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Partnerships for Learning Sandau Home Learn More Standards Inspiration About the Author |
Inspiration
I’ve always had a heart for working with populations of people in need, in particular, struggling students. My position as an elementary Academic Specialist has allowed me to do this at both an administrative level, as well as in the classroom with students. I coordinate all K-5 intervention for the school, and have taught intervention for grades 3-5 the past five years. During this time, I have noticed that our earliest learners (Kindergarten-first grade) who arrive less prepared have a nearly impossible time finding their way out of the achievement gap. In fact, according to Entering Kindergarten: A Portrait of American Children When They Begin School: Findings from The Condition of Education, nearly one third of all entering Kindergartners in the U.S. are not able to identify upper or lowercase letters. Furthermore, the National Center for Education reports that by fourth grade, 32 percent of students nationwide (2017) perform at the lowest level, below basic.
After several years of tracking our school's K-1 students’ growth, implementing interventions, and analyzing the data, I knew that something had to be done differently. Thankfully, I entered the Innovative Learning Masters Program, where I’ve been afforded the opportunity to explore this issue deeper. In the first semester of our masters program, we studied the work of Linda-Darling Hammond in A Flat World and Education: How America's Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future. I was reminded that inequitable situations and experiences start them off at a disadvantage before students ever set foot into a Kindergarten classroom. I remember finishing the book feeling like it was up to me to find a way to make a difference. This led me to initiate my research on how to engage parents in a PARENT-LED LITERACY INTERVENTIONS ENHANCED BY SCHOOL-TO-HOME COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY. Go to the Research Page for more information about the research I conducted. Go to my Design page to see more information about how the SITE Model inspired my project. Visit my website at apple4theteacher.weebly.com to learn more about my journey through the Innovative Learning Program at Touro University.
Here are some of the individuals that inspire me on a daily basis.
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