Leaving Johnny Behind

Student Achievement - A Shared Responsibility

2010-06-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

Shouldn't pupil achievement be considered a shared responsibility?

While test scores do not reveal everything about a teacher's performance, they can and should be factored into his/her evaluation. However fair is fair. The vast majority of teachers I knew and worked with during my 35 years as a teacher and principal laid their collective souls on the line for the inner city kids they served. If they were unable to extract better outcomes, it wasn't because of a lack of effort or motivation on their part. Rather it was because their training did not reflect the knowledge base. This is especially true in the area of literacy training where a recent report by the National Council on Teacher Quality found that most schools of education do not include reading science in their core curricula.

It is unfair to make teachers the default scapegoat under such circumstances. If teachers are to be held accountable, so should those who prepared them. If that were the case, everyone including the kids would likely perform better.

http://alturl.com/ys4d

Leaving Johnny Behind

2010-05-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

During my 35 years as a teacher and principal in an economically depressed area, I witnessed firsthand the scourge we inflict upon our most vulnerable citizens because we failed to provide them with adequate literacy ability. In many cases this lack of an essential skill has been a death warrant to those who might otherwise have led productive lives and contributed meaningfully to society. Too many of our most promising youngsters turn to gangs and drugs because their literacy inadequacies essentially rob them of their freedom to make wiser choices.

Reading Malpractice

2010-05-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

After three years of intensive research, I have found that the empirical evidence that undergirds reading pedagogy is so consistently powerful that those who reject it are akin to geo-centrics and flat-earthers.

Tragically, anti-science factions have denied countless children reading instruction with the clearest and most unassailable link to actual reading ability, methods that require direct and systematic attention to precursor skills such as phonemic awareness and phonics.

Holistic practitioners continue to take exception to that but in so doing fail to see the symbiosis that exists between the two constructs. Failing to take advantage of that middle ground on behalf of children who need us the most is unconscionable. In fact, attorneys have a word for it; they call it malpractice.

Bridging the Gap Between Phonics and Comprehension

2010-05-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the greatest obstacle to reading comprehension is that traditional reading programs fail to adequately address precursor skills - phonemic awareness and phonics taught in a direct and systematic fashion. Those two function as an aid in allowing students to derive meaning from print, the ultimate purpose for reading. Holistic practitioners will probably take exception to that but in doing so fail to see the symbiosis that exists between phonics and comprehension. You can't comprehend what you can't decode. If we could bridge this chasm, we would see that phonics opens doors that allow children full participation in a whole language world.

Race to the Top Gets Messy

2010-04-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

It is wrong to cast teacher unions as the default scapegoat in the controversy surrounding Race to the Top. The unions are simply attempting to fulfill their mission of improving teachers' wages, hours and working conditions. However, unions’ refusal to allow student performance to factor in teacher evaluation is not the best expression of support. It comes across as a blatant attempt to dodge accountability. That is not something good teachers want or need.

If unions really wanted to do right by their members, they should be using every means at their disposal to guarantee that teachers receive the proper training. Schools of education and staff development professionals have proven woefully inadequate in that respect. School improvement is a shared responsibility. Let’s make everyone accountable. http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/43647802.html

Tony Pedriana
Author, Leaving Johnny Behind
leavingjohnnybehind.com

If teachers are to blame, who is teaching them?

2010-04-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

The following letter appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Sunday, April 11, 2010:

The front-page story on Race to the Top ("Our $250 million weak spot: Weeding out poor teachers?,'' April 4) highlighted the collective failure of state agencies, school administrators and the teachers union to agree on ways to remove under-qualified and incompetent teachers. The point is well-taken, but the story misses a key constituency in that failure: those responsible for training teachers in the first place.

All too often, teacher preparatory centers have omitted critical elements from their core curricula. This is especially true in the area of literacy training, where a recent study by the National Council on Teacher Quality found that only a fraction of education schools even bothered to teach their clients all of the components of the science of reading.

Yes, teachers must be held accountable. But it is a cruel hoax when those whose job it is to prepare them steer them along ill-fated tangents and leave them hanging in the wind when things go terribly wrong.

Our Kids are Worth the Trouble

2010-04-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

President Obama knows a good idea when he sees it regardless of political affiliation. He is not departing from the educational policy set forth by George Bush which attempts to steer schools and districts toward methods of teaching reading that have been validated through scientific inquiry and clinical trials. That is precisely what Race to the Top attempts to do. Yet some are complaining that retooling to meet federal guidelines in order to qualify for funds under Rtt is more trouble than it's worth. They just don't get it. This is true reform, the kind that can make a difference in a kid's life. That's worth all the trouble in the world.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/08/opinion/08thu2.html

Wisconsin Leaves Children Behind

2010-03-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

Wisconsin ’s dismal performance in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the so-called Nation’s Report Card, should come as no surprise given the disparity between what science recommends and what actually happens in classrooms. Scientifically-based methods require:
1. Instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
2. Instruction that is direct, intensive, systematic, and begun at the earliest of levels.

The educational establishment pays only superficial attention to the phonics issue and normally rejects all of #2, steadfastly adhering to the notion that any method requiring repetition and practice is somehow akin to child abuse. It maintains that it is better to merely encourage children to read, offer gentle assistance, and maintain a literature-rich environment.

While those are certainly important considerations, there is no empirical evidence to even remotely suggest that they alone can suffice, especially for those at greatest risk of reading failure – poor, minorities, children with learning impediments and English language learners.

We need to replace the “wait to fail” model with one in which “failure is not an option.” This can only come about if teachers teach directly, assess frequently and apply the appropriate interventions immediately. Yes, it is difficult. But it works.

Minnesota Working to Take Politics Out of Education

2010-03-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

For too long our educational system has been compromised by political ideology. However, we are beginning to see the vestiges of change in Minnesota where a measure was passed with bipartisan support that would require new teachers to demonstrate knowledge of research-based reading methodology before being issued a license. More recently, a couple of democratic legislators have joined republicans in support of alternative paths to teacher certification.http://alturl.com/jrzq http://alturl.com/p4dg

Teachers Deserve Legitimate Training

2010-03-10T13:04:00.001-08:00

In a March 9th article in Education Week, ("Better Educated Teachers Needed for Early Ed") Stephen Sawchuk questions the results of a study by the National Institute for Early Education Research because no effect size is given.

If the relationship between teacher credentials and student achievement remains murky, it is probably because the training required to procure such credentials remains seriously flawed. This is especially true in the arena of literacy instruction where teacher preparation institutions have long ignored the most viable data and continued along a path proven to be woefully inadequate for those at greatest risk of reading failure.

This victimizes children but also teachers since they are assigned a disproportionate share of the blame, not only for reading failure, but also for school failure in general.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/43647802.html

2010-03-10T12:49:00.000-08:00

In a March 9th article in Education Week, Stephen Sawchuk

Duncan Should Address Reading As A Civil Right

2010-03-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

It is reported in Politics K-12, that Arne Duncan is set to pledge renewed focus on civil rights. He should think beyond the obvious, because among the various civil rights infractions that occur in schools is one that is often forgotten - READING AS A CIVIL RIGHT.

The failure of the educational establishment to pursue and implement research-based reading practices has destroyed the literacy futures of countless individuals and has had a disparate impact on poor and minorities. If ever there was an expression of "cruel and unusual punishment," this one certainly qualifies.

Also see: "Reading, the Last Civil Right," by Sally Grimes of the Grimes Reading Institute
http://www.grimesreadinginstitute.com/information/articles/TheLastCivilRight.html

Sally Grimes to Speak In Madison

2010-03-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

The Cliff's Notes to Reading Instruction

Who: Sally Grimes, Founding Director of the Grimes Reading Institute
When: Sunday, March 14, 2010; 1:00-4:00 P.M.
Where: The Pyle Center on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus
702 Langdon St., 53706

Sally Grimes, founding director of the Grimes Reading Institute in Rockport, Massachusetts will speak at the University of Wisconsin-Madison next Sunday, March 14th from 1:00-4:00 P.M. The title of her presentation, "The Cliff's Notes to Reading Instruction" will cover: 1. The Five Components of Reading; 2. Why Some Students Struggle to Read; 3. Why most Reading Failure is Unnecessary; and 4. Some Common Roadblocks to Best Practices.

Ms. Grimes has served in a variety of positions during her 35 years in the field of reading, and her Grimes Reading Institute was one of only three entities chosen by the Massachusetts Dept. of Education to design and develop the professional development component of the Reading First Grant under No Child Left Behind.

The event, sponsored by The Wisconsin Reading Coalition, is free and open to the Public.

Feds Reject Wisconsin's Race to the Top Application

2010-03-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

To his credit, President Obama has shown he is serious about requiring that states adhere to rigid standards before throwing federal dollars in their direction. Wisconsin found this out the hard way by submitting a woefully inadequate Race to the Top application. Among its improprieties was a failure to embrace early literacy instruction proven most effective through the introspective lens of investigative science. Wisconsin has played political gamesmanship over this issue for some time, turning its collective back on parents of struggling readers who have literally begged for research-based reading reform measures. How long will it take for Wisconsin and other states to lay politics aside and adopt methods that are most likely to guarantee their children's literacy futures?

Evidence Based Literacy Instruction - Making Dramatic Inroads toward Literacy

2010-02-25T07:58:00.000-08:00

My sojourn into the reading wars has led me to some remarkable people. One is Nora Chahbazi who created a reading intervention program called EBLI for EVIDENCE BASED LITERACY INSTRUCTION. Nora delivers her program to adults and children at her Ounce of Prevention Reading Center in Flushing, Michigan, and travels around the country training others in its use.

EBLI is just another example of what can be accomplished with struggling readers when we bypass the conventional wisdom and give full expression to the scientific message. For more information, visit http://www.ebli.org and http://ooprc.wordpress.com/about/

"Watch & Observe" Not Good Enough

2010-02-23T10:28:00.000-08:00

In a recent column dealing with proposed legislation in Wisconsin for dyslexia screening the legislative chair of the Wisconsin State Reading Association (WSRA) indicated a preference to simply “watch and observe” as the needs of struggling readers continue to go unmet. As a retired urban school teacher and principal, I saw the dire consequences of this “wait and see” approach. I have also noted the refusal of reading constituencies to embrace the unifying message of legitimate science and to prevent it from getting adequate expression in classrooms. Those choosing to act in such a fractious and dispassionate manner must be pursuing some other agenda, one that is obviously not about kids and their literacy futures.

Don't Commit "Assumicide"

2010-02-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

We often hear that the art of teaching requires that we take into consideration students' experiences, their cultural heritage, and the communities in which they live. I couldn't agree more. The problem is that in far too many instances we commit "assumicide." We presuppose that children own the tools required to access that knowledge and omit the kind of rigorous instruction needed to produce them.

If teaching is to be an art, it should be the art of delivering curricula shown to to be most effective. If such practices conflict with our pedagogical preferences, remember it is not about us; it is about kids and their futures.

Student Engagement: a Substitute for Standardized Tests?

2010-01-30T12:37:00.000-08:00

Student engagement can indeed be a good indicator of achievement, but not in every case. For example, children can engage in a project based on a story in their basal reader, but that does not prove they are capable of actually reading and comprehending that story. Similarly, a student's science fair entry may not indicate that he or she is capable of producing the mathematical values that led to the project's conclusion.

Policy makers need valid and reliable means to measure achievement and build accountability, not just for teachers, but also for those who train teachers. Standardized tests fill that critical need. Besides, those who can demonstrate achievement through meaningful engagement in classroom activity are, in all likelihood, equally prepared to do the same on standardized tests.

Phonics: A Key Element for Building Cultural Awareness

2010-01-27T11:32:00.000-08:00

We have been training teachers to work in diverse communities for a long time, and in fact, teacher preparation institutions have stressed matters relevant to cultural diversity for decades. But if children, especially at-risk children, are to have the capability to independently access this knowledge, we need to provide them with the essential tool for doing so. That tool, as the data shows so irrefutably, is direct and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics. Makes sense. Would you be able to learn about your family background by reading symbols you are incapable of decoding?

Teacher Quality: Disparate Impact on poor & Minorities

2009-08-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

In a written statement submitted to the New Jersey State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Dr. Sandra Stotsky, Professor of Educational Reform at the University of Arkansas wrote:

Miller & Chait (2008) found that students in high poverty schools are less likely than those in low poverty schools to be assigned a

teacher deemed “highly qualified” under the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. Miller & Chait

also found that the "attrition and mobility of effective teachers exacerbate inequity in the distribution of

teacher quality."

Read the entire statement at http://www.uark.edu/ua/der/People/Stotsky/NJCommissionOnCivilRights.pdf

Reading: the Last Civil Right

2009-08-18T06:40:00.000-07:00

In her article, "Reading: the Last Civil Right," Sally Grimes, of the Grimes Reading Institute states:

"We have unintentionally withheld from approximately one third of our children (up to over 60% in impoverished areas) that key to the future and the key to the feeling of self worth: the ability to read. The sad truth is that many people in responsible positions do not realize this."

The article is only a few pages long but speaks volumes about our failure to use methods whose effectiveness have withstood the introspective lens of investigative science. View it at
http://alturl.com/56nf

Reading Education: a Civil Rights Issue

2009-07-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

Leaving Johnny Behind is an attempt to unite the reading community so that children can receive the full benefit of the scientific message, as is the case in medicine, engineering and so many other areas. Ignoring such powerful and consistent reading data is akin to doctors treating cancer patients with folk medicine when scientific cures have long been established.

Help Get Books into the Homes of Low Income Families

2009-07-17T10:51:00.001-07:00

Leaving Johnny Behind was written as a means to help address the needs of those at greatest risk for reading failure. To further advance that cause, all proceeds from its sale will be donated to Reach Out and Read, a pediatric organization that donates books to low income families and addresses literacy as a regular part of pediatric care.

Teachers as Scapegoats

2009-07-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

Teachers, you have worked hard to grow professionally prior to and throughout your career. But you might be surprised to learn what they have omitted from your training. Check out this article at http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/43647802.html

Do We Really Put Children First

2009-07-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

I wrote Leaving Johnny Behind mainly because of my frustrations with the conventional wisdom related to reading instruction, especially as it pertained to the needs of poor and minorities, dyslexics, English Language Learners, and those with handicapping conditions.

One of the things I learned during the course of my research was that diagnosticians are rarely able to show any evidence of neurological dysfunction for the vast majority of children they label as LD. In fact, the term Learning Disability did not exist prior to the 1960's and is probably more a function of our teaching methods than it is of a child's ability to learn.

The research reveals a very unifying message, but unfortunately, the obstinacy of a few very influential people prevents it from being heard and practiced to the extent necessary to reach those who need us the most. This results in some very dire consequences for many of our children. That is truly an injustice.

I look forward to joining forces with you to address these issues and doing everything possible to promote early literacy for all children.

Let's Talk About Reading

2008-10-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hello,

This blog is my attempt to generate a discussion regarding the manner in which we teach children to read. As a teacher and school administrator, I saw too many of our kids fall through the cracks. I therefore decided to conduct my own investigation into the research that surrounded early literacy training and to report my findings. The product of that effort is a book called Leaving Johnny Behind: Overcoming Barriers to Literacy and Reclaiming At-Risk Readers.

I will use this blog to communicate some of the various discoveries I made while analyzing the data and get your reactions to them. I feel there are several things we can do to build more and better readers and in so doing reduce the ever-increasing achievement gaps among poor and minority populations. I am hoping that we can have a stimulating dialogue as a means of pushing our agenda on behalf of all kids.

Tony Pedriana

Welcome !!

2008-10-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Tony Pedriana's blog!

This is the first post. I hope you will check back often to read up on the latest from Tony, Leaving Johnny Behind and Learning Dynamics Press.