DCPS is training groups of teachers in the Wilson Reading Program. Wilson is a research-based program that has proven its effectiveness for years. I was thrilled to make it into the first cohort to be trained.
One aspect of training disturbed me, though. Most teachers in DCPS are African-American (I'll try to find out the percentage). Yet, half of the teachers learning to use this highly effective reading program where white. At least two more were other non-Black races. Where are the Black teachers? Were they not interested? Did their special education coordinators not tell them about the training?
Granted, my coordinator (who is White) did not tell me about the training - I found out from a (White) friend. One White lady said a teacher in her school has the Wilson materials and has been to a training but does not use Wilson or any other effective remedial reading program.
Furthermore, five of the trainees (15% of the participants) were from the DC Teaching Fellows program. While I support the program (I'm a Fellow, myself), it is true that people who teach through alternative certification are less likely to remain in the school system.
What's going? Maybe they think Wilson is just a fad or just another program that DC is trying this year, just to be tossed aside next year.
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The application for the Introductory training for the Wilson Reading System never asked the applicants to identify their race. The applicants were chosen on whether it was feasible for them to implement the WRS at least 4 days per a week for at least 45 minutes and whether they were able to offer the program both to general and to special education students. Also, the application did not ask for the applicants to say whether they were enrolled in an alternative certification course. However, the applicants were required to answer whether they intended to remain in DCPS for a year or two after they completed the training. Rather than assume that those attendees who were in the DCTF weren't committed to DCPS when their contracts end, please applaud their determination to seek professional development and to provide for their students. Helping struggling readers to succeed is an accomplishment regardless of whether you're in an urban, suburban, or rural setting.
ReplyDeleteI know the application process did not take race into consideration, and that still leaves me with the question, "Where are the African American teachers? Are they less likely to have 180 minutes a week to offer this intervention to their students? Why would that be so?"
ReplyDeleteAs for DCTF, research shows most teachers from similar programs don't stay past 3-5 years. I'm not making personal assumptions. While I'm glad they were at the training, the truth is they may have been learning the program to use in some future job outside of DCPS. "Trained in the Wilson method" looks good on anyone's resume.
Shoot, I went home and put it on my own resume.
How did you hear about the Wilson training program? The special educators at my school never heard about the training. How can I help them get information from the special education office? I would LOVE if they were trained in Wilson!
ReplyDeleteAlso, are you available as a resource for new inclusion teachers in DCPS? I am working with a first year teacher who has lots of questions and I don't have the answers.
Thanks!
DC Literacy Coach
I heard about it through word-of-mouth, but I hope in the future information gets out more effectively. You can contact call the coordinator of Academic Achievement and Inclusion at(202) 316-6392 for more information.
ReplyDeleteFor now, I just want to be a resource through my blogs. I hope others will contribute their ideas also and really create a learning community of push-in teachers.
I do have one teacher (first-year) who plans to come observe me before the year is out. I think visiting others' classrooms is a wise idea, if your friend can do that.
Dear Progressive Educator,
ReplyDeleteThere is a new movement in DC to rid the system of African American teachers. I can't believe that none of the African American teachers were interested in this program. I believe the majority were probably not informed. Most of the African American teachers do not trust the new Rhee administration and are strategically not selected for new incoming programs. I'm glad to see others are beginning to notice some of these very strange occurrances in the new RHEE DC. It will take all of us together veteran and new teachers and all races to get our students moving in the right direction.