Using Student Data to Promote Progress

Carly providing a tutoring intervention
with a Reading Corps Student

Blog post written by Carly Hanson, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Member at Loess Hills Elementary.

During a recent graph review meeting, our Master Coach and Internal Coach at Loess Hills decided that it would be beneficial for our 1st graders to switch to the Blending Words intervention which combines the conjunction aspect of Phoneme Blending/Segmenting with the visualization of the words on the page. Many of my 1st graders had repeatedly tried to peek into my packet while we were practicing and it seemed to aid in their understanding of how the sounds correlated to the letters and how those letter sounds blended into a word.

The following progress monitoring assessments confirmed that Blending Words was a more successful intervention for nearly all of the students, and one of my students made an unbelievable jump. Mark* is a 1st grader who took a long time to warm up to me, often half-listening or staring into space during our sessions. After a few weeks, he began to open up socially but his scores and understanding of letter sounds remained lower than expected. However, after switching to the Blending Words intervention, Mark’s score went from 16 sounds the previous week to 58 sounds. The visualization of the letter accompanied with the blending format helped to reestablish his understanding of letter sounds, and though I knew he had been doing well in the
intervention since the switch, I had no idea that he would accomplish so much.

I explained to Mark that his progress was downright astounding and that I was beyond proud. I gave him a ticket (a motivational reward used in the PBIS program at Loess Hills) and told him to tell his teacher how wonderfully he'd performed on his test. He looked at me, bewildered by what I was trying to tell him, but I think receiving the ticket got the point across. I’m looking forward to the next progress monitoring to see if he can repeat his previous performance, or perhaps (fingers crossed!) improve upon it.

*Name changed to protect confidentiality.

"Smile While You Read"

Blog post written by Colton Moore, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Member at Cardinal Elementary.

Colton Moore, Iowa Reading Corps
AmeriCorps Member

At the beginning of the year, I began working with a first grade student who still had not mastered letter sounds. This placed her farther behind the rest of her first graders peers I was tutoring through Reading Corps. However, after just a few weeks in Reading Corps, she had mastered her letter sounds and my coaches and I decided to move her on to word blending. For several weeks, I attempted to help her master the concept of putting sounds together to make words. Success still eluded us. We tried putting words together using cubes from another tutoring intervention, giving her words with only stop sounds or only continuous letter sounds and many other strategies to help her blend words, but all to no avail. 

After my internal coach made the suggestion to present the student with paper slips with only one word written on them at a time, I asked my internal coach to observe one of our tutoring sessions. Then, like she had the skill mastered the whole time, the first grader began reading the entire words to me, without even needing to first sound out the letters in the word. Whether it was shyness, an overwhelming amount of new content that needed time to be fully processed or my internal coach is some kind of magician, I am still unsure. Now the first grader is caught up with the rest of her peers and is well on her way to exiting the Reading Corps tutoring program.

"Can We Read Another One?"

Madelyn working with a student
on letter sounds.

Blog post written by Madelyn Schoonover, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Member at Cornell Elementary.

The first student I take early in the morning, John*, has never been very excited to read. Although he is actually one of my best readers, he lacks a lot of confidence and reads quietly, slurring his words a little bit as if he doesn't care if they’re right or wrong. He never sounds enthused and often asks if he can stay in daycare instead of practicing his reading skills with me because he feels like he’s missing out on fun opportunities. Sometimes I feel like the bad guy for not letting him have time to run around or to watch a movie with other kids, but I know that what we’re doing will benefit him a lot more in the long run.

However, last week he started to get really excited about the passages we were reading. He really connected with them and was interested in what he was reading. Since his comprehension was kicking in, he even made fewer reading errors, sometimes making none at all for a whole section. The passage that interested him the most was one about garter snakes. He was excited because he had seen and caught one in real life and wanted to know more about them.

At the end of the twenty minutes, I was about to mark where we had left off on the garter snake story so we could pick up there the next day, but as soon as I reached for my pen he said, “Can we read another one?” It was so fantastic to know that he’s really starting to care about what we’re doing and enjoy reading as an activity. I let him read another section and he left smiling and feeling confident. I have high hopes that he’ll continue to grow and achieve now that he understands how much fun reading can be.

*Name has been changed to protect student confidentiality.

"Smiles All Around"

Blog post written by Ann Black, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member at Neil Armstrong Elementary.

My first great story not only focuses upon the growth for one of my kindergarten students with letter sounds, but also touches upon my own, personal growth. I start each day by walking to one of our kindergarten classrooms. Anna* sees me at the door, smiles and runs toward me. We talk on our way to my room and then she sits right down to work on her intervention. She listens intently to the instructions and then we get right to work with letter sounds. She works through the five, letter-sound flash cards and as we substitute two new letters, she has a huge smile on her face. When I first tested Anna's knowledge of letter sounds, she recorded a score of 0. However, she is now able to identify 17 letter sounds and I am proud of how far she has come in the short time that we have been doing the interventions. I knew when I became an AmeriCorps member that this would be a rewarding experience, but I could not have imagined the personal growth that I have experienced in one short month. This experience is incredible and I can’t wait for each school day to begin.

I am also blessed to be at Neil Armstrong with a returning Internal Coach who gives me encouragement every day. Even though she is very busy, she takes time to check-in and answer any questions that I might have on a given day. Neil Armstrong is a very caring community and I have learned so much from everyone at the school. Just watching the interactions between teachers and students has been rewarding and has helped me strengthen my own interactions with students. There have been some challenges, but we have worked through them as a team. I am excited to be a small part of this team and an AmeriCorps member.

*Name has been changed to ensure confidentiality.

Now Hiring! Iowa Reading Corps Master Coach

Join the Iowa Reading Corps Team as a K-3 Master Coach!

Position Title:  K-3 Master Coach                                 
Job Type: Independent Contract Position through United Ways of Iowa          

Organization Summary: Reading Corps envisions that all children will become successful readers by the end of 3rd grade. Reading Corps does this by training and coaching AmeriCorps members, trained as Elementary Literacy Tutors, who provide evidence-based reading interventions for at-risk K-3 students, using formative assessment to guide decision-making, and incorporating school-based and external coaching for support.

Position Summary:  The K-3 Master Coach is the external coach that provides technical supervision and coaching support to a specific set of schools participating in Reading Corps to support implementation and ensure fidelity to the Reading Corps model. Master Coaches support schools in utilizing a data-based decision making model to ensure Reading Corps students are making progress. Specific schools that will be supported by the Master Coach will be available within the next few weeks.

For more information, contact Melissa Simmermaker at iowa.readingcorps@gmail.com.

Please pass along this opportunity to anyone you know who might be interested in joining our fantastic team!

Overcoming Summer Learning Loss

Blog post written by Melissa Simmermaker, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program Manager

A recent photo from the Oskaloosa
Summer Lunch Program

As research continues to confirm the benefits of utilizing summer learning programs to help close the achievement gap for disadvantaged youth and overcome learning loss for all students, Iowa Reading Corps is partnering with local United Ways to utilize the people-power of AmeriCorps to ensure more Iowa students have access to the educational and nutritional supports that they need to succeed.

While Iowa's 10, full-time Reading Corps AmeriCorps Members wrapped up the school-based portion of their terms of service in May and June, they are continuing to serve their communities through summer tutoring, enrichment, and/or feeding programs in June and July. In partnership with local United Ways, members are collaborating with community volunteers to provide more opportunities for children and youth to receive access to summer enrichment and literacy activities while also receiving a nutritious meal. By combining access to educational and nutritional supports, local United Ways and school districts are paving the path to closing the educational gap that often widens for disadvantaged youth over the summer months.

In Ames and Dubuque, Iowa Reading Corps has partnered with the United Way of Story County (UWSC) and the Dubuque Community Foundation to place six, minimum-time Summer AmeriCorps Members at the UWSC and St. Mark Youth Enrichment to provide additional support for local summer enrichment programs. In Story County, Summer AmeriCorps Members are partnering with Story County AmeriCorps*VISTA Members and Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Members to implement an innovative summer learning and feeding program with the Ames and Nevada Community School Districts. In Dubuque, four Summer AmeriCorps Members are serving with the St. Mark Youth Enrichment Summer Academy to provide enrichment activities for students who have just finished kindergarten or first grade.

While the positive impact of Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Members is targeted upon literacy tutoring provided during the school year, we're proud to highlight the impact that members are having in their communities throughout the summer months. Summer programming would not be made possible without the support of local United Ways who also provide match funding for members' living stipends. What an exciting opportunity to continue strengthening the bridges between school and community!

Looking Forward to Year Two

Blog post written by Nicole Belding, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Member serving at Washington Elementary.

Today is the last day of school. Reflecting back to the beginning of the school year, I remember sitting in the Reading Corps Training Institute last September and feeling nervous about mastering a set of tutoring interventions. Fast forward nine months, and I cannot express how much I have learned and all the experience that I have been afforded as an Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member. With end-of-year field trips and assessments, the past month has provided some hurdles for ensuring that students were able to meet with me each day to receive their Reading Corps tutoring.

Now that I have worked my way through the "bubble kids" at my school who are just below grade level in reading, I'm now able to tutor the students who are a little farther below grade level. It is taking a little longer for these students to reach grade level and exit from the program, but we know that this is normal. After deciding to serve a second term of service with Reading Corps, I'll be able to just pick back up in the fall with these students and get them off and running with tutoring. I find myself repeating this statement over and over again, but I cannot express how much this position means to me. I have thanked our principal at Washington as often as possible for giving me this opportunity and I am very excited to be back here again next year.

"I am Breathing!" - Reflections on Validating Student Concerns

Ryan Moorehead, Iowa Reading Corps
AmeriCorps Member

Blog post written by Ryan Moorehead, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Member at Oskaloosa Elementary.

I have always considered myself a fairly patient and mindful person. Growing up, I was the only child in my family who could enjoy a long afternoon of fishing, or a baseball game without having my attention stolen by a more exciting proposition. This sort of mindset combined with a little curiosity and hard work made school something to look forward to every day. I had always attributed my academic successes, at least in part, to some innate abilities and handful of other intangibles.

As I get older, I am slowly realizing that I often downplayed the importance of being mindful and patient. I was fortunate enough to have parents and teachers that not only spoke to the importance of these qualities, but also provided me with practical strategies to apply to any adversity I may encounter. After a while, these strategies so deeply ingrained as to almost seem automatic. 

At some point, a light bulb went off in my head and I realized that this was something I could easily incorporate into tutoring sessions when needed. For some of the students I work with, it seems inevitable that some unfortunate circumstance will find them throughout the course of any given day (e.g. Sally wasn’t sharing the soccer ball at recess or Billy breaking someone’s pencil during Art). This, in addition to potential stresses from home, could leave even the best of us without enough bandwidth to be engaged in our learning all of the time.

When a student arrives flustered it’s easy to reassure them with a “Calm down” or “Breathe.” Unsurprisingly, that is often met with an “I am breathing!” As I’ve learned, little minds full of emotion and anxiety are not on the ingredient list for a meaningful tutoring session. I have found that acknowledging each student’s concerns as valid to be an incredibly powerful tool. Everyone gets upset every once and a while – it’s part of life. The most important part of these experiences is how we respond and refocus our energy in a calm and positive manner.

I’ve found that small exercises grounded in these general principles to be of vital importance in my role as a tutor. They help create an environment that is not only conducive to learning, but is also fun. With a little practice, hopefully the students can come to draw on these strategies as second nature.

Improving Student Attendance

Blog post written by Loni Jorgenson, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Member at Hoover Elementary.

Loni Jorgenson, Iowa Reading Corps
AmeriCorps Member

At our school, we have a few Reading Cops students who have had attendance issues in the past. However, after enrolling these students in Reading Corps, we have seen fewer problems with attendance. At the end of March, we were excited to let one of these students know that she had improved her literacy skills enough to exit from the Reading Corps program. Having one-on-one tutoring has been great for this student because she has had another responsible adult at school to look to for support. When we told this student that she had met her goal to exit Reading Corps, her response was, “I don’t want to stop coming to read with you, Ms. Jorgenson!” 
 

After speaking with my Internal Coach, we have decided that I will occasionally meet with this student throughout the week during open times when I cannot meet with another student for Reading Corps tutoring. This will give me the opportunity to provide guidance to this student throughout the rest of the school year, in hopes that her attendance will continue to improve.

Sharing Local Impact

Blog post written by Tricia Busch, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member at Ballard East Elementary.

Tricia Busch (third from left) and the
Ballard East Reading Corps team.

At the beginning of March, our Reading Corps team at Ballard East hosted a site visit with the United Way of Story County (UWSC). The United Way visitors were able to observe a Reading Corps intervention to see how their funding and support of Reading Corps is helping local students. We discussed how things were going and I shared success stories and edSpring graphs for some of my Reading Corps students.

In addition, my Internal Coach at Ballard East and my Heartland Area Education Association (AEA) Hybrid Coach were also able to participate in the meeting to share how they have helped me during my term of AmeriCorps service. I feel very fortunate to be serving at one of the three schools that are currently piloting this partnership with the Heartland AEA and am glad that I could use this opportunity to express my appreciation with the United Way visitors. 

At the end of the month, I also had an opportunity to interact with students and their family members at Ballard East's “Literacy Luau.” The event was a Hawaiian themed night, hosted by Ballard East, dedicated to literacy. Each classroom featured a variety of literacy-based games and we also provided a book walk and book fair for students. I enjoyed being a part of this night and helping with the games. The students were very excited to bring their parents to school, they all had a blast, and the night was a success!

2014-2015 Member Application Open!

Become an Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Member!

If you're passionate about helping students receive the literacy skills they need to succeed, we invite you to learn more about becoming an AmeriCorps member with Iowa Reading Corps. As a member, you'll provide one-on-one literacy tutoring to students in Kindergarten through third grade who are below grade level in reading. You'll receive extensive training and support before and throughout your term of AmeriCorps service, so an education degree isn't required to be a successful candidate for Iowa Reading Corps.

Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps members are trained as Elementary Literacy Tutors and are placed in school districts throughout Iowa. Members are assigned to one site for the duration of the program year and serve at least 40 hours per week. During the summer months, members partner with local United Ways to recruit volunteers and support community engagement by providing literacy activities at summer feeding programs, assisting with summer tutoring programs, and/or coordinating children's summer literacy programs at local libraries. 

In return for their service, AmeriCorps members receive a living stipend, optional health care coverage and child care assistance, and access to training opportunities. Members must complete 1,720 service hours beginning September 1, 2014 and ending no later than July 31, 2015. Upon successful completion of a term of service, members receive an Education Award of $5,645 to be used toward future college expenses or to pay back existing federal student loans. Members who are 55+ may also transfer their education award to a child, grandchild, or foster child.

To complete a member application and view a full position description, please visit: http://www.uwiowa.org/apply-americorps. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through July 31, 2014.

Turning "I Can't" into "I Can"

Jenn Martin, Iowa Reading Corps
AmeriCorps Member

Blog post written by Jenn Martin, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Member at Oskaloosa Elementary.

Recently, I've been reflecting on some of the most significant challenges and successes that I've experienced with my Reading Corps students. Over the past few months, I've been tutoring a few students who were well below the target scores for the school year and after seeing slower progress, I was starting to feel frustrated with my part in the tutoring process. With support from my Internal Coach, we continued to adapt and work to meet the needs of these students. After conferences, I was informed that two of those students would be tested for learning disabilities. Although I felt a sense of relief that their needs would continue to be met, I was still feeling discouraged. 

As the weeks have passed, both of these students have really started to shine in the Great Leaps interventions. It is so rewarding, especially for these two, to see how excited they are becoming as they have started to more frequently “leap” pages. I've also made it a point to provide purposeful encouragement to these students and have seen them develop more self-confidence every day. I must admit that seeing an increase in a student's self-confidence is the best part of my job as a literacy tutor!

I also have a few students in Reading Corps who have an, “I can’t” attitude. The last thing that I want is for any student to feel like a failure. After chatting with the family members of one of these students, we decided to implement an “I can” policy. In an effort to increase this student's self-confidence, we no longer allow him to use the “I can’t” phrase at home or during tutoring sessions. Instead we encourage him to say, “This is hard,” or “I can try.” By simply removing that "I can't" phrase from his vocabulary, we have seen him become a more confident reader and his mother even noted that she has seen an all-around improvement in his self-confidence. It is so nice to know that by working together with my students’ family members; I can be a part of something bigger.

Engaging Every Parent and Guardian

Jamie Thompson, Iowa Reading Corps
AmeriCorps Member

Blog post written by Jamie Thompson, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Member at Neil Armstrong Elementary in Bettendorf.

The past few weeks have provided an important opportunity for me to get to know my students and their families. I recently participated in parent-teacher conferences by sharing more detailed information about the Reading Corps program with the families of students who currently receive Reading Corps services. I also provided examples of how the twenty minutes that I spend with these students each day has helped the students grow as readers. Many of my students' parents and guardians were very interested in the program and even asked to receive more information about the interventions that I use with their children so they can begin using similar strategies when they read with their children at home. 

Our student graphs provided a great and easy-to-follow visual representation of each child’s progress. As a member of the Neil Armstrong community, I felt that it was very important for me to use this opportunity to introduce myself as the Reading Corps AmeriCorps member and to share positive feedback regarding my students' reading growth and progress. Because many of the students who I tutor in literacy are also below grade level in other subjects, many of these students' families do not receive a lot of “positive” information at conferences. I was happy to take this opportunity to share some progress and good news!

Celebrating Student Progress

Blog post written by Tyler Harris, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member at Jefferson-Edison Elementary.

Tyler Harris, Iowa Reading Corps
AmeriCorps Member

Over the last month I have had a lot of great things happen with my students. I am so proud of all of my kindergartners because they are now reading! It's been exciting to see them go from struggling to know their letter sounds to now being able to put them together and make words. I can tell that they are even impressing themselves when they get a word correct! It is such an improvement from where a lot of them started. I also have had a great deal of success with my first graders. One student has exited from the program and while another first grader recently qualified to exit, I am still working with him for a bit longer to ensure that his progress is maintained.

So many of my students have come so far! It really is such a motivation for me. I have watched many scores increase over the last month. I am so happy with the success this program has provided so far for my students. I am glad to be in this program and helping kids who really can use this extra push. I am especially proud of one of my kindergarten students who improved her letter sounds per minute by 44 letters! She has come such a far way in this amount of time. I really love how much this program gives these students the special one-on-one time that they need to reach their full potential.

Reflections for the New Year

Blog post written by Ryan Moorehead, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member at Oskaloosa Elementary.

Ryan Moorehead, Iowa Reading Corps
AmeriCorps member

Recently, I've been reflecting upon a few things in particular that have gone well during my first couple of months of service, and what I’m looking forward to this New Year.  I would be kidding myself if I said I began my term of service in October without any apprehensions.  Am I qualified?  Studying and discussing theory in class and the member institute is one thing, but putting that experience and knowledge into practice surely must be an entirely different beast. How will I fit into the existing school community?  I figured this was a legitimate question as it was not only the first year of the program across the state, but also in partnership with the community and school I would be serving. 

I am sure I had a handful of other questions running through my mind at the time as well, but any concerns were quickly put rest as my term of service began.  Sure, some days are trying, but I am grateful to be surrounded by such a supportive and appreciative community that are all striving toward the betterment of the students.  Hardly a day goes by where I’m not stopped by someone in the hallway and asked how I’m doing.  If not that, they might express how appreciative they are for the time and effort I am contributing or offer themselves as a potential resource for me to tap into. 

It is really comforting to occasionally be reaffirmed that the work we are doing is important and making a difference and doesn’t go unnoticed.  At this point, I couldn’t imagine serving in any other type of environment.  I’m looking forward to a wonderful New Year and the challenges it may bring, but also the opportunity to continue to build and strengthen new ties within the school community.

Advocating for National Service - Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol

Blog post written by Melissa Simmermaker, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program Manager

Staff members from the Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program recently had the opportunity to participate in Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol. The event was hosted by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service (ICVS), a state agency that helps organizations like Iowa Reading Corps fulfill their mission by capitalizing upon the impact of national service members and local volunteers. 

Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol provided an exciting opportunity for our staff to educate legislators on the Iowa Reading Corps program model and to discuss the important role that our AmeriCorps members are playing in bridging the 3rd grade literacy gap. In addition to highlighting the unique aspects of the program model, staff also highlighted the program’s invaluable relationship with local United Ways that has leveraged both financial and community resources to strengthen the connection between school and community. We were excited to receive an enthusiastic response from legislators and plan to capitalize upon this interest by scheduling visits for local legislators at a few of our Reading Corps schools. 

Perhaps most importantly, Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol emphasized the fact that national service programs, like AmeriCorps, aren’t just nice, they’re important! We hope that by educating our elected officials on the positive impact that our AmeriCorps members are cultivating both in and outside of the school setting, we will be able to spotlight national service as a potential solution to some of our most pressing issues in the education field. 

"Feeling the Love"

Lisa Dennis, Iowa Reading Corps
AmeriCorps member

Blog post written by Lisa Dennis, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member at Sawyer Elementary.

After four months of Reading Corps tutoring, my students are used to working with me. They see me every day at the same time, for the same amount of time, doing relatively the same thing. They get it. I've always felt like my students see me as another teacher, or simply, the "girl they read with." However, I've recently begun to realize that they see me as more than that.

One of my students surprised me by drawing a picture that showed the two of us holding hands and included a nice note to me at the top of the illustration. One of them insists on running up to give me a hug or "high five" each and every time I see her in the hallway. And one instance that made me feel really special was when I was working with a student and I told him that he was doing so well that he might not have to see me anymore.  I explained that his reading scores had improved so much that he wouldn't have to work with me any longer.

All of a sudden, the tears started flowing. He was genuinely upset and sad that he wouldn't get to see me anymore. He asked me, with watery eyes and a shaky voice, "But will I still get to see you every day?" Just then, in that moment, I realized that I'm not just "the girl they work with" or the teacher who takes them out of class. Those 20 minutes that we spend together each day means something more to them. Its really nice to feel that love from some of the most unexpected places.

Going Above and Beyond for MLK Day

Blog post written by Nicole Belding, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member at Washington Elementary

Nicole Belding (left) and her Internal Coach,
Cindy, at the donation table.

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?" - Martin Luther King Jr.

To celebrate the spirit of Martian Luther King Jr. Day, I organized a donation drive at my school for Noah’s Hope. Noah’s Hope is a non-profit pet rescue group that serves the Sioux City community. If a dog is sick, abused, or hurt, the staff members step in to fight for the animal’s survival. Furthermore, if a dog is missing, staff members and volunteers do whatever they can to help the family reunite with their pet. Because this organization continually goes above and beyond what is expected, I thought MLK Day would be a great opportunity to give back.

To prepare for the donation drive, I sent a letter home to students’ parents and guardians that explained the service project and listed potential items to donate to the shelter. To incorporate an element of service-learning, the individual who founded Noah’s Hope visited our school to provide a presentation about the organization and to share success stories with students.  After the presentation, I set up a donation table in the hallway for students to drop off their donations throughout the week.
  

On the final day of the donation drive, one little boy visited the donation table with his wallet and said that he would like to donate some of his money. He told me that he worked hard for the money and he wanted to give it to Noah’s Hope. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of the students and staff at my school. It is such a great feeling to know that we were able to make a difference in our community for MLK Day. I’m proud to be an AmeriCorps Member!

Becoming "Super Tutor"

Blog post written by Barbara Mittman, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member at Central Elementary.

Barb Mittman, Iowa Reading Corps
AmeriCorps Member

Faster than an uttered phoneme!  More pesky than a mosquito in May!  Able to stop a reader with a single tap!  It’s fidelity, it’s integrity, it’s Super Tutor!

I developed my superhuman abilities to benefit readers and committed to the high moral responsibilities of fidelity and integrity in September.  Like any other superhero, I have tools to help save students from the perils of illiteracy and skills to promote reading fluency.  I also have my own Kryptonite.  When face-to-face with a student’s immediate success, my resolve can weaken.

A second grader misses an “s” on a word in her final newscaster reading.  I buzz in, as annoying as a gnat, with the standard correction.  An ELL student omits a “the.”  I touch the table with my pencil eraser and everything comes to a screeching halt after seven correct sentences.  One “-ed” stands between a third grader and a perfect one-minute repeated reading and I see his shoulders slump as soon as I extend my hand.  In these moments of success, I hate the disruption that the standard correction creates and want to give in to the voice in my head that says, “It’s just an ‘s’ -- just this once.”

My all too human experience has taught me what difference a moment can make and I can be quite disgusted by missed opportunities.  I am totally responsible for the time I have with each Reading Corps student each day.  Since just one letter has the power to change meaning, it is up to me to exercise my super powers time after time.  The only sure outcome of a weakened Super Tutor is a year of “dis” service.

Motivating Students One Gumball Machine at a Time

Blog post written by Loni Jorgenson, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member at Hoover Elementary.

Loni Jorgenson (right) and
 her Internal Coach, Meredith.

During the Data-Based Decision Making and Great Leaps Intervention Training provided by Minnesota Reading Corps, we discussed a variety of strategies to motivate students. This was especially helpful, because I have several students who are not fans of reading and/or who would prefer not to be pulled from class for Reading Corps tutoring. After returning to my school, I decided to come up with a “game” and behavior reward system to help motivate these students.

To add an element of fun to our tutoring sessions, I created a gumball chart printable that holds 10 stickers. Once the chart is full, the student is rewarded with something simple, such as a bookmark or coloring page. There are several ways students are able to earn stickers for their chart.  A few examples include knowing all of their letter sounds, successfully playing the "tally game" (sitting like a reader and staying focused), leaping pages in the Great Leaps Intervention, finishing readings, and earning a higher progress monitoring score than the previous week.

At the beginning, I had one student who I was not quite sure how to motivate. Frank* loves sports and I was not sure if a gumball chart and coloring pages would motivate him, but I decided to give this strategy a try. I quickly found that the nice thing about using coloring pages is that they are completely customizable. Frank loves the Green Bay Packers, so I suggested that the first coloring page that he would work toward would be a Packers coloring page. He loved it! When his gumball chart was full, he was excited to show his Internal Coach his chart and coloring page that he had earned.

This motivational strategy has been working great for each of my students. My students are no longer hanging their heads when they see me pop in the door to pick them up; they’re all smiles and more than ready to go fill their gumball machines!

*To protect the privacy of our students, this student's name has been changed.