Today

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Todays Presenter
Mellie Joiner, M. Ed.
Keller Independent School District
What about Tier 1?
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What about Tier 1?

• Creating buy-in to improve Tier 1 Instruction for
  ALL students
• Mellie Joiner, M. Ed.

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Goals for the session

• Discuss creating an atmosphere of buy-in for all
  staff involved in the process
• Identify key characteristics of strong Tier 1
  instruction

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What is RtI? (Response to Intervention)

• A model of support designed to improve the
  delivery of instruction for ALL students
• A model that relies on high-quality instruction
  and support for student success
• A model dependent upon the implementation of
  sound, research-based instructional practices
• At Tier 1, RtI is more Response to Instruction
  but the emphasis should be on good differentiated
  instruction

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A Basic RtI Model

• The model consists of three levels or tiers of
  intervention/instruction
• Tier 1 Core classroom instruction for ALL
  students with informal interventions as needed
• Tier 2 Strategic Intervention for students
  identified as struggling in Tier 1 may be
  provided by the general classroom teacher
• Tier 3 Intensive, structured intervention in
  groups of no more than 3 students for students
  who continue to struggle even with Tier 1 AND
  Tier 2 support

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Why RtI?

• Teaching, at its core, is a moral enterprise. It
  is about making a difference in the lives of
  students ALL students, regardless of class,
  gender, and ethnicity.
• Michael Fullan, 1995

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Which Tier should be the FIRST area of focus?

• TIER 1!!!!
• Is instruction for ALL learners
• Makes up the majority of the students day, even
  if they receive intervention support
• Is the CORE of learning opportunity
• Tier 1 is the foundation upon which all future
  learning is built

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• If we shore up the instruction and learning in
• Tier 1, we can relieve the burden on Tier 2 and
• 3 support so that the students who are REALLY
• in need of that support receive it.

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What does good Tier 1 Instruction require of the
administrator?

• Support
• Knowledge of great instructional practices,
  grounded in solid research
• Support
• Knowledge of data and how to use all data
  effectively
• Support
• Feedback
• Support
• Knowledge of content AND critical thinking
• Reflection and Support

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What actions from administrators help lead to
buy-in from stakeholders?

• Communicate
• Dialogue
• LISTEN
• Get involved
• Increase knowledge bases their own and that of
  stakeholders
• Reflect and respond

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So what does Tier 1 require of the teacher?

• Planning
• Data assessment
• Planning
• Instructional delivery and best practices
• Planning
• Grouping
• Reflection and planning

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The Instructional Planning CYCLE
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What should teachers consider when planning for
instruction?

• Instructional Delivery Includes strategies and
  techniques the how
• Instructional Materials The stuff used to
  support instruction the with what
• Instructional Environment The instructional
  context the where
• Instructional Content The curriculum of what
  students need to know and do the what
• Instructional Assessment Beginning and ending
  informal and formal the how do you know
• Collaboration The way that all of the pieces of
  the learning process come together teachers and
  staff working together to meet student needs the
  who
• Adapted from Voltz, Sims, and Nelson (2010)

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What are our next steps?

• Collect as much data as you can.
• Analyze that data looking for all kinds of trends
  and patterns.
• Look at what is working for ALL of your students
  and build on that.
• Look at what is not working for more than 20
  (based on data) of your students and make a plan
  to improve.
• Repeat frequently.

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Questions?

• Contact me
• Mellie Joiner, M.Ed.
• melliejoiner_at_me.com

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References and Resources

• Howell, K and Nolet, V. (1999). Curriculum-Based
  Evaluation Teaching and Decision Making. 3rd
  Edition. Wadsworth Publications.
• Johnson E, Mellard D, Fuchs D, McKnight M.
  (2006). Responsiveness to Intervention (RTI) How
  to Do It. National Research Center on Learning
  Disabilities.
• Voltz, D., Sims, M.J., Nelson, B. (2010).
  Connecting teachers, students, and standards
  Strategies for success in diverse and inclusive
  classrooms. Alexandria, VA ASCD.
• Wright, J. (2007). RTI Toolkit A Practical Guide
  for Schools. New York Dude Publishing.