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.

"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.

"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.

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.

Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program Launches!

Post written by Melissa Simmermaker, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program Manager.

In partnership with local United Ways and school districts, the Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program, an initiative of United Ways of Iowa, launched in the September 2013.  Iowa Reading Corps is a statewide initiative to help ensure that all Iowa students are on track to read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade.

The program places AmeriCorps members, trained as Elementary Literacy Tutors, at elementary schools across the state of Iowa to implement prescribed literacy interventions for students who are just below proficiency in reading.

In its inaugural year, the Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program placed 10 full-time AmeriCorps members, trained as Elementary Literacy Tutors, in eight school districts across the state of Iowa.  Each day, members meet individually with students to conduct 20-minute tutoring sessions that focus upon building students’ skills in phonics, phonemic awareness, and fluency. Based upon current educational research and best practices, the tutoring sessions follow a Response to Intervention (RtI) model.  Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps members also conduct additional volunteer recruitment strategies as agreed upon by local need.

The Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program is replicating a successful, evidence-based model first launched in Minnesota in 2003. To find out more information about the Minnesota Reading Corps and their results, visit minnesotareadingcorps.org.