Hello world!
My name is Jessica Wason. I am creating this blog in order to collaborate and share ideas with other reading specialists, specifically those in secondary settings. I know that secondary reading specialists are relatively new, and as I have helped to build a successful MTSS program at my school, I thought I would share what worked for us. We did some things really well, while others failed miserably. By sharing what worked well and what didn’t, my hope is that will help you in your process as well. Every school and district is different, so you need to find what works for you.
I’m not saying that this is the way you have to do things at your school. I simply want to share our process and hope that helps you as you navigate yours.
I teach in a middle school near Wichita, Kansas. Read more about my background here. My role is 2-fold: with responsibilities as a reading specialist and literacy coach. This is my 3rd year in this position, and before I was hired, my school had never had a reading specialist. Luckily, my principal has been a math coach in the past, so she knew what the position required. She was very helpful as we set up my daily schedule. I am extremely fortunate to work closely with her and have her full support. I honestly could not ask for a better principal!
As we worked to set up my daily schedule, we knew that I needed time to dedicate to both aspects of my role. My school has 6 class periods, as well as a homeroom.
Here is what we came up with:
- Mornings: The first 3 class periods every day are devoted to the coaching aspect of my role. On Thursdays, each grade level has a team meeting, so I have time to attend those. I can also work on anything that the teachers need of me, or push-in and work with groups of students.
- Middays: The 4th class period is typically my planning period. Because my mornings are very flexible, I could potentially move my planning period if I am needed by a teacher during this time. I also have a homeroom class consisting of students who were in my pull-out intervention class the previous year.
- Afternoons: The last 2 class periods of the day are dedicated to the reading specialist aspect of my role. I have my pull-out intervention classes during this time.
Getting Buy-In
I had some push-back at first when we created this schedule. Teachers complained that I got the mornings off or that I was just sitting around doing nothing. They were worried that I wasn’t working with students enough. I had to explain that even if I worked with 20 students in every class, there was no way that I could work with all the students who need my help. By dedicating time to work with teachers, who can then use those materials with all of their classes, I can expand my reach and help every student in the school.
It took the better part of 2 years to convince the teachers in my building the value of this schedule. As teachers asked me for data or materials, I was able to get it to them quickly. When they remarked how fast it was, I would comment, “That’s why I have my schedule the way it is.”
It has taken some time, but I have eventually gotten buy-in from all the teachers. They understand the importance of my role, and why my schedule needs to be divided like this.
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