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Mary/PA - Welcome to tonight's Reading Recovery Meeting here at Teachers.Net.
Mary/PA - Good evening, pieface. Are you a Reading Recovery Teacher?
pieface - not anymore, my position was eliminated due to budgets
Mary/PA - That's too bad. Do you miss it?
pieface - yes, now am back in the classroom
Mary/PA - How long had your district had RR before it was eliminated?
pieface - a lot more work and time
Mary/PA - Well, one good thing ... that class has a well prepared teacher now
pieface - it wasn't eliminated but it will be after this year
pieface - thanks, I find myself using so many RR phrases
Mary/PA - How many years was RR in place in your district?
pieface - 10 years
DEANNA - I am a RR teacher in south Texas
Mary/PA - Hi Deanna
DEANNA - Hi! I just happened onto this site while browsing. What luck! Tell me about your RR experience.
Mary/PA - Deanna, have you discontinued any kids yet this year?
Mary/PA - I've been teaching RR for 10 years now
DEANNA - I'm in week 12 and have two reading at 10-11, 2 at 5-6. How about you?
Mary/PA - This is my second year doing it full time. The first 8 years I taught Kindergarten every AM and RR every PM, before that I taught First Grade
Cody - Okay if a former (last year RR teacher joins in for a few minutes?
Mary/PA - I'm in week 14, One at level 11, three at 9 and 3 at 8
Mary/PA - Cody, yes...why are you not teaching RR any longer?
DEANNA - Sounds like me. I did RR/first grade for 4 years, then Kdg. & first full time and am currently doing RR/Lit. groups. Glad you can join us, Cody.
Cody - Our principal is trying to get all primary teachers trained
DEANNA - You're moving right along with your kids, Mary!
Mary/PA - I spent 23 years in first grade...always searching for a way to help the low level children...I was so happy to find RR
Cody - Last year I did my year of training. I did the model (1/2 day RR, 1/2 day first grade) This year two second grade teachers are being trained.
Mary/PA - Oh, I see. How long did you teach RR, Cody?
DEANNA - Smart principal! Where are you, Cody?
Cody - I hope to get back to RR when all primary teachers have been trained. It is such a great program.
Mary/PA - Oh, never mind, I see you already answered
Cody - I teach in West Texas
DEANNA - Where are you, Mary?
Cody - At what level do you all generally discontinue kids after week 20?
Mary/PA - Too bad you weren't permitted to stay with it a little longer....it takes a few years to really understand it
Mary/PA - I'm in PA
Mary/PA - NW PA
Mary/PA - We are never permitted to discontinue at anything below level 10 at this time of year. We are encouraged to try to get them out before 20 weeks.
Cody - Our school likes them to be at least a 14.
Mary/PA - I've getting close to discontinuing with a few
Cody - We have two teachers in training that are doing great this year. I am so pleased with the progress in my classroom kiddos.
Mary/PA - Cody, at this time of year?
Mary/PA - 14 is pretty high
DEANNA - I agree, Mary. This is my 6th year of doing RR and my 10th year out of training. I learn everyday. We're aiming to discontinue at L. 12-14 at 20 weeks, L. 16 thereafter.
Cody - Yes. We have a pretty strong group of kids to begin with (for the most part)
Mary/PA - Cody, it sounds like your district doesn't really need RR
DEANNA - Yes, it is and our kids come to us with very low OS scores. Classroom survival requires that we take them to 12-14 for them to succeed.
Cody - I can't stay, just want to let you all know that I think RR teachers are the best! Keep up the good work, and when I get back to RR I'll come and chat again!!!
DEANNA - Thanks, Cody!
Mary/PA - Our kids are very low to start with....a large % of them come to school with very little exposure to literacy
DEANNA - Yes, ours have few literacy experiences and limited language abilities. Most speak Spanish/English and many aren't fluent in either language.
Mary/PA - The average level in the regular classrooms at this time is only around 5
Mary/PA - I just finished testing for the average
Mary/PA - Do you do that?
DEANNA - I don't think that our average levels are higher than yours. It's what our kids are required to do in their classrooms that causes them to fall behind.
DEANNA - We haven't tested for the average, only done our random samples.
Mary/PA - You said that right!!!! All those mindless workbook pages and worksheets sure don't help them learn about reading and writing
DEANNA - How did you conduct your average testing?
Mary/PA - We ask the reg. classroom teachers to each give us a list of 6 "average" students. From that we randomly select 3 from each list and give those kids the text level part of the OS
DEANNA - That's doable! We'll try that. How big is your school? Your RR team?
Mary/PA - We have 3 first grades. 2 RRTs
DEANNA - We have 2 full-time positions-1RR, 1DLL. We each serve 4 kids and 3 literacy groups with 4 kids each. We have 9 first grades.
Mary/PA - We are in a low soc. eco. area
DEANNA - We are near the Mexico border. All students receive free breakfast and lunch.
DEANNA - Where did you train?
Mary/PA - It's tough, I'm sure
Mary/PA - I trained in our region's training site...it's affil. with OSU
DEANNA - I trained in Spring, TX. Are you attending the National Conference or the Leadership Conference?
Mary/PA - No, we don't have enough money to send us...we have so many other needs to which the money must go
DEANNA - I really want to attend the Leadership Conference on Capitol Hill. I've been trying to access the RRCNA website to get an application for a scholarship but I haven't been able to get the link to take me to the application and guidelines. It's called the Fellrath Scholarship. Maybe your school can apply for one.
Mary/PA - It's been nice chatting...I have to take my dog out now. Please be sure to come back in two weeks....maybe there will be more people here then. We usually have more here...they must all be shopping tonight
Mary/PA - See you next time
