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Testing is over and the year is winding down. Only about 10 more days to go. While entering test scores on data spreadsheets and having Spring data meetings, I have been thinking a lot about how successful this school year was. I think about it every year. How many students made their goals? How many didn’t? How close were they? What was holding them back or why didn’t they make it? Was there something more I could’ve done?
The answer to that last question is as long as you were doing the best you could, then, no, there wasn’t. Some years many students will make their goals, other times not. Does that mean you failed your students? Definitely not!
This year was different for me because I changed from classroom teacher to reading interventionist. I realized as this year is ending that teaching in the early grades really prepared me for being a reading interventionist. I had a lot of the knowledge about how to teach reading already stored in my brain, however I had a still have a lot to learn.
That’s true in any profession. New technology comes out, new research is evaluated, and new methods arise. I got to experience learning and using intervention curriculums and I am participating in LETRS training. Read my post that details the training here. Furthermore, every student is different, so the way you teach each student differs, too. It’s a learn as you go process each year to find out what works best. What works with one group of students, may not work with another. That’s what differentiation is all about. Giving each student what they need.
I’ll admit I was disappointed this year after going over the data and noticing that very few made their goals for the year. Did this mean I failed them? When I thought about this, the answer was no. I looked for the positives and saw many. All of my students made progress this year, some even came only a few digits away from reaching their goals. They, also, all became more accurate in their reading. This means they were taking in what I was teaching and applying it. Just because they aren’t reading what is deemed fast enough for their grade level doesn’t mean they didn’t make gains in reading.
Furthermore, many of my students enjoy reading more now than they did at the beginnning of the year! That is always one of my goals. I love reading and teaching it so much that I hope my students feel that love and it rubs off on them. I, also, always give out at least two books per year to my students. This year I was lucky enough to give out five! And I am very intentional about my book selections keeping the needs and interests of my students in mind. This is what turns nonreaders into lifelong readers!
I realized that my students have many needs, too, and that many of those students need those needs met before they can really focus on learning to read. Several students were found out to need glasses, many are both learning English while learning to read, some have home life issues, and a few were identified as having special needs and need more support than I can offer them. And even more so, students have been effected by their COVID years of schooling and just need extra time to catch up.
So, I urge you to look for the positives when gauging the success of your year, too! It doesn’t matter the grade level or position. When you’re feeling like you are not making a difference or not helping enough students, take time to view the big picture. Did a student make his/her first friend? Did a student learn how to share his/her feelings in an appropriate manner? Did a student start so far behind his/her peers that in reality they made amazing growth, even though s/he didn’t make their goal? Did you get help for a student who needed it?
Success will look different every year you teach. Every year you will gain more knowledge and experience, and use it to the benefit of your students. But remember you make a difference in the lives of those children every single day!
When reflecting on my year, was it successful? Yes, in all the ways that matter most!
