DOCUMENT RESUME ED 439 444 CS 217 055 Manning, Tanya AUTHOR Achieving High Quality Reading and Writing in an Urban TITLE Middle School: The Case of Gail Slatko. CELA Research Report. National Research Center on English Learning and INSTITUTION Achievement, Albany, NY. SPONS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. REPORT NO CELA-RR-13001 2000-00-00 PUB DATE NOTE 34p. R305A60005 CONTRACT AVAILABLE FROM National Research Center on English Learning and Achievement, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 ($4). Tel: 518-442-5026. For full text: http://cela.albany.edu/slatko/index.html. Reports PUB TYPE Research (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Case Studies; *Comparative Analysis; English Teachers; Instructional Effectiveness; Learning Strategies; Middle Schools; Professional Development; *Reading Instruction; Teacher Attitudes; *Teacher Behavior; *Teacher Effectiveness; *Writing Instruction IDENTIFIERS *Achievement Standards; Classroom Effectiveness; Quality Indicators ABSTRACT This case study presents a portrait of one English teacher within her school and in her professional contexts. It is part of a series of reports investigating methods of successful English instruction which reconciles professional trends with individual practice. The case study examines data collected during 1996-1998 from the classroom of Gail Slatko, director of reading at Ruben Dario Middle School in Dade County, Florida. Characteristics of classroom instruction include variety in assignments and instructional forms, a focus on reading and critical thinking, and literature as a link between students' personal lives and the world of ideas and places. Slatko's instructional methods are based on beliefs in learning as a vehicle for background building, personal cultivation, individual exploration, and association. Professional influences in the classroom include the school district, colleagues, and professional development activities and conferences. (EF) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. CEA ELARCH REPO T ACHIEVING HIGH QUALITY READING AND WRITING IN AN URBAN MIDDLE SCHOOL: THE CASE OF GAIL SLATKO TANYA MANNING CELA REPORT NUMBER 13001 NATIONA_, LIS -i.ARC CENTER ON ENGLISH LEA ACILI MENT THE UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY D THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA o THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. 2 Points of view or opinions stated in this BEST COPY AVAILABLE document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. ACHIEVING HIGH QUALITY READING AND WRITING IN AN URBAN MIDDLE SCHOOL: THE CASE OF GAIL SLATKO TANYA MANNING National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement University at Albany State University of New York 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222 Report Series 13001 http://cela.albany.edu/slatko/index.html 2000 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This paper is the result of the investment of mentors and role models who helped me bring it to fruition. A deep and special thank you to my advisor and role model, Judith Langer, who has invested her time, wisdom, and intellect in helping me refine my research skills and writing. Thanks, also, to the other members of the Excellence in English research team, especially Eija Rougle and Gladys Cruz, as well as editor, Paula H. Preller. T. M. National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement University at Albany, School of Education, B-9 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 http://cela.albany.edu/ 518-442-5026 The Center on English Learning & Achievement (CELA) is a national research and development center located at the University at Albany, State University of New York, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Additional research is conducted at the Universities of Georgia and Washington. The Center, established in 1987, initially focused on the teaching and learning of literature. In March 1996, the Center expanded its focus to include the teaching and learning of English, both as a subject in its own right and as it is learned in other content areas. CELA's work is sponsored by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OEM), U.S. Department of Education, as part of the National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum, and Assessment. This report is based on research supported in part under the Research and Development Centers Program (award number R305A60005) as administered by OERI. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Department of Education, OEM, or the Institute on Student Achievement. 00/04-13001 FOREWORD The school door you will open as you read this case study reveals a very special place. Here students are actively involved in becoming highly literate; they are learning how language works in context and how to use it to advantage for academic purposes. Here, too, teachers are supported in their efforts to improve their teaching and to grow as professionals. What makes this kind of environment possible? A team of field researchers and I have been exploring this question in a major five-year project for the National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement (CELA). This case study is one part of that project, which involves 25 other English programs nationwide. Each is providing English instruction to middle and high school students. Most are exemplary; some are more typical and give us points of contrast. Overall our study examines the contexts that lead to thought-provoking learning in English classes and the professional contexts that support such learning. This case report offers a portrait of one teacher within the contexts of both her school and her profession. We offer it to provide food for thought and a model for action for readers or groups of readers who wish to improve the English language arts learning of their own students. The programs we are studying represent great diversity in student populations, educational problems, and approaches to improvement. The reports and case studies that comprise this project (listed on page 28) do not characterize programs as process-oriented, traditional, or interdisciplinary. Instead, they provide a conception of what "English" is as it is enacted in the classrooms of our best teachers, how these teachers have reconciled the various voices and trends within the professional community in their own practices, how their schools and districts support and encourage their efforts, and how in turn the contexts they create in their classrooms shape the high literacy learning of their students. The results have implications for curriculum, instruction, and assessment, as well as policy decisions, in English and the language arts. In two cross-cutting reports, I have analyzed the data across all case studies for overarching professional experiences patterns. In the first, I identify and discuss particular features of teachers' instruction. that permeate these special programs; in the second, the features that characterize their administrators who I am profoundly grateful for the cooperation and vision of the teachers and contributed their time and ideas so generously and so graciously to this project. It was indeed a a place I now invite privilege for the field researchers and me to enter into their worlds of learning you to visit and learn from in the following pages. Judith A. Langer Director, CELA April 2000 5 ACHIEVING HIGH QUALITY READING AND WRITING IN AN URBAN MIDDLE SCHOOL: THE CASE OF GAIL SLATKO -,TANYA MANNING INTRODUCTION Gail Slatko is the director of reading at Ruben Dario Middle School in Dade County, Florida.' This school, which serves some of the poorest students in the state, serves as a model of one of the schools spotlighted by Judith A. Langer in her five-year Excellence in excellence English study for the Center on English Learning & Achievement (CELA). Ruben Dario students are beating the odds; for example, they score well above the state standard on the mandated Florida Writes! Exam. Located within a crime-ridden area, Ruben Dario is a haven. Discipline and camaraderie reign, and students feel a sense of self-worth and agency about their education and voluntarily participate in numerous before- and after-school activities, including a highly successful tutoring program. Slatko is the director of this tutoring program. In addition, she teaches reading and SAT preparation classes, and her exemplary instruction shows that she wisely implements what she learns from her professional contacts with colleagues, both in school and from a very supportive district office. This case study highlights Slatko's instructional approaches as well as the professional influences that have helped to form and continue to refine her successful teaching practices. First, though, an overview is provided to give readers a sense of the school and district within which Slatko teaches. DATA COLLECTION AND COMPILATION Data for this case study were collected throughout the 1996-97 and 1997-98 academic years using a variety of techniques. In an initial interview, Slatko was asked about her perspective on instruction, curriculum, and assessment, as well as what she valued in teaching English/language periods, arts. Her classroom was observed for two weeks each year. During these observation 6 participated in or facilitated was observed as well. every professional development event Slatko Formal and informal discussions with Slatko during these visits yielded information about how she thought about English/language arts and how she approached teaching. Videotaped class sessions were also viewed. Information regarding Slatko's reflections on professional conversations, experiences, and their outcomes in the classroom were collected through regular email correspondence. People with whom Slatko had professional contact and conversations were also studied. How these conversations subsequently affected Slatko's classroom decisions were carefully noted. In addition, twice a month Slatko submitted the work of six selected students from one class each year. The students were chosen because they represented a wide spectrum of academic and social skills. These students also provided reports on their progress in reading via interviews and email correspondence. THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY Ruben Dario Middle School is 45 minutes from Miami's central business district. Just off a litter-free and major highway, the large white building sits on 10 acres of land. The grounds are surrounding the the building is clean and graffiti-free. The maize and rose colored condominiums multiple school were built within the last 20 years to house single families. Now, however, from a nearby families occupy many of the individual units. Ruben Dario students also come one of which is trailer park and are bussed from two housing projects within Miami proper in the city. Nonetheless, reported to be among the poorest and most crime-ridden neighborhoods the school is safe, happy, and regarded as a haven. showcases housing several trophies as When first entering Ruben Dario, one sees huge glass academic accomplishments. The well as walls lined with plaques and accolades honoring its floors are deep sky blue, and school's colors, blue and white, permeate the building. Lockers and with windows, are brightly lit. the walls are painted both blue and white. The halls, lined enrolled during the 1995-96 school Of the 2,200 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students African American, 4% were White, and 1% were Asian/Indian/ year, 85% were Latino, 10% were Multiracial. In all, 47 nations are represented at Ruben Dario. Nicaragua is the most represented family country. Most of the students are Spanish speakers. Many are immigrants with few or no members who speak English proficiently. Almost 14% of the students are identified as Limited English Proficient (LEP). Approximately 80% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch, which is the highest percentage in Dade County (the fourth largest school district in the nation). Ruben Dario's faculty is diverse. Of the 82 teachers, 37% are Latino, 35% are White, 27% are African American, and 1% is Asian. Almost 40% of the teachers are male. There is a feeling of genuine rapport among the administrators, teachers, and students. Though teachers may sometimes clown around with or act very maternal/paternal with their students, they also expect and demand disciplined behavior. Disciplinary and attendance problems are minimal at Ruben Dario. The faculty characterize the students as very obedient, well-behaved, and respectful of staff, peers, and the school grounds. Teachers say the students maintain an inner locus of control in monitoring their own behavior. only 1.2%. The average percent of The school has a very low percentage of students failing dropouts is low as well, 2.2%. This low rate seems to be due to the staffs dedication and commitment to not letting students "fall through the cracks." Ruben Dario is a middle school with a mission. Built in 1989 and chartered at that time as a they Title I school, it developed the following mission statement that so impressed some teachers volunteered to join the new staff: To join efforts with the parents and representatives of the community in providing a productive learning environment that: Promotes critical thinking across curricular areas while enhancing reading, writing, and mathematics . . . . Integrates learning technologies into the curriculum through interdisciplinary instruction . . . . multilingual Improves student self-esteem in a multicultural, multiethnic, and community . . . . Emphasizes the professional development of highly qualified educators. critical thinkers. In Ruben Dario's overarching goal is to help students become readers and of each student. Using its Title I addition, the school also focuses on the affective development 83 tools and monies and other resources wisely, the school offers students a variety of learning in every classroom (more than 200 throughout the programs. For example, there are computers each school) and each classroom also has its own library of books. Students receive a "Passport" and organizational resource. The Passport year, which serves as a notebook-sized learning and adults, contains the school rules, information about school/community offerings for youth managing places to record student achievements, explanations of essential learning skills such as time, anecdotes for learning, important facts, and a large area for recording homework assignments. The Passport explains the school's philosophy of education: An effective middle school addresses the educational, emotional, social, and developmental needs of students who are in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade by providing meaningful experiences designed to assist them in making the transition from childhood to adolescence. Teachers from different subject areas, responsible for a common group of students, are organized into interdisciplinary teams to provide students with a styles. variety of instructional practices that accommodate their unique learning Critical and creative thinking skills are infused through the curriculum, subject of instruction, and an advisement areas are interrelated through thematic units the developmental and adjustment program is provided to assist students with issues common to their age group. Home-school partnerships are essential to successful middle schools. Parental involvement opportunities are provided through subject-area teachers, teams, special clubs, and the school's volunteer program . . . . belong to a team and to an Advisor/Advisee group. These All students . . . directly with their home room advisor groups consist of students who interact development by focusing on each day. Activities are planned to enhance character conflicts peacefully, and, courtesy, responsibility, reliability, respect, solving above all, building feelings of self-worth (Student Passport, 1996). Dario students do not speak Although only 14% are officially designated as LEP, most Ruben school developed a multi-tiered English as their first language. In response to this need, the three-year program and take Limited English Proficient (LEP) program. Students attend a ready to move on to the next level. written and oral tests at the end of each year to see if they are Second or Other Language (ESOL) reading and In levels one and two, they take an English as a studies courses are taken as Bilingual language course. Their math, science, and social teacher teaches in English and Spanish. By the Curriculum Content (BCC) classes, in which the third level, students are taught math, science, and social studies in English, but they continue to take ESOL for two periods. During the fourth level, they take only one period of ESOL. The students also take two electives each year that are taught in English. Ruben Dario also runs a very successful before- and after-school tutoring program. Although the school day starts at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 3:40 p.m., students line up as early as 7:00 a.m. for the school's tutorial program, which runs from 7:20-8:40 every morning. Students also come in droves of as many as 50 for after-school tutorial help from 3:45-4:45 Mondays through Thursdays. Students can come for assistance in science, math, language arts, and LEP coursework. They can also come to use the word processors for typing school-related projects. The tutorial program is not mandated; students come as often as they like. Some come daily and others come only when they have a particular question or problem with their homework. Besides gaining a better proficiency in their subjects, students also receive a "Jaguar Card" (a jaguar is the school mascot) each day they come to a tutorial. The cards can be redeemed for rewards such as school supplies or water bottles. According to Slatko, who oversees the tutoring program, the teachers who teach the tutorials are extremely dedicated and talented. She cited one teacher who has managed to motivate even the most unruly and resistant students. They come willingly and frequently to his morning tutorials, eager and ready to learn. There is schoolwide support for reading at Ruben Dario as evidenced by the many activities designed specifically to encourage reading and to keep it a top priority for everyone. For example, each Wednesday everything stops at a specified time for a schoolwide sustained silent reading period. Another way the school encourages reading is by using Title I monies to purchase thousands of books spanning literature to textbooks and by sponsoring activities that promote reading within the school and community. On "Book Night," students and their families come to the school and choose free books from an array of selections. Reading has become a substantial part of the curriculum not only in language arts classes but in other subject areas as well. For example, along with several other language arts teachers, Slatko introduced a computer reading program. In addition Slatko, who is the school's Title I grant writer and budget supervisor, purchased a computerized reading comprehension assessment and had it networked throughout the school so that teachers could use the data to monitor student performance. io