IRC ACTIVITIES Crossing Boundaries at the Brand New ...2 Winter 2015 J.C. Penney tells us that the...

BOARD BRIEFSFrom the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 3 From the IRA State Coordinator . . . 2

IRC ACTIVITIESIRC Awards and Grants . . . . . . . . . 4-52016 Program Proposals . . . . . . . . . . 82016 Illinois Reads Launch . . . . . . . . 9 Passport to Possibilities . . . . . . . . . . . 10Farris Rural Library Award . . . . . . 11 Literacy Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Wired Wednesday Webinars . . . . . . 11Static Stick Decal Contest . . . . . 12-13 Hall of Fame Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14IRC Angel’s Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

FEATURESISBE: ESEA Reauthorization . . . 6-7 Illinois Authors’ Corner . . . . . . . . . . 7High Quality Literacy Instruction . . 14Flashlight-Literacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

CBring back October! The month was indelible for two reasons, and even though the second one is personal, I want to share them both. On the first day of October the annual IRC state conference began. It was in Peoria for the first time since I was a beginning teacher. Back in Springfield I could literally cut through back doors, basements, and parking lots. The new site is great, but it will take some getting used to. As an officer of the IRC I was supposed to wear an “Ask Me” button, but I just couldn’t unless they added the word “Don’t” at the top.

It was still the same great conference that I’m used to, so many sessions to choose from including some I would never go to – a fact that helps me appreciate how our conference appeals to diverse audiences. I attended terrific sessions on Saturday morning. Why are there always good Saturday sessions? I did notice one change though. Everywhere I went there was an abundance of food, much of it free. Now that’s a Conference Committee that knows what it’s doing.

During the conference, I found myself thinking about the impact of membership in organizations like ours on beginning teachers’ professional development. It sunk in that if one becomes a member of the IRC, one is guaranteed to be a better reading teacher a year later. Even if you don’t participate in much, there’s no way you don’t get better as a reading teacher. Think about it: the state conference is the best part of all, but folks learn a heck of a lot at local council meetings and programs and by reading articles in our pride-and-joy IRC Journal. There is also this Communicator, the iCommunicate newsletter, professional networking (a.k.a. learning stuff by talking with other reading teachers), participating in grants, and in the new Wired Wednesday Webinars. Take advantage of just a few of those and a year from now, you will know more about how to be a reading teacher. I’m preaching to the choir here in our members’ newsletter, but if you do any recruiting for IRC, try using the word “guaranteed.”

From the IRC PresidentLou Ferroli

Continued on page 3

Volume 39 · Number 2 Winter 2015

ommunicator

Crossing Boundaries at the Brand New, Good Old IRC Conference

Program Proposals are due by March 1, 2016

2016 IRC CONFERENCESeptember 29-October 1

in Peoria, Illinois

The Illinois Reading Council Communicator

2 Winter 2015

J.C. Penney tells us that the best way to ensure councils’ growth is to work together. Our recent conference is a perfect example of so many people working together. The conference began with the creative thinking and hard work of Patti Tylka and was soon joined by the efforts of the IRC office, the expertise of the featured speakers and presenters, and, of course, the welcoming arms of the city of Peoria.

This working together concept is also evident in the success of both our Illinois Reads and our Read and Feed program. It is exciting to know that while Westmont, Illinois started the “Village Launch” of Illinois Reads in 2015, Mount Sterling, Illinois will carry the “Village Launch” torch in 2016. And through the joint efforts of Barb Ashton, Kathleen Sweeney, West Suburban Reading Council, Illini Reading Council, Lake Area Reading Council and the IRC Family Literacy Committee, IRC was able to work together with the International Literacy Association and the National Association of State Title I Directors to provide the “read” part of a Read and Feed summer school program for the students in Maywood, District #89.

Hopefully by working together, more IRC local councils will participate in a Read and Feed program. Contact me at [email protected] for more information on how to implement this easy but very needed program in your council’s area. It fits a requirement for IRC’s Council of Excellence and can also be used to fulfill one of the ILA Honor Council requirements.

From the ILA State Coordinator

Roberta Sejnost

Speaking of IRC’s Council of Excellence and ILA’s Honor Council, several of you have asked for a refresher on how the requirements for the two awards are similar. A list is available on the homepage of the IRC Website at www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org.

The following IRC councils were awarded the C of E at the conference and can easily secure ILA’s Honor Council.

• Chicago Area Reading Council • East Central-EIU Reading Council• Fox Valley Reading Council• Illini Reading Council• Lewis & Clark Reading Council• MID-State Reading Council• Northern Illinois• Prairie Area Reading Council• South Eastern Reading Council• Southern Illinois Reading Council• Two Rivers Reading Council• West Suburban Reading Council• Western Illinois Reading Council

I am confident that these councils, and all the rest of our 32 IRC local councils, will submit applications for ILA’s Honor Council.

Let’s work together!

Yours in Literacy,Bobbie Sejnost

“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.”

~ James Cash Penney


Winter 2015 3

President’s Column continued from page 1

Reason number two. That opening day of the IRC conference, October 1st, was the day I did my first-ever presentation on the topic of dyslexia. It was pretty strange presenting on a topic I have avoided for so long. I said the word out loud in public more times in that one hour than I have for the past ten years. It was quite an experience and a bit ironic as I learned a week later that that day was the first day of Dyslexia Awareness Month.

In the last 20 years I presented at our conference 25 times, but this was the first time that I received thank-yous for speaking to a certain topic – not for what I said about the topic, just for the topic itself. There were also more follow-up emails than ever before. I say these things not to boast but to make the point that there is a growing interest, probably due to the recent explosion of hard scientific evidence, about a topic that at times has been shrouded by emotion, unintelligible definition, and mysterious instructional “solutions.”

For you doubting academics out there, the group that would have included me a year or so ago, let me refer you to a wonderfully succinct, high-end summary of recent research on the neurological basis for dyslexia. Note the date; it’s Norton, E., Beach, S., & Gabrieli, J. (2015). Neurobiology of dyslexia. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 30, 73-78. If you’d like you can email me, and I’ll send you the file. The authors have made it available.

I said during my presentation that I hadn’t seen “dyslexia” on our IRC conference program for ten years. Afterward a reading specialist from the Children’s Dyslexia Center in Springfield approached to correct me as she had done such a session three years ago. I thanked her and, now, to her and to some of you who have been reluctant to say the D word out loud at the IRC conference, I invite you to submit your own program proposal on the topic for next year. I will if you will.

Illinois Reading Council 203 Landmark Drive, Suite BNormal, Illinois 61761 Phone: 888-454-1341 Fax: 309-454-3512

Email: [email protected]: illinoisreadingcouncil.org Join us on Facebook Twitter @ILReadCouncil

MISSION

The mission of the Illinois Reading Council is to provide support and

leadership to all who promote and teach lifelong literacy.


4 Winter 2015

Barack Obama Library Award. This award is a classroom library, valued at over $1000, which was created in 2006 through a generous gift to the IRC from (then) Senator Obama. This collection comprises carefully selected literature that is “culturally relevant” for African-American readers and targets students in the middle-school (5th-8th) grade range. The award will go to a teacher in a predetermined IRC Region. Each year, the region will be announced on the IRC Website. Nominations are due by January 1st.

Family Literacy Award. This award recognizes an IRC member who promotes and supports parent involvement in children’s reading. Proposals should be postmarked by May 1st. Deadline for submission of materials is March 1st.

Gene Cramer ICARE for Reading Award. The Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education recognizes an educator who has performed in an outstanding manner to show concern for the affective domain and who has promoted lifelong reading habits among students. Nominations are due by May 1st.

Hall of Fame Award. The IRC has designed the Hall of Fame to recognize significant contributions to reading or reading education. The award will be given at the annual statewide conference. The immediate Past President shall receive the nomination forms and final determination will be made by the Executive Committee no later than 60 days prior to the Annual Meeting. Nomination Forms must be received by March 1st.

Jerry Johns Reading Educator of the Year Award. This award recognizes outstanding teachers who make contributions in promoting literacy among students, colleagues, and school communities. This award is supported by a generous gift from Jerry Johns. Application Form, letters of recommendation, and your philosophy statement are due by March 1st.

IRC Service Award. The IRC will present the IRC Service Award (formerly known as the Certificate of Recognition) at the annual statewide conference. Certificates are awarded to the most deserving individuals who meet the criteria listed. Deadline: All Nomination Forms must be received by March 1st.

International Grant. The International Committee of the Illinois Reading Council has created a grant to promote literacy projects internationally. The maximum amount per grant is $1,000. The application deadline is May 1st.

Literacy Support Grant. The Illinois Reading Council will award financial grants to local and special interest councils and individual council members for the purpose of promoting literacy development in the school and community, and/or providing professional development opportunities related to the improvement of reading and writing instruction. The application deadline is May 1st.

Pamela J. Farris Rural Library Award. Do you know a K-6 teacher who teaches in a rural school and could make good use of a classroom library? If so, this award will provide the winning teacher with a classroom library to enhance the availability of quality literature for students to read in rural areas. The Pamela J. Farris Rural Classroom Library Award was created in 2013 by a gift from Pamela J. Farris to the Illinois Reading Council. Nominations are due March 1st.

Prairie State Award for Excellence in Writing for Children. This award recognizes an Illinois Children's/ Young Adult Author whose body of work demonstrates excellence, engenders a love of literature, and embraces an important part of the mission of the Illinois Reading Council—to promote lifelong literacy. All Nomination Packets must be postmarked by January 15th.

Static Stick Decal Design Contest. Students in grades 4, 5, or 6 are encouraged to create an original design promoting reading. The winning design is printed on static stick decals. Entries must be postmarked no later than April 10th.

IRC Awards & GrantsAre you interested in learning how to nominate individuals from your area for IRC awards or how to benefit from grant money that is available each year for various educational activities? To find out more about these IRC Awards and Grants, please visit the IRC website at www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org.


Winter 2015 5

Barack Obama Library AwardMaureen Daley

Family Literacy AwardEarnestine Carter

Pamela J. Farris Rural Library AwardShannon BaerSarah BonnerChristy Winemiller

Gene Cramer ICARE for Reading AwardLouisa BaddeleyAmy Goldstein

IRC Council of Excellence:Chicago Area Reading AssociationEast Central-EIU Reading CouncilFox Valley Reading CouncilIllini Reading CouncilLewis and Clark Reading CouncilMID-State Reading CouncilNorthern Illinois Reading CouncilPrairie Area Reading CouncilSouth Eastern Reading CouncilSouthern Illinois Reading CouncilTwo Rivers Reading CouncilWest Suburban Reading CouncilWestern Illinois Reading Council

IRC Hall of Fame AwardKathy Barclay

IRC Whisper AwardCarrie Sheridan

Prairie State Award for Excellence in Children’s WritingJulia Durango

Reading Educator of the Year AwardLynn Keck

QR Code Scavenger Hunt WinnersMary MillerCindy Villalobos

Hall of Councils1st: Two Rivers Reading Council2nd: Fox Valley Reading Council3rd: Will County Reading Council

Council Anniversaries55 years: Lewis and Clark Reading Council Southern Illinois Reading Council45 years: Fox Valley Reading Council Sauk Valley Reading Council

Speaker GrantsSouthern Illinois Reading CouncilTwo Rivers Reading Council

Static Sticker Decal Contest Winners First: Keeley Sikora, Ascension School, Oak Park Second: Emily Chace, Columbia Middle School Third: Madison Crow, Albion Grade School Honorable Mention: Samantha Golemba, Nippersink Middle School, Richmond; Alexa Schwiderski, Our Saviour School, Jacksonville; Brianna Hicks, Columbia Middle School, Columbia; Cai Li Kirchen, Ascension School, Oak Park; Alejandro Herrera, Sawyer School, Chicago; and Libby Smith, Jonesboro Elementary School, Jonesboro

Illinois Reading Council AwardsOctober 1-3, 2015


6 Winter 2015

The ISBE Connection: ESEA ReauthorizationNancy Paprocki, ISBE Liaison

Originally signed in 1965 by Lyndon Johnson, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was considered the most far-reaching federal overhaul of the national education system at the time. The purpose of the legislation was to provide quality education to students of all income levels by providing grants and federal resources to schools across the nation, particularly in districts serving low income students. After 8 long years, Congress and the president have finally worked out a bipartisan and bicameral amendment to the No Child Left Behind Act, NCLB, as the reauthorization of 2001 is known, expired in 2007. Congress has been unable to agree on revisions to this legislation until pressed to do so this year. Finally, on December 10th, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law by President Obama.

The current reauthorization of ESEA began in July, when both the House and the Senate approved their respective ESEA reauthorization bills. On July 8th, the House passed the Student Success Act (H.R. 5) by a vote of 218-213. On July 16th, the Senate passed the Every Child Achieves Act (S.1177) by a vote of 81-17. The Student Success Act in the House of Representatives passed following a large amount of controversy. The bill was opposed by Democrats and civil rights groups who argued that the bill would hurt low-income students, disabled students, and minority students. The small margin of victory for this bill evidences the large number of representatives opposed to the bill. Additional controversy was caused by the amendment to the Senate Bill written by Richard Burr (R-NC) which changed the funding formula. Unfortunately, this language remained in the final ESSA version of the legislation. In current practice, the Title I funding formula used state average per-pupil expenditures. This formula tended to favor states like Illinois with large populations and wealthy states that spend a lot on education. Rural states and states with smaller populations tended to receive less funding. The Burr amendment requires using national per-pupil expenditures, which would then distribute Title I funds by multiplying the number of poor children in each state by the national per-pupil expenditure. The new formula would provide poor rural states with smaller populations a more equitable share of the Title I funding. Burr stated, “It’s unfair for federal education spending intended for low-income children to favor children who live in certain parts of the country. When our government aims to assist children who need help, I expect that our laws will do just that. This amendment will rebalance the Title I-A formula once and for all. It’s time to end this discrimination and to do right by these kids.”

An analysis by the Center for American Progress shows that about 58 percent of students would receive less funding under the Burr Amendment. Ultimately, Burr altered the language in his amendment to ensure that the formula change wouldn’t take effect until Title I is funded at $17 billion. The grant program is currently funded at $14.5 billion and hasn’t seen a significant increase in recent years. Hopefully, from Illinois’ perspective, federal funding will not reach this increased level anytime soon, or reauthorization happens again before we reach the funding level and the provision is removed. Reaching this higher level of funding would be a double-edged sword for those of us in Illinois.

How does this formula change specifically affect Illinois? Fourteen states, including Illinois, would receive fewer dollars than under the current system. New York ($310 million), Pennsylvania ($120 million), and Illinois ($188 million) stand to lose the most. This represents a 28 percent cut to federal funding in our state. Chicago Public Schools alone, serving 400,000 children, would lose $68 million. Senator Dick Durbin opposed the bill. He stated, “… when it comes to an amendment that takes that kind of money away from critically important school districts in my state, I am going to use every tool in the box to stop this from coming to the floor and passing.” Coupled with the lack of a budget in Illinois and when we do have a budget, an often unbalanced budget one, these funding cuts could be crippling to our state’s schools if they come to fruition.

The legislation next went to the Conference Committee phase, and was passed quickly. While there were many significant differences in the two bills, the largest discrepancies were in the areas of testing, accountability for growth, standards, teacher quality, school choice and funding portability, funding laws, and federal programs. “Conference committees generally are free to conduct their negotiations as they choose, but they are to address only the matters on which the House and Senate have disagreed. Moreover, they are to propose settlements that represent compromises between the positions of the two houses. When they have completed their work they submit a conference report and joint explanatory statement, and the House and Senate vote on accepting the repost without amendments. Only after the two houses have reached complete agreement on all provisions of a bill can it be sent to the President for his approval or veto.” Congressional Research Service Report on Conference Committees.

In an excerpt from a letter dated November 3, 2015, the AASA, the School Superintendents Association, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Association of Educational Service Agencies, the Association of School Business Officials International, the National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators, the National Association of State Directors of Special Education, the National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition, the National Rural Education Association, and the National Title I Association stated:

Reauthorization is vital and time-sensitive. Right now, the U.S Department of Education (ED) is using a patchwork of methods – waivers, regulations, civil rights guidance – to make policy changes and in doing so is leaving stakeholders out of the decision-making process. In many cases, this approach not only provides relief to some (but not all) states and schools, it also requires burdensome and costly changes at the state level without providing States with any assurance that the guidance will still be valid next year, or even next month. This system is at best temporary when a change in administration comes at least every eight years, and it is certainly not sustainable. Our States, our parents, our schools, and our students need certainty and clear, consistent, and achievable goals. Considering the differences between the bills, the breakdown of final votes on each bill, and the large number of states that can anticipate decreased funding, achieving a compromise that could pass both chambers seemed like an

Continued on page 7


Winter 2015 7

overwhelming task. However, the work was completed quickly and was passed by the House on December 2 and the Senate on Wednesday December 9th, and then signed by President Obama on December 10th.The new law represents a radical shift in control of education, one that moves away from a large federal role in education, including standards based redesign and a large reliance on standardized testing toward putting states and local districts back in charge of teacher evaluations, standards, school turnaround and accountability. Senator Lamar Alexander believes the law makes clear that the new vision for K-12 is going to come from states and not Washington, a move back to the constitutional authority originally granted to states. Alexander states, “What it means is that governors and school boards and teachers can immediately begin to plan and make their own decisions about the design of their tests, how many tests, what their academic standards ought to be, all of the basic decisions about student achievement. It basically reverses the trend toward a national school board and will unleash a new era of innovation and excellence.” Additionally, the new law places large restrictions on the education secretary’s authority as far as setting standards, measuring teacher performance and regulating curriculum. Many programs have been eliminated from line item funding, and are now incorporated into block grants to states, including School Improvement Grants and 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

In anticipation of the signing of the new law, those of us at the Illinois State Board of Education have already been hard at work analyzing the new draft legislation as far as new requirements, phasing out old practices no longer needed, and finding those areas that will be problematic. New information will be made available on the ISBE website and at the NCLB Conference in Chicago in February.

References

Admin “Nine Associations Urge Congress to Reauthorize ESEA,” Titlei.org. (November 9, 2015) www.titlei.org/news-and-resources/blogs/legislation/nine-associations-urge-congress-to-reauthorize-esea-1-1

Brown, Emma. “Some states would lose big money with proposed education funding changes,” (July 10, 2015) The Washington Post.

EmpireStatenews.net “Senator says amendment threatens key school funding formula,” www.empirestatenews.net/News2015/20150709-1.htm

Klein, Alyson. “ESEA Reauthorization: The Every Student Succeeds Act Explained” Education Week. (November 30, 2015). http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2015/11/esea_reauthorization_the_every.html

Klein, Alyson. “President Signs ESEA Rewrite, Giving States, Districts Bigger say on Policy” (December 10, 2015). http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2015/12/president_barack_obama_signs_e.html

Layton, Lindsey. “Senate tweaks formula for Title I funds to educate children from poor families” (July 16, 2015) The Washington Post

Quinlan, Casey. “If This Amendment Passes, Several States would Lose Millions in Federal Education Funding.” (July 13, 2015) Thinkprogress.org thinkprogress.org/education/2015/07/13/3679683/amendment-passes-several-states-lose-millions-federal-education-funding

Rybicki, Elizabeth. Conference Committee and Related Procedures: An Introduction. Congressional Research Service.( March 9, 2015) http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid=%26*2D4Q%3C%5B3%0A

Spillan, Steven. “Senate Passes ESEA Reauthorization.” Titlei.org. (July 17, 2015) www.titlei.org/news-and-resources/blogs/legislation/senate-passes-esea-reauthorization

The ISBE Corner: ESEA Reauthorization continued from page 6

Welcome to the Illinois Authors’ Corner, showcasing new releases from our fabulous Illinois Authors and IRC members. If you’d like to include your new release, please visit the IRC website to find out how to submit information.

Content Area Learning: Bridges to Disciplinary Literacy

Written by Michael Manderino, Roberta Berglund, Jerry JohnsKendall Hunt March 2014Category: Professional. . . . . . Grades: 6-12

Content Area Learning: Bridges to Disciplinary Literacy is a practical and useful book for a wide range of professionals in middle and high schools, including content area teachers and those working with students in literacy intervention support courses. Ideal for school, district, and other types of professional development programs, it will also be a helpful

supplement in undergraduate and graduate reading and language arts classes. NEW to the fourth edition: Addresses current scholarship that emphasizes disciplinary literacy. This book serves as a guide for teachers to bridge content area literacy strategies to the discipline-specific literacy strategies required to learn deeply in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and History/Social Studies. Shares ways that the strategies can be used to help students meet the demands of the Common Core State Standards - strategies address the key shifts in the standards that include close reading, multiple text synthesis, comparative analysis, and text dependent comprehension. Provides ideas for implementing strategies using web-based and iPad application technologies.

ILLINOIS AUTHORS’CORNER


8 Winter 2015

Submit Program Proposals Online at www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org

PROGRAM FORMATThe Illinois Reading Council is accepting Program Proposals for the 49th Annual Reading Council Conference from September 29-October 1, 2016 in Peoria, Illinois. Proposals are encouraged for small group sessions which will be scheduled for 60-minutes. A few proposals requesting a double session will be considered.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION• Proposals that emphasize interaction across disciplines, interaction across roles, new issues or topics, innovative or novel

ways of viewing traditional issues, topics, materials or methods and evidence of familiarity with current practice and/or research will be given priority.

• Proposals that promote commercial materials or programs will not be accepted.• Proposals that contribute to the achievement of an overall program balance in the range of topics, the grade levels covered,

and the professional and geographic distribution of the participants have priority.• The Program Committee reserves the right to disqualify proposals that are not legible, concise, well-worded, complete, and

submitted on time.

GENERAL INFORMATION• Teachers, researchers, librarians, administrators, and others interested in promoting reading and related literacy areas are

encouraged to submit program proposals. • Presenters may submit more than one proposal. • As a professional, nonprofit organization, the Illinois Reading Council is unable to provide honoraria to program participants

or to reimburse for materials, travel, meals, or hotel expenses.• All presenters whose program proposals have been approved must pre-register and pay conference fees no later than the

last day designated for pre-registration (September 1, 2016). If not, name and presentation may be removed from the final Conference program due to printing deadlines.

• The person submitting the proposal must receive advance consent from each listed presentation associate. • Each presentation room will be equipped with an LCD projector and screen. All other audio-visual equipment is the

responsibility of the presenter(s).• Using the Internet in a presentation can create technical complications that may disrupt a session. Unlike an office or school

environment, Internet in convention centers and hotels is not 100% reliable due to numerous temporary users connecting at any given time. Please download and save video to your computer if you are using it in a presentation.

• Please observe the word limits for presentation titles and abstracts. Only concise, clearly worded proposals will be considered.• Proposals must be submitted online at www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org or postmarked no later than March 1, 2016.

Each person submitting a proposal will be sent an acknowledgment by email when the proposal is received. Subsequent correspondence will also be sent by email.

• Applicants will be notified of the Program Committee’s decisions by May 1, 2016. It is the responsibility of the person submitting the proposal to relay the committee’s decision to each presentation associate listed on the program.

Individuals seeking conference information should contact:Illinois Reading Council, 203 Landmark Drive, Suite B, Normal, IL 61761

Phone: 309-454-1341 Email: [email protected] Toll Free: 888-454-1341 Web: www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org

2016 PROGRAM PROPOSAL49th Illinois Reading Council Conference

September 29-October 1, 2016


Winter 2015 9


10 Winter 2015

2015 IRC Conference Passport to Possibilities: IRC’s Triumphant Trek to Peoria

Patti Tylka, 2015 IRC Conference Chair

Thank you to each of you who attended the 2015 Conference, Passport to Possibilities. In our return to Peoria after many years of holding our conference in Springfield, we found our Peoria hosts hospitable and accommodating. We filled the rooms of the Civic Center and the Pere Marquette with more than 2500 attendees who came to see 40 featured speakers, 127 exhibitors, and 399 sessions. Although we received overwhelmingly positive accolades about the Peoria location, including free parking, large session rooms, and excellent service, we have already devised plans to improve traffic flow through the exhibit hall, shorten the walk between sessions in the Civic Center, and increase time between sessions.

Something new this year was the general session on Friday morning with Dav Pilkey, whose inspiring presentation was a favorite. Other big hits were the conference app, Welcome Reception, Authors Readers Theater, Hear the Authors Read, the Illinois Reads Authors Luncheon (with 37 authors), Becky Anderson, Dave Burgess, Donalyn Miller, Penny Kittle, and Maria Walther.

A successful spin-off to our conference has been the IRC Online Book Clubs. During the summer of 2015, 89 IRC members earned 15 clock hours by completing the Teach Like a Pirate Book Club and 109 completed The Book Whisperer Book Club. Book Club 2.0, which began after the conference, has 127 registered for Teach Like a Pirate and 125 for The Book Whisperer. Look for information about next summer’s book club offering, which will be posted on the IRC website and included in the 2016 Preliminary Program that launches on April 15, 2016.

We are grateful to our faithful volunteers, excellent conference chairs, and expert IRC staff members who meet each challenge with a smile and “get ‘er done!” attitude. Thank you to all who attended and helped to make the 48th Annual IRC Conference a success. We hope that you truly found this conference a Passport to Possibilities.

We invite you to join us next year in Peoria (September 29-October 1, 2016) for the 49th Annual Conference; we will be Reading: Unlocking Opportunities.


Winter 2015 11

Farris Rural Library AwardPam Farris, Chair

Shrieks of delight upon finding a title by a favorite author occurred not once, not twice, but three times this fall as students relished their new classroom libraries. This year three teachers received a $500 classroom library. The grant is open to all teachers K-8 who teach in a rural community of less than 2,500 people. The application form is on the IRC website and is due March 1, 2015. Self nominations are encouraged.

This year’s recipients include Shannon Baer who teaches reading for grades 6-8 at Nettle Creek School, Morris, Illinois, and is a member of the Starved Rock Reading Council. Moving from being a fifth grade teacher to middle school, Shannon wanted new titles that her students would find relevant and interesting. According to Shannon, “I find it is imperative to provide a variety of selections from which students can choose.”

Sarah Bonner teaches 8th grade reading and language arts at Heyworth Junior High School, Heyworth, Illinois, and is a member of the MID-State Reading Council. Sarah channels her inner “Donalyn Miller” as she promotes quality literature in her rural classroom setting. In November, Sarah presented at NCTE on using young adult literature in the classroom.

Christy Winemiller teaches language arts to 7-8th graders at Albion Grade School, Albion, Illinois, and is a member of the Southern Illinois Reading Council. Christy puts a strong emphasis on individualized reading and serves on the Rebecca Caudill selection committee.

Committee members include Mary Gardner, Kim McKenna, Pam Nelson, and Erin Taylor. Some of the titles this year included Cliff Dwellers, Curious Cat Spy Club, Super Shark Encyclopedia, Red Queen, Wonder, The Kidney Hypothetical, The Contract by Derek Jeter, and Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes.

Take a moment to review some of the Literacy Links provided by the IRC Educational Media Committee to help Illinois educators in today’s classrooms. These links and past links will be available on the IRC Website under “Literacy Links” on the homepage. Topics include:

• Assessment• Videos• Web 2.0 Tools

LITERACY LINKS

Wired Wednesday Webinars

Culturally Responsive InstructionWebinars will begin at 7:00 p.m.

January 13, 2016 ~ Dana StachowiakReading and Writing with a Critical Social Justice Literacy FrameworkObtain an understanding of teaching through a critical social justice literacy framework. Examples of teacher dispositions, how to close with an anti oppression lens, and how to write for social action will be shared.

February 10, 2016 ~ Althier LazarTeaching for Social Equity in the Literacy ClassroomSocial equity literacy teaching is a model that fuses literacy teaching with concepts of social equity. The webinar will explore each dimension of social equity literacy teaching and will profile teachers whose work reflects this model.

March 9, 2016 ~ JoEllen McCarthyBest Practice Writing in Culturally Responsive Classrooms

April 13, 2016 ~ Becki Cohn-Vargas and Dorothy SteeleIdentity Safe Classrooms: Places to Belong and LearnHear about research results of the Stanford Integrated Schools Project, demonstrating that students in identity-safe classrooms were stronger academically and felt more identity safe. We will highlight the ways the kinds of literacy, reading, writing, speaking, and listening, can incorporate strategies drawn from the four Cs of identity safety: Child-centered classrooms, Cultivating Diversity as a Resource, Classroom Relationships, and Caring Classroom Environments.

May 11, 2016 ~ Doris Walker-Dalhouse & Victoria Risko Identity, Equity, and Literacy: Focusing on Struggling ReadersWe will promote educational equity for struggling readers by supporting their acquisition of foundational English Language Arts skills and higher order thinking abilities. The strategies presented can be integrated into the classroom in ways that support all students.

June 8, 2016 ~ Rebecca PowellImplementing the CRIOP ModelThe Culturally Responsive Instruction Observation Protocol (CRIOP) model is grounded in the work of multicultural and equity educators, literacy scholars and second language acquisition theorists. The CRIOP provides a comprehensive model for realizing culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning practices. Participants will be introduced to the six elements of the model and will be presented with many practical ways for implementing these elements in their classrooms.

Sponsored by the Illinois Reading Council and the Wisconsin State Reading Associaton for members only!

• Comprehensive Resources• Interactive Resources• Reading Passages Register online at www.illinoisreadingcouncil.

org/wiredwednesdaywebinars.html


12 Winter 2015

The Illinois Council for Affective Reading Educationand

The Illinois Reading Council

The Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education (ICARE) and the Illinois Reading Council (IRC) invite YOU to design a STATIC STICK DECAL that encourages children to read.

QUALIFICATIONS You must be a student in grade 4, 5 or 6 in a school in the state of Illinois.

GUIDELINES Make your original design in the 4 inch square on the back of this sheet. (Teachers may copy the application form as many times as needed.) Invent an original character(s) to include in your design. You may NOT use any published cartoon or comic characters (including characters such as Snoopy, Bart Simpson, Power Rangers,Garfield,Barney,etc.)noranycomputer-generatedart. Develop an original saying or slogan. You are limited to three colors plus black and white. The label with Illinois Reading Council and Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education must be on the STATIC STICK DECAL design but it may be moved from the location on the application form. Complete the application form on the back of this sheet. Mail it with your design to: Kathleen Sweeney c/o Illinois Reading Council 203 Landmark Drive, Suite B Normal, IL 61761

ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN APRIL 10th!

THE STATIC STICK DECAL CONTEST WINNER WILL RECEIVE: Anautographedbookbyawell-knownchildren’sauthor. An invitation for the winner and his/her parents to be our guests at the Saturday Luncheon at the annual Illinois Reading Council Conference. The winner will sit in a place of honor and be introduced during the luncheon. 30 STATIC STICK DECALS with the winning design to distribute to classmates.

TIPS Don’tforget–TheworkMUST BE ORIGINAL. You may not use any published trademark, cartoon,comiccharactersorcomputer-generatedart. Keep the art work simple. Too much detail within the space provided may result in a smeared look when it is reproduced on the STATIC STICK DECAL. Finelinemarkers,pensandpencilsworkthebest.Crayonisusuallydifficulttoread. Spelling must be standard and correct.

STATIC STICK DECAL CONTEST


Winter 2015 13

The Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education and The Illinois Reading Council

Illinois Reading CouncilIllinois Council for Affective Reading Education

Name ______________________________________________________________________________

Grade _________________________________ Age __________________________

Teacher’sName______________________________________________________________________

School _____________________________________________________________________________

School Address _______________________________________________________________________

City ______________________________ Zip __________________________

School Phone Number (with area code) ___________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian’sName_______________________________________________________________

Home Address _______________________________________________________________________

City _____________________________ Zip __________________________

Home Phone Number (with area code) ____________________________________________________

Mail entries no later than April 10th to: Kathleen Sweeney c/o Illinois Reading Council 203 Landmark Drive, Suite B Normal, IL 61761

APPLICATIONSTATIC STICK DECAL CONTEST


14 Winter 2015

About the Author Tinaya York has been an educator with Chicago Public Schools for 17 years as a teacher, literacy coach, librarian, manager and most recently an Instructional Support Leader (ISL) for 42 schools in the district. As an ISL her main role is to provide support for elementary and high school literacy, provide year-long professional opportunities for high school teachers on Reading Apprenticeship, and work closely with schools to improve learning outcomes. Her passions include supporting African-American adolescents who struggle with reading, improving the quality of instruction, enhancing the literacy skills and achievement of adolescents, and providing professional development.

With bated anticipation the countdown begins for the school year and football. What do these two have in common? Lots. New football rules (for special teams, defenseless players, etc.) and new”er” Standards and assessments (CCSS, NGSS, PARCC, etc.); Scandals and cuts (Deflate Gate, misconduct, free agency) and pension crisis and cuts (did I hear someone say CPS?); New coaches/players and new school leaders/teachers.

Okay, it’s a stretch. But likening literacy to football has value in terms of what it will take for teachers and school leaders to reach the literacy outcomes as defined by the Common Core State Standards. There are a few strategies that school leaders and teachers can take from football to improve literacy instruction and achievement in the new school year:

1. Strategic moves to improve literacy instruction are best. But flexibility is a must.

2. Take time to deepen understanding of the Standards.3. Invest in teachers.

To read the complete article and future articles in this series, go to the IRC Website. Under the Publications and Services tab, click on iCommunicate. If you are not receiving the monthly iCommunicate by email, please contact the IRC Office to verify that your correct email address is on file.

Planning for High Quality Literacy Instruction and Improved Literacy

Tinaya York

IRC Hall of Fame AwardCindy Gerwin, IRC Past President

Kathy Barclay embodies what an IRC Hall of Fame recipient should be. She is knowledgeable, dedicated, and driven to do what’s best for education. Since she graduated Cum Laude from Louisiana Tech University in 1975, she has taken on numerous challenges and leadership roles. She was Department Chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Western Illinois University from 1997-2004, Kindergarten Expert in Literacy for the Illinois State Board of Education from 2006-present, and a member of the IRC Board of Directors from 2004-2014. She was also external co-chair of the Illinois Right to Read Initiative, director of the Illinois Center for Achieving Reading Excellence, and director of the Illinois Reading First Professional Development training of trainers.

Kathy was previously the editor of the IRC Journal for approximately a decade and through her dedication and expertise, she has made the journal a highly esteemed publication. Before her tenure as Editor of IRCJ, Kathy was awarded the IRC Research Award and was instrumental in developing the Early Childhood Special Interest Council. For many years, she was faculty advisor for WIU’s Mu Chapter of Alpha Upsilon Alpha, the Honor Society of the International Reading Association. She has also served as a member and as chair of the IRA Alpha Upsilon Alpha Committee and, for three terms, as a member of the IRA Publications Committee. She also served as a member of the Search Committee for editor of The Reading Teacher. Kathy has written numerous books, journal and magazine articles, as well as staff development materials in order to help educators meet the challenges in education. Her expertise has been sought nationally from California to New York as well as at the state and local levels through in-service presentations and workshops to multi-county presentations and statewide webinars and videos.

In support of educators, as well as parents and caregivers, Kathy has been awarded over 1.3 million dollars in grants from the Illinois Reading First and Meeting the Challenge professional development grants to the Parents and Caregivers Support Literacy Development grant. It is through her vision that educators and families have learned how to best meet the needs of the children under their care. Even in retirement, Kathy has not slowed down, continuing to contribute to the field of literacy. She is an exceptional educator and the Fall 2015 recipient of the IRC Hall of Fame Award. Congratulations to Kathy Barclay!


Winter 2015 15

My sister hands me a manila envelope with my name on the outside. I immediately recognize the careful cursive of my late mother. Inside I find childhood memorabilia she deemed worthy of saving. Clippings of a teenage tennis life, a preschool photo, random report cards. My eyes fixate on the latter.

Teachers at Palm Beach Day School used to write comments. And for some reason my mother preserved the less than stellar ones. Mr. McAllis, my eighth grade English teacher, had written, “Barclay is an enigma.” I remember looking that word up in the dictionary and deciding it was not a compliment. For years I thought I was a puzzle to all who knew me.

Mrs. Tabloner from 5th grade math had commented, “Barclay is shy.” After that, I recall taking a vow of silence just to spite her. This only sparked future report cards to complain about that back row student who never spoke.

I shove the envelope on a basement shelf. I would toss the whole thing into our fireplace – but just not yet … the eighth grader in me was plotting revenge on certain teachers no doubt sunning themselves in Florida retirement communities, oblivious to the lasting impact of their casual “is” statements.

Two days later, I come home from work to find these same report cards, not in the basement, but placed on sheets of paper towel and draped over our kitchen table– damp but readable. My loving husband had found them floating across the floor after a torrential rain earlier that day. He beamed at me, proud of his meticulous restoration efforts. I didn’t have the heart to tell him. I reconciled myself to forever being shy and enigmatic.

Now that I am a reading teacher, I am well versed in the cautionary research on providing feedback to students. Our criticism is constructive; our observations are specific. And our praise-statements are not of the global variety – as in, “You are so smart.” Instead, we say, “I like how you …”; or, “I see you are using the strategy of ….”

Sounds good, right? Certainly this so-called Trophy Generation has received its share of cheap praise where everyone is rewarded

regardless of input.

I have decided, however, to err on the gushing side of praise dispensing. Sincere, but loaded with positive, even global, is-statements. Laura is smart; Joannie is a hard worker; Jack is creative; Billy is expressive.

I am reminded of the Nanny from The Help, who repeatedly whispered to her little girl-charge who had been forgotten by a social-climbing mother --

“You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”

All of us crave words of affirmation. Mark Twain remarked he could live for two months on a good compliment. I now believe

there’s a ratio of at least 25 to 1 in terms of the need for positive praise to override automatic negative thoughts that permeate our brain.

To truly motivate our readers, we may need to gush. I am reminded how my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Nagle, idly commented that I had a “flare” in writing. That word

ruminated in my brain and found life. I began to write with a vengeance. We all crave flare-words.

Could it be that you will idly say a word, a phrase, that turns a child’s self image or career trajectory. Isn’t that why we went into this profession?

In his 2004 book, Choice Words, Peter Johnston talks about naming a child the “class poet.” The mere naming can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. According to Johnston, “Those things teachers say and don’t say…changes the literate lives of their students.” He advocates for strategic questioning, silence, and the use of choice words to foster student independence.

So let’s insert “flare-words” and maybe even gush. Literacy lives are at stake.

ReferencesJohnston, Peter H. Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children’s Learning. Portland: Stenhouse. 2004.

Flashlight-Literacy: Getting Kids Crazy About ReadingBarclay Marcell

The Power of “Is”Flare Words and Why We Crave Them

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDPermit No. 800Springfield, IL

203 Landmark Drive, Suite BNormal, IL 61761

Who Wants to be an Angel?

The Angels Fund’s goal is to ensure that the Illinois Reading Council continues to carry out its mission of providing support and leadership to all who promote and teach lifelong literacy. If you are someone who wants to express your appreciation for what the Illinois Reading Council has done to support literacy across the State of Illinois, please consider becoming an Angels Fund Supporter today.

Your donation to the Angels Fund will assist the Illinois Reading Council in awarding grants to educators with innovative literacy projects across the State of Illinois. Donors to the Angels Fund will also be recognized in the Illinois Reading Council’s quarterly newsletter, IRC Communicator, and the Illinois Reading Council’s Annual Conference Final Program Book. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your donation is tax-deductible.

To donate, visit the IRC Website and click on the donate icon shown above.

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