Grade Level Data Meetings

We are working our way through the Grade Level Data Meetings. During these meetings all teachers (regular and special education) come together with our Literacy Coach and Reading Specialist to discuss student achievement related to our DIBELs progress monitoring. Please share your grade level, what was discussed at your meeting, decisions/changes made to your student instructional plans, highlights and challenges. You may also list comments and questions.

First Literacy Support Team Meeting

Our first Literacy Support Team Meeting went exceptionally well. Everyone came to the meetings with open hearts and open minds. Dr. Dewitz was quite impressed with your level of expertise in planning meaningful instruction for your students based on data. I think the first hurdle and most difficult to conquer is overcoming our understanding of what paraprofessionals do, who provides the interventions and what are they. The most scripted and structured interventions are best provided by our paraprofessionals. Linda, Vicki, and Vera have very heavy student loads. The interventions they use must be fairly simple to plan and provide. Please be conscientious of this as you begin working with these wonderful ladies. When we have students who are intensive and in great need we really need to put our heads together to plan their intervention. Special education and regular education teachers work together to provide as much meaningful time on task as possible. Remember our intensive students really should not be working independently on tasks where they typically stall. We want them engaged with a facilitator as much as possible. In classrooms where there is only one teacher it is important to involve our Reading Specialist. She may push in and/or pull out. There are no clear cut answers other than we must work this out together with respect and care for one another and especially for our students who are struggling to make benchmark. Let us not be confused by the term strategic. Strategic means not benchmark. These are typically students who need our assistance in order to maintain strategic status and move on to benchmark. Our benchmark students are those for whom if instruction continues as it is will most likely maintain their benchmark status. There are exceptions to every rule. Remember, you as the teacher are our best defense and therefore, if you are wondering about a student it is always your prerogative to progress monitor that student in any of the cycles.

I invite each of you to comment on our first meeting. I will be inviting Dr. Dewitz to view our blog and interact with us as well. This means any of your thoughts that are constructive and professional are most welcome.

About Dibels

For more info