I believe in science. I also believe in easy access to quality literature. This is my classroom library. I prefer to teach in ways that give Ss the best chance to succeed AND I also encourage Ss to read great literature. SOR advocates do both.

The goal of NGSS was for students to think and practice like scientists and engineers, but the instructional practices it promotes do not actually reflect how scientists and engineers develop expertise. I explain more in my new Substack post. Link below. ⬇️

What about Remediation Plus UFLI Sound-Write I assume these all had small teams compared to the big publishing companies. I think the small guys do less, but do it better. Thoughts?

What would you add? Why? Is it that the little guy tries to do a few things extremely well instead of doing a ton of things, most of which aren't that good. Then I think of Jump Math and Spring Math. These aren't nearly as large as the big guys are they?

As I continue to create curriculum, I realize that the best curricula out there were created mostly by individuals or small groups. Reading Reconsidered - small group Bookworms - Sharon Walpole Am I off here? It seems we should be looking towards the little guys.

A simple thought for a grey and dreary Sunday ⬇️

If I got to choose a public school district to work at, I think Watertown would be #1 on my list.

You know you have reached 50 when you crave rice pudding daily for dessert. Only substitution is chocolate pudding.

I have to give my district credit. NYS test scores just came out. At the elementary level (3-5), we ranked 4th out of 28 school districts in Erie county in ELA. Based on economic disadvantage data, we should have ranked 12th out of 28 districts. I hope we can keep improving!

I don't think we should think of fluency instruction as just repeated readings or reader's theater. I am beginning to think that vocabulary, morphology, and especially spelling instruction are primary drivers as well.

So delighted to share this piece from the brilliant @MrJFinch...whose 5th graders went from 48% at ORF Benchmark to 86% at or above benchmark in just a matter of months. How did he do it???

(1/3) Retrieval of vocab terms after learning through a non-fiction text read aloud. Step 1: Vocabulary Retrieval In this video, watch as I ask 5th grade students to: 1. Chorally respond 2. Verify with shoulder partners as they retrieve 6 new terms from yesterday’s reading.

And one of my 5th graders knew what officious meant before I taught the word. She said, "I can be a bit officious at times." 😂

And yes I need a new set of mini white boards. They are looking pretty shabby.

Students learned the words pugnacious, passive, gracious, officious, suspicious, and innocuous today. Ss had to differtiate between pugnacious and passive. They like adding in related words that they previously learned!

Books my 5th graders are currently reading. The student reading 20,000 Leagues under the Sea was surprised that it was written over 100 years ago. Alan Gratz is always a favorite. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a favorite of mine.

Improving from 92% to 99% accuracy & by 32 words per minute in 1/2 year might be life changing for this student. This is substantial improvement. Improving from 95 to 100% accuracy & by 48 wpm is well over a year of growth in 1/2 year.

Curriculum for upper elementary teachers has been neglected. I'm just trying to create something that substantially improves reading outcomes for Ss in grades 3-5. What @mommagordon2 has shown is substantial improvement in her students. 3/

I'm just trying to create something that is based on Science of Reading and Science of Learning Principles with an understanding of the time element. Teaching kids spelling, morphology, vocabulary with passages for repeated reading and reader's theater in 35 minutes is key. 2/

I will take a compliment whenever I can get it. It is especially nice to get one from such an amazing teacher. Accuracy and Fluency results are amazing and the drivers of the WMP are vocabulary, morphology, and spelling. It appears to drive fluency growth as well! 1/

Recess in Buffalo is quite frankly awesome, especially when the wind stays away.