Reading Recovery Center of Iowa University of Northern Iowa 1227 W. 27 th Street, SEC 146 Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614-0603 (319) 273-2053 Fax (319) 273-2063 E-mail: debra.rich@uni.edu Or salli.forbes@uni.edu Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Training Application Requirements Requirements for Training a Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Selection and Training of Teacher Leaders A Reading Recovery teacher leader has the primary responsibility for preparing and providing continued support for teachers. The teacher leader works closely with administrators in program implementation and maintenance. The authorized representative of a district, consortium, university, or other administrative agency (e.g., Area Education Agency) may nominate one or more individuals for training as teacher leaders. The final selection of the sites and potential teacher leaders will be made by the Director/Trainer of the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa in the College of Education at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). All selections will be based on geographic locations, the qualifications of teacher leader nominee(s), and the level of commitment by the site as evidenced in the Implementation Plan. Requirements for the Selection of Teacher Leaders A Master's Degree in Elementary Education or related area. Successful recent teaching experience (recommended five years, preferably with three years of experience at the primary level). Evidence of leadership within the district, showing exceptional competence in working with colleagues and administrators. Nomination by administrators in an existing or new Reading Recovery site. (Application for site status may accompany the Teacher Leader Training Application.) Completion of application and personal or telephone interview with the Trainer in the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa at the University of Northern Iowa. Requirements for the Training of Teacher Leaders Training as a teacher leader requires full-time participation in a training program for an academic year at the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa in the College of Education at the University of Northern Iowa. Candidates will be in residence and will teach children in the Cedar Falls area unless an alternative arrangement is approved by the Trainer. In all situations, the candidate must be released from all duties in the site and/or district for the entire school year in which they are in training. The candidate must follow the schedule as determined by the Trainer. 1
Major components of training include procedures for teaching children, theory and research, teacher education, and management of the implementation system. These components are described below. Teaching Children Teach four children individually on a daily basis in a Trainer approved school. Receive school visits from the UNI Trainer. Communicate with school personnel and parents of children taught. Maintain records on each child and complete data forms as specified. Academic Coursework Attend a two-week seminar on the administration of the assessment measures used in Reading Recovery, An Observation Survey, during August. Attend classes and seminars for clinical, leadership, and theory components in the College of Education at UNI. Meet all requirements for teacher leader training as prescribed by the syllabus content outline and The Standards and Guidelines of Reading Recovery in the United States. Teach a child for fellow trainees and/or colleagues behind the one-way glass a minimum of four times during the training year. Field Requirements Participate as an intern in Reading Recovery teacher training classes conducted by experienced teacher leaders (i.e., attend weekly class; observe and assist a teacher leader; assume responsibility for planning, implementing, and evaluating teacher sessions as specified by the Trainer). Conduct colleague visits to teacher leaders-in-training when assigned by the Trainer. Participate with teacher leader and/or independently conduct school visits to Reading Recovery teachers or teachers-in-training. Visit other Reading Recovery sites to gain an appreciation for a variety of settings and approaches. Observe ongoing professional development sessions for teachers, conducted by a teacher leader. Take opportunities to observe Reading Recovery activities in school districts (e.g., school board meetings, planning sessions, etc.). Participate in research and evaluation, including writing a site report. Prepare for Implementation Work with the site coordinator to plan and initiate the following activities related to the implementation of Reading Recovery at the site: Communicate with appropriate personnel and inform appropriate groups about Reading Recovery. If needed, assist in planning and providing for site preparation for the teacher training class (including a room with one-way glass and suitable office space). Assist in preparing a budget. Order materials for teacher training. Develop a plan for clerical support. Assist in the identification of qualified teachers for the training class. Candidate s Professional Development o o Attend ongoing professional development sessions for trained teacher leaders, as assigned by Trainer. Attend a Reading Recovery conference sponsored by the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa. o Attend the National Reading Recovery & K- 6 Classroom Literacy Conference in Columbus, OH. o Attend an annual Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Institute held in the summer at the conclusion of the training year. The following section provides necessary information about requirements for the teacher leader and site after the training year. The training year is considered Year 1. The first year after the training year is considered Year 2 (the Field Year) and is also considered a continuation of the training. Specific requirements during the training year, field year, and successive years must be met in order to maintain status as a Reading Recovery teacher leader. 2
Guidelines for Trained Teacher Leaders Teaching Children The Training Year is considered Year 1. During Year 2 of implementation (the Field Year), teacher leaders teach four children daily. In Year 3 of implementation, teacher leaders teach a minimum of three children daily. During Year 4 and subsequent years of implementation, teacher leaders teach a minimum of two children daily. The number of children taught by the teacher leader will be negotiated by the sponsoring administrative agency, but should include consideration of the number of Reading Recovery teachers the teacher leader is monitoring and supporting. The total number of teachers that each teacher leader monitors and supports should not exceed 42. Training Teachers and Supporting Trained Teachers Conduct 24 to 30 hours of training in the administration of An Observation Survey, including practice with children, at the beginning of the school year. This is a requirement in Year 2 and as needed after that year. Teach a training class of approximately 8 to 12 Reading Recovery teachers for UNI graduate credit. The class should meet weekly for three hours or 25 to 34 sessions beyond An Observation Survey training. This is a requirement in Year 2 and as needed after that year. Follow a course syllabus that includes content and up-todate training material to comply with the Reading Recovery Council of North America, the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa, and UNI College of Education guidelines. The syllabus will be provided by the Trainer/Director of the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa. Ensure teachers teach behind the one-way glass at least four times during the year. Ensure a minimum of 18 weeks of behind-the-glass sessions during the year. Visit teachers-in-training four to six times during the year to provide guidance and to clarify appropriate procedures. Monitor the selection and progress of children, using records from trained teachers or teachers-in-training. Provide each trained teacher with six or more Ongoing Professional Development sessions annually (including a minimum of four sessions which include observing lessons behind-the-glass). Visit trained Reading Recovery teachers every year to ensure quality control of the program. Research Follow IDEC guidelines and procedures for data collection and submission. Collect fall, entry, exit, and end-of-year data on Reading Recovery children, according to the IDEC guidelines. Collect fall, mid-year, and end-of-year data on Random Sample children, according to the IDEC guidelines. Collect any additional data as required by the Trainer/Director of the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa Prepare an annual site report to submit to UNI. Project Implementation and Site Maintenance Communicate with appropriate personnel and inform appropriate groups about Reading Recovery. Respond to requests to talk about the program to interested groups. Work with the site coordinator to plan and initiate activities related to implementing and maintaining Reading Recovery at the site. Plan itineraries for visitors to the program. Order materials for teacher training. Assist in recruiting and identifying qualified teachers for the training classes. Work with the site coordinator to develop a plan for early literacy curriculum and staff development. Professional Development Attend ongoing professional development meetings at the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa at UNI. Annually receive and conduct a colleague visit with other trained teacher leaders. Receive a minimum of two site visits from the UNI Trainer in Year 2. Site visits in subsequent years are optional and available based on need or request. The site pays $1,000 per site visit. Attend a Reading Recovery conference sponsored by a University Training Center. Attend an annual Teacher Leader Institute held annually. Participate in opportunities for interaction with other Reading Recovery Trainers, teacher leaders, and teachers, including international personnel. 3
Application for Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Training READING RECOVERY CENTER OF IOWA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA Part One A Implementation Plan and Application for the Establishment of a Reading Recovery Training Site (to be completed for new sites only) Part One B Implementation Plan and Application for an Established Reading Recovery Training Site (to be completed for existing sites only) Part Two Nomination Form and Application for Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Training (to be completed for new and existing sites) Please complete Part One (A or B) and Part Two of the application form (attach additional pages if necessary) and send two copies, along with one copy of the teacher leader nominee s vita to: Dr. Salli Forbes, Director/Trainer Reading Recovery Center of Iowa University of Northern Iowa 1227 W. 27 th Street, SEC 148 Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614-0603 NOTE: ALL MATERIALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MAIL BY May 15, 2014. Please call the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa at (319) 273-2053 or email debra.rich@uni.edu for space availability and questions. Part One A Completed by Site Administrator Implementation Plan for the Establishment and Operation of a Reading Recovery Teacher Training Site (to be completed for new sites only) Sponsoring Administrative Agency (school district, consortium, or Area Education Agency) Authorized Agency Representative Position Address On a separate sheet, describe the district, consortium of districts, Area Education Agency, or other administrative agency that is applying to establish and operate a Reading Recovery Teacher Training Site. On a separate sheet, list the names of all elementary schools in each district that will be served by the training site. For each school, record the number of Grade 1 classrooms (excluding transition rooms), as follows: District School Number of First-Grade Classrooms On a separate sheet, describe how Reading Recovery will be implemented over a three to five year period within each school and district. In developing the plan, please consider that the teacher leader will train 8 to 12 Reading Recovery teachers annually and provide continuing contact services to these teachers once they are trained. Note that the number of teachers to be monitored and supported by a teacher leader is not to exceed 42. Commitment and Assurances The success of Reading Recovery is dependent upon the commitment of the training site administration and teacher leader to participate fully in the preparation of the site and the adherence to the standards and guidelines, as well as the teacher leader training provided by the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa in the College of Education at UNI. I have read and understand the scope of the commitment and responsibilities of establishing and operating a Reading Recovery Teacher Training Site and supporting a teacher leader. As the authorized representative of the administrative agency, I approve this application and am willing to comply with the requirements as described in these documents and with The Standards and Guidelines of Reading Recovery in the United States (http://readingrecovery.org/readingrecovery/implementation/standards-a-guidelines ). Signature of authorized representative of administrative agency 4
Part One B Completed by Site Administrator Implementation Plan for Established Reading Recovery Teacher Training Site (to be completed by existing sites only) Sponsoring Administrative Agency (school district, consortium, or Area Education Agency) Authorized Agency Representative Position Address Describe the district, consortium of districts, or other administrative agency that is applying to establish and operate a Reading Recovery Teacher Training Site. Use a separate sheet if necessary. On the same separate sheet, list the schools which are currently fully implemented. If any of the teachers in those buildings are not currently teaching four students daily, please explain this. If a school does not need a Reading Recovery teacher to teach four students daily in order to be fully implemented, permission is granted for the teacher to teach fewer than four students daily. This situation must be reported annually to the Director/Trainer at the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa. Commitment and Assurances The success of Reading Recovery is dependent upon the commitment of the training site administration and teacher leader to participate fully in the preparation of the site and the adherence to the standards and guidelines, as well as the teacher leader training provided by the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa in the College of Education at UNI. I have read and understand the scope of the commitment and responsibilities of operating a Reading Recovery Teacher Training Site and supporting a teacher leader. As the authorized representative of the administrative agency, I approve this application and am willing to comply with the requirements as described in these documents and with The Standards and Guidelines of Reading Recovery in the United States (http://readingrecovery.org/readingrecovery/implementation/standards-a-guidelines). Signature of authorized representative of administrative agency On a separate sheet, list the names of all the districts and elementary schools that will be served by the training site. For each school, record the number of Grade 1 classrooms (excluding transition rooms), the approximate number of first grade students in the school, and the current number of Reading Recovery teachers in the school, as follows: District School Number of First-Grade Classrooms Number of First-Grade Students Number of Reading Recovery teachers in school 5
Part Two Completed by Candidate Teacher Leader Nomination Form and Application Sponsoring Administrative Agency Nominee s Name District/AEA Name of Administrator Address Nominee s Home Address Teaching Experience Number of years of teaching experience. Number of years of classroom teaching experience at the primary level (Grades K to 3). List other teaching experience (e.g., Title 1, reading specialist, special education). Please describe. On a separate sheet, list other professional experiences related to reading/language arts (workshops, conferences, curriculum committees, etc.). On a separate sheet, list activities/experiences with atrisk children. Leadership Experience On a separate sheet, please describe and cite evidence of the qualities that support the nominee s ability to provide leadership as a teacher leader in the UNI Reading Recovery Center of Iowa (e.g., awards of recognition for teaching, experience in staff development programs, leadership positions in education, related activities with at-risk populations, etc.). Training Site How much time would it take the nominee to drive one way to the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa? Commitment The successful implementation of Reading Recovery is dependent on the commitment of the teacher leader to participate fully in both the intensive training in the Reading Recovery Center of Iowa in the College of Education at UNI and in the subsequent work in the school, district, and AEA setting. (Please refer to the description of the responsibilities of Reading Recovery teacher leaders above.) I, (name of nominee), have read and understand the responsibilities of a teacher leader in the UNI Reading Recovery Program. I accept these responsibilities. Signature of nominee Reading/Language Arts Experience Provide the following information and briefly describe the nature of the nominee s coursework in reading/language arts. Number of undergraduate courses in reading/language arts. On a separate sheet, describe reading/language arts coursework. I, (name of authorized representative of administrative agency), nominate and support the above named individual s participation in the training for teacher leaders in the UNI Reading Recovery Center of Iowa. Signature of authorized representative 6