Journal #4

In the second half of the seminar we discussed other aspects of education. The bad news was that 2/3 of 8th and 12th grade students read at less than proficient on the NAEP. The good news was that young people were able to acquire the skills that can serve them for a lifetime. We learned about RTI (responsiveness to intervention). RTI is about knowing where each and every one of your students is in regard to their skill development. It is also about monitoring the students progress. One of the innovations in prevention and intervention required street level workers. These workers were seen as early adopters, innovators, shirkers, and saboteurs. Implementing innovations require a systems change, stages of implementation, professional development, fidelity, and integrity. Systems don't change, people do. The four R's of education are reading, writing, arithmetic, and relationships. There are school leadership teams which allow the teachers to be agents of innovation. They influence through positional learning, personal/referent authority, and expert authority. In a school leadership team you must be heroic. In year 1 you should get others on board. In year 2 you should check for implementation gliches, provide support, and refine your approach. In year 3 you should shakedown, assuring fidelity and integrity evaluating outcomes. The stages of implementation are exploration and adaption, installation, initial implementation, full implementation, innovation, and sustainability. Professional development requires traditional, enlightened, and instructional support approaches. A leadership team could design and implement a system of peer and expert coaching. In fidelity the teacher uses all the core intervention components skillfully. In integrity the teacher adheres tot he recommended procedures. fidelity and integrity create outcomes. The best outcomes are associated with high fidelity practitioners. In 1998, Mortensen and Writt found that 75% of teachers required corrective feedback. This performance feedback resulted in improvement.

Questions ...

1. What is RTI (responsiveness to intervention) all about?
Answer: From watching the presentation I was able to understand that RTI is about monitoring the students progress and the growth that leads them to success. It is also about knowing where each and every one of your students is in regard to their skill development. This gives the teacher an opportunity to adapt a specific learning environment for each student.

2. How are school leadership teams effective?
Answer: School leadership teams are effective as agents of innovation. They make an influence through three different ways. The first is positional authority, the second is through personal and referent authority, and the third and through expert authority. Their influence on leadership motivation and student progress allows for a brighter future. Students begin to take a greater interest in their learning.

Citation ...

(R Reid, public presentation, July 17, 2008)