Transcript Document

THE POLITICS OF LITERACY
INSTRUCTION:
An Historical Case Study of
Elementary Literacy
Programming at the Local Level
22nd World Reading Congress
July 2008
Purpose of Research in Schools
To make it possible to change
situations for the better (Bransford,
et al, 2000; Spindler, 1982).
East Baton Rouge Elementary
Reading Program
1996-2006
How have local, national and political forces
shaped literacy practices and instructional
change in the East Baton Rouge Parish School
System’s (EBRPSS) elementary reading program
from 1996 to 2006?
What is the impact of such change on selected
teachers and administrators from 1996 – 2006?
Study Dimensions
Context
Space & time
Schedules
People (key informants)
Angle my vision
Foreground & background
Positioning
Why Ethnographic Approaches?
As a method of inquiry “Ethnographic
research has always contained within it
a variety of perspectives” (p. 467).
Atkinson, P., Coffey, A., & Delamont, S. (1999).
Ethnography: Post, past, and present. Journal of
Contemporary Ethnography, 28, 460-471.
Why a Case Study?
Being “on the case” in language and
literacy studies, means I want to engage in
“the intense study of singular individuals,
local activities, and specific places” (p.1).
Dyson Haas, A. & Genishi, C. (2005). On the
case. NY: Teachers College Press.
Why An Historical Perspective?
A case study is an exploration of a
“bounded system,” bounded by time
and place.
Creswell, J. (1998). Qualitative inquiry &
research design. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications.
M-M’s view
I am fascinated by the messy complexity of
human school experience and the
combination of units- how teachers and
administrators experienced the literacy
world around them in EBRPSS from 19962006…..
Nested Design
EBRPSS Elem. Rdg. Prog.
Local Leadership
National Organizations
Political
Forces
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
Demographic Overview100th largest school
system in the US
•465 square miles
•54 elementary schools (2 post-Katrina)
•17 middle schools (1 post-K; 2 alternative)
•18 high schools (4 alternative)
•78.68% Black/ 21.32% non-Black
•75.35% free & reduced lunch
•48,634 total students (25,306 elementary)
ELEMENTARY ENROLLMENT
•Pre-K…………………..2030
•Kindergarten…………..4120
•1st grade……………......3988
•2nd grade…………….....3737
•3rd grade……………….3675
•4th grade……………….4344
•5th grade…………….…3412
•Total K-3 enrollment…………15,520
Study Particulars
Site & participants (EBRPSS within nest; selected
teachers & administrators)
Data Sources (field notes as participant/observer,
formal/informal interviews, historical artifacts)
Data analysis (searching for coherency…Wolf, interpretive &
reflexive as other’s experience is mediated by my experience
(read, analytically code to group & categorize data, construct an
analytic quilt (look for developing patterns
Findings (pulling together the analytical strands)
Significant Political Events
• 1998 US Congress decides to become involved in reading
• 2000 National Reading Panel
– Ignored studies over 20 years old
– Only empirical work included
– Only considered scientifically-based reading research
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2000 Louisiana institutes L.E.A.P.
2001 the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act
2001 confirmed Rod Paige as (7th) Sec’t of Education
2002 Reading First program announced
2003, Susan Neuman resigns as Under Sec’t of Ed.
2005 Rod Paige resigns as Sec’t of Education
2005 Margaret Spellings confirmed (8th) Sec’t of Education
2005 Reid Lyon leaves Nat’l Inst. of Child Health & Human Development
National Political Leaders
• 1993-2001 William Jefferson Clinton
• 2001-present George Walker Bush
IRA leadership
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1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
Richard Vacca
John Pikulski
Kathryn Ransom
Carol Santa
Carmelita Williams
Donna Ogle
Jerry Johns
Leslie Mandel Marrow
Mary Ellen Vogt
Richard Allington
NRC leadership
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1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
Kathryn Au
Martha Riddell
Linda B. Gambrel
Taffy E. Raphael
Peter Mosenthal
Deborah Dillon
Lee Gunderson
Lea McGee
Donald Leu
Victoria Purcell-Gates
NCTE Leadership
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1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
Carol Avery
Sheridan Blau
Joan Naomi Steiner
Jerome C. Harste
Anne Ruggles Gere
Leila Christenbury
David Bloome
Patricia Lambert Stock
Randy Bomer
Kyoko Sato
What’s Hot-What’s Not column
This is a survey of literacy leaders conducted since 1996.
Between April and August, literacy leaders are
interviewed, in person or by phone. All are read
A standard 178-word paragraph and respond
“hot” or “not hot,” the “should be hot, or should not be
hot.” Interviewees are told responses do not necessarily
reflect their personal opinions, but responses refer to the
level of attention a topic is given.
What’s Hot-What’s Not
Each year the 25 literacy leaders who responded
the previous year are sent the previous year’s list,
asked to make modifications and return via a
SASE. Those who do not respond are either called
or e-mailed and urged to respond. For instance, 23
of the 25 who were on the 2006 list eventually
responded and thus, the 2007 list was
constructed.
List Criteria
National or international literacy perspective
Board members & editorial boards represented
Geographical representation based on IRA
membership
Different job categories
Ethnically diverse
*****Knowledge of trends and issues at
national/international level******
Extremely Hot
Very Hot
What’s Hot
2007
th
11
year
adolescent literacy (extremely hot)
direct/explicit instruction (very hot)
ESL/ELL
fluency
high-stakes assessment
informational texts (expository)
literacy/reading coaches
scientific evidenced-based reading research
& instruction
What’s Hot
2006
th
10
year
Adolescent literacy
(very hot)
Direct/explicit instruction Comprehension
ESL/ELL
Fluency
High stakes assessment
Informational texts
Literacy/reading coaches
Phonics
Meaning/vocabulary
Early intervention
Scientific evidence-based reading research & inst.
Political/policy influences on literacy instruction
What’s Hot
2005
th
9
year
Scientifically evidence-based reading research &
instruction
(extremely hot)
Comprehension
ESL
(very hot)
Fluency
direct/explicit instruction
Phonemic awareness high stakes assessment
Phonics
literacy/reading coaches
Political/policy influences on literacy
What’s Hot
2004
th
8
year
Comprehension
(very hot)
Direct instruction
Early intervention
Fluency
High-stakes assessment
Phonemic awareness
Phonics
Scientific evidence-based reading research & inst.
What’s Hot
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2003
th
7
year
(very hot)
Scientifically based reading research & practice
Phonics
Phonemic awareness
High-stakes assessment
Fluency
Early intervention
Direct instruction
What’s Hot
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2002
Early intervention
High-stakes assessment
Phonemic awareness
Phonics
Research-based practice
Teacher education for reading
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6
year
(very hot)
What’s Hot
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2001
Balanced reading instruction
Decodable text
Early intervention
Guided reading
High-stakes assessment
Research-based practice
Phonemic awareness
Phonics
th
5
year
(very hot)
What’s Hot
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2000
th
4
year
Balanced reading instruction
(very hot)
Decodable text
Early intervention
Guided reading
Research-based practice
Phonemic awareness
Phonics
State/provincial/national assessment
What’s Hot
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1999
rd
3
year
Balanced reading instruction
(very hot)
Decodable text
Early intervention
Guided reading
Phonemic awareness
Phonics
State/provincial/national assessment
Volunteer tutoring
What’s Hot
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1998
Balanced reading instruction
Early intervention
Direct instruction
Phonemic awareness
Phonics
Volunteer tutoring
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2
year
(very hot)
What’s Hot
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1997
Balanced reading instruction
Early intervention
Emergent literacy
Phonemic awareness
st
1
year
(very hot)
EBRPSS Superintendents
1996-2006
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*[1995 Jerry Epperson (interim)]
*1995-2001 Gary Matthews
*June 2001- July 2004 Clayton Wilcox
*July –Nov. 2004 C. Placide (interim)
*Nov. 2004-present Charlotte Placide
EBRPSS Literacy Programs
Purchased
Matthews…… (1995-2001) ……….Reading Recovery,
basal reader as program, established literacy libraries,
“little” books, espoused balanced literacy approach &
distributed leadership
Wilcox……(2001-04)…..Compass Learning, Read 180,
basal reader as program, espoused standard approach and
instituted frequent progress monitoring, pacing guides
Placide… (2004-2007) ……Open Court, ordered all other
materials to warehouse, espoused a scripted approach,
instituted 90 minute blocks w/a “menu” of activities
Administrator Demographics
• Ms. S…..38 years in system,
1996 appointed principal
• Mr. R….38 years in system
1996 appointed principal
• Sam…..45 years in system
1996 appointed principal
Administrator interviews
Ms. S…… “I’m a team player, but I also do
what is right for children. I will always do what I
am told, but I work for what’s best for my
school, these children and this community.
Children must remain the focus, not programs.”
Administrator interviews
Mr. R….. “I feel professionally discounted and disappointed
that the district made such abrupt changes without
input from the majority of principals. It seems a much
wiser course to pilot these initiatives and then examine
their efficacy before making sweeping instructional
changes. Principal and teacher buy-in were obviously
not priorities. In fact, principals were told that
implementation of the 2005 reading initiative was
unconditional and our only alternative was to resign.
Principal turnover has been tremendous since 2005.”
Administrator interviews
Sam… “We need to work for the whole, for
what is best for the entire district. We have very
high performing schools right here, but we
ignore their success, look outside the system and
the powers that be seem to think there is a
magic, silver bullet out there. We have the
expertise, and we have the sense, and we know
our community, but those that speak up have
paid a heavy price for their words.”
Teacher Demographics
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JKC 29 years with system, left in 2006
Mrs. C 16 years with system, remains in system
Mrs. D 15 years with system, left in 2006
EGH 17 years with system, le4ft in 2005
Teacher Interviews
• JKC 29 years with system, left in 2006
“I could only bend my philosophy so far. When
they hired a Director of Reading with no reading
background in 2005, I couldn’t hide in my
school and pretend any more. I couldn’t
stomach the changes. In 1997, I was so proud to
work for EBRPSS, we were making huge strides
in reading. Eight years later, I left because of the
nonsense.”
Teacher Interviews
• Mrs. C 16 years with system, remains in system
“I stay because of my principal, her advocacy for
kids and teachers and because she does what is
best for kids. I felt so empowered in 1997. I
though Balanced Literacy was the approach for
us. It worked. Kids learned. We gave kids what
they needed. We still do that in my building, but
I wouldn’t work anywhere else in the distract.
Those in charge swing like a tree in the wind.”
Teacher Interviews
• Mrs. D 15 years with system, left in 2006
“Being trained in Reading Recovery, having the
empowerment to work for children as a team and
then to teach teachers was so energizing. When the
district decided to purchase Open Court, I knew my
days were numbered. I couldn’t work for a system
that devalued professional input and opinions, that
reduced kids to robots and ignored the thinking
part of reading.”
Teacher Interviews
• EGH 17 years with system, left in 2005
“Ten years ago, I would never have imagined
leaving EBR. It was a great place to work,
teachers had a voice and children were at the
center of instructional decisions. As I worked
on my National Boards and examined my
practice, I kept thinking about what the district
was doing, how it was changing and why. I left
the first chance I had.”
Findings
• Loss of input and empowerment leads to
negative feelings.
• The narrower the focus, the less professionalism
in terms of input and decision-making.
• Focus on programs, not children.
• Rapid change is unsettling, erodes
professionalism.
Feedback…
Thank you…
Margaret-Mary Sulentic Dowell
Assistant Professor of Reading Education
Department of Educational Theory, Policy &
Practice
College of Education
Louisiana State University
220 Peabody Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
(office) 225-578-5998
(fax) 225-578-9135
[email protected]