The Keys to Student Success: A Day of Special Education Literacy

Nearly 250 special educators gathered at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill on September 26, 2005 for the SIG conference, “Finding the Keys to Student Success: Special Education and Reading Achievement,” a key part of SIG’s strategy to promote a system-wide approach to support literacy. In 2004, only 16% of students with disabilities were proficient in reading as measured by the Stanford 9. To address student needs, educators attending the conference learned about evidenced-based practices to support students who have not been responsive to the core curriculum. Highlights of the day included the keynote speaker Dr. Edward Kame’enui whose presentation “An Exploded View of Reading in the Classroom: Capturing the Intricacies of Instruction (or Ode to Miss Piggy)” enlightened and energized everyone to raise the literacy bar for all students.

SIG Staff Tip: Ensuring Success for a Productive School Year

Angela Brown, a former school administrator with decades of experience, is the SIG PBIS Coordinator. Since the start of the 2005-2006 school year, Angela Brown, along with Konyka Dunson and Michael Walker have made site visits to over 70% of the SIG schools. In every school, teachers and students are working to make the learning environment a positive one. Below is a tip for you to consider as you teach students to be successful in school.

For a classroom to run smoothly, teachers must proactively design the flow of the classroom—how the space is used and the classroom routines. A well-structured classroom leads to smoother transitions, less time spent on quieting disruptions, and more teaching time. When your classroom is empty, sit in the classroom and assess the space!

Ask yourself:

• Are there any problems areas, such as students clustering at the pencil sharpener? Consider how students are moving around the classroom. How can you restructure the space differently to eliminate problems?
• How effective are your routines for students as they enter the classroom, turn in homework, leave the classroom? Are they working? What new routines could be in place?

Now, decide how you want your classroom to be structured—how to make the classroom space and classroom routines more effective. Then, let your expectations be known!

What the Research Shows…

Teachers—by showing they care, reinforcing positive discipline, and modeling positive skills—can transform the culture of their classrooms and urban schools. These strategies are most effective when implemented school-wide so that all staff members can support student learning. Research shows:

• Caring connections matter. Students who have strong connections with teachers and positive peers are more likely to resist the pull of gangs.
• Positive behavioral supports work. Harsh discipline works against connection and instead of reducing misbehavior and vandalism, actually promotes these problems.
• Students can learn positive social and emotional skills. Teaching self-awareness, self-management, and responsible decision-making can reduce problematic behavior and promote academic success. Teachers who model these qualities themselves can more easily connect with students, which is particularly helpful when there are cultural differences between students and staff members.

Source: Educational Leadership/March 2005
David Osher and Steve Fleischman

What are DIBELS?

First, it’s pronounced d ĭ b ĕ ls! DIBELS, Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, are a series of one-minute assessments for students in grades K-3. This research-based assessment provides teacher friendly data to guide the daily literacy block and to identify students “at risk” for reading failure.

To date, the following SIG schools have received DIBELS training and their students have been assessed: Amidon, Clark, Hendley, Kenilworth, Meyer, Miner, Orr, Oyster, PR Harris, and Simon.

The teachers in those schools are to be commended for their commitment to their students’ literacy achievement. They are DIBELS graduates!

About SIG: The District of Columbia State Improvement Grant

The District of Columbia Public Schools Board of Education under its “State” function was awarded a five-year State Improvement Grant (SIG) by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, in 2004. The purpose of the SIG is to implement-school wide approaches that support the academic and behavioral needs of learners resulting in increased student achievement and decreased need for special education services.

The DC-SIG focuses on instruction, behavioral support, and family engagement as the most critical areas to the improvement of both general and special education services within DCPS. DC-SIG collaborates with the District’s six-year Reading First Initiative to offer literacy training and outreach.

DC-SIG also collaborates with Dr. George Sugai and the OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a nationally recognized program that focuses on creating safe school environments through early behavioral interventions to enhance student learning.

Nearly 5,000 schools have implemented PBIS in 32 schools and have experienced reductions in violence and disruptive behavior; increases in students’ time on task; decreases in office referrals, suspensions, and expulsions; and increases in school attendance. The SIG offers ongoing, research-based professional development for school personnel and families related to the academic and behavioral needs of all learners.

The 1 st Annual SIG Symposium

The DC-SIG convened its first annual symposium, “Finding the Keys to Student Success: Opening Doors to the Future,” which brought together more than 400 teachers, school staff, administrators, and district-level staff for training in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), and Student Support Teams.

Dynamic keynote speakers kicked off each day of the symposium, which was held August 1-5, 2005 at the Kellogg Conference Center at Gallaudet University.

Keynote speaker Dr. Ronald Ferguson of Harvard University opened the symposium with research on bridging achievement gaps and emphasized the importance of teachers combining caring with high expectations, which especially impacts the academic performance of African-American male youth.

The symposium featured presenters including Dr. A. Wade Boykin of Howard University and a diverse selection of workshops ranging from Active Supervision to a demonstration by the Discovery Channel on creative teaching tools. The DC-SIG will offer follow-up training throughout the year for SIG schools.

Upcoming SIG Events

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Ongoing Training
PBIS is a comprehensive behavior management program that has the potential to improve both behavioral and academic outcomes for students. Training will also focus on differentiated instructional strategies that support the ability of all students to achieve the DCPS standards.

October 26, 2005
PBIS Ongoing Training for Division 6 (Cohort 1)
8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Sumner School

November 14 – 16, 2005
PBIS Ongoing Training for Cohorts I and II
8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Catholic University

Student Support Team (SST) Training: Part II
In every District of Columbia public school, SSTs are being formed to provide academic and behavioral support to students who have difficulty participating and progressing in the general education curriculum. In this half day session, school teams will receive ongoing support with implementation.

November 8, 2005
SST Training: Part II
*8:30 am – 12:00 pm and *1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Sumner Museum School

*The SST Training is offered at two times: 8:30 am and 1:00 pm. Please select the time that your team would like to attend.

Visit www.dcsig.org to register for SIG events.

Something to Think About…How Do You Show Students Respect?

To reinforce positive behaviors of students, shifting your perspective and considering the perspective of a student, can lead to new insights. Rob March, who trains the Division 6 schools in PBIS, found the top 12 answers from over 2900 student responses to the question:

What are some ways that teachers show you respect?

1. Talk privately to students when a problem occurs.
2. Use a calm tone of voice, even when they are upset. (No yelling)
3. Respect personal space (Don’t touch, grab, eyeball, crowd)
4. Listen without interrupting.
5. Have a sense of humor.
6. Display student work around the classroom/school.
7. Prepare exciting lessons.
8. Let parents/guardians know that student did a good job sometimes (portray a balanced picture.)
9. Use student’s name when talking to them.
10. Be available during non-classroom time.
11. Return work promptly.
12. Talk sincerely – no sarcasm or “eye rolling.”

Resources: Helpful Links

The National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) providesschools with capacity-building information and technical assistance for identifying, adapting, and sustaining effective school-wide disciplinary practices. www.pbis.org

Intervention Central offers free tools and resources to help school staff and parents to promote positive classroom behaviors and foster effective learning for all children and youth. www.interventioncentral.org

Effective Educational Practices offer programs of professional development designed to cultivate practical skills for creating positive, effective, learning environments to meet the needs of all children. www.successfulschools.org