Susan's VIEW

Introducing:  Response to Intervention

As I travel throughout the country I have the opportunity to share a wealth of practical ideas for developing the key components of the Response to Intervention process. The enthusiasm for implementation of this process is amazing. As an educator for many years, I have become acutely aware of the diverse influences that affect the learning process and the importance of matching instructional strategies and interventions to the needs of each individual student. 

Response to Intervention (RTI) is the practice of providing high-quality instruction/intervention matched to student needs based on data to make collaborative educational decisions. It is important to understand that RTI is NOT a specific instructional program, NOT completing steps in a process and NOT possible to implement alone.  Response to Intervention is a framework to help teachers identify and support students before the difficulties become serious. This process enables teachers to provide students with the assistance and support they need for optimum performance. A successful RTI process begins with high quality core curriculum and the teacher’s use of research-based practices. Instruction, interventions, and materials must derive from student data and be matched to the needs of the student. No single approach will address the varied needs of our students, therefore, efficient assessment systems must be in place for determining the effectiveness of instruction and for monitoring student performance.

Another key component of Response to Intervention is collaboration. It is imperative that all stakeholders of the response to intervention process believe that all students can learn. First and foremost, collaboration between general education teachers, parents, and students can provide reinforcement and support improved student outcomes. The collaborative efforts should be focused on the needs of the students and teachers. The collaborative problem solving team should include individuals with relevant expertise in the area of behavioral and/or academic need. This team will engage in data-driven dialog, determine student and teacher needs, group students, implement interventions and ongoing progress monitoring. Effective collaboration results in better instruction and improved student outcomes.

Click here: For more  information on bringing a Response to Intervention interactive workshop to your school,

Welcome Back to School

It is time to plan for your first days of school. These are the most important days of the school year because it sets the tone and creates the climate of the classroom. It can be the longest year or the shortest, depending on your preparation. Preparation includes all the things you must do to organize your room, materials, and student information so that student learning can take place. This is not the time to “fly by the seat of your pants.”  In order to create a positive environment with active learning, planning and preparation is imperative.

Let’s begin by thinking about your classroom and your procedures. According to Harry Wong, “the number one problem in the classroom is not discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines”. A procedure is defined as “a way of performing or affecting something’ and “a course of action”.  Planned procedures can turn your classroom into a structured, successful learning environment. Take a few minutes and think about your procedures for the following:

• Arrival procedure
• Signals for student/teacher attention
• Classroom movement
• Discussion participation
• Dismissal Procedure

There are many activities within the classroom structure that involve procedures. Review this Procedure Checklist and think about actions required for the procedure to become ra routine.

Procedures Checklist
 

These classroom procedures need to be explained, taught, rehearsed, and reinforced. Eventually the procedures will become structural routines. Since many students do not have routines in their home life, maintaining structure can provide a safe haven for learning. Planned procedures provide a framework of the expectations for specific behaviors.

Remember: You get what you expect!

Workshop/Seminars information regarding RTI.