Is your state being mandated to use SOR materials only?
Virginia is, and the impact is more than disheartening… in my opinion, with my limited time in classrooms, and my role not only to focus on literacy education, I rarely see anything encouraging to be honest. My one celebration was that the Reading Specialist in one of my schools is spending 1:1 time with my student teacher, helping her understand how the mandated curriculum works and the options available. These online materials are not accessible to me since I do not work for the county.
I stopped by to thank the Reading Specialist but she had gone home sick. I hope to see her when I visit tomorrow. As far as I know, NO coaching is happening at all anymore. 😢
Sorry for whining.
Although I always enjoy your posts, they also remind me of what is now missing in the county I grew up in as a Reading Specialist and literacy coach. It is painful and I think about how I would operate in these schools now.
Great “positive deviant” words to keep in mind. If it was ME in the schools … for positively sure I’d be pushing back in my very sweet but hard push way!!
I also though, have to remember that my teachers are brand new or at least they are new to teaching, as many are Instructional Assistants so are mature and have been in schools. Nevertheless, not only are they not teachers yet, they do not have much knowledge in language arts so a positive deviant stance is challenging for them. Do not worry though, if they learn nothing else from me, they know the importance of thinking and understanding where there students are and questioning scripts for all!!
Hi Matt,
Is your state being mandated to use SOR materials only?
Virginia is, and the impact is more than disheartening… in my opinion, with my limited time in classrooms, and my role not only to focus on literacy education, I rarely see anything encouraging to be honest. My one celebration was that the Reading Specialist in one of my schools is spending 1:1 time with my student teacher, helping her understand how the mandated curriculum works and the options available. These online materials are not accessible to me since I do not work for the county.
I stopped by to thank the Reading Specialist but she had gone home sick. I hope to see her when I visit tomorrow. As far as I know, NO coaching is happening at all anymore. 😢
Sorry for whining.
Although I always enjoy your posts, they also remind me of what is now missing in the county I grew up in as a Reading Specialist and literacy coach. It is painful and I think about how I would operate in these schools now.
Take care, Matt.
📚📝Joy
Hi Joy, thanks for commenting.
In Wisconsin there is a "list" of approved resources, but districts can deviate from the list provided that can prove the program is aligned with SoR.
You make a good point - what might be acceptable in one part of the country could get someone else in trouble elsewhere. I will keep this in mind as I write in the future. Any room for folks in Virginia to be a "positive deviant"? (See Atul Gawande's book Better for more information, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10247135-steps-to-become-a-positive-deviant-1-ask-unscripted-questions)
Great “positive deviant” words to keep in mind. If it was ME in the schools … for positively sure I’d be pushing back in my very sweet but hard push way!!
I also though, have to remember that my teachers are brand new or at least they are new to teaching, as many are Instructional Assistants so are mature and have been in schools. Nevertheless, not only are they not teachers yet, they do not have much knowledge in language arts so a positive deviant stance is challenging for them. Do not worry though, if they learn nothing else from me, they know the importance of thinking and understanding where there students are and questioning scripts for all!!
Thanks again, Matt!