Trust the Process

I always used to hear the words from a mentor, "Trust the process, Haley. Be patient and stop trying to rush it." 

I am not going to lie to you and tell you that I always trust now or am always patient. But by golly, I now know how to trust the process and be patient. Things always seem to work out the way they were meant to be and most of the time, even better than when I tried to control it all and figure it out myself. 

While this blog post is about trusting the process of your life, I connected it to trusting the process of learning with MyView! Ugh. What a messy process that has been for all of us, am I right? 

Read all about 4 ways that you can trust the process of what MyView is trying to do when teaching our kids. 

1) Be resilient. "If you believe that everything is in your control, drop that story now. Change is the only constant. Resilient people surrender to uncertainty. They understand that we have very little control over what happens in life, and by adopting this mindset, they have trust in the process."

2) Embrace The Unknown "Humans dislike ambiguity of any kind. Anything that doesn’t feel safe, stable, and comfortable feels dangerous. The fact of the matter is that we don’t know what life will throw us, but if we embrace the unknown and get comfortable being uncomfortable, we will be better prepared for anything." 

3) Focus on your Purpose "Trusting the process is about accepting that hardships will happen along your journey to success, but having confidence that every lesson is bringing you one step closer to fulfilling your purpose in life. Whether you want to believe it or not, failure is a good thing. It is proof that you are trying." You are here so kids learn how to read and write and that is SO very important! 

4) Practice Gratitude "Feeling grateful has been associated with less frequent negative emotions and thoughts, more frequent positive emotions and thoughts, greater meaning in life, more positive coping, a greater appreciation of life." I am sure there are some things that are going right with MyView. Celebrate them! 

 How are you going to trust the process? Trust me when I say, once you do, you will be a lot happier! :) 

MyView Learning Letter #26-Engagement

One of the biggest things I hear with MyView is that it is not engaging. I am just going to put my opinion out there to start and get it over with. I do not believe engagement equals fun. Engagement means participation. Kids should participate and engage in their learning. Sometimes, their participation can be super fun, but fun isn't the goal. Participation is the goal so kids learn. 

Alright. Now that is out of the way, let's talk about how we ENGAGE kids in THEIR learning! I kept the "Archerisms" here because two of them relate to engagement. The first is that learning is not a spectator sport. You should not be doing all the work. Yeah, you have to model, but that should be a small part of your lesson. The rest is kids working WITH you and you giving feedback on how they are thinking and doing and learning. If at the end of your lesson, you feel you worked and talked more than the kids, it's time to reflect on how you could have them participate more. 

The second is that everyone does everything. There are times where one student is talking or writing or doing something. How could you have ALL students doing the work all the time? Could they ALL write on white boards? Could they turn and talk to a partner so they are all answering? 

Here is one quick strategy to help with both of these! 

Choral Practice (Give instructions then check for understanding.) This straegy also makes me think of Mirror from Whole Brain Teaching. 

1. Give instructions or share facts-

2. Students finish the teacher’s sentence, or repeat instructions, in unison to a teacher question, such as,

“The first vocabulary word is...it means..." 

Look for the next blog post where I present engagement, or participation, strategies for each Day's Routine! 

MyView Learning Letter #25 -Scaffolding Instruction

I know we have ALL felt how rigorous our new literacy curriculum is. The end result is going to be AMAZING for our students, but uffda. It's a lot right now in the messy middle. Here is a fantastic blog post from Timothy Shanahan on how to teach above a student's reading level. May it offer you some helpful tips as you scaffold for your students to help them achieve great things! 

In the meantime, let's talk about what scaffolding is. Scaffolding is what teachers do FIRST to help students. 

                             

Scaffolds don't stay forever. They are only there as long as a student needs them and the goal is for them to do things on their own.

Scaffolds also aren't complicated. Here are some quick ways to scaffold for student success. 

1) Model EXACTLY what kids need to do. 

2) Talk about what kids know about the topic BEFORE they learn it. 

3) Provide talk time. HAVE KIDS TURN AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING. 

4) Pre-teach the vocabulary. Thankfully, MyView does this for us. However, make sure you have images and time to talk about the word. 

5) Create anchor charts WITH the kids, otherwise it is just a poster and won't be as meaningful. 

6) Give kids wait time. Let them think. 

What scaffold are you going to try first? Which ones do you already use? 

Stay tuned for more information and tips on how to scaffold for student success as the year goes on. 

MyView Learning Letter #24 - Explicit Instruction

                               

Anita Archer is well known for her expertise in explicit instruction. Above is an image of her "Archerisms" and in order to help support the rigor and lack of engagement some are experiencing when teaching reading and writing with MyView, we are going to focus on each "ism" one at a time and do a deep dive. 

The first is quite common and I am sure you have heard it a lot. In fact, it's listed in the MyView Teacher's Edition and we talked about it when using American Reading Company's materials. You might also know it as the gradual release of responsibility. It's I Do, We Do, You Do. This is the heart of explicit teaching. You are clearly telling kids what they are going to learn and how to learn it. 

What I have found that when I am teaching, I think I am doing this in this order. I think I am doing an I Do. But really, I am doing a We Do. It happens more often in teaching that you think. We are in the modeling section or the I Do part of the lesson, but we start asking the kids about how to do "it" instead of explicitly telling or showing them. We jump right into We Do and then send them on their way to You Do. However, they never really saw how to do it or heard the think aloud about how to do in a good I Do. 

In order to make sure the I Do happens the way it's supposed to, you have to be intentional with the planning. You have to actually think about what it is that you, the teacher, are going to show how to do. And a lot of the times, this HAS to involve a think aloud. You have to think and share what you are thinking. The beautiful thing is, MyView has this already listed for you. It's the blue section that has what you should say so that it is explicit. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Here is a graphic to help you be more intentional with the I Do, We Do, You Do so that you are explicit in your teachers so that kids LEARN! :) 

 

Fall Literacy Update - November 2024

 

Link to the PDF version to access document links.  

IWCS Literacy Vision and Goals - Updated November 1st

We have done AMAZING things with our implementation. 

Thank you for all your hard work!!! 

Please click this link (here) to learn more about how we are reaching our goals. 

Implementing MyView Literacy by Savvas will help us achieve our vision! 

 

Lexia Shout Out! :)

 

Highlighting Divisions’ Success with Lexia

Article: 2024-41-446
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals
Contact: Dr. Michelle Wallace, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, Michelle.Wallace@doe.virginia.gov

The Virginia Department of Education and Lexia® are proud to partner to help fulfill the Commonwealth’s priority to accelerate literacy growth for students through ALL In. Having reviewed the initial student usage and progress data for ALL In with Lexia, the VDOE Teaching and Learning team wants to celebrate the following divisions on an exceptionally strong start with the students they have rostered for Core5 and PowerUp through ALL In. Congratulations to these divisions, their ALL In leaders, educators, and students! 

• Buena Vista (Both Core5 & PowerUp) 
• Buchanan County (Core5) 
• Buckingham County (PowerUp) 
• Culpeper County (Core5) 
• Dickenson County (Core5) 
• Franklin County (Core5) 
• Isle of Wight County (Core5) 
• Lee County (Core5) 
• Lunenburg County (Core5) 
• Madison County (Core5) 
• Patrick County (Core5) 
• Poquoson (Core5) 
• Shenandoah County (Core5) 
• Sussex County (Core5) 
• Westmoreland County (Core5) 

Some great quotes, images, and other random stuff!

 

and a great podcast, because, why not!? 

MyView Learning Letter #23 - Rigor

Raise your hand if, UFFDA, MyView is rigorous. Yep! I think we are all feeling it. Ok. You can put your hand down. :) 

Here is what I wrote for families: 

Our new curriculum is rigorous. It is thorough when teaching our students foundational reading and writing skills through explicit instruction. Because of the high expectations of what students are learning and doing, students may find it difficult until they get used to it. All that we teach in literacy is from the VA Standards of Learning, These new standards (SOL), which are also rigorous, are taught through our curriculum, MyView. 

Another part of the increased rigor includes the fact that our students are writing all the time! Students write in reading and in writing. They are writing vocabulary and spelling words. While it is wonderful for students to write a lot, writing is one of the most complicated and taxing things for a student to do. The act of writing by hand is a complex skill that goes beyond the simple act of putting pen to paper. It involves a symphony of cognitive, perceptual, and motor skills that intricately work together.

Finally, another reason MyView is so rigorous is the fact that we are asking students to do a lot of thinking! We are teaching children the process of thinking about what they are reading and writing and then being able to communicate that to us through speech and writing.

Here is what I am writing to you, teachers:

Our new curriculum is rigorous. It is laying some serious foundation in ALL the skills in ALL the grades. You might find yourself teaching something that you don't think is valuable for your grade. I would argue that it is valuable because you are building background knowledge that will help students later. An example is suffixes. Suffixes seem like an upper elementary skill, right? Yet, we are teaching -s and -ed in early elementary. (See image below.) 

Yes. It is difficult for students, now. Yes. They can't do it, yet. However, we are going to start with what they DO know and CAN do. Look for other posts about differentiation and scaffolding support to help our students rise to the rigor!

I

MyView Learning Letter #22 - Missing Conferencing?

One thing that was beloved by all with American Reading Company were the conferences. Conferences were one one one times with a student that were guided by the IRLA assessment to specifically teach what a student needed for reading skills and they afforded a time to listen to each child read aloud to you. 

Well, there are still things in MyView that do just that! 

Online, these resources provide you with a ton of options for kids to read aloud to you AND many provide you with lessons. (The exception is the Games and Digital Practice.) 

Other options include - 

- the Foldable Readables in grades 4 & 5

- the MyFocus Readers (this is like Scholastic News)

- the decodables in the Foundational Skills Toolkit for grades K-2

- MyFocus Intervention Passages 

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month

 

During PLC with your reading coach, you will experience professional learning on dyslexia. Stay tuned! :) 

If you don't want to wait, read this blog or check out the links below. 

MyView Learning Letter #21 - Feedforward

Feedback is information about reactions to a product, a person's performance of a task, etc. which is used as a basis for improvement. Feed forward is Solution-Oriented, Practical, and Actionable. Feed forward helps people envision and focus on creating a positive, future-focused approach to moving ahead rather than concentrating on oversights of the past. We want to hear from you! It is important to name problems. However, there is POWER in naming solutions. Therefore, if there are things that are not working with MyView, please share a solution that can get us moving forward to success. 

Remember, no curriculum will be the SILVER bullet that is perfect. All have some things to improve upon. That's why we need your input! 

Also, there are always things that you may have liked and we are really focused on things you are learning since this is a learning year! Please make sure you share those!!! 

Please complete this form OFTEN! 

MyView Learning Letter #20 - Thinking Positive

In my classroom, one of my favorite sayings was, "If you think you can, you will. If you think you can't, you won't." Sometimes you can't do something, but ultimately you can...with time. I think I would change it to, "If you think you can no matter when, you will. If you always think you can't forever, you won't." 

Our minds have SO much power! We sometimes don't give them enough credit. Sometimes, there is a trigger and it generates a thought. Based on that thought, it leaves us feeling a certain kind of way that finally, impacts our actions. This is a great reference article for kids, but I found it extremely helpful. (Technically, it's called Cognitive Behavior Therapy or CBT for short. Yes, I am a FIRM believer that everyone needs counseling!) 

So, my encouragement to you is to try and change your thoughts as much as possible to something positive. It is WAY easier than it sounds! Trust me! LOL A good scaffold to help us get into the routine is to use a mantra. Here are must a few examples. 

1. I decide what success for me should look like.
2. Breathe in love, breathe out hate.
3. I am me, and that’s enough for today.
4. I am on my own path, chosen by no one but me.
5. I choose to focus on solutions.
6. Day by day, I am learning how to fulfill my purpose in this life.
7. I am not in control of anything or anyone, only myself.
8. I have the power to let go of the negative.
9. I will exhale all that weighs me down.

Need more ideas for mantras, check out this post. And always remember! This is a learning year. Walkthroughs are non-evaluative and are only there to offer support as we grow. 

Sending you good, positive vibes as we navigate this change together! :) 

MyView Learning Letter #19-Expectations

As we implement new high quality instructional materials, there are lots of questions about what is ok and what's not ok. We are trying to be clear and kind so we created a document to help. (It can be found on the MyView webpage towards the middle.) We will continue to update it as the year goes. Share your wonders to help us be even more clear and kind!!! 

Lots of learning is taking place this year so remember to give yourself lots of grace while you make those mistakes! It will be ok! Remember, all the walk throughs and feedback are non-evaluative. We want to support you and help you implement the HQIM with confidence! 

MyView Learning Letter #18-What to do with the "old" stuff?

Great question! What do you do with all the old stuff we used to use in literacy?! Well, let me tell you a story. When we adopted American Reading Company materials, we went ALL IN. We got rid of a LOT of things that we figured wouldn't be needed. What we learned is that we could have used a lot of those things. 

So...I recommend we keep things like word talk, the grammar progression slides, and other resources JUST in case we need them. Remember, we are taking action and using MyView. However, we are going to have to assess how it is going and if it's not going, then we will have to adjust. 

Science-Based Reading Research (SBRR)

Whether you are new to learning about science-based reading instruction or are more experienced with it and have more time, we have an opportunity for you! All that we do this year will be FOCUSED around science-based reading research, or SBRR. 

I recommend that you click here and find this! 

After that, click on Professional Learning Guide and choose pathway A, B, or pick from either or both! 

Spend some time reading, listening, and watching to learn more about the science of reading! Just click around and have fun! 

A video about science-based reading research will also be posted on the website soon. 

Lexia Core 5 Intervention Program

 No more Waterford! No more Freckle Reading! 

Instead, we have Lexia Core 5 for grades K-5! This is also what interventionists will be using in their groups for students needing a tier 2 or 3 intervention. 

In order to support intervention, students need to be on the computer program, Lexia Core 5, for about 20 minutes a day. This will also be the tier 2 intervention for students NOT in reading intervention with a teacher. 

Isle of Wight County has access to several professional learning opportunities including asynchronous modules, pre-recorded sessions, and the Virginia Live Online Professional Learning Series. (While it may say Core 5 Grades 3-5, it is for K-2 as well.) These sessions are designed to help teachers, tutors, and parents understand how Lexia can support student literacy development, the materials available to support tutoring sessions, how to navigate the myLexia data platform, and how to successfully implement Lexia programs and resources. Each calendar details the specific sessions offered. I encourage you to learn about Lexia’s Core5 student programs. All the resources you need are linked below!

Lexia Professional Learning Series Flyer (with clickable links to calendars): https://view.highspot.com/viewer/667ad8597507b9443770beca

Core5: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vwsj1v6XhAZoGezkvHI2XzeeWldtgOxG/view

We are using Lexia Core 5 because it was approved by VDOE as an intervention program. Other technology programs like Freckle, Dreamscape, Prodigy, and IXL were NOT approved and cannot be used. 

If you are comfortable, start day 1! If you want to learn a bit more, the expectation for use will start on September 30th. 

MyView Learning Letter #17- Savvas & Canvas for Grades 3-5

Savvas has an easy integration with Canvas! All content for grades 3-5 can be pushed through Canvas as the Learning Management System to be used on the Chromebooks. All assessments will be in Canvas. 

If you don't want digital, that's ok! You will have access to print and copy student resources as well. 

Here is a site that gives you more information to prepare. https://sites.google.com/view/savvas-realize-lms-integration/canvas

And of course, more information will be coming in August! :) 

ACE Habits

The process of Datawise introduced me to the ACE habits of mind, where the A stands for a shared commitment to Action, Assessment, and Adjustment; C stands for intentional Collaboration; and E stands for relentless focus on Evidence. 

This year, we will take action and implement a new curriculum. We will assess how it is working this year by having a relentless focus on evidence. Through collaboration, we will adjust if needed. 

VALLSS for All K-2, Some 3

PALS is gone and in with the new, VALLSS. Thankfully, it rhymes so we already know how to say it. All students in grades K-2 will be given VALLSS. Students that are new to VA will be given VALLSS in 3rd grade. 

Here are some things to look at, listen to, watch, and read so you are prepared to administer the new screener in the Fall.  

1) Read the Flyer: VLP - Virginia Literacy Partners Informational Flyer (PDF) This will give an overview about the new screener. 

2) Here is an overview video to build background knowledge. 

3) Complete the Tutorial on the website. Once you login, click professional learning and then tutorials. It will take about 3 hours to complete and you have 30 days to do so. You will get a certificate after passing the quiz at the end that you will upload into Frontline. More information about signing up for the course in Frontline will be shared when you return in August. 

4) Finally, check out these resources for families.  https://literacy.virginia.edu/virginia-literacy-partnership-updates

In this tutorial, you will see some of these images that I thought were important to share again.

More specific information will be shared in August. If you are like me, have your email open, address one to me, and send me your questions! I will do my best to get them answered for you! 

MyView Learning Letter #15 - Why HQIM & SOR?

But before why, let's start with what does HQIM and SOR stand for? 

HQIM = high quality instructional materials

SOR = Science of Reading 

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, "Asking all educators to center their daily instruction in the new instructional materials can be a big change. We must build a common understanding of why this change is necessary with classroom educators, school leaders, and community members. Below are some of the key messages that should be shared with stakeholders to build their understanding of, and investment in, HQIM change." from VDOE Implementation Playbook, page 26

Key Message #1:

HQIM adoption supports our vision and helps us achieve our goals. 

Key Message #2:

 HQIM impacts student learning because it is based on science-based reading research (SBRR).

Key Message #3:

HQIM provides consistency and equal opportunities for learning for EVERY student in EVERY classroom. Adopting a single, coherent curriculum across schools will mean that all students are held to the same expectations and effectively experience the adopted Standards of Learning. 

Key Message #4:

By adopting and using HQIM, teachers will have consistent access to high-quality, grade-level content, and they will no longer spend significant time searching for or creating materials for daily lessons. Instead, teachers can use their new materials to focus on the needs of their students and creating instructional experiences grounded in materials and supports tailored to their needs. 

So...throughout this school year, you will about MyView Literacy by Savvas that is built on the Science of Reading (SOR). Read more about SOR here.

 

Coffee Chats (In-Person or Virtual)

If you have questions or want to talk about ANYTHING related to literacy, books, the VLA, MyView...you have two options to imbibe and discuss. :) 

1) Come visit me at Cure on the following dates and times. 

July 11 from 9:00-10:30 a.m.

July 15 from 3:00-4:30 p.m.

July 23 from 11:00-12:30 p.m.

2) Jump on a zoom to chat at the following dates and times. 

July 1 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. 

July 18 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. 

July 24 from 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Division Literacy Plan for 24-25 SY

Each division has to submit a literacy plan to VDOE describing our vision, our professional learning plan, what curriculum was chosen, what we will assess, how we will monitor progress, and how we will involve families. Read to find out what was approved by our school board. 

Growth Mindset & Professional Learning Goal

 

We really do learn from mistakes. I could share countless personal examples, but this time, I will share one from my daughter. I have told her (theory) and from practice (doing it with her) that she needs to wear sunscreen. She made a mistake of not applying it one day. She ended up with 2nd degree sunburns on her face. Guess what she learned? #mistakesmatter 

This is why we have this goal as we embark on our VLA adventure. 

Start now and take our questionnaire! 

MyView Learning Letter #14-Rigor

MyView will be rigorous. Our standards expect it, especially with text complexity and making sure all students have access to grade-level text regardless of reading level. 

Now, we don't want our students to feel like the ones pictured above and that the rigor is so HEAVY they won't feel success. That is why we have to come up beside them and provide scaffolds, like a ladder, to help them do some of the lifting until they are strong enough to do it on their own. That doesn't happen overnight, but it has. to. happen for kids to learn. You can't always be the one doing all the rigorous work. 

Here is how curriculum gets "watered down" and isn't as rigorous, paraphrased by yours truly from this recording on curriculum reform. When I say teachers, I may or may not be talking about you. That is for you to decide. I am just stating the facts I learned from this recording. Trust me, there is no judgement as I type these words because they are just as hard for me to face as well. I have been there, done that, and worked harder than my students too many times to count. 

1) Teachers have a belief that the kids "can't do it". Yep, that is harsh. It starts with you. (Anyone else think of Haim G. Ginott right now?!)

2) Because of this belief, teachers start to shift away from the core instruction that is rigorous and do the cognitive lift, or thinking, for the students. Who has ever filled out a graphic organizer "with" the kids and it wasn't the direct instruction time? You would totally see my hand raised! 

3) Over time, this keeps happening and teachers keep simplifying the tasks which lowers the grade level and rigor to where what is being taught isn't aligned to the standards anymore. 

4) The results? Students do not perform well on tests. 

I know this is not what any of us wants. So, over the course of the year, we will learn about those scaffolds and how we can support our students with the heavy lifting and thinking until they can do it on their own.