Oh, Literacy...Literacy II

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. 

The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” 

-Dr. Seuss 

Almost 13 million American children live in poverty (“Geography Matters: Child Well-Being in the States. Every Child Matters Education Fund April 2008.

Half of youths with a history of substance abuse have reading problems. National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities. (1998). Children with reading disability. Washington, D.C.: Robert Bock.Half of these children from low-income communities start first grade up to two years behind their peers. Brizius, J. A., & Foster S. A. (1993). Generation to Generation: Realizing the Promise of Family Literacy. High/Scope Press

http://www.bookspring.org/literacy-statistics/

Literacy is learned. Illiteracy is passed along by parents who cannot read or write.

One child in four grows up not knowing how to read.

90% of welfare recipients are high school dropouts

http://begintoread.com/research/literacystatistics.html

16 to 19 year old girls at the poverty level and below, with below average skills, are 6 times more likely to have out-of-wedlock children than their reading counterparts.

A student who can't read on grade level by 3rd grade is 4x’s less likely to graduate by age 19 than a child who does read proficiently in 3rd grade. Add poverty to the mix, and a student is 13x’s less likely to graduate on time than his or her proficient, wealthier peer. (American Educational Research Association)

Can you feel it? Can you hear it? I know the clock is ticking! I can hear it! Tick-tock, tick-tock! As each minute passes, a student is not reading on grade level, there are no meaningful interventions in place, and our educational system is pushing him/her further behind. Yet, I understand as each day passes, their quality of life in adulthood is probably going to perpetuate a cycle of poverty and illiteracy. 

Take a look at the statistics above. Simply putting the pieces together will tell anyone that a student's elementary reading ability has a direct reflection on his/her socioeconomic status in the future. For children who are poor and in most cases, African American and Latino, the sense of urgency to develop literate students needs to be at an all-time high. 

Being an elementary principal with a 98% African-American and 84% free and reduced lunch population-I know what “time” it is! I know if our teachers are not focused, aware, and fragmented by grade level, our students are going to suffer terribly. Some of our students have little to no books in their home, does not come from a literacy rich background, and enroll in our schools several grade levels behind. Because of this reality, educators must understand who they serve, frame their school-wide
literacy system, and determine the non-negotiables for literacy instruction. Truly understanding where you are, is the foundation for moving forward.

Who do we serve?

How can we truly educate students when we don't "really" understand who we are serving? Teachers, parents, and administrators must dialogue about the students they see everyday. Demographics are difficult to discuss and referring to race is taboo. However, without a compassionate understanding about our students, how can we really adjust our pedagogy for student success? To make the greatest dent in the learning, opportunity, and literacy gap-we must have the toughest conversations. We can't control the environment, parental support, financial resources, and demographics; however, we can only control ourselves and how we instruct literacy.

Along the same lines, we must examine our own mental models about our students. Do we truly, truly believe our students can excel in our classrooms despite the poverty which has immersed them? How we subconsciously think about our students will be how we consciously educate them!

What is the literacy structure in your school? 

How does the literacy process work? Think globally! Here is an example: Are all students taking a benchmarked assessments such as AimsWeb or the STAR to gage where students are in reading and math. Once this is determined, are their reading specialist and teachers working to analyze students' needs and provide a meaningful intervention? How do we know students are reading on grade level or two years behind? What tools are you using school-wide? Is it the DRA, Rigby Reads, Accelerated Reader, Lexile Scores, Running Records are a combination of some or all? What is the mandated resource to help support the curriculum? Does your school/district support the basal, balanced literacy, or the Daily 5? Whatever the system, I firmly believe it needs to have several components: 

1. A unified literacy resource (Tier 1) to support the curriculum. Fragmenting the resource such as one grade is instructing from a balanced literacy model while another is instructing from the basal creates different levels of instruction and engagement. One system is student-lead while the other is teacher-lead. K-5, all students need to be guaranteed the same type of powerful instruction.
2. A unified way to determine reading levels. This unity will filter into the library which ensures all students have access to choose and recognize good-fit books.
3. An intentional, meaningful, and purposeful intervention system (Tier 2 and 3). This is the type of system that intently looks at data trying to find the deficit and closing it.
4. All classrooms need libraries of their own. There is a lot of research supporting literacy rich classrooms and higher levels of learning.
5. There needs to be a school-wide benchmark which quickly assess your students and their needs.

This is just my list. I am sure you have pieces you could slide into this system. The important piece is that you recognize your system and possible holes within it. Our students and their future is depending on that system.

What are your schools' non-negotiables for literacy instruction?

Every day, what are you ensuring our students engage in to support their literacy journey. K-5, what will every teacher provide for their students. In the March issue of Educational Leadership, Richard Allington (2012), literacy guru, provided his non-negotiables for everyday literacy instruction:

1. Every child reads something he or she chooses.
2. Every child reads accurately.
3. Every child reads something he or she understands.
4. Every child writes about something personally meaningful.
5. Every child listens to a fluent adult read aloud.
6. Every child talks with peers about reading and writing.

You don't have agree with these, though, I will say if every child is receiving this everyday, they are much better off, right? Yet, the point is that the dialogue has to happen in terms of the non-negotiables for Tier 1 literacy instruction. All teachers doing their "own thing" in isolation is counter productive. We have to be able to discuss our capacity among colleagues and have it challenged professionally, which ignites learning, growing, and redefining.

Today, the standards are getting intense and overwhelming. On the other hand, 30 years from today, our students will not think about their standardized 3rd grade assessment. What will matter in 30 years? How well did he/she read in 3rd grade? That very could predict what his/her future will be....in 30 years.

Rodney S. Lewis, Ed.D.

Allington, R. (2012). Every child, every day. Educational Leadership, 69(6), Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar12/vol69/num06/Every-Child,-Every-

Hand-Out vs. Hand-Up

                                                      

"Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is."
- Vince Lombardi

  
In my last post, “Thriving in Higher Education”, I mentioned the “Hand-out” and “Hand-up” mentality.  In this post, I will elaborate on this concept to give you a clear understanding between the two.

Hand-Out

The “hand-out” mentality is an individual that want nothing for something. This person always has its “hand-out”, looking for favors or hookups. Now, don’t get me wrong, we all need support to achieve our goals. No one can achieve great things doing it along. I’m not referring to that individual. I’m referring to the student that expects the school to get him or her a job. I’m referring to the employee that expects the company to give him or her a raise, even though he or she has not put in the work to deserve a raise. I’m referring to the individual that complains about their weight, but does nothing about the it. Instead, of a healthy diet and exercise (which is the most effective way to lose weight) they have their “hand-out” looking for the magic pill to melt the pounds away.  

Everybody, wants a free lunch in the free world. Unfortunately, their are NO free lunches in the free world. Stop putting your “hand-out” for everything you want. Instead, start putting your “hand-up” and take ownership and responsibility for your life.  If you are looking for a job, stopping, sitting and waiting by the phone, hoping your cell rings; is good enough to get you beat. Students, stop waiting for the teachers to give you an assignment to start reading the book.

Hand-Up

This mentality is very proactive. When you have a “hand-up” mentality, you take massive ownership regarding your life. With this type of mentality, you are not waiting for the teacher to give you the assignment to read the book. The first day of class, you have already started reading the book. If you are trying to lose weight, you are not waiting for the magic pill. Instead, you are seeking an active lifestyle coupled with a well balance diet. Instead of “gimme this or gimmie that”, you are saying, “pick me for this AND pick me for that”!   If you want extreme results, then you have to take extreme measures. Everyone wants to lose weight, have a great marriage, better relationships, better grades and so on. The is problem that some of those same individuals have their hands-out waiting for something. Again, this is a very bad idea. 

Conversely, ask yourself,  what I’m I doing to solve the problem?  This a proactive method that yields results. You are the master and proud owner of  YOU!!  If you wake up every morning  and you are not comfortable with the person that you see in the mirror, then make the necessary changes, put the responsibility back on yourself. The only person that can ultimately fix your problems are you.   Be empowered and focus to getting the most out of life. Like an elementary classroom, start raising your hand to the teacher (life) and start asking questions. Don’t wait for people to give you opportunities, instead get up and go and get your opportunities.
 
Respectively,

Ron S. Lewis

Star Fish

Sometimes people are beautiful.

Not in looks.

Not in what they say.

Just in what they are.” 

-Marcus Zusak

Washed Ashore

This fall I went to the wake of a high school student who was sitting on her porch and was murdered. A car drove past and sprayed her house with bullets. At the wake, the young people came dressed in t-shirts screen printed with pictures of her on them. Clearly this young woman had an impact of the masses considering the outpouring of support for her family.

 Ironically that same night, an hour after I left the wake, I had to pull myself together to go to a revival that a student invited me to attend at her church.  I needed some time to regroup after the wake so I stopped by Starbucks. I sat there reflecting on the young woman’s life and how too frequent this story is becoming. 

Returned To The Ocean

While walking back to the car I saw someone I knew. She asked about my day and where I was headed. I told her about the wake and overwhelmed with emotion I began to cry. I explained that the young lady’s death seems so daunting of a task to take on. Then she looked at me began telling me the starfish story. One at a time a person attempts to put all of the star fish back in the ocean that have been washed ashore. I would focus my energies on one young person at a time assist him or her as they navigate their way through life. In that moment it was what I needed to hear.

 I arrived at the church and the student was all smiles as she saw me get out of my car. This young woman has been through unimaginable circumstances, but was still all smiles. I greeted her and her younger sister, mother and stepfather. My emotions were in turmoil as I mourned the loss of one young woman,  but I sat there with two other young women. Sitting with the students praying and signing brought about a renewed surge of energy.

Saving Our Star Fish 

I wondered, how much more effective would it be if I could grab a hand full of starfish and throw them back into the ocean. Or what if I rallied a group of friends together and we all worked to clear the beach, how much faster would we be able to save so many more starfish? So it is our responsibility to rally together to save our children. 

There doesn’t have to be a formal gathering with committees and board members. We know all too well that committees can stifle productivity. Instead let’s not wait on some great leader to come organize our efforts. Educators, parents and friends, grab a group of kids and love them. Let them know they are good enough while giving them the tools to succeed. Our kids are simply modeling the example that we show them, so let’s give them more because they deserve more. 

Keep Giving,

Angela R. Lewis

Oh...Literacy...Literacy!

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." 

-Nelson Mandela 

Check out these literacy stats:

-70% of prisoners fall into the lowest two levels of reading proficiency (National Institute for Literacy, 1998).

-More than 60 percent of all prison inmates are functionally illiterate.

-Monitor and respond to chronic absenteeism in pre-K and kindergarten. The kids most at risk are the ones missing 25 to 30 days a year. If we don't intervene, those are our future dropouts.

-60% of Urban School Children do not graduate from High School. 40% of those who do -- read at only at a 4th grade level.

-2/3 of students that are not reading proficiently by the end of 4th grade will be in jail or welfare.

-Black and Hispanic students who were not proficient readers in third grade were less likely to graduate from high school.

It is statistics like these, and more, that wake us each morning motivated! They help us recognize our purpose as educators and how powerful we are to our students. This data forces us to instruct with meaning, purpose, and intent. Single handily, our students’ literacy capacity is the difference between poverty and wealth. 

What other conclusions can your draw from the literacy data presented? What questions do you have? What else would you like to know?

-Rodney S. Lewis, Ed.D.

21 Ways to Show Students You Care

"I am not a teacher, but an awakener."

-Robert Frost

1. Accept their background   

2. Make eye contact

3. Have a snack together

4. Plan their success

5. Smile with them 

6. Make decisions together

7. Build a classroom tradition

8. Work with students 1-on-1

9. Thank you students

10. Encourage your students

11. Compliment your students

12. Catch them doing right

13. Celebrate their learning

14. Turn mistakes into teachable moments

15. Allow students time to think

16. Write your students kind notes

17. Show interesting books

18. Inspire them to be themselves

19. Propose more, impose less

20. Ask for their help

21. Apologize when wrong


-Rodney S. Lewis, Ed.D.

Do More Be More

“Did you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real, and you're just a reflection of him?”

-Bill Watterson

As we approach winter break, I have had a lot of time to reflect on this year. We have made many strides thus far. I am excited our PBIS team is in full-force; I am pleased with data teams and the learning about student outcomes; and I am pleased with the progressing climate of our staff. 

However, there is one person I am not satisfied with so far-myself! Yes, me! I know, that is a very bold self-admission; but, it is how I feel. Undoubtedly, I am not saying I am a failure at my job. No, please do not misunderstand my message.

I believe the better I am EVERYDAY, the better you are EVERYDAY. And...if you are better EVERYDAY, then most certainly, our students are better....EVERYDAY! 

When I interact with our kids, I know they are thirsting for guidance. Just look into their eyes. I will admit, I feel a sense of urgency, to reach our boys and girls before a possible negative influence grabs their hand. Because time is so limited with them, I have to make our school experience the absolute best.

So, how do I accomplish this? I am unsure! Yet, I understand I need your support. I am not saying that I am going to or have to do this alone. On the contrary, I realize this position has a much greater purpose for me. 

This movement, we call education is about quality of life. We can change our students’ future. As I am fully aware, my influence and responsibility as a principal, teacher, mentor, coach, leader, African-American adult male, and motivator-I have to do more and be more.

This is not for the sake of me. This is me striving for more-for students that need more...and have dreams of being more.

-Rodney S. Lewis, Ed.D.

V-6 Thinking: Student's Vision

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”

-Joel A. Baker 

If you speak to most of the students, they have a great deal of optimism for their future. When they talk about it, their faces glow.

Ultimately, in some way, our job is to make their vision clearer. We must put a reality around being a doctor, playing professional sports, or obtaining a double major. Agree?

If our students are to accomplish the mind’s unthinkable, how do we get them to understand the journey toward victory is an endurance race and not a sprint?

Success for all children lies in their ability to make their vision a reality  which requires intense focus, undeniable courage, and on-going communication. 

Regardless of his/her grade-level, I can see our students learning with intention, purpose, and meaning. Also, I see our students making intelligent, but hard decisions about their attitude and social circles. Lastly, I can see our students asking for support when concerns arise. 

This guidance is crucial to their success.

We all know, valleys (struggles) are around the corner; they are waiting for us. This is not a secret. I envision us preparing our students for the anticipated turbulence, by having the focus, the courage, and the communication skills to support their dreams.

If our young minds can see it-they can achieve it. All we have to do is help them get there.

-Rodney S. Lewis, Ed.D.

V-6 Thinking

"Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change - this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress."

-Bruce Barton

Vision, Voice, Victory, Valley (Struggles), Value, Voice, and Volunteering. Here is my driving force behind servicing our students. These six principles guide my purpose and dictate my actions for providing our young minds with a rock solid foundation.

Each and everyday our learners look to us for our ‘psychic’ abilities, as we instill a Vision of possibilities for their future and what it has to offer. 

Equally as important, our students want to hear success. We are their Voice! Over time, using affirmative language will give them the confidence they need to move forward. A few kind words can go along way!

Let’s face it, children are faced with academic and social Valleys (Struggles) and Victories day-after-day. Our #1 goal is getting our learners to understand a Valley is one step away from Victory. Success is at their fingertips!

How do we ensure, our students understand their pure Value? How do we get them to realize they are  “jammed-packed” with unique gifts and talents which are only pertinent to them? They matter in more ways than one.

As models of Volunteering, our students are constantly observing kind, respectful, adults with a heart for giving unconditionally. This high level of selflessness will ‘rub-off’ on them. It is only a matter of time.

Lastly, as educators, we are leaders by virtue.  At our core, we entered this profession because we wanted to make an impact by helping children see their success, using our words to inspire and motivate, showing that failure is one step away from success, building self-assured learners, and donating our heart and soul to give another human a better life. 

Yes, we are putting our students behind the wheel of their learning and we are going to sit back and enjoy the ride.

-Rodney S. Lewis, Ed.D.

Thank You!

"Before you go out into the world, wash your face in the clear crystal of praise. Bury each yesterday in the fine linen and spices of thankfulness."

-Charles Spurgeon

To every educator in the world:

As we approach the holiday, I want to take out the time to say THANK YOU! We have extremely tough jobs, right? Think about it! You have a classroom of various learners, you are attempting to differentiate their instruction, and ensure all of your students are learning at high levels....everyday.

That is a tall order; however, because you are motivated educators, with a heart for children, you have said to me, “Ok, how can we do this?” Thank you! Thank you for supporting our students and maintaining high expectations. Our students are better off because of you!

Thank you for embracing change. As I have said once before, change is messy, uncomfortable, but it is amazing! Trust me, we will move forward, and you are the heartbeat of this movement.

Somedays are beautiful and free- flowing. We live for those moments. On the other hand, there are days where it appears nothing is going right. Thank you for hanging in there and smiling. Your optimism and sense of humor supports me daily.

Finally, thank you for being you! Our students need you; our community needs you; and I need you! 

Enjoy this time with your family and friends. It is well deserved!

-Rodney S. Lewis, Ed.D.

Top 10 Things I Have Learned As A New Principal

"To me, teamwork is the beauty of our sport, where you have five acting as one. You become selfless."

-Mike Krzyzewski

1. Although our students are challenging at times, they still deserve a purposeful education.

2. Every staff members' role is crucial to students.

3. We provide stability for students with unstable lives.

4. I have a deep appreciation for teachers.

5. The change from Assistant Principal to Principal is night and day.

6. I was born to inspire and motivate! That is my gift to the world.

7. A positive climate and and culture can weather the worst of storms. Teamwork is everything.

8. Transparent communication makes things smooth.

9. Professional development has the potential to impact  a student's future. 

10. I serve amazing students!

What are your aha's for this year?

-Rodney S. Lewis, Ed.D.