Setting Up in the Middle School

First of all, bless you middle school teachers as you help these babies "find themselves" during their very trying time of growth and development. My dad teaches middle school and I tell him all the time I don't know how he does it - I didn't like my OWN child when she was in middle school!! Bless you as you help mold these precious children!!

Where the middle school teachers are lucky is that there is an interventionist who can do most, if not all of the reading level testing for the teachers.

Where the middle school teachers are unlucky is that middle school is such a transitional time between "kid" and "teen" not only with the hormones (again, bless you!) and growth in general, but in their academic gains, especially reading. Sometimes kids just don't "get it" until they get older and something clicks inside their brains. On the other hand, sometimes the higher level comprehension component of middle school level reading makes students who normally did not struggle enough to need help in elementary school need intervention in middle school. It's a hard time for these babies.

Because of these circumstances and after many conversations with our state department Literacy Specialist, this is how we are *planning* to complete testing and some of the interventions.

Keep in mind that there are a number of "qualifiers" for testing in order for us to be able to begin testing these students ASAP in order for them to receive their interventions.

If you want to learn how Mrs. Matthews is testing your students, visit the elementary page. It's the same process, just harder texts.

K5	1st-8th
January 12, 2018	September 25, 2017
May 25, 2018	May 25, 2018

**Tier 2 students: looking to test them using the optional writing component for more information January 12. More information to follow on this.

6th	7th	8th
“Does Not Meet” – SC PASS	“Does Not Meet” – SC PASS	“Does Not Meet” – SC PASS
EOY 5th Grade MAP Reading RIT below 206	EOY 6th Grade MAP Reading RIT below 212	EOY 7th Grade MAP Reading RIT below 215
5th Grade DRA below 40	Received LLI Interventions in 6th Grade	Received LLI Interventions in 7th Grade
BOY 6th Grade MAP Reading RIT below 206	BOY 7th Grade MAP Reading RIT below 212	BOY 8th Grade MAP Reading RIT below 215

Where we got these numbers:

What You Need to Do As Middle School ELA Teachers:

1 - Know their level - stay in communication with Mrs. Matthews. Dr. Larsen is making a google form to help with this.

2 - 6th Grade - you will need to pilot the LLI kit in your room. Again, Dr. Larsen and Fran Senn (our state dept. Literacy Specialist) are going to help with this.

3 - 7th and 8th Grades - you will need to make sure you keep dated documentation as you conference with the students on this list (see more information in "independent reading and conferencing")

From Fountas and Pinnell's Book: Guiding Readers and Writers

The first 20 days teaches students how to independently read - what to do during this time in their day and what is expected of them. It is named the first 20 days because it is supposed to be completed during the first 20 days of school. The minilessons are broken down into Management (M), Strategies and Skills (S), and Literary Analysis (L). An overview picture from the book can be found below (from pages 143-145). If you click the pictures below, they will take you to the excerpt of the book describing the first 20 days and how to implement them. I also have the book which I will gladly share and I am making copies of this section of the book for you as well. 

I do realize that the book says "Grades 3-6", but let me ask you a question - Are all your 7th and 8th graders at the maturity and level where they should be according to "norms"? NO? Guess what? They're normal. This is not going to hurt them. It will help them. Research is showing more and more that what is missing from reading education, especially at the secondary level, is the students READING! We teach our hearts out, but the students rarely have a chance to sit down and actually read. And you want to know what's really ironic? Independent reading is what we have stripped away from them and this is the one proven strategy that helps them become better readers. Bless us, all educators. 😐

CLICK THE PICTURE OF THE BOOK FOR YOUR COPY OF WHAT TO DO EACH DAY:

Reading is Thinking! Click below to get some more interactive ideas on teaching this component of the first 20 days. Don't think it's too "childish" - my 11th grade daughter just did this last year as a refresher in English III and LOVED it! 

Some other ideas on the internet you might want to try for tackling those first few days of school :)

A good refresher... ;)