I am a Sp Ed - Grade 6 Resource tchr. Currently all sp ed teachers are on teams and we each do our own pull-out reading (and math if needed). I have proposed to change my job next year to no longer be on a team, but to be the Reading teacher across 3 grades, and only teach reading. Am interested to hear from anyone who works in this type of situation. What are the advantages, pitfalls??
We have had issues with our reading instruction being consistent across the grades in our school (Middle School). SOme of the groups are Wilson. Am interested in any thoughts.
Thanks!
Nancy
Re: new proposal for my school
How large are your groups? your school? Do you have a para also or are you alone? Hope you don’t mind my picking your brain. thanks for reply!
Re: new proposal for my school
Nancy,
I am in an unusual situation in that I have three students one-on-one and three groups of two students (elementary). I think if one is doing a group, something like SRA Corrective Reading is good for your age range, but those kids have to be grouped according to the placement test. I think that would be your biggest challenge, grouping the kids appropriately. If all the 6th graders come at one time, then you might have kids in 4 different levels, but a lesson is an hour! So I am afraid there are no easy answers if you have a mixed ability group.
The sad thing is, these kids need the remediation before they ever get to middle school. It is very difficult to give the kids the time and individualization needed at that point to really achieve success. But I do agree with you that continuing one program over the 3 years of middle school would be preferable to switching every year with no regard to what has been previously taught/learned.
Sorry to put a damper on my previous comments! But I do love focusing on reading only.
Janis
Re: new proposal for my school
I used to teach middle & high school resource and put some ideas and lessons on my site - it’s stuff that worked for me, at least sort of. Some stuff I was never happy with. http://www.resourceroom.net/older/resourceroomtips.asp has some general ideas, and the reading comprehension section has a lot of lesson plan kinds of things.
One thing that surprised me, pleasantly, was how much my seventh graders still really wanted to learn, and still just under the surface wanted to please the teacher… as soon as they figured out that the really *could* “be good students” they worked *hard.*
I had good things happen with grouping students and doing SRA corrective reading. In my situation, THE main thing holding htem back was reading. (I even, with parents’ permission, switched a Science class to Corrective REading.)
I certainly agree that consistency would be important. I am teaching only reading this year and LOVE it!
Janis