I'm Title I Reading

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Home : 2008 : February : 24

I'm Title I Reading
By MrsM

You may not have noticed, but we have a Title I Board and you can get there from the main page. Reading specialists hang out there sometimes. ;)

I have always taught special reading, so I can't help you with the transition.
I do know you have to absolutely love reading, and love the population of kids that you will have to serve. They are the ones with heart-breaking home lives, move in and out and in again during the year, may not bathe regularly, may be wearing brother's coat or shoes (way too big) because there's nothing else at home. You should feel pretty confident of being able to diagnose what

is missing with the kids, and form some lessons to help bring them closer to grade-level understanding. For an RtI position, it would probably be very intense intervention.

I have a half-size classroom, and it's the perfect size. I decorate a bit, have bookshelves all over the place with hundreds of books, and there's just room for a reading table and chairs. Kids come and go, either 30 minutes every day, or two groups this year are scheduled 4 days for 40 minutes. I get planning time, because I can't see kids during recess or lunch. My groups get canceled when there is something special going on, either as a grade level or just in one classroom. The reading teacher for younger grades pick them up in the classroom and walk them to her room, but I teach 3rd graders and they come to me on their own and on time.

Because you are already a classroom teacher, you have a good relationship with the other classroom teachers. That's one hurdle you won't have to jump. It may be difficult to schedule sometimes, but everyone just has to work together to make it happen. With RtI, there may be some paperwork (we are only just starting) that I'm not aware of. We do progress reports every quarter, but not grades. In our district, the first tier or the first two tiers of RtI will be the responsibility of the classroom teacher.

I hope this has helped some. I hope some teachers who have made the transition out of the classroom can also give you some feedback.