[Simtrainer-l] Fwd: [External]Fwd: Failing middle school questions

Tue Apr 2 10:58:36 CDT 2019

Ed, 
Shared your question with the special ed secondary literacy person at St. Paul Public Schools and here is her response tied with my ideas of a 7 period day with PLC time for teachers daily, time to be used for building literacy collaboration, shared across teams. We used many of these ideas in SPPS over a number of years at middle school and high school.
Barb

> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: Christine Palmquist <christine.palmquist at spps.org>
> Subject: Re: [External]Fwd: [Simtrainer-l] Failing middle school questions
> Date: April 2, 2019 at 10:30:20 AM CDT
> To: barb vallejo <bavallejo at minn.net>
> 
> Barb,
> I agree with your 7 period day with PLC time daily for collaboration.  Students would need to have a period of ELA, a period of reading intervention, and potentially a period of writing.  I also think that at some point within the intensively focused plan, there needs to be a "mandatory elective" that is more daily living/functional focused--so students can experience the relevance of improved literacy skills.  I think in many plans this is missing, and I feel like this would help students answer the 'why is this important' question.
> 
> I'm wondering if a school-wide specific strategy focus might be helpful?  I know at one point, we had a school wide focus on a particular strategy (for a period of time, and then we moved on to another strategy after students reached mastery) like paraphrasing, and teachers in all disciplines incorporated this into their lessons.  Students would get direct instruction in the strategy during their reading intervention or ELA class, and then have multiple opportunities to see it modeled (and have more opportunities to practice) in different settings. This would require that the ELA and/or reading intervention teachers take the lead in the PLCs, and would require a more "house" type version of PLC teams, where each of the core classes are represented in each team--along with an elective teacher and a special ed teacher, instead of a content related PLC.  Data cycles can still be completed.  As they look at data, they can also do some flexible grouping with the help of the reading intervention teacher and special ed teacher.  
> 
> Another key component would be bringing in the speech language pathologists to help get a language processing perspective.  I think teaching the Visualizing and Verbalizing stuff from Nanci Bell would be important in helping everyone develop language and comprehension skills as well.  This could be done during the reading intervention time.
> 
> Christy
> Christy Palmquist
> OSS Secondary Literacy Intervention Coach
> iRead/System 44/Read 180/Fusion
> 651-334-8345
> 
> Your greatness is not in what you have, but in what you give.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From: barb vallejo <bavallejo at minn.net <mailto:bavallejo at minn.net>>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 2, 2019 9:28 AM
> To: Christine Palmquist
> Subject: [External]Fwd: [Simtrainer-l] Failing middle school questions
>  
>  <>This email originated from outside of Saint Paul Public Schools. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Please report suspected phishing emails using the "phish alert" button at the top of the email.
> 
> 
> 
> Christy,
> Wondered if you have any suggestions for this middle school. Ed Ellis is a SIM person who has developed different strategies/routines for KU and is gathering ideas for this troubled middle school.
> 
> My suggestions are for 7 period day with PLC time daily if possible to allow teacher collaboration and planning for a literacy intensive core with additional literacy intervention times. 
> 
> Anything else you have seen that might work?
> B
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> Begin forwarded message:
> 
>> From: edwin ellis via Simtrainer-l <simtrainer-l at lists.ku.edu <mailto:simtrainer-l at lists.ku.edu>>
>> Date: April 2, 2019 at 6:43:29 AM CDT
>> To: "simtrainer-l at lists.ku.edu <mailto:simtrainer-l at lists.ku.edu>" <simtrainer-l at lists.ku.edu <mailto:simtrainer-l at lists.ku.edu>>
>> Subject: [Simtrainer-l] Failing middle school questions
>> Reply-To: edwin ellis <edwinellis1 at gmail.com <mailto:edwinellis1 at gmail.com>>
>> 
>> Hi all, 
>> 
>> I’m working with a failing middle school - roughly 70% of the 6th graders, 50% of the 7th graders, and 35% of the 8th graders are reading at or below 2nd grade level. Math scores are worse.
>> 
>> I’m recommending that they take extraordinary measures -  specifically, I’m recommending two 90 blocks of reading instruction and one 90 minute block of math instruction per day for the foreseeable future. The message below contains three questions from the school's’ leadership, Thus my question to you is, do you have any insights into middle schools who have taken similar extraordinary measures? Insights into answers to their questions? 
>> 
>> Thanks, Ed
>> 
>> Edwin Ellis, Ph.D.
>> Professor Emeritus, University of Alabama
>> 
>> President, MakesSenseStrategies.com <https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2FMakesSenseStrategies.com&data=02%7C01%7Csimtrainer-l%40lists.ku.edu%7C35c3463e2618482e63a808d6b783d628%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C636898174201278730&sdata=tXMuQVEQsz6LgbVBscLi4YgxXrqpwAj48hfv7klwc5o%3D&reserved=0>
>> edwinellis1 at gmail.com <mailto:edwinellis1 at gmail.com>
>> (205) 394-5512
>> 
>> 
>> Dr. Ellis,
>> 
>> Thanks for coming by today to speak with us.  It's eye-opening to learn the harsh reality of our kids' reading abilities.  Unfortunately, we need to know this so we can get about the work of getting better.  
>> 
>> With this in mind, I did have a few questions.  Thank you for offering to look-into these things for us.  We're ready and willing to think and work outside the box to help our kids.
>> What non-traditional things are other middle schools doing as far as scheduling?  4x4, 6 periods, 7 periods, alternating block, no bells, etc?
>> How have administrators been able to successfully roll-out a complete paradigm shift (like the one we need) to faculty, students, and parents?
>> What are the things we absolutely have to do for our kids that are non-academic in nature (i.e. PE everyday)?
>> Much of my anxiety of how to make this work will be answered in question 1, because I think our people, armed with the right resources, will be willing to do what it takes to get our kids right.  
>> 
>> Thanks again! (Middle school assistant principal)
>> 
>> 
>> 
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