What I've Learned as a Reading Interventionist: Year 1

This year I have taken a detour in my teaching journey and moved out of the Kindergarten classroom (hence my poor, neglected blog). It has been a bittersweet time for me. I am in a position now that is more focused and doesn't have the same requirements and demands of a self-contained homeroom. As a result, I am able to focus on my own three precious kids (ages 9, 6, &3) more, spend less outside-the-school-day hours working on school, easily attend my girls' school events, and take sick days at a moment's notice when I'm needed at home. Don't get me wrong, these changes FAR out-weighs any downsides to the position, but I miss my kinders all the same. At certain times during the school year I have missed the milestones, the relationships with students and parents, and the honor of working to provide a wonderful first-year-of-school experience. Watching my students from last year as they have grown through first grade has brought me to tears of pride at times and I cherish the tackling hugs I receive as I walk the first grade halls. 

BUT...

I have learned SOOOOOOOOO much as a reading interventionist (in training)!  Even after 5 years as a first grade teacher, 5 years as a Title I interventionist, and 3 years as a Kindergarten teacher, what I have learned THIS year about reading instruction has shaken my beliefs about reading to the core, and I'm bursting at the seams to share it all with YOU!  I am excited to share some insight on reading instruction based upon what I've learned. I WISH someone would have shared these ideas with ME as a primary teacher. So, this post is meant to kick off a series of posts for parents, homeroom teachers, and interventionists in the primary grades, that focuses on some 

best practices for guiding a child through the wonderful world of learning to read.

Stay tuned for posts on the following topics - 

• STOP saying, "Sound it out!" Posted 4.11.16
• Phonological Awareness in KEY Posted 4.26.16
• I HATE Sight Words! Posted 6.21.16

Do YOU have burning questions about any of these topics?  

Post them in the comments below and I will work to address them!

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Now for the fine print...

I'm sure you are wondering where I gained all this amazing insight! Since July, 2016, I have been involved in intensive training in the research-based, Reading Recovery Program that was developed by Marie Clay. According to the RRCNA website, the goal of Reading Recovery is "to dramatically reduce the number of first-grade students who have extreme difficulty learning to read and write." RR teachers work one-on-one with first grade students who are struggling with literacy as identified through assessment data and teacher recommendation. My year-long training has been hands-on in that I have been working with students while learning the program. *Please note that these blog posts are NOT intended to (nor could they) make you a RR teacher, nor should they give you tools that may be mis-used if you are untrained. The RR program is successful because it's processes and procedures are precise and protected. To remain a true RR interventionist, teachers must participate in continuous training and professional development while putting the program into practice. They must be observed and critiqued by their RR teacher peers and their highly-trained teacher leaders.  This thoroughness leads to a program with high fidelity, huge success, and perfected practices. If you are interested in being trained in RR check out the "Training" section of their website or check out how RR can help your school's RTI Program here!

HOWEVER...
Since I am fresh from a primary classroom and my eyes have been opened to new ways to approach reading this year, I just can't keep quiet about some of the things I have learned because I KNOW they will help YOU with YOUR literacy instruction!

Looking for the perfect printable (and online) leveled Kindergarten books for your guided reading lessons? Then look NO further.

Head over to my TpT store for my growing library of printable leveled books for Kindergarten Guided Reading!