Welcome! Take a look around the room, browse materials, find a seat – I am so excited to have the opportunity to talk with you tonight!

A Bit About Me Master in Teaching from University of Washington Professional Membership National Council for Teachers of English, Washington State Council for Teachers of Social Studies Attendee at the Pacific Coast Literacy Institute, 2017 BA in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from University of Washington (minor equivalents in English and History) Fifth year at IMS Seattle Public Schools Madison Middle School Aki Kurose Middle School Teaching reading is my passion!

Best Way to Stay Informed Check the classroom website regularly Email me with any questions Call me or set up a meeting time with any concerns

Why I teach?/My Classroom All students are creative unique individuals with an important voice Reading/Writing – middle school critical time for literacy Growth mindset Meet each student where they are Mistakes are proof that you are trying Students are always encouraged to improve their work We become lifelong learners when we learn to ask critical questions! Conferencing –we always have a plan for improving our work and growing Engagement first Teaching reading is my passion

My Goals for Your Student Become resourceful independent learners Become stronger readers, writers, speakers and listeners Learn how to set reading and writing goals and work towards achieving them Enhance skills and strategies for engaging in academic conversation Learn how to apply appropriate reading strategies to a variety of text types across content areas Learn writing strategies and writing forms that support all academic work Guide students to transfer Read180 skills learned to work from core classes Know why the reading, writing, speaking and listening we learn and practice in this class are important for you in the real world  We are readers of the world around us.

What is Read 180? Blended learning classroom One class that utilizes many strategies to support your student’s literacy Fosters skills that students’ will use across their academic day Focuses on student growth and helping students build a growth mindset

Read 180 Blended Learning Introduction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-IaXX6hXco

Meeting Your Student Where They Are Explicit skills instruction in whole group Students’ grouped throughout the year in small groups based on areas of growth, for targeted instruction Adaptive Read 180 Student App Guided choice in independent reading to help students’ build stamina and volume

The Blended Learning Rotation Walk parents through each station in class – showcasing options, materials, and focus of each station https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHhZKjxCQFU optional video of student App

Typical Week

This class will help your student grow as a reader and writer by focusing on: VOLUME CHOICE FLUNECY COMPREHENSION ACADEMIC DISCUSSION Briefly describe why each aspect is important to building readers AND how the program facilitates that Volume – the more we read, they better we become at it. Volume of reading predicts school success more than any other indicator. Volume is also achieved through close reading, multiple readings, and vocabulary study. Choice – builds interest and motivation Fluency – fluency protocols used in whole group, small group, and practice on the student app. We are building a reader’s ear. Increased volume also increases student flunency. How many have worked with a student or child who said that they could not hear what they were reading? As we grow as readers, we internalize this. However, I still read something aloud to myself when I am struggling to understand it. Fluency also builds automaticity which leaves room for a reader to focus more on comprehension and analysis. If you can’t visualize or hear a text, you won’t spend long with it. Comprehension – comes more easily with increased volume and improved fluency. Explicit comprehension skills taught in whole group, and expanded on in small goup Academic Discussion – the one who is talking is doing the learning. Gateway to better writing! Some students are going to struggle more in some areas than others – one reason why Read 180 offers so many ways and opportunities to meet students where they are Add my story as a middle school reader

My Role Before we can build competence we must build confidence Collaborate with your student’s core teachers to help your student transfer skills from Read 180 to other classes Your student’s literacy coach Help your student see their growth, track their success, and make new goals Communicate with you regarding your student’s successes and next steps

Successes – The Stats 93% of students last year improved their reading level beyond average growth for their grade level 98% of students said, at the end of the year, they read significantly more books than any previous year in school 89% of students said, at the end of the year, that they had grown “significantly” as a writer In 2015-2016, 82% of students in Read 180 improved their SBA scores by a level or more

Successes – What it looks like We understand that your middle school student might not feel this way about Read 180 at the beginning of the year. This does replace an elective choice and is an academic class.

A Bit on the Research…. Most students in middle school struggle more with applying appropriate comprehension strategies to texts than decoding words. (Conderman, 2010) Comprehension = making meaning from a text This means many students “read” without reading or understanding That’s why we will focus on: Understanding text types, structures, setting a purpose for reading and applying the appropriate strategies to the text to come to a deeper understanding of the text

Whole Group Reading, Writing and Vocabulary Model active reading strategies Model fluency Variety of texts (Science, LA, SS) Practice and apply appropriate reading comprehension and analysis strategies SET A PURPOSE FOR READING

Instructional Software Intensive, individualized skills practice CHOICE OF TOPIC Program continually adjusts based on students assessed needs Provides diagnostic reports Guides teacher’s small group instruction Helps students target and set goals

Independent and Modeled Reading Read 180 Library Tested for Lexile Level Student Choice Engaging age appropriate materials that promote success Daily reading response and log Reading Counts! Quizzes Students are re-tested for their Lexile level each trimester and at the end of the year

Participation Academic conversation What I say to students: “Students, your success in this class will largely depend upon your perseverance and how seriously you take your personal growth. We are all very different readers and writers and our goal is to help you grow as a reader and writer of the world around you. In order to do this, you will need to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, set goals and reach to attain them – then reset and work towards new goals. You will get to choose topics and books that interest you the most and use those to continually strive to be the best learner you can be.” Academic conversation Investigating, learning, scholars, readers

Grading Policy Daily Participation (15% of grade) – Participation Trackers Whole Class and Small Group Work (20% of grade) – These activities include warm- ups, rBook activities, and other Small Group assignments (including rBook quizzes). Read 180 Student App (15% of grade) - Through the program, students will track their progress in: reading comprehension, vocabulary and writing. Independent/Modeled Reading (20% of grade) – Growth Portfolio (30% of grade) - This grade consists of five assignments, tests, or writing projects that the student chooses which he/she feels best reflect his/her growth in the class. - For more information, please see the syllabus/grading policy letter

Growth Mindset Students will be allowed to continually improve their work and their grade by setting new goals, working to constantly improve their work I will always allow students to improve their work

Parent Communication My goal – Touch based with the parents/guardians of each student at least once a trimester over the phone (or in person) Communicate Lexile level scores with you after each interval testing Unit newsletter I can meet or talk over the phone at any point in the year