Two Reasons We are Celebrating! And They Are BIG!
It seems like a long time ago that I sat with my classroom students and talked about how they learned.
I asked questions, “How did this lesson work for you? Did you understand this concept the way I taught it to you? Was it difficult or simple to learn it? What did I do that made it easier for you to learn?” and many more questions. We had fun thinking about thinking and what made learning easier for them.
I remember their faces when I first began asking them to think about their learning. Many had never been asked to actually analyze their own learning process. I also remember their faces relaxing and how they became engaged and invested in helping me be the best teacher I could be.
At that time, I knew I was adjusting my instruction to insure every child would learn, but I didn’t exactly realize what I was setting in motion. My students’ answers to my questions lead me to writing Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” and then to the joy I am experiencing being a part of changing student’s lives as I tutor using Silent Elephant “e”.
That joy is day to day, week to week and especially vibrant for me, my students and their parents when we do our end of the year assessments.
This has been another year of changing lives. The numbers tell the story.
The average improvement for my students this school year is
3.625 grade level advancement!
3.625 grade level advancement is the average!
3.6 is an amazing grade level advancement, but when I add to that the fact that all my students except one have learning differences, most of them profound, 3.6 is a staggering number.
Here are some more numbers to enjoy:
Three students have been with me for 2 years:
One student progressed 5 reading levels in those two years and is going into 4th grade reading on a 5th grade level.
One progressed 4 years in those two years and is heading into 6th grade reading on grade level.
And one progressed 8 reading levels in those two years and will begin 4th grade reading on a 9th grade level! She is profoundly dyslexic.
Five students have been with me for only 1 year:
One improved 4 reading levels and is going into 5th grade reading on a 6th grade level.
Another is heading into 4th grade reading on a 6th grade level having improved 3 reading levels.
A young man with significant learning differences is excited about heading into 6th grade reading on grade level having improved 3 levels in just one year.
Another young man improved 6 reading levels this year to begin 7th grade reading on a 9th grade level.
Then there is my little Kindergartener without learning differences who is off to 1st grade reading on a 4th grade level! She mastered all 700 Fry list words!
There is an additional reason to celebrate this year.
All but one of my students who came to me with a Special Education IEP or having been in Chapter 1 have been staffed out. That one has been in Special Education since Pre-school and will probably test out this next year at his 2-year review as he is already on grade level and will be an even stronger reader before that review.
These are numbers worth celebrating and my kids, parents and I have been celebrating!
I continue to celebrate by sharing this data with you, because I know you will celebrate with us that Silent Elephant “e” is changing lives!
If you have any questions about Silent Elephant “e” contact us.