A decade ago, I was the first classroom teacher at my elementary school to complete a round of RTI. The counselor, principal and I went into the process with confusion, determined to get a struggling third-grade student the help she needed. Since those early RTI days, I’ve provided tier II and III interventions and watched […]
RTI
Posted inFrom the Front Lines
Teachers Talk about RTI: The Educator’s Room Survey Results
RTI – Response to Intervention – has made its way to the top of the list of most commonly used education acronyms. Â Since changes to policy language in the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the Response to Intervention framework has emerged as the favored way to identify students with learning disabilities. Â After a decade […]
Posted inHigh School, Instructional Strategies, Teacher Leaders
The Student Who Can, but Won’t
Every teacher is told that they must teach to all learning styles, that they must follow 504 plans and Individual Education Plans (IEPs), and that they are responsible for differentiating assignments so that all students can learn equally. What if a teacher does all of these things, but a student simply won’t learn? Believe it […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Motivating The Unmotivated Middle School Students
I have been working as an RTI Specialist in my current district for seven years. This means I have helped students who perform below average, or are very close to performing below average (based on Standardized test data) for seven years. Over the course of these seven years, I have noticed a few things about […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Elementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Mathematics
Elementary Math: One Approach to Differentiation
When I was an elementary student, many years ago, I was a quick learner.  I remember sitting in the classroom and looking for ways to challenge myself.  I was often reading/working ahead or helping others around me.  I was thrilled when I made it  into junior high and was able to take upper level math classes.  Here, […]
Posted inEducational Apps, Featured, Instructional Strategies
1:1 Classroom — Head Over Heels with Google Forms
I recently fell in love with a tech tool in a manner similar to the way in which I fall in love with classic titles on a bookshelf. These are titles I have read but for some reason or another the significance was lost until bam! Lightning strikes and I cannot put that book down.  This is […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines, Literacy, Uncategorized
Whit's Tips on Mentoring to Provide Individual Learning Opportunities
How should schools provide individual learning opportunities and motivation to accelerate learning while following standardized curricula goals aligned with the Common Core? One on one mentoring might be an answer. Whether schools can put together teams of five or a hundred mentors, giving students a half hour of undivided attention makes all the difference in […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Mathematics
Mathematics Adventures for All with MTSS A.K.A.RTI
Education is known for their acronyms. Today our adventure will use two interchangeably and demonstrate how to focus skills in mathematics to reach all learners. Teacher are superheroes and this method enables you to meet all students needs through the power of many. Welcome to an exciting adventure in education…MTSS also known as  RTI. RTI (Response […]