Part+1+-+TAG

The Kennewick Story: The TAG Loop
Page 21 In our efforts to assure each of our students will read at grade level, what strategies are we using to focus on "annual" growth? What strategies are we using to focus on "catch-up" growth? (this will help us generate our intervention list)

In what ways are the principles of Targeted Accelerated Growth (TAG) consistent with our school's practices? In what ways are they inconsistent with our school's practices?
 * diagnostic testing - source of data
 * proportional increases in instructional time

Page 24 Instructional Supervision Look-Fors (Dave Montague, 2006-2007)
 * Are you teaching what your schedule says you should be teaching?
 * Are you using the curricula selected by our school?
 * Are you starting on time and teaching the whole hour?
 * Are all students engaged in what you are teaching all the time?
 * Are you instructing students or are students working individually?
 * If kids are working individually, what are you doing?
 * If kids are using felt pens, crayons, scissors, etc., are they spending more time on the artwork than on the subject being taught?
 * Are the para-eds working with kids the whole time?
 * When teaching reading, math, writing and science, are you following the building-wide procedures?

Page 29 Discuss reaction to White Paper:
 * 1) A BUILDING APPROACH: primary planning and program change will be on an elementary school-by-school basis.
 * 2) PLANNED, INCREMENTAL, AND CONTINUOUS GROWTH: The district expects planned, incremental, and continuous improvement at kindergarten through third grade from each school's baseline to the goal over the next three years.
 * 3) PRIMARY ACCOUNTABILITY: Primary accountability is with building principals.
 * 4) INCREASED RESOURCES: Each elementary school should identify and alter decade-old paradigms that limit the amount of existing resources that are spent on reading.
 * 5) K-3 CHANGES: Our primary approach is intervention in grades K-3, not remediation commencing the fourth grade.
 * 6) RESULTS ORIENTED: Programs will be evaluated on the basis of progress shown.
 * 7) EXPECTATIONS: We expect all children, including those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, to reach the reading goal.

Page 36 No exceptions, no excuses
 * If observers visited all of the classrooms in our school using Dave Montague's "Look-fors" what patterns would they observe? What insights or new questions do these patterns create for us?
 * Annual growth at Washington Elementary is built on inviolate instructional time (120 minutes reading block) plus quality instruction (direct, eye-ball to eye-ball, energetic, highly interactive) using consistent rigorous curriculum. How does this strategy compare to your school's approach to assure students make annual growth? How is it different from your school's approach