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Karen Vaites Profile picture
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May 18 • 6 tweets • 4 min read
Signs of momentum for high-quality curriculum, which is tailor-built to align with reading research…

1. In Reading, MA

Notice learning journey detailed in this thread by @WiseForReading1.

Leaders in a district need to come up learning curve on how kids learn to read.
2. In Gwinnett County, outside Atlanta, GA:

Note the role of district leadership in leading this change. Also, the significant investment in teacher professional learning alongside the materials.

HT @SuptCalvinWatts @TNakiaT.
Reminder that the majority of districts contribute to use curriculum that does not align with research on how kids learn to read.

In MA, the market share of the bottom two curricula in the country (and knockoffs) is somewhere between 40% and 65%.

Thread:
*continue to use

The only state that has achieved widespread (almost exclusive) use of high-quality ELA curriculum is Tennessee.

HT @SchwinnTeach @lisacoons10. By @natwexler:

#CurriculumMatters
forbes.com/sites/nataliew…
Keep an eye out as @TNedu kicks off a pioneering teacher training initiative, Secondary Literacy Training for upper grade teachers.

Strong complement to (and reinforcement of the design principles of) high-quality ELA curriculum.
I would agree with @natwexler on this point about all of the #Reading360 training, both in elementary and upper grades:

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More from @karenvaites

Karen Vaites Profile picture
May 13
Today, you will see literacy voices across the country, including mine, cheering the news that NYC is going to mandate systematic phonics in every classroom.

What to watch:

Will those voices mention that NYC may still leave flawed, inequitable curriculum in place alongside?
For example, @NYCMayor @DanWeisbergNYC haven’t actually said that @TeachersCollege Reading Workshop is out next year. They have said that a phonics program is in.

Could this play out as a phonics patch?
Your daily reminder:

The biggest risk of a phonics patch comes of literacy advocates act like the work is done because one of the key pillars of literacy is addressed.

We still have 2 to go, y’all:
Read 9 tweets
Karen Vaites Profile picture
May 13
Live from New York…

@DOEChancellor @NYCSchools acknowledges that many if not most schools are teaching reading poorly.

Announces a “seismic” shift toward better curriculum, starting w/ phonics.

Great coverage from @yoavgonen @the_zim @AGZimmerman:

thecity.nyc/education/2022…
The key part:

The city believes ~200 of its 700 schools lack phonics instruction, a key component in learning to read.

“Hundreds more” could be teaching it poorly.

This is a common issue in K-12; kudos to @DOEChancellor @NYCMayor for naming it so openly & tackling head on.
I don’t know all these programs, but I’m concerned that none is part of a high-quality curriculum.

Schools need comprehensive curriculum, not just a “phonics patch.”

👉 Reminder: Phonics is NOT the only shortcoming in NYC’s primary curriculum: eduvaites.org/2020/01/25/und…
Read 5 tweets
Karen Vaites Profile picture
May 12
Oh My God.

I knew the situation in Minneapolis Public Schools was bad… but this is a five alarm fire.

Really must be read, esp because these themes are present in other urban systems.

By @beth_hawkins:

the74million.org/article/minnea…
I’m once again struck by the dichotomy between @nytimes coverage of Minneapolis PS & @The74 coverage.

Very little of the raging dumpster fire in @beth_hawkins’s piece made @smervosh’s window into the district.

You could be reading about 2 different cities.

@alexanderrusso
Anyway, I’m tempted to share highlights (broke district, avoidance of budget issues, horrifying academic outcomes, plunging enrollment, union smear/misinfo campaigns and infighting, leadership vacuum & leaders jumping ship…)

But you just have to read it. I can’t do it justice.
Read 5 tweets
Karen Vaites Profile picture
May 10
First of all, this is nonsense.

I’m a huge proponent of the “science of reading,” and the only curricula I recommend have kids working with authentic, whole texts at their grade level starting in K.

And they’re designed to nurture reading comprehension.

Just no, @ALALibrary.
I’d like you to review the high-quality curricula listed in this blog, @ALALibrary.

Each one incorporates daily, systematic phonics... AND each spends most of ELA block on reading & writing work beyond foundational skills.

Phonics & decodables are key+

eduvaites.org/2019/11/02/lev…
… but they don’t consume the majority of the ELA block in the most highly-rated curricula. Go see for yourself.

@ELeducation & @ckschools are free, openly-licensed programs. You can download & review the lessons for free.

@BookwormsRW might also be available as OER now, too.
Read 11 tweets
Karen Vaites Profile picture
May 10
DC is offering structured literacy training to 80 teachers per year, w/ $1200 stipends.

“Great start, but it falls significantly short of what states like MS & TN have done to address a known problem w/ a known solution.” 👏
@OSSEDC member @AllisterSBOE

thedcline.org/2022/05/09/all…
Every state should be offering structured literacy training to its teachers.

I mean, look at the feedback from #Reading360 in TN! 👏

@AllisterSBOE rightly notes NAEP success in MS following its training initiative.

HT @TNedu @MissDeptEd

Cc: @NYSEDNews @nyschoolboards
Keep an eye on the new Secondary Literacy Training in Tennessee, @AllisterSBOE @brookepintodc @NYSEDNews @nyschoolboards @NYSchoolSupts.

It’s the next opportunity once K–5 teachers have been broadly supported with professional learning. 👏

👀
Read 7 tweets
Karen Vaites Profile picture
May 9
If you wondered whether parent voice matters, you have your answer.
“A prom vaccine mandate cleanly separates kids who can spread COVID from kids who can spread COVID.”

🎯
Farewell to policy that “BC of different uptake by racial and socioeconomic status probably was also discriminatory,” as @VPrasadMDMPH rightly notes.

Now onto those pesky vaccine reqs for graduation guests, youth sports & activities…

And being a natl outlier on toddler masks. ImageImage
Read 4 tweets

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