EdLeader

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the more strands present and the stronger each strand is, the stronger the rope is. It is surmised that if a student is weaker in one strand, the strength of the other strands can still help the student comprehend what she is reading.

In this new podcast series on the Science of Reading - What Every EdLeader Should Know, Dr. Rob Jackson, host of the EdLeader podcast, has one goal, to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

So metaphorically, we grab Scarborough’s reading rope and separate the strands of Word Recognition and Language Comprehension.  Within the Language Comprehension strands, we find the strand that is the topic for today’s episode, Language Structures. 

Language structure is made up of a complex set of rules and conventions. Readers have to learn the rules that allow us to communicate with one another through the written word. They develop this knowledge and understanding of Language Structure as they are learning how to read.

Join Dr. Jackson as he attempts to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

Show notes are available at: www.drrobjackson.com
@Dr_Rob_Jackson
@EdLeaderPod

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the more strands present and the stronger each strand is, the stronger the rope is. It is surmised that if a student is weaker in one strand, the strength of the other strands can still help the student comprehend what she is reading.

In this new podcast series on the Science of Reading - What Every EdLeader Should Know, Dr. Rob Jackson, host of the EdLeader podcast, has one goal, to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

So metaphorically, we grab Scarborough’s reading rope and separate the strands of Word Recognition and Language Comprehension. Within the Word Recognition strands, we find the strand that most people think of first when considering the act of learning to read, the strand of decoding.

Our good friends at Reading Rockets define decoding this way: “Decoding is the ability to apply your knowledge of letter-sound relationships, including knowledge of letter patterns, to correctly pronounce written words. Understanding these relationships gives children the ability to recognize familiar words quickly and to figure out words they haven't seen before.”

Join Dr. Jackson as he attempts to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

Show notes are available at: www.drrobjackson.com
@Dr_Rob_Jackson
@EdLeaderPod

Join Dr. Jackson as he seeks to apply his one-word to his personal and professional life through reflecting through the lens of a seminal book in the field of education.

New Year's Resolutions have been around for a while. Over 4,000 years in fact. According to History.com, the Babylonians were the first to make resolutions as they planted their crops, launching a new year.  I have no idea how well the Babylonians did with sticking to their resolutions 4,000 years ago, but in modern history at least, it seems that resolutions are discarded and forgotten often before the calendar turns from January to February. Resolutions are lost much quicker than the weight loss that seems to be the focus of many a January First Proclamation of Intention.

In this moment, I choose the same word as my #OneWord2023. My one word for 2023 is elevate.

The next step is to begin consideration of the application of my one word. Early on in my one-word journey, I was content to simply reflect on my one word and then commit to continuing to reflect on it as the year went along. I am confident that I did not get the benefit from my one word that I might have. In recent years, I have really made an effort to move from being content to just hanging out in the adoption phase to purposefully and meaningfully moving into an implementation phase. 

This brings me to 2023 and my selection of elevate as my one word. How do I elevate my work? How do I elevate our profession? How do I elevate kindness? On a recent run, I found myself pondering this question and found myself reminiscing back to a book I read many years ago, a book first published in 2001. In this Information Age, with writers suggesting that human knowledge is doubling every two years, what could a 22-year-old book possibly have to teach me or anyone else about elevating my work in 2023? Depending on the book, perhaps quite a bit. I’ll let you judge for yourself the timeliness and timelessness of the book’s lessons.

The book I am referring to is the book titled, “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap …and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins. For me, it is a touchstone text that continues to pop up in random discussions because of the power of the lessons.

Perhaps one of the greatest takeaways from the book and one of the most repeated phrases that I have heard from others is Collins’ assertion that good is the enemy of great. He surmised that few people manage to achieve greatness in their lives as they settle too quickly for a comfortable life. We can probably all name an Edleader who seemed destined for greatness, on the fast track to ever-increasing responsibilities, who just seemed to fizzle out, or who reached a particular level and never moved beyond it. If we are not careful and if we do not actively seek continuous improvement, we stagnate.

The pathway to the principalship is paved with passion, purpose, planning, and practice. Dr. Carrie Tulbert, 2014 North Carolina State Principal of the Year, joins Dr. Jackson to share her journey to the principalship, how she supports Assistant Principals in their professional growth, and strategies for Principals in supporting their teammates in their own leadership journeys.

Dr. Carrie Tulbert is currently in her 13th year as a middle school principal. She has led schools that truly run the gamut of student populations and sizes. A former North Carolina Teaching Fellow, Dr. Tulbert is a graduate of Meredith College with her Bachelor's Degree in English; a Master's Degree in School Administration from Gardner Webb University, and an Educational Specialist degree and Doctoral degree from Wingate University. Her greatest honor is being a mother of 2 sons. She passionately believes in public school and its power to transform students' lives. She also truly believes that being a principal is the BEST job in education! She is the 2014 North Carolina Principal of the Year, and she has served on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals' Association for 5 years.

Dr. Tulbert previously joined Dr. Jackson along with three other State Principals of the Year on a special two-episode mini-series on the EdLeader podcast to discuss recent research on the impact of principals.

Dr. Rob Jackson on Twitter
EdLeader Podcast on Twitter
Dr. Carrie Tulbert on Twitter

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the more strands present and the stronger each strand is, the stronger the rope is. It is surmised that if a student is weaker in one strand, the strength of the other strands can still help the student comprehend what she is reading.

In this new podcast series on the Science of Reading - What Every EdLeader Should Know, Dr. Rob Jackson, host of the EdLeader podcast, has one goal, to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

So metaphorically, we grab Scarborough’s reading rope and separate the strands of Word Recognition and Language Comprehension. Within the Language Comprehension strands, we find the strand of literacy knowledge.

Literacy Knowledge encapsulates the understanding and mastery of print concepts, such as a book’s layout. This includes everything from pre-reading skills like turning pages from right to left, reading words on a page from left to right, and top-to-bottom. It also includes more advanced skills like understanding the text features of a nonfiction book like an index, table of contents, and list of exhibits in order to efficiently find information. It also includes concepts like genre and the author’s purpose.

Join Dr. Jackson as he attempts to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

Show notes are available at: www.drrobjackson.com
@Dr_Rob_Jackson
@EdLeaderPod

Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut describes leadership this way, “Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It's about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter. It is about laying the groundwork for others' success, and then standing back and letting them shine.”

That quote really seems to capture the heart of Coast Guard Captain Jennifer Stockwell, Sector Commander of Coast Guard Sector Virginia. There are not many stakes higher than a person’s life when their boat has capsized or consequences any more intense than when preparing for the impact of a hurricane. Yet, the groundwork she puts in place helps to ensure that the team she leads is ready to respond in those big stressful moments. 

Captain Jennifer Stockwell's Command Philosophy is titled, "People first, the rest will follow." She joins Dr. Jackson to discuss how her beliefs about leadership and the role of leadership transcend the organization and is applicable to all leaders, including EdLeaders. 

MTSS, or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, is a framework for school improvement. From selecting materials to planning instructional activities to improving core instruction, to considering interventions for groups and individual students, MTSS guides teachers and administrators to focus clearly on process improvement and effective practices. 

Dr. Tanya Turner serves as the Superintendent of the Perquimans County School System and is recognized as an effective and highly regarded instructional leader in the Northeastern Region of North Carolina and across the state. She began her career in education as a fifth-grade teacher prior to serving as an instructional facilitator. She served as a Middle School Assistant Principal, a Director of Teacher Development and Testing, and then served as a Middle School Principal leading school improvement efforts to move from a school that had not met growth in several years to meeting growth eight out of nine years, with seven of those years as high growth. After her successful tenure as a Middle School Principal, she was tapped as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction with Edenton-Chowan Schools for four years before returning to lead the school system she attended as a student.

Dr. Turner's presentations on EVAAS have been recognized at the state level and published on the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s regional website as well as the NC STAR website. Her knowledge and leadership in data-driven instruction have afforded her the opportunity to conduct numerous trainings across the state for many school districts. She is a former District Teacher of the Year, District Assistant Principal of the Year, and two-time District Principal of the Year.

Last season, Dr. Turner joined Dr. Jackson on the EdLeader podcast to discuss Literacy as the one big thing in every classroom, every subject, every grade level, and every school.

Dr. Rob Jackson on Twitter
EdLeader Podcast on Twitter
Dr. Tanya Turner on Twitter

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the more strands present and the stronger each strand is, the stronger the rope is. It is surmised that if a student is weaker in one strand, the strength of the other strands can still help the student comprehend what she is reading.

In this new podcast series on the Science of Reading - What Every EdLeader Should Know, Dr. Rob Jackson, host of the EdLeader podcast has one goal, to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

So metaphorically, we grab Scarborough’s reading rope and separate the strands of Word Recognition and Language Comprehension. Within the Language Comprehension strands, we find the strand of verbal reasoning.

Verbal reasoning involves thinking about text, solving word problems, following written instructions to come up with a solution, spotting letter sequences, and cracking letter- and number-based codes. Verbal reasoning assessments measure a child’s ability to problem-solve and reason using words. These assessments are more a test of skill than of testing acquired knowledge.

Join Dr. Jackson as he attempts to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

Show notes are available at: www.drrobjackson.com
@Dr_Rob_Jackson
@EdLeaderPod

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the more strands present and the stronger each strand is, the stronger the rope is. It is surmised that if a student is weaker in one strand, the strength of the other strands can still help the student comprehend what she is reading.

In this new podcast series on the Science of Reading - What Every EdLeader Should Know, Dr. Rob Jackson, host of the EdLeader podcast has one goal, to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

Striving readers clearly show visible relief when they encounter a sight word in the middle of a difficult string of words that have to be decoded. Sight Word Recognition, despite the simplistic name of the strand, is a powerful tool in a reader’s toolkit and must be purposefully taught by teachers.

What, then, are sight words? Dr. Cheryl Lyon, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut, defined sight words this way, “Sight words are words that students are expected to recognize instantly. With the right support, students can become so familiar with these words that they no longer need to pause and try to decode them.

Join Dr. Jackson as he attempts to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

Show notes are available at: www.drrobjackson.com
@Dr_Rob_Jackson
@EdLeaderPod

This latest episode in The Science of Reading series focuses on background knowledge, a crucial strand of Language Comprehension.  Once a reader has decoded the print into words, reading comprehension requires inferences that are built on background knowledge and not necessarily explicitly stated in the text. As the writers at BrainTrust define it, “Background knowledge is everything a child already knows about a topic prior to engaging in the lesson or activity. So for reading, background knowledge refers to all of the information and understanding that students already have that will help them gain deep meaning from whatever text they are reading.”

Join Dr. Jackson as he attempts to peel apart the individual strands of reading comprehension and build our shared understanding of what EdLeaders need to know about learning to read.

Show notes are available at: www.drrobjackson.com
@Dr_Rob_Jackson
@EdLeaderPod