The schools we have. The schools we need.

Allington spoke of some revolutionary changes that would be essential in order for schools to meet the rising standards of society. I found it interesting to consider what he mentions about standards in previous years expecting a low number of students to meet advanced literacy, while society now expects every student to meet advanced literacy. I agree with him that schools can meet the more recent and more substantial expectations that challenge the profession today, however,  in order to do so many changes must occur. Teachers must realize that many students come to school with little experience with literacy. Rather than accepting that they will never catch up, it is our duty to go over and beyond with these students in order to provide instructional interventions expanding their opportunities to read, write, and listen to stories. With the right focus and support teachers have the potential to lead all students to academic success.

Running Records

I found the booklet on running records to be highly useful. I understood the importance of assessment, however, I had no clue how to conduct it. This book laid out methods for assessment in a manner that was thorough and understandable. In chapter 3 the question, "Why use standard procedures?" is posed. I found this section important because it answers the question explaining that teachers claims on students levels of accuracy are obtained according to common practice. If teachers all used different methods it would be impossible to compare and contrast, make connections, and create routes to follow based on the assessment findings. Although, it is essential teachers use a common standard for taking records it also imperative they make note of comments children make throughout the assessments. I really appreciated the clarity this book provided to me about assessment. What did it teach you?