The
Stadium School
Reading Program
Synergy
1300
Gorsuch Avenue Baltimore,
Maryland 21218 Phone:
410.366.1932 Fax:
410.396.7008 Email:
admin@stadiumschool.com Website:
www.stadiumschool.com
TSS Reading Program
*Based
in part on MD State Task Force on Reading
Current studies done by the National Center for
Educational Statistics declare that 20% of eighth graders do not read
independently. Sixty-eight percent of
these students were in the bottom half of the population in achievement.
Students need to become critical, independent
readers to be prepared for the future.
Active readers who devote time and interest to reading independently are
more likely to be high achievers. As a
community, we believe that all students can learn to read proficiently. When students fail, it is most often due to
a lack of opportunity.
In order to provide each student with the
opportunity for success as readers, TSS has designed the “Stop, Drop, and Read
Program.” This program was devised to
provide students with a block of 50 minutes, 3 days per week, allocated
especially for independent reading.
During this time, students will not only engage in independent reading,
but they will also maximize their learning potential by engaging in all
language forms—speaking, listening, writing, and reading—with a strong emphasis
on reading and writing.
Specifically, “Stop, Drop, and Read” is built around
improving students’ reading skills and the following ideals:
q
Developing
Conceptual Understanding
§
By
keeping learning logs/journals, taking notes
§
By
organizing and recording information with double entry notes, text frames
(graphic organizers)
§
By
connecting new information to prior knowledge
§
By
analyzing information to synthesize and imagine new ideas
q
Fostering
learning the math & sciences
§
By
approaching these fields from varying perspectives such as primary documents
and authentic literature
§
By
reading about real-life problems and applying concepts
Continued from
page 1:TSS Reading Program
q
Using
guided inquiry and self-directed learning
§
Teachers
help students generate their own questions; then they research, reflect, and
inquire
§
Students
set personal goals that are realistic but challenging
§
Teachers
provide feedback as students progress and provide support for students’
self-efficacy as readers
§
Intrinsic
motivation is developed
q
Cooperative
Learning
§
Small
group sharing/ Think-pair-share
§
Read
alouds
§
Mini-debates
q
Assessment
§
Booktalks
(fiction, nonfiction, articles, poetry, short stories, comic book, etc.)
§
Adopted
textbook test, e.g. MSA Coach
§
Comprehensive
Outlines
§
Formal
testing will take place during Language Arts classes weekly
Regarding
the media center and classroom book collections, literature is readily
accessible to all students in the classroom and media center. Students will be responsible for taking care
of the books. Students should equally
be prepared to come equipped with their own reading materials. TSS is always making efforts to improve and
increase the book collection with current titles. Book donations would be
greatly appreciated.
Home, Family, and
Community Connections
Together,
we can surely create a culture of reading literacy. As students move through middle school, the reading and writing
demands increase significantly.
Learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom foster the
student’s intrinsic motivation to learn and to make their own discoveries. Parents
are encouraged to have students read for at least 30 minutes each night. Frequent visits to public libraries and
local book stores would benefit as well.
The staff at TSS will provide workshops on how to do booktalks at home.
When
we surveyed TSS population in June 2003,
v
100%
of our parents supported TSS reading program
v
85%
of our students supported TSS reading program
The
“Stop, Drop, and Read” program is our effort to provide a dynamic reading
program that evolves to meet the needs of our children. As a community that works together, we can
continue to prepare students for the marketplace of the future.