs:
 * Examine materials & progress sheets side by side; look at consistency in book levels
 * Should literacy centers include Math?
 * Share ideas for literacy work stations with staff (see Diller's text also)


 * Responses to 12/4 Grade 1/2 LA Meeting Questions**
 * **Grouping by stages requires many small groups causing a concern regarding adequate time for guided reading groups. What suggestions would your group have for resolving this dilema?**
 * Whole group instruction meets the needs of students who are on grade level. Small group instruction is flexible to meet the needs of students who are working above and below grade level. Students are selected for flexible groups based on assessment & observational data. This will help to reduce the number of small groups & make class size manageable.
 * Share Chapter 4 of Diller's __Making the Most of Small Groups: Differentiation for All__.
 * Share formats for gathering anecdotal notes.


 * **What part does the use of supplementary materials play in the implementation of the Harcourt Reading Series?**
 * Choose materials to meet the needs of above & below level readers based on Harcourt's skills, theme & strategies for the week. Materials can be found in the bookrooms.
 * The Above, On, Below Leveled Readers can be used in a variety of ways: independent reading, literacy centers, buddy reading, skill practice, strategy practice, etc. They can also be used for guided reading instruction.
 * The GO! chart can be used for whole group instruction in place of the Harcourt lesson plan for the Harcourt story.
 * Literature circles can be addressed in flexible groups and be based theme, skill, or strategy on trade books from the book room.
 * Making Words can be supplemented by Cunningham's Making Words if the focus can be matched.

LLTs will share this info at the next grade level meetings.
 * **When low is not low enough, what is hapenning to support low achieving students?**
 * Meet with the below students 3-4 times per week.
 * Leveled materials can be pulled from the bookrooms. Select books based upon instructional neeed: what is the gap that you are trying to close?
 * Use the CD to re-read the anthology story.
 * Use the criteria on the progress sheets to plan flexible group instruction.
 * Use existing building services: TAT, IST, Title I, ESL
 * Project Read lessons can be used to review or re-introduce previous concepts.
 * LEAs can be used within content areas.

Shared update with calendar info. Need to send to all faculty. Add related text information from weekly reflection forms. Add notes regarding next year's calendar. Correct theme headings to match calendar shift. The pacing guide is complete!
 * Pacing Guides**


 * Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System I**

Donna tried several of the assessments with students & shared the process & the results.

Running Record: Purpose statement on form to read to child. Level F was untimed. Handy scoring chart on the sheet. Fluency score rubric on sheet. Comprehension questions are divided by type: Literal (Within the Text), Inferential, Critical Response (Beyond the Text). Level F took 7 minutes to administer. The text script is on the IRI. Includes a written response starting at Level G. Text is a "cold" read - seems to be more information than weekly story tests. Is there opportunity for silent reading assessments - how does reading aloud impact comprehension? How do we handle books with pictures for timed test - give them the book to browse first before assessing? There is a lot of information in the kit - we need time to read it and pilot with students. > > **Literacy Centers** > > Literacy centers incorporate Language Arts activities. Independent Math activies can be included in Math Workshop. > Debbie Diller's __Literacy Work Stations__ is a great tool! There are two in each family's LA resource collection. > > **Learning Walks** > Everyone is interested in participating in a learning walk! > > **Questions for Margie:** > Can we order ESL kits for every classroom? > Can we order Intervention Kits for every classroom? > Can we schedule Wendy/Harcourt rep to teach the Intervention Kit & ESL Kit? > Do we enter today's hours for Act 48 in mylearningplan? > > **Future Work** > 5 subs X 1/2 day > 5 subs X 1/2 day mt - MUST DO: Copy information from these notes for staff (feedback for 12/4 questions & Literacy Centers info) to be shared at grade level meetings on 12/14.
 * Reading Office will handle copies of forms.
 * Timing: Use kit 2/3X per year for each student - when assessing for movement through stages.
 * This will replace the benchmark books running records we have currently been using.
 * Shared Linda Hoyt's __Revisit, Reflect, Retell__ (Heinemann, 1999)text. Will it help with written retelling ideas? Resource for all? How can retelling be structured as a one day task? Look at retelling rubric - should it say "details?"
 * We would like 2 hours for each LLT to read & learn the Fountas & Pinnell kits & to work with the data after piloting the running records with students. 2 hrs X 8 teachers = 16 hrs.
 * We would like to meet for a 1/2 day to plan for implementation of the F&P assessment system.
 * We would like to meet for a 1/2 day to work on the "big picture" of LA assessment.

//Minutes submitted by mt//