Implementing the Interactive Strategies Approach in a Response to Intervention Context


What Others are Saying about ISA/RtI Professional Development



Elementary School Principals / Teacher Leaders

"Thanks for the training sessions. We are indeed learning valuable information. It is exactly what I wanted for my teachers - to get them back to a place where they use knowledge about how children learn to become literate in their instructional decisions rather than have a textbook company tell them what to do and when. Thank you for what you are doing."

"It has opened the dialogue with people, within the building, so that we function as a team...we talk about what is happening with the children within the classroom, what we can do for staff development, and what we can do for resources."

"I can target specific things as I go into classrooms and watch instruction and talk with teachers about teaching and learning and, if they are having trouble with a specific aspect of their teaching or they just want to continually improve, I can point them to all of these resources."

"It's given me greater opportunity in which to engage in instructional conversations instead of just supervisory conversations."

Literacy Coaches / Teacher Leaders

"Just wanted to share what a fabulous....meaningful....and relevant....Day 1--ISA PD we had here yesterday. Teachers and I had such deep discussions about our instruction and the RtI model and process in our school and district. We all are looking forward to next month's session."

"I found the materials, website, directions to be very...very clear and I had absolutely no trouble facilitating."

"The piece about efficacy beliefs and the powerful ways we can help shape students' identities as learners and attitudes about literacy is something I will stress strongly with teachers. Too many times - without even realizing it- we send the message that reading is a chore."

"Today has given me tools to talk with other teachers about the reading process and its complexity."

"It was validating to hear comments and questions read aloud from my fellow literacy coaches. Sometimes, the role of the literacy coach is a lonely one~~it was reassuring to hear common understandings."

"I LOVE watching people teach! I enjoyed watching the videos. It is always fun to see new ways of doing things."

"Currently, my district is talking a lot about Formative Assessments. Your groupshots are a perfect example."

"The focus on motivation is so important and I feel most often overlooked. I have been talking about intrinsic motivation often the past couple of years and am glad to see it part of the PD to present to teachers."

"Two times a month, I have an hour professional articulation time with my buildings' reading teachers. I bring new ideas from this webinar with me every time. Always, the information is well received and steps are taken to implement."

"A PD focus for next year is to improve our structures in our enviornment in order to build student independence and empower them as learners. Today's learning fits right in!"

"The webinars are so helpful. Overall I am enjoying working with the K-2 teachers and I feel like they are getting cutting-edge research and ideas they can use! Thanks again!"

Teachers

"I am using the Word ID Strategies chart all day every day! I am thinking about the level of support I provide to my students. I believe it is making my strudents more independent as readers. It is reshaping the way I teach strategies to my students and has changed the way I think about strategies."

"Overall I think that I've been able to analyze what is happening with my students better and plan according to more of their needs."

"The video footage always helps me internalize the content. Our facilitator also highlights some important points I missed when reading."

"This session got me thinking more about the parents' perspective and addressing confusions they may have about the process of word learning. Also, it got me thinking about how best to keep parents up-do-date on strategies being taught in the classroom, and enlisting their support."

"Coding along with the video gives good practice for my classroom, as well as feedback. I pick up language used that I think is more effective and precise than what I typically use."

"I left this session with specific prompts that I want to focus on using in my classroom in the next week to help keep them in my 'professional vocabulary.' It also caused me to think about the goals that I am working towards in my small group and individual reading instruction."

"One of the things I personally love about using the ISA is all those opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and to tie practice to progress."

"It is exciting to know that as a school, we do have the knowledge and power to prevent reading difficulties in our students."