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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 471 629 CS 511 645 AUTHOR Novick, Rebecca; Fisher, Amy TITLE Sharing the Wisdom of Practice: Schools That Optimize Literacy Learning for All Students. INSTITUTION Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland, OR. Literacy, Language, and Communication Program. SPONS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 2002-07-00 NOTE 118p.; Cover title varies. CONTRACT ED -01 -CO -0013 AVAILABLE FROM Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Assessment Program, 101 SW Main St., Suite 500, Portland, OR 97204. Tel: 800 -547- 6339 (Toll Free); Web site: http://www.nwrel.org. PUB TYPE Opinion Papers (120) -- Reports Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PC05 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Child Development Centers; Childrens Literature; *Demonstration Programs; *Diversity (Student); *Educational Environment; Elementary Education; *Literacy; *Reading Instruction IDENTIFIERS *Exemplary Schools; Learning Communities; *Reflective Practice; Web Sites ABSTRACT The No Child Left Behind Act leaves no doubt about the importance of effective reading instruction, setting a national goal for _every child to become a proficient reader by the third grade. With 70% of fourth graders from low income families currently unable to read ateven a basic level, teachers face a daunting challenge. The schools described in this book, like many schools across the country, are creatively addressing this challenge. The book states that they were chosen based on recommendations of early childhood specialists and that in these schools, teachers and administrators, together with students, families, and the larger community, continually examine, reflect on, and change educational and family engagement practices to meet the needs of an increasingly culturally and economically diverse community of students. The following schoolsare described in the book: Helen Gordon Child Development Center in Portland, Oregon; Whittier Elementary in Pasco, Washington; Cherry Valley Elementary in Polson, Montana; and Tulalip Elementary in Marysville, Washington. The High- Performing Learning Communities (HPLC) Project (2001) has developeda framework of principles that may be helpful when looking at the accomplishments of the schools described in the book, including: shared vision; challenging curriculum and engaged student learning; supportive organizational structures; collaborative learning community; and proactive community relations. Following the school stories, the book offers annotated lists of multicultural Web sites, including children's author sites and children's books and other educational resources for teaching children from specific cultures. (Contains 94 references.) (NKA) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Sharing theWiscipm oTractice Schools That Optimize Literacy Learning for AU Students U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. BEST COPY AVAILABLE Creating Communities Northwest Regional 'Learning Educational Laboratory &Excellence Creating Communities Learning &Excellence This guide is part of a series from NWREL to assist in school improvement. Publications are available in five areas: Reengineering Assists schools, districts, and communities in reshaping rules, roles, structures, and relationships to build capacity for long-term improvement Quality Teaching and Learning Provides resources and strategies for teachers to improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment by promoting professional learning through reflective, collegial inquiry School, Family, and Community Partnerships Promotes child and youth success by working with schools to build culturally responsive partnerships with families and communities Language and Literacy Assists educators in understanding the complex nature of literacy development and identifying multiple ways to engage students in literacy learning that result in highly proficient readers, writers, and speakers Assessment Helps schools identify, interpret, and use data to guide planning and accountability This project has been funded at least in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education under contract number ED-01-00-0013. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government. SHARING THE WISDOM OF PRACTICE: SCHOOLS THAT OPTIMIZE LITERACY LEARNING FOR ALL CHILDREN Rebecca Novick and Amy Fisher Language and Literacy Team Child and Family Program Steffen Safer, Director July 2002 Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory 101 S. W. Main Street, Suite 500 Portland, Oregon 97204 Acknowledgments Appreciation is extended to the many educators and researchers who provided information and guidance in the development of this publication, especially the Northwest educators who shared their schools and classrooms. Grateful acknowledgment is given to the review panel for their valuable input: Maureen Carr, Fabian Castilleja, Bonita Coleman-Potter, Nancy Coopersmith, David Cort, Pat Eck, Sheryl Fryberg, Natosha Gobin, Mark Hiratsuka, Neville Hosking, Toby Langen, Kathy Larson, Elaine Meeks, Ellie Nolan, Jackie Ramirez, and Steffen Saifer. Special thanks to Suzie Boss for editorial review, Linda Fitch for bibliographic review, Eugenia Potter for technical editing, Michael Heavener for design and production, and Paula Surmann for cover design. Cover photograph of Warm Springs Elementary School in Central Oregon by Judy Blankenship; photographs in text by Rick Steir, Tony Kneidek, Mount Burns, and assorted friends and family. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 High-Performing Learning Communities 3 Using Research To Inform Practice and Practice To Inform Research 4 Helen Gordon Child Development Center: Doing Things With Words in the Real World 7 Creating a Supportive Literacy Environment 8 Nurturing Emotional Literacy Through Language Experience 9 A Family-Like Atmosphere 11 A Mix of Planned and Child-Initiated Activities 12 Opportunities To Read, Read, Read 14 Predictable Books 15 Conclusion 17 Whittier Elementary: Highlight My Strengths 19 Using an Enrichment Model: "What Can We Do Differently?" 20 Building on and Expanding Children's Vocabulary and Background Knowledge 21 Success Through Multiple Pathways 23 A Comprehensive Literacy Program 25 Creating Elegant Areas for Reading 27 Writing for Authentic Purposes 28 Ongoing Assessment Through Running Records and Retellings 29 Learning and Growing in Two Languages: Impressive Gains on the State Assessment 30 Supporting Teachers and Families 33 The Family as First Teacher 34 Focus on Early Intervention 35 Finding Books in Spanish 36 Conclusion 37 Cherry Valley Elementary School: A Collective Vision 39 Making a Difference for All Children 41 Professional Development: Learning as Transformation 42 Supporting Reflective Practice 42 In the Beginning: The Power of a Team Approach 44 "Every Child Counts" 45 Changing Practices 45 Starting Where the Learner Is 47 Literacy Strategies From New Zealand 47 Doug Crosby's Classroom 49 Writing for an Audience 52 An Array of Literacy Activities 53 Reading, Writing, and Nurturing 55 Literacy Week 55 A Busy Publishing Center 55 Family Engagement: Multiple Opportunities for Participation 56 Family Fun Nights 57 Traveling Books 58 Authors' Parties 58 Creating a Child and Family Support Program: The Polson Partnership Project 58 Having Fun 61 Reducing Cultural Discontinuity for Culturally Diverse Students 61 Child and Family Partners 63 Expanding the Culture of Inquiry 65 Closing the Achievement Gap 67 Conclusion 68 Integrating Students' Culture and Language Into the Curriculum: Unpacking the Canoe at Thialip Elementary School 71 Revitalizing Native Languages 72 Teaching Lushootseed in School 76 Incorporating Literature and Culture: The Tula lip-Based Classroom 78 Reading in the Tula lip-Based Classroom 79 More Than Content 80 Listening to Families and the Community 81 Differing Perspectives on Language Preservation 85 Language in Real Contexts 88 "It Is Important to Learn Our Language So We Know Who We Are" 88 Conclusion 90 Conclusion 93 The Moral Purpose of Education 96 Appendix: Children's Literature Web Sites 99 References 109 Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Introduction American education is learning from its considerable are not perfect in every way. Rather, teachers successes and egregious failures to build bridges and administrators, together with students, between students' diverse abilities, language back- families, and the larger community, continually grounds and experiences, and common curriculum examine, reflect on, and change educational goals that accomplish academic success for a greater and family engagement practices to meet the range of students (Darling-Hammond, 1997). needs of an increasingly culturally and econom- ically diverse community of students. In turn, `All children will learn to high standards" they are learning more about themselves as is a primary goal of our current school reform teachers and learners, their students and fami- movement. But, as achievement gaps among lies,