Crow
02-12-2007, 08:27 AM
http://www.daily-times.com/search/ci_5199302
SHIPROCK — When 6-year-old Tia Woods first started to read, it was a little hard "sounding out the words."
But now, the first-grader has plenty of favorite words, like "this," "many" and "things."
Woods isn't the only one to take large strides in reading at Atsa' Biya'a'zh Community School in Shiprock. At the beginning of the year, 65 percent of kindergartners were considered "at-risk" of not being able to read at grade level, based on entry tests, and the rest were at "some risk."
None were considered on track.
But just a few months later, those numbers nearly reversed: 90 percent of the kids tested at grade level in January.
"I'm proud. They're surprised they can read," first-grade teacher Sarah Noon said. "They started with simple sentences like, He went,' and now this is what they're reading," she said, referring to a full page of large-print words.
The turnaround, officials said, is a new program called Reading First.
Designed at the Florida Center for Reading Research, the program uses the innovative
Voyager Universal Literacy System to tailor teaching kids' needs and teach for long blocks of time, up to two and a half hours a day.
A $250,000 competitive federal grant paid for the kindergarten through third grade program for three years.
"We're very cautiously optimistic that we'll continue to see positive results," said Kami Glenn, the Reading First coordinator at the school.
For Noon, the Voyager program required a shift in her teaching style.
"It's hard to get used to it. There's a script you have to follow. You have to do it at a fast pace, and then go back," she said.
But after seeing how the kids responded, she said, she's a convert.
"It's kind of grown on me. I like it now."
First-graders also made progress, going from 14 percent at-risk, 59 percent at some risk and 28 percent on track to none at-risk, 17 percent at some risk and 83 percent on track.
Reading, Glenn said, is an essential skill and one that teachers have only a few years to instill.
"You start with literacy, and the rest falls into place," she said. But "if they're not reading by third grade, there's a high risk they'll fall behind in every subject. You really have four short years to really get literacy skills.
And American Indian kids have the highest hurdle to jump.
"There's a huge achievement gap we're trying to close," she said.
A Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded contract school, Atsa' Biya'a'zh is part of the Shiprock Alternative Schools, Inc. About 286 attend the kindergarten through eighth-grade school.
And now, ask a roomful of first-graders about their favorite book and little hands pop up all over the room.
"Moving Day!" 7-year-old Verdell Ben said. "It's about Hermit the crab."
"Stormy the Baby Dolphin!" Cheyenne Hunt, 7, said. "Dolphins are the best for me!"
SHIPROCK — When 6-year-old Tia Woods first started to read, it was a little hard "sounding out the words."
But now, the first-grader has plenty of favorite words, like "this," "many" and "things."
Woods isn't the only one to take large strides in reading at Atsa' Biya'a'zh Community School in Shiprock. At the beginning of the year, 65 percent of kindergartners were considered "at-risk" of not being able to read at grade level, based on entry tests, and the rest were at "some risk."
None were considered on track.
But just a few months later, those numbers nearly reversed: 90 percent of the kids tested at grade level in January.
"I'm proud. They're surprised they can read," first-grade teacher Sarah Noon said. "They started with simple sentences like, He went,' and now this is what they're reading," she said, referring to a full page of large-print words.
The turnaround, officials said, is a new program called Reading First.
Designed at the Florida Center for Reading Research, the program uses the innovative
Voyager Universal Literacy System to tailor teaching kids' needs and teach for long blocks of time, up to two and a half hours a day.
A $250,000 competitive federal grant paid for the kindergarten through third grade program for three years.
"We're very cautiously optimistic that we'll continue to see positive results," said Kami Glenn, the Reading First coordinator at the school.
For Noon, the Voyager program required a shift in her teaching style.
"It's hard to get used to it. There's a script you have to follow. You have to do it at a fast pace, and then go back," she said.
But after seeing how the kids responded, she said, she's a convert.
"It's kind of grown on me. I like it now."
First-graders also made progress, going from 14 percent at-risk, 59 percent at some risk and 28 percent on track to none at-risk, 17 percent at some risk and 83 percent on track.
Reading, Glenn said, is an essential skill and one that teachers have only a few years to instill.
"You start with literacy, and the rest falls into place," she said. But "if they're not reading by third grade, there's a high risk they'll fall behind in every subject. You really have four short years to really get literacy skills.
And American Indian kids have the highest hurdle to jump.
"There's a huge achievement gap we're trying to close," she said.
A Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded contract school, Atsa' Biya'a'zh is part of the Shiprock Alternative Schools, Inc. About 286 attend the kindergarten through eighth-grade school.
And now, ask a roomful of first-graders about their favorite book and little hands pop up all over the room.
"Moving Day!" 7-year-old Verdell Ben said. "It's about Hermit the crab."
"Stormy the Baby Dolphin!" Cheyenne Hunt, 7, said. "Dolphins are the best for me!"