Challenges
Educators at Riverside identified several factors contributing to its initial underachievement in literacy. These included:
- Lack of collaboration between special and general educators
- A failure to maximize use of schedule flexibility to address the needs of learners who struggled to read
- Failure to maximize family involvement and support
- Lack of clarity around what interventions to select and how long to administer them with students
- Lack of initial staff buy-in for making significant changes to their practice
Additionally, one classroom teacher shared that “One of our big obstacles was time management. Where are you going to find time in the day to fit interventions in?"
A Title I teacher also identified the siloed thinking around who was responsible for which students, saying: "We had a lot of thought that it was your student, my student, her student..."
Over time, Riverside was able to overcome these initial challenges and continues to confront new challenges as they arise. Barriers will always present themselves, but Riverside is now equipped to tackle them head on.
Reflection Questions:
- Can you relate to Riverside's challenges to improving their literacy instruction? Why or why not?
- What challenges do you face in implementing evidence-based literacy practices in your district or building? How might these challenges be overcome?
Last Modified: 2/23/2023 10:24:02 PM