Thursday, August 7, 2008

Journal 4

“RtI: Innovations in prevention and intervention” by Richard R. Reid, PhD

Dr. Reid wasn’t as an engaging speaker as Dr. Villa, but he was tough act to follow!
RtI is an acronym for “responsiveness to intervention”. His goal was to convey the steps for a successful plan implementation. In the U.S., there are about 8 million 4 – 12th graders reading below grade level. First, in order for teachers to help these kids succeed, they need to know their students’ skill level, monitor growth in response to instruction and use that data to alter that instruction. We should also recognize that most educators are doing the very best with the resources available, but that a plan for change needs to be developed and implemented. The following characteristics need to be part of a successful plan for change: vision, peer coaching, incentives, time for training and measuring competence and an action plan. If one aspect is missing, it won’t be successful. He cautions to allow at least five years to measure success for a well-articulated plan. In order for that plan to succeed, everyone must be involved, from the administration on down to the kids. He acknowledges that change is hard, but the current system can only change if the people do.

Question: How can teachers stay motivated on the process knowing it’s a
5 – 7 year implementation timeframe? Complete dedication and commitment from the staff is paramount. Everyone must be given a specific part in the process and accountability must be measured and reported on a regular basis. Everyone must be provided with exactly what their task is and given the tools and time to complete it. Change is never easy, but with staff fidelity and integrity, success is certain.

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