needed 15 point discrepancy between ability and performance. However there are many more concerns I have that outweigh the benefits. The largest problem with the Problem Solving Model is that there are no standard interventions that are suggested. Many of the suggested ones are behavior based, or are unreasonable. My administration does not take into account time in class or classroom size when making intervention suggestions. I also feel that they often do not understand the frustration that classroom teachers feel about continuing to implement interventions that are not working but this time for a longer period each day. I believe that interventions suggested by the Standard Protocol would be more productive and ensure that structured learning is occurring. Another concern that I have with Problem Solving Model is the people who are performing the interventions. In my school, the classroom teacher is responsible for all interventions. Unfortunately, not all teachers are sufficiently trained in the area of reading through college courses to meet the needs of struggling readers. Until I began the Masters process I would have had great difficulty in helping my pre-primer readers. Also not all teachers follow through with the interventions they say they are doing and not all reading instruction that occurs on a daily basis is effective. In our school, paraprofessionals are also implementing intervention in the lower grades (upper grades are left to fend for themselves). Not only are these assistants not trained in reading, they are working with eight to ten kids in a group size”. I do not feel that this is a productive way to get struggling readers the “reduced assistance that they need. I feel that my school can increase the likelihood that the Problem Solving model will benefit students at my school by doing several things. The first one I would suggest is to hire a reading specialist. We are not a Title One school, and have no one other than a RTI paraprofessional to work with the students. This lady was rehired through federal funding and has gone to a workshop on the state’s RTI process. She works with only the first and second graders at our school. She does not sit in on out Student Success Team meetings. She has several other paraprofessionals that assist her in her class time of thirty minutes with up to ten students per class. I feel that a reading specialist would have more knowledge
needed 15 point discrepancy between ability and performance. However there are many more concerns I have that outweigh the benefits. The largest problem with the Problem Solving Model is that there are no standard interventions that are suggested. Many of the suggested ones are behavior based, or are unreasonable. My administration does not take into account time in class or classroom size when making intervention suggestions. I also feel that they often do not understand the frustration that classroom teachers feel about continuing to implement interventions that are not working but this time for a longer period each day. I believe that interventions suggested by the Standard Protocol would be more productive and ensure that structured learning is occurring. Another concern that I have with Problem Solving Model is the people who are performing the interventions. In my school, the classroom teacher is responsible for all interventions. Unfortunately, not all teachers are sufficiently trained in the area of reading through college courses to meet the needs of struggling readers. Until I began the Masters process I would have had great difficulty in helping my pre-primer readers. Also not all teachers follow through with the interventions they say they are doing and not all reading instruction that occurs on a daily basis is effective. In our school, paraprofessionals are also implementing intervention in the lower grades (upper grades are left to fend for themselves). Not only are these assistants not trained in reading, they are working with eight to ten kids in a “reduced group size”. I do not feel that this is a productive way to get struggling readers the assistance that they need. I feel that my school can increase the likelihood that the Problem Solving model will benefit students at my school by doing several things. The first one I would suggest is to hire a reading specialist. We are not a Title One school, and have no one other than a RTI paraprofessional to work with the students. This lady was rehired through federal funding and has gone to a workshop on the state’s RTI process. She works with only the first and second graders at our school. She does not sit in on out Student Success Team meetings. She has several other paraprofessionals that assist her in her class time of thirty minutes with up to ten students per class. I feel that a reading specialist would have more knowledge
RE5210_RTI_Reflection_paper.docx