GET PREPPED - Scholastic · scholastic instructor spring 2013 47 scholastic instructor 1. Start a...

GET PREPPEDFOR THE YEAR AHEAD

ARTICLES AND TIPS TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR

BE A LEADERBecome a school leader—without leaving the classroom

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL CO-TEACHINGFail-safe strategies to set up a successful co-teaching relationship

FOUR TIPS FOR GUIDED READING SUCCESSPower strategies to launch your guided reading groups

PARENT-TEACHER PARTNERSHIPSStart the year by building great relationships with families

Taking The Leadeleven ways to become a leader in your school—without leaving the classroom. by calvin hennick

when valda valbrun had success as a teacher, it didn’t take long before she was tapped to move up the ladder into admin-istration. But the bigger job wasn’t necessarily better, she says, because it meant she had to leave her students.

“i was encouraged to leave the classroom,” says Valbrun, now a director of professional development at the education nonprofit aSCd. “in hindsight, i’m thinking, Wow, I’m really missing the classroom.”

But do you have to leave teaching to demonstrate leadership? More and more, the answer is no. Teachers are stepping into a variety of roles that help to shape how their schools are run. Read on to see how you can take the lead in your school while continuing to do what you love most.

Your goals

scholastic instructor spring 2013 47

1. Start a Student Incentive Program Craig Martin and his colleagues at a Boston elementary school created a sticker incentive program to promote good citizenship. a teacher-led initia-tive has the advantage of coming with instant buy-in from the staff, he says.

daina Lieberman, a Fairfax County, Virginia, high school teacher who sits on a committee that runs a program rewarding positive student behavior, agrees. and her program gets results.

“The feel here is very welcoming,” she says. “kids will offer to carry things and hold doors open for you.” il

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34 scholastic instructor back to school 2015

Power tips to launch

your guided reading

groups this school year.

by kim greene

strategies needed to advance to the

next level. Children at the initial stage

may need instruction about left-to-right

progression, while those at a higher

level can learn to use picture cues to

decode new words. Small-group work

with guided reading is critical to meet

the needs of all learners.”

According to Hepfer and other

experts, the beginning of the year

is a crucial time to set the tone for

guided reading groups. From rules

and routines to activities and assess-

ments, we’ve compiled a guide to

guided reading to help you get your

groups up and running.

many teachers have guided reading

in their instructional toolbox, and they

consider it a necessary strategy, espe-

cially in classrooms where differentia-

tion is key. For Allison Hepfer, who

teaches kindergarten at Hamagrael

Elementary in Delmar, New York,

guided reading is a cornerstone of her

literacy instruction. She meets with

small groups of students on a daily

basis, supporting them as they learn

to use reading strategies.

“Guiding reading is one of the best

ways to differentiate,” Hepfer says.

“By grouping children by reading

levels, I can target specific skills and

Ready Readers

INS1•GuidedRead[34-36]v10tf.indd 34 7/21/15 4:40 PM

07212015154953

Use our fail-safe strategies to set up your co-teaching relationship for a successful year. by anne beninghof

scholastic instructor back to school 2014 49

Fill in the blank: The marriage between co-teachers is like ______. In my work-shops on co-teaching, I ask participants to complete

that simile. The responses run the gamut from horror

story to every teacher’s dream: The marriage between co-teachers

is like an elderly couple—constantly bicker-ing about trivial details but dependent on each other.

The marriage between co-teachers is like a fine wine—it gets better with age.

For the past 20 years, I have worked with schools on their co-teaching initiatives. I have seen an explosion of interest—not just among special education and general education teach-ers but among ELL teachers, literacy specialists, and speech and language therapists, all of whom are recognizing the benefits of inclusion teaching. They know that students with a wide range of special needs can thrive when they’re taught in classes with their peers.

No matter co-teachers’ respective expertise, some relationships work smoothly, while others are rocky. Why is that? In my own co-teaching and my work with educators, I’ve found suc-cessful relationships boil down to three essen-tial ingredients, which I will discuss in detail.

It Takes Two...

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scan the illustration for a co-teaching task chart. (For scanning directions, see page 5.)

INS1 Co-Teaching[49]Digimark.indd 49 7/15/14 5:16 PM07152014163505

Tips for helping your teacher–parent partnerships make the grade. by calvin hennick

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scholastic instructor BacK to school 2014 45

Your Goals

Parents are the most important partners teachers can have.

They, like you, want what is best for their kids—and will

work tirelessly to that end. Still, even if it’s not intentional,

they will occasionally act in ways that make your job

tougher. Here are some surefire ways to fix or prevent the

most common parent problems so that you can be the best

partners possible in your students’ education.

Problem No oNe Reads YouR NewsletteRs

You spend hours compiling class information, and yet

parents still have no idea that today is the class field trip!

solutioN: diveRsifY aNd simplifY

Pernille Ripp, a middle school teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin,

gives parents the option of receiving paper or e-mail news-

Parentsa+

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07092014163536

Taking The Leadeleven ways to become a leader in your school—without leaving the classroom. by calvin hennick

when valda valbrun had success as a teacher, it didn’t take long before she was tapped to move up the ladder into admin-istration. But the bigger job wasn’t necessarily better, she says, because it meant she had to leave her students.

“i was encouraged to leave the classroom,” says Valbrun, now a director of professional development at the education nonprofit aSCd. “in hindsight, i’m thinking, Wow, I’m really missing the classroom.”

But do you have to leave teaching to demonstrate leadership? More and more, the answer is no. Teachers are stepping into a variety of roles that help to shape how their schools are run. Read on to see how you can take the lead in your school while continuing to do what you love most.

Your goals


1. Start a Student Incentive Program Craig Martin and his colleagues at a Boston elementary school created a sticker incentive program to promote good citizenship. a teacher-led initia-tive has the advantage of coming with instant buy-in from the staff, he says.

daina Lieberman, a Fairfax County, Virginia, high school teacher who sits on a committee that runs a program rewarding positive student behavior, agrees. and her program gets results.

“The feel here is very welcoming,” she says. “kids will offer to carry things and hold doors open for you.” il

lust

rati

ons:

ray

fen

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2. Get Parents (Especially Dads) More Engaged If parents show up at your school only for open house night, conferences, and when their kids are in trouble, consider starting an initiative to get them more involved in the school and with their children’s education.

Martin has worked to bring fathers in for monthly breakfast meetings to discuss simple ways they can help their kids learn math, like talking about measurements and nutritional labels while cooking meals.

“The fathers really responded to that,” Martin says. “I believe that parents do want to know that they add value.”

6. Become a Policy Wonk If you want to make your voice heard beyond the walls of your school, apply for organized teacher leadership programs.

Lieberman says her participation in such programs has given her the chance to talk about education to policymakers in the federal government.

Or, says Tampa, Florida, fifth-grade teacher Megan Allen, teachers can try to influence policy in less formal ways, like attending school committee meetings. “It can be as small as crafting an e-mail, writing an op-ed, or looking for opportunities to get involved at the district level,” Allen says.

Allen argues that it’s vitally important for teachers to have a say in the policies that affect them and their schools. “In many situations, decisions are made by people who don’t teach. The huge missing piece is that teachers are the experts. They’re the ones who know how the policy and curriculum impact students.”

3. Develop Curriculum Some schools hire teachers to work on curriculum over the summer. If that’s not an option for you, consider approaching curriculum changes more informally, by pioneering creative units of study.

Charlotte Danielson, author of Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice, tells the story of one teacher who designed a whole week of curriculum around bringing her students to the zoo every day.

“It was enormously more valuable for the kids than just going to the zoo one day and wandering around,” says Danielson. “The whole point is to figure out, What is it that I want kids to learn, and how can this help? It’s the teacher not just taking the teacher’s guide and doing a lesson, but taking initiative.”

5. Spearhead, and Share, ResearchLieberman took a course on how to be a teacher researcher and ran two studies in her classroom—one on remediation and another on using nonprint texts with at-risk students.

Once you’ve compiled research from your classroom observations, don’t keep it to yourself, says Lieberman, who shared her findings at a county-wide conference.

4. Chair a Team Christine Valenti, an elementary teacher in Boston, says leading grade-level team meetings has been an ideal way to take a step forward in her career. “I can work with teachers and lead them, but I’m still in the classroom.”

When suggesting potential improve-ments, team leaders can build trust by looking to their own practice first, rather than immediately calling out their colleagues. “If people don’t trust each other, they’re not going to put themselves out there,” Valenti says.

Jon Reid, a team leader at another Boston elementary school, says he keeps his colleagues involved by del-egating responsibilities and encourag-ing everyone to share ideas. “We’re all teachers here, and we can all benefit from one another,” he says.

taking the lead

7. Crunch the Numbers Most teachers know the value of using data to inform their instruction, but not all feel confident in their ability to comb through spreadsheets full of numbers. “I think a lot of teachers are like, ‘Ooh, data, I don’t do data,’ ” says Valenti.

She has spearheaded an effort to analyze test results, as well as “softer” data like student work, and use the findings to modify instruction. Teachers often think their teach-ing is “fine,” Valenti says, until they see the numbers. “Sometimes when you look at the data, you see it isn’t fine. So let’s take a look at this and figure out what we can do to improve it.”



Leadership do’s and don’tsDO

Work to develop a good relation-ship with your school’s admin-istrators. If they see you as an antagonist, they’ll be less likely to listen to your ideas.

DON’tDon’t be afraid to propose a new program. Most principals will be thrilled that you want to help solve a problem!

DORecruit other teachers to help. Being a leader means taking initiative, not going it alone. DON’t

Don’t be afraid to admit your own struggles. Leaders who acknowl-edge that they’re still learning build credibility with others.

DOJoin a network of area teacher leaders to share ideas and learn about new opportunities.

DON’tDon’t underestimate yourself. Remember that as a teacher, you know better than anyone what kids need. Your ideas matter.

DOCreate your own opportunities. Ask what programs or systems are missing in your school, and decide whether you’re the right person to implement them.

DON’tDon’t say yes to everything. If your plate is full, and adding a responsibility will force you to take the focus off your teaching, don’t hesitate to say no.

4. Chair a team Christine Valenti, an elementary teacher in Boston, says leading grade-level team meetings has been an ideal way to take a step forward in her career. “I can work with teachers and lead them, but I’m still in the classroom.”

When suggesting potential improve-ments, team leaders can build trust by looking to their own practice first, rather than immediately calling out their colleagues. “If people don’t trust each other, they’re not going to put themselves out there,” Valenti says.

Jon Reid, a team leader at another Boston elementary school, says he keeps his colleagues involved by del-egating responsibilities and encourag-ing everyone to share ideas. “We’re all teachers here, and we can all benefit from one another,” he says.

7. Crunch the Numbers Most teachers know the value of using data to inform their instruction, but not all feel confident in their ability to comb through spreadsheets full of numbers. “I think a lot of teachers are like, ‘Ooh, data, I don’t do data,’ ” says Valenti.

She has spearheaded an effort to analyze test results, as well as “softer” data like student work, and use the findings to modify instruction. Teachers often think their teach-ing is “fine,” Valenti says, until they see the numbers. “Sometimes when you look at the data, you see it isn’t fine. So let’s take a look at this and figure out what we can do to improve it.”

10. Write Grants There’s one initiative no principal will ever fight you on—attempting to bring more money into your school.

Most grant writing is easier than you might think. Valbrun remembers a teacher who wrote a tiny blurb that turned into $16,000 in grant money.

“Some of those opportunities are so simple, they don’t really require a great deal of training,” Valbrun says. “Many of them are just a form. There are opportunities that range from $500 to thousands of dollars, if you’re looking for them.”

8. Lead Professional Development Some teachers don’t take their profes-sional days, preferring to skip out-of-school workshops in favor of more time with their students. But that approach may be robbing you of the opportunity to become an expert in new areas—and to share that expertise with your colleagues.

Valbrun, the ASCD professional development director, says that before teachers lead PD sessions for the first time, they should present their mate-rial to a small group of trusted peers and ask for feedback. Another tip—survey other teachers to find out what they already know about your subject and what they want to learn. “You’ll make sure you’re meeting the needs of your colleagues,” Valbrun says.

9. Start a Peer-Observation Program Lori Nazareno, who helped start a teacher-run school in Denver in 2009, says peer observation is a powerful tool because teachers work with col-leagues to identify areas of improve-ment. That can be more productive than sweating it out while your boss takes notes in the back of the room.

“If I know you’re coming in to give me feedback to help me get better, it’s going to be easier to have trust than if you’re signing off on the final evalua-tion,” Nazareno says.

To start a peer-observation program in your school, you’ll likely need your administration’s help in organizing coverage for teachers to observe one another. You’ll also need a good rubric to keep debriefings focused.

11. turn Your Classroom Into a teaching Lab Remember to keep the “teacher” in teacher leader. If there’s an instruc-tional strategy you think your school should implement, test it out in your own classroom to make your case.

“Run a little pilot with another teacher or two,” advises Nazareno. “If you have evidence in your own class that it works, why not advocate for other kids to have that terrific learn-ing experience?”

“The culture in schools has been, Yeah, yeah, I’m going to close my door and do my thing,” she adds. “Well, if you’ve closed your door and done your thing and it works, open your door and share it across the hall.”


Use our fail-safe strategies to set up your co-teaching relationship for a successful year. by anne beninghof

scholastic instructor back to school 2014 49

Fill in the blank: The marriage between co-teachers is like ______. In my work-shops on co-teaching, I ask participants to complete

that simile. The responses run the gamut from horror

story to every teacher’s dream: The marriage between co-teachers

is like an elderly couple—constantly bicker-ing about trivial details but dependent on each other.

The marriage between co-teachers is like a fine wine—it gets better with age.

For the past 20 years, I have worked with schools on their co-teaching initiatives. I have seen an explosion of interest—not just among special education and general education teach-ers but among ELL teachers, literacy specialists, and speech and language therapists, all of whom are recognizing the benefits of inclusion teaching. They know that students with a wide range of special needs can thrive when they’re taught in classes with their peers.

No matter co-teachers’ respective expertise, some relationships work smoothly, while others are rocky. Why is that? In my own co-teaching and my work with educators, I’ve found suc-cessful relationships boil down to three essen-tial ingredients, which I will discuss in detail.

It Takes Two...

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scan the illustration for a co-teaching task chart. (For scanning directions, see page 5.)

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Choose a Model earlyThe beginning of the school year, or

even prior to the start of school, is the

key time to decide which co-teaching

models you want to use.

In the Duet Model, both teachers

share everything—planning, imple-

mentation, assessment, reteaching,

parent–teacher conferences, bulletin

boards—literally, everything! Think

of this as a well-balanced meal, always

nutritious and flavorful, that you will

serve to students. It incorporates lots

of other models on a daily basis, and

every day is a bit different (which stu-

dents love). This is an excellent model,

but be aware that it requires an enor-

mous amount of co-planning time.

The Lead and Support Model works

well when a specialist is assigned

to co-teach with multiple classroom

teachers. In this model, the classroom

teacher takes on responsibility for

advance planning and then shares her

ideas with her partner. The specialist

offers suggestions to tweak the plan

to make it more accessible for strug-

gling students. Both teachers are then

fully involved in teaching and assess-

ing students. The specialist incorpo-

rates her unique skills into instruction

so that all students are successful.

Once you have identified which

of these two overarching models best

suits your situation, you can explore

the day-to-day plans. Co-teachers

might decide to use a parallel model

one day, splitting the class into two

so that students get more of a chance

to participate. On another day, teachers

might choose to use a station model,

where a small group of students

receives intense, direct instruction

following the mini-lesson. Whichever

models you choose, the most suc-

cessful co-teaching occurs when the

choices have been intentional, with

the students’ needs kept in mind.

have Courageous ConversationsEven with the best-laid plans, there

are bound to be occasional relationship

challenges. Just as in a marriage, part-

ners may have differences of opinion

or develop resentments. If these occur,

it is essential to have “courageous con-

versations”—to be open, honest, and

professional about what is happening.

These conversations can be uncomfort-

able, so teachers often avoid them.

But doing so comes at a great cost, as

it usually results in a loss of instruc-

tional quality and student progress.

A co-teacher in Nebraska asked me

to suggest specific prompts she could

use when she and her partner reached

an impasse. Here is what I offered her:

“Help me understand your point of

view.”

“What I think you are saying is _____.”

“What have you done in the past

that has worked?”

“What if we try this idea for one

week and then discuss how it went?”

As part of communicating openly,

partners should also clarify who is

responsible for specific tasks. A special

education teacher at one of my work-

shops in California told me that she

was tired of “being the one to always

make copies.” I suggested that she and

her partner brainstorm a list of tasks

that make their class run effectively

and decide who will do what. You can

keep track of these tasks on a chart.

(Download a sample by scanning the

illustration on page 49.) By having

a proactive discussion, you reduce

confusion and avoid hurt feelings.

assess Students With a Fresh eyeThe best co-teaching happens when

both teachers believe they are facilitat-

ing learning for all students in the

class—not just those they are assigned

to support. Here are a few suggestions

for making this goal a reality.

Use “our students” rather than

“your students/my students” in your

conversations. Teachers who use “our

students” hold high expectations for all

students and make sure that everyone

is receiving just-right challenges.

When planning lessons, flexibly

group students based on formative

assessment rather than labels (IEP, ELL,

gifted, etc.). During a co-taught lesson

last year, my partner and I quickly

assessed our students’ understanding

of figurative language to decide how

to group them. My co-teacher was sur-

prised to find several “gifted” students

who didn’t quite get it. If, instead, we

had automatically grouped students

based on their labels, a few might have

fallen through the cracks.

Develop a lesson-planning format

together that is student focused. My

favorite lesson-planning form contains

reminders to consider things such as

visual supports, hands-on activities,

and modes of participation. To down-

load a copy of the form, visit ideasfor

educators.com/downloadables.

A true partnership grows as you

get to know each other. But for the

sake of our students, we need to

develop a strong working relationship

as quickly as possible. I hope you’ll

begin the year with thoughtful plan-

ning, embrace challenges as opportu-

nities for growth, and embark on

a fruitful co-teaching journey.

Anne Beninghof is a consultant and

former special educator. She has trained

teachers across the United States and is

the author of Co-Teaching That works.

all things considered

other topics to discuss with your co-teacher before the first school bell rings:

• When is our common planning time?

• Should we set aside other time (early-morning coffee, lunchtime walks) for additional planning?

• What are your pet peeves?

• How will we introduce ourselves to the students?

• How will we arrange the classroom for flexible grouping?

• What is our grading policy?

• How will we evaluate our own co-teaching practice?

co-teaching


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Power tips to launch

your guided reading

groups this school year.

by kim greene

strategies needed to advance to the

next level. Children at the initial stage

may need instruction about left-to-right

progression, while those at a higher

level can learn to use picture cues to

decode new words. Small-group work

with guided reading is critical to meet

the needs of all learners.”

According to Hepfer and other

experts, the beginning of the year

is a crucial time to set the tone for

guided reading groups. From rules

and routines to activities and assess-

ments, we’ve compiled a guide to

guided reading to help you get your

groups up and running.

many teachers have guided reading

in their instructional toolbox, and they

consider it a necessary strategy, espe-

cially in classrooms where differentia-

tion is key. For Allison Hepfer, who

teaches kindergarten at Hamagrael

Elementary in Delmar, New York,

guided reading is a cornerstone of her

literacy instruction. She meets with

small groups of students on a daily

basis, supporting them as they learn

to use reading strategies.

“Guiding reading is one of the best

ways to differentiate,” Hepfer says.

“By grouping children by reading

levels, I can target specific skills and

Ready Readers


07212015154953

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a guided reading group (only in a true

emergency) and when not to interrupt

(basically for any other reason).

“We spend the first three or four

weeks of school just doing manage-

ment and rules and routines,” says

Kelly Anderson, a third-grade teacher

at East Side Elementary School in

Marietta, Georgia, who uses guided

reading with the struggling readers in

her class. “We teach student respon-

sibilities and teacher responsibilities.

The students should understand that

as a teacher you also have a job to do.”

What type of work should students

do independently while you’re meeting

with a group? That may depend on

your school’s literacy block model, but

here are a few ideas.

• “Dosomethingpurposeful.Ioutlaw

worksheets,”saysRichardson.“Do

independent reading or any letter-

sound work, spelling, or vocabulary

practice. Allow students to write

extensions to stories they started

in writers’ workshop.”

• Hepfer’sstudentsusethetimeto

read a book at their independent

level or to read with a partner.

“Imodelpartnerreadingalotand

create anchor charts with visual

models.Ievenvideotapepartner-

ships, and we watch them on the

SMARTBoard.Ishowstudents

what reading partners look like

and sound like.”

• “Listeningcentersareeasytoman-

age and great for your younger

learners or for your English language

learners,” says Richardson, “For the

intermediate children, they should

be reading, preparing for their book

clubs, or doing research.”

Practice these routines and activi-

ties every day. Build students’ stamina

until they can function on their own

for the 15 to 20 minutes you’ll need to

meet with a small group.

Make Smart Text ChoicesWhen you’re ready to kick off your

small-group guided reading lessons,

begin by placing students in groups

based on their reading levels and

instructionalneeds.“Iliketogroup

children according to a reading range

aroundafocusstrategy.Itcouldbe

monitoring, decoding, fluency, or com-

prehension,” says Richardson.

Next, choose the right book—and

choose wisely. “Guided reading can

flop or fly based upon the text choice.

Ifit’stooeasy,there’snothingforthe

child to learn,” Richardson says. “But

if it’s too difficult, the teacher has to

do the reading for the student. That

doesn’t increase the child’s problem-

solving skills.”

Ifyou’restaringatashelffullof

LevelDtexts,whichbookshouldyou

choose?Interestlevelandconceptual

knowledge are considerations. “For

primary readers, be sure the story

makes sense. Sometimes early-level

texts are so focused on developing

sight-word knowledge that the story

getslost,”saysDebbieRosenow,a

literacycoachforHamiltonCounty

Schools in Tennessee. “For the inter-

mediate grades, try to identify shorter

texts such as short stories, nonfiction

articles, and poems that students can

finish in one or two days.

“The text should provide multiple

opportunities for students to apply

strategies and skills [you have identi-

fied for the group],” advises Rosenow.

Establish Routines to Foster IndependenceEstablishing routines at the beginning

of the year is crucial. “Before you ever

meet with a small group, make sure

the rest of the class understands the

routines and activities they’re doing

while you’re working with the group,”

says Jan Richardson, author of The Next

Step in Guided Reading and a former

classroom teacher, reading specialist,

and Reading Recovery teacher. “You

get in trouble if you try to start the

year without having taught children

how to be independent.”

Even the youngest students can

become independent through explicit

instructionandpractice.Inthefirst

weeks of school, you might teach

a mini-lesson about how to choose

a “just right” book for independent

reading, or one on when to interrupt

Do independent reading, letter-sound work, or vocabulary practice. Allow students to write extensions to stories they started in writers’ workshop.”

—Reading specialist Jan Richardson

Teacher Christy

Platt guides first

graders at Reagan

Elementary in

Fresno, California.

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Dive Into InstructionDivide your lesson into segments:

before, during, and after reading.

• BeforeReading:“I’veseenteachers

spend 15 minutes talking about the

book, and the children have only two

minutes to read it,” says Richardson.

She suggests a one-sentence “gist”

statement and a quick preview. For

second-language learners, you might

need to spend more time, “but for

other children, look into the book

and then let them start reading.”

• DuringReading:Allowstudentsto

read independently—either by read-

ing silently or by whisper reading.

Students should not read round-

robin, as they used to do. Instead,

make your way around the group to

work one-on-one with each student

Writing about the text is a good

practice as well, and it allows you to

collect a writing sample. “The children

might do a dictated sentence at an

early level. As they move up, they get

more responsibilities for coming up

with the message,” says Richardson.

For older students, Rosenow says these

post-reading writing activities could

include creating five or six imitation

Facebook posts or tweets from a char-

acter’s point of view.

Assess, and Be FlexibleRemember: The composition of your

guided reading groups isn’t etched

in stone. Your groups should be fluid

and should change as your students’

instructional needs change. That’s

where informal and formal assess-

ments come in handy.

Of the informal assessments, run-

ning records are extremely useful for

determining whether students should

be moved to another group.

“I complete informal running records

on a biweekly basis,” explains Hepfer.

“Because the children in kindergarten

change at such different paces, the

groups must be flexible. I also look to

see if there are children who need help

with similar skills and group them

accordingly.”

Formal assessments, such as the

Developmental Reading Assessment

or the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark

Assessment System, given at the begin-

ning, middle, and end of the school year,

will also help with tracking students’

progress. By year’s end, you’ll see just

how much they’ve grown as readers.

“At the beginning of last year, I had

a student who entered kindergarten

identifying only a few letters and

sounds,” says Hepfer. “He did not

see himself as a reader. At first we

focused on things such as concepts

of print, letter sounds and names,

and using pictures to help figure

out a tricky word. As each month

passed, he gained confidence. [At the

end of the year], he looked up at me

and exclaimed, ‘You were right, Mrs.

Hepfer. I am a reader!’ ”

for a few minutes. If they are reading

silently, ask them to whisper read

to you when it’s their turn. Different

students will need different strate-

gies—some may need support using

first-letter cues, while others may

need help monitoring their compre-

hension (see sidebar). “The idea of

guided reading is scaffolding children

while they read, doing it with the

teacher’s support,” Richardson says.

• AfterReading:First,youshould

check for students’ comprehension,

which can be done in the form of a

discussion question, such as “How

did this character change from

beginning to end?” You can also

use the time for a predetermined

word study (e.g., on digraphs) geared

toward the group’s needs.

Monitoring Decoding Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension

Are you

right?

Say the first

part and

check the

picture. What

would look

right and

make sense?

Try

reading

it without

pointing.

Is there

a word you

don’t

understand?

What’s

happening

on this page?

Does that

make

sense?

Can you break

it into parts?

How

would the

character

say that?

Are there

clues in the

sentence or

illustration to

help you?

Is there a

confusing part?

What don’t you

understand?

Does it look

right? Check

it with your

finger.

Do you know

another word

that looks like

this one?

Put some

words

together

so it

sounds

smooth.

Is there a part

in that word

that can help?

Why do you think

the character

did (or said) that?

PromPting for successAuthor and former teacher Jan Richardson offers a host of free guided-

reading resources on her website (www.janrichardsonguidedreading.com),

including these prompts for “during reading” instruction.

guided reading


07212015154953

Tips for helping your teacher–parent partnerships make the grade. by calvin hennick

illu

str

atio

ns

: v

icto

ria

ro

be

rts


Your Goals

Parents are the most important partners teachers can have.

They, like you, want what is best for their kids—and will

work tirelessly to that end. Still, even if it’s not intentional,

they will occasionally act in ways that make your job

tougher. Here are some surefire ways to fix or prevent the

most common parent problems so that you can be the best

partners possible in your students’ education.

Problem No oNe Reads YouR NewsletteRs

You spend hours compiling class information, and yet

parents still have no idea that today is the class field trip!

solutioN: diveRsifY aNd simplifY

Pernille Ripp, a middle school teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin,

gives parents the option of receiving paper or e-mail news-

Parentsa+


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letters. Also, she includes only

the most important informa-

tion in those weekly updates.

“I try to be very picky with

what I send so that people

know if I’m sending some-

thing, it’s something they’ll

need,” she says.

Problem a paReNt

thiNks You’Re siNgliNg

out heR Child

You make a phone call home

about a problem at school,

and the response is, “Why

are you always picking on

my kid?”

solutioN: seNd out geNeRal

RemiNdeRs to eveRYoNe

When Ripp noticed dress-code viola-

tions starting to pop up in her class-

room, she didn’t call individual kids’

parents. Instead, she sent out a note

reminding all families about the rules.

The move saved her time, and ensured

that kids didn’t feel they were being

individually targeted. “It usually solves

95 percent of the problem,” Ripp says.

Problem laNguage

aNd CultuRal BaRRieRs

You wish you could talk to all of

your students’ parents in their native

tongue, but you’re limited to English.

solutioN: emBRaCe diveRsitY

Even if you can’t become fluent in

a half-dozen languages in time for

parent–teacher conferences, you can

still create a welcoming multicultural

environment. Thomas Hoerr, an edu-

cation author and administrator at

a private school in St. Louis, recom-

mends printing greetings in multiple

languages, holding some school meet-

ings in community spaces, and serv-

ing different ethnic foods at school

functions. You’ll also want a translator

on hand for important meetings.

parents

Problem the amBush!

A parent has a bone to pick, and he

shows up unannounced during your

prep period wanting to discuss the

problem—right this minute.

solutioN: sChedule a meetiNg

foR a lateR date

“Surprise visits aren’t good,” says

Nicholas Provenzano, an English

teacher in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. He

recommends saying you already have

a meeting scheduled, and then suggest

finding a time that works for both of

you. Invite a third party like a counselor

or an administrator to the meeting. The

point isn’t to blow off the parent, but

to ensure that you have a productive

discussion instead of an argument.

Problem CommuNiCatioN

via e-mail is NoNstop

A parent is clogging your in-box with

three or four e-mails a day, requesting

everything from behavior updates to

homework clarifications.

solutioN: set a 24-houR

ReplY poliCY

Even if you check your e-mail

twice an hour, let parents

know at the beginning of

the year that they can

expect a response from

you in about a day.

“That way, parents

know they’ll hear

back within 24 hours,

but if they have

something urgent,

e-mail is not the way

to go,” says Jason

Flom, an administrator

at a private school in

Tallahassee, Florida. If

parents still e-mail every

day, he recommends batch-

ing your responses at the end

of the week.

To deter the worst offenders from

sending multiple e-mails, set up an

automatic reply that directs parents

to your class website for homework

updates and other class news.

Problem iNvisiBle paReNts

You’ve heard rumors of this mom’s

or dad’s existence, but you’ve never

actually met the parent.

solutioN: iNClude them

iN aN eaRlY pRojeCt

John Spencer, a middle school teacher

in Phoenix, gives students a get-to-

know-you assignment at the beginning

of the year and encourages them to

involve their parents.

“Kids will videotape their parents

cooking, or working on their car, and

it gets parents involved in telling their

story,” Spencer says. “That helps me to

get to know the parents.”

Many parents may be hard to track

down because of busy schedules—

some may work multiple jobs or have

crushing family responsibilities. To

accommodate these parents, Hoerr

suggests scheduling both daytime and


07092014163537


evening opportunities to attend the

school play, conferences, and other

important events.

Problem aRguiNg a gRade

You gave that essay a B?

A parent begs to differ.

solutioN: Request

a faCe-to-faCe meetiNg

Provenzano says it’s “easy” to complain

about a grade over the phone or in an

e-mail, but that most parents will let

a grade stand rather than make their

case in person. “Over 12 years, I’ve had

maybe three or four parents come in

to discuss the grading of an essay,”

he says.

Provenzano recommends having

a clear grading rubric to back you

up: “You add up the columns, and it

equals a 92, and it’s an A-minus.”

Hard to argue with that.

Problem a ReluCtaNCe to let go

Call it “helicoptering,” “snowplowing,”

or just old-fashioned babying. A par-

ent insists on tying the child’s shoes

for him every morning, and doing a

thousand other things that he should

be learning to do himself.

solutioN: geNtlY poiNt

out age-appRopRiate skills

Pinedale, Wyoming, first-grade

teacher Cori Ann Lloyd

tells parents, “At this

point, most kids

are hanging up

their backpack by

themselves.” Parents

usually respond

positively. “They

want their kid to

be successful,”

Lloyd says.

Core CommuniCation

It can be difficult communicating

information about Common Core

with families. So, for example,

when their child brings home

math assignments showing a

different approach from the way

they learned it, parents can be

sent into a tizzy. Here are two

solutions for addressing Core

questions and misconceptions.

• Spencer, the Phoenix educa-

tor, says his district has held

Common Core info sessions

for parents. Spencer prefers

to show parents how their kids

put the standards into action.

“When the parents see the

work, and they realize that

it’s Common Core–aligned,

they’re so proud of what their

kid did, and they’re much more

comfortable with it,” he says.

• Dykes, the middle school

teacher from Alabama, also

favors a “show, don’t tell”

approach. Although there’s

a growing movement in the

state to opt out of the Core, the

Alabama College- and Career-

Ready Standards are aligned

with the framework. Dykes says

her daughter’s school held a

math night where presenters

didn’t just talk about the stan-

dards but actually took parents

through a hands-on, standards-

based math lesson. “The par-

ents left with really good things

to say,” Dykes remarks.

Problem paReNts go sileNt

iN meetiNgs

You hold a meeting to discuss a stu-

dent’s individualized education plan,

and the parent doesn’t seem to have

any thoughts or opinions.

solutioN: demYstifY

the pRoCess

If a parent gets quiet, she may

simply be trying to decipher a stream

of “teacher-speak” acronyms being

tossed around the table. Jeffrey Benson,

a Boston-area education consultant,

recommends inviting parents in for

a premeeting—before the official IEP

meeting—to help get them up to speed.

Problem the paReNt has

heaRd oNlY half the stoRY

A kid has told his dad the truth…just

not all of it. (Hint: Your side of the story

is the one that’s missing.)

solutioN: ask the Child to

tell the stoRY iN fRoNt of

You aNd the paReNt

“With middle schoolers, the story

changes a million times,” says McCalla,

Alabama, teacher Amanda Dykes.

“I always tell parents, ‘I’ll believe half

of what they say about you if you believe

half of what they say about me.’”

Dykes says that kids usually get a lot

more honest if they have to tell their

story in front of a parent and the teacher

at the same time.


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