LEADERShip
The final semester of this program presented the opportunity to take action within my school as a literacy leader. We completed several projects that helped me to explore my compelling question. One of those projects was the implementation of a Needs Assessment. Through surveying my colleagues I discovered that 75% of the teachers on my team felt that they did not have adequate resources to support literacy development, and they needed assistance with supporting literacy instruction. I developed a plan to provide professional development to my team, as well as to acquire quality texts to support learning. I uncovered a resource that we had access to at our school to provide students with engaging nonfiction articles at first grade levels. "Teachers select books that match the given skill rather than because of the text’s content. Rarely do the topics connect: Students might read a book about bridges one day, zebras the next, and clouds the day after that." (Wexler, 2018) We redesigned our guided reading blocks to focus on content, rather than level, as supported by this notion that reading instruction in America has become too focused on levels, rather than content.
I also led two PLT meetings to offer professional development and research based strategies for supporting literacy instruction, and I wrote a proposal to our principal to request the funds to purchase new grade level appropriate texts. Acquiring new books for our students is the most exciting outcome from this course. Although the books have not yet arrived, I am confident that providing relevant, grade appropriate texts will help to motivate students and thus develop stronger readers.
I also led two PLT meetings to offer professional development and research based strategies for supporting literacy instruction, and I wrote a proposal to our principal to request the funds to purchase new grade level appropriate texts. Acquiring new books for our students is the most exciting outcome from this course. Although the books have not yet arrived, I am confident that providing relevant, grade appropriate texts will help to motivate students and thus develop stronger readers.
Below is the Needs Assessment form.
Data Collected from Needs Assessment: