Presentation for K – 8 STEM PTA on December 3, 2015 Mary Bannister, NBCT Library Media SPS Elementary Literacy History Present

Whole Language Phonics There have always been a variety of literacy methodologies debated or in vogue! The Reading Pendulum Swings Regularly! Balanced Literacy Scientifically Designed Reading Instruction Oral ReadingSilent Reading Basals Real Literature The truth is… students need multiple ways to access text to develop meaning-making!

SPS Most Recent Elementary Literacy Adoptions were in 2003/2004 HOUGHTON MIFFLIN READING: A LEGACY OF LITERACY, (grades K-5) Leaned more towards BASAL Kendall Hunt, PEGASUS II, 2000 Literature Based Reading Program ry/instructional_materials_-_elementary/ ry/instructional_materials_-_elementary/ accessed 16 November Schools could choose from:

National Urban Alliance Literacy Initiative … also known as NUA Professional Development + Coaching and on-site visits from Consultants + Culturally Competent Instructional Practices + Goal of building instructional practices K – 12 with an emphasis on ThinkingMaps as a common tool.ThinkingMaps -Not every school participated -Not all teachers were trained and no systemic way to bring new hires on-board -Many teachers felt they couldn’t replicate what the “experts” were doing -Became too expensive to roll out district-wide

Teachers College Readers Writers Workshop + Professional Development in week long trainings in New York + Coaching Model for on-site Professional Development + + Goal of building a culture of Readers and Writers in students and staff -Not every school participated due to expense – schools that qualified could use Title monies or had a rich PTA pay. Alliance also funded 10 school for about three years to receive this PD. -Not all teachers were trained -Lesson plans are often hard to read to pull out teaching points -Teachers College Curriculum Calendars revised frequentlyTeachers College Curriculum Calendars -Coaching, materials and systemic training were too expensive to roll out district-wide

Common Core ELA Common Core ELA Standards are here!* These are things we want our students to know and be able to do! ( However you may not like how they are currently assessed!) In July 2010, Superintendent Dorn provisionally adopted the Common Core State Standards. In July 2011, Superintendent Dorn formally adopted the Common Core State Standards. accessed 16 November Mrs. B’s pet peeve is nowhere does it say reads for pleasure!

In 2013 – 2014 SPS Program Manager for Literacy called together literacy teacher leaders from across the district to write a Scope and Sequence aligned to Common Core English Language Arts standards. This was beautifully thought- out and well-crafted, yet there were no funds for schools to buy materials to support implementing the scope and sequence. Many of us on the committee were frustrated that while some teachers received professional development on the contents of the scope and sequence, they were provided no materials with which to teach it. Current Reality for SPS: CC ELA CC ELA Scope & Sequence accessed 16 November 2015.

In 2014 – 2015 another group of literacy teacher leaders met with school level teacher teams that volunteered to create instructional units for the SPS scope and sequence. Great teachers, great work, but again no funds for purchasing curriculum materials and little professional development offered to SPS teachers to implement these units. Current Reality for SPS: CC ELA CC ELA Units Developed alId=25907&pageId= https://mysps.seattleschools.org/cms/one.aspx?port alId=25907&pageId= accessed 16 Nov. 2015

Current Reality for Louisa Boren K – 8 STEM Literacy + We have a STEM literacy team that is working on aligning literacy assessments and instructional practices across the building. + Teachers are using the Fountas and Pinnell assessment system toFountas and Pinnell assessment system identify students independent and instructional reading levels. + Teachers are meeting with guided reading groups and providing common core aligned literacy instruction. + Primary teachers have the Fountas and Pinnell Phonics instructionalFountas and Pinnell Phonics materials so that students build their foundational skills. + We have the Leveled Literacy Intervention program and a LAP tutor toLeveled Literacy Intervention support struggling readers in addition to our Sound Partners tutors.

+ We are building classroom libraries and the guided reading book room to support students independent reading and instructional needs. THANK$ $TEM PTA!!!! + Mary Bannister and Jodi Williamson received a Department of Education Teach to Lead grant to develop a plan of support for literacy alignment work, “Literacy is the Backbone of STEM.”Literacy is the Backbone of STEM -The STEM teachers have to design every single literacy lesson they teach as there are no officially adopted literacy teachers’ guides and no systemic materials at this time in Seattle Public Schools. Current Reality for Louisa Boren K – 8 STEM Literacy

Our Literacy Next Steps… Advocacy for Seattle Public Schools to invest the money in systemic professional development and quality literacy materials for ALL their teachers and students so that we can align our assessment and instruction in order that our students have the skills they need to be successful 21 st century learners! INVEST In our KIDS!