RLTA STUDY GROUPS
Learning communities
Rochelle Lee Teacher Award Study Groups are school-based professional learning communities. Study groups develop a goal to guide their learning throughout the school year, and meet monthly to discuss instruction and push their practice to reach their goal. Study Groups allow teachers to have a school-wide impact on student literacy instruction. The application is open from mid-December through mid-March. Awardees are announced late April of each year.
BENEFITS OF STUDY GROUPS
- Awardees receive a classroom library grant of $425 per study group member plus the purchase of the group’s professional text.
- Increased knowledge of professional literature and current researched based literacy best practices.
- Leadership opportunities and professional development facilitation experience.
- A professional collaborative forum.
- Literacy coaching provided three times per year.
Download Study GRoup FAQs
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR A STUDY GROUP
- Four to eight teachers from the same school interested in pursuing a self-selected literacy focus.
- Study Group Leaders who are new to RLTA program will receive additional coaching.
- There may be more than one Study Group at a school.
2020 - 2021 STUDY GROUP PROJECTS
Impacting Student Literacy Instruction
The goal of RLTA Study Groups is to empower teachers to become classroom, school, and district-wide literacy leaders. By focusing program design on the needs and goals of educators, WITS provides relevant, effective professional development and networking opportunities that support long-term literacy goals. WITS is proud of the work of the Study Group leaders and members, and we are excited to share some of the 2020-2021 Study Group Projects below.
creating a compassionate environment
school
Mariano Azuela Elementary SchoolGroup Members
Study Group Leaders: Maria Cintora, Dawn MeyerStudy Group Members: Barbara Krupa, Lucina Rangel
Text
The Trauma-Sensitive Classroom: Building Resilience with Compassionate Teaching By Patricia A. JenningsGoal
To create a compassionate and learning environment using trauma sensitive practices to build mindfulness, compassion, and resilience.Learn More
effectively implementing small group instruction
school
Newton Bateman Elementary SchoolGroup Members
Study Group Leader: Maritza VazquezStudy Group Members Priscilla Rowe, Samantha Gage, Selene Rivas-Rodriguez, Kendall Williamson
Text
Connecting with Students Online: Strategies for Remote Teaching and Learning by Jennifer SerravalloGoal
This school year, our goal was to effectively implement small group instruction remotely as a way to differentiate instruction and best support our students.Learn More
increasing student engagement
school
W.E.B. Du Bois Elementary SchoolGroup Members
Study Group Leader: Kelly FlowersStudy Group Members: Robbie Jewell, Lyllien Noonan, Nora Schmiedel
Text
The InterACTIVE Class: Using Technology to Make Learning More Relevant and Engaging in the Elementary Classroom by Joe and Kristin MerrillGoal
Utilize suggested practices and pedagogy seamlessly in the classroom to increase student engagement by 20% at the close of the school year.Learn More
creating a culturally (and historically) responsive classroom
SCHOOL
National Teachers AcademyGroup Members
Study Group Leader: Laura GluckmanStudy Group Members: Carrie Both, Jessica Kibblewhite, Melissa Hauser
Goal
Our goal was about fostering deep engagement as it’s connected to structures,stances, and practices like project-based learning and abolitionist/anti-racist teaching.
Learn More
supporting ELL students more equitably
school
Mary Gage Peterson Elementary SchoolGroup Members
Study Group Leader: Megan FairStudy Group Members: Emily Gandolfi, Megan Wales, Catherine Jarvis, Sarah Van Wolvelear
Goal
Best practice strategies to better support ELL students more equitablyLearn More
teaching reading in the remote setting
school
Charles H. Wacker ElementaryGroup Members
Study Group Leader: Crystal CarmichaelGroup Members: Caroline Cunningham, LaConya McKinney, Danielle Washington
Text
The Distance Learning Playbook, Grades K-12: Teaching for Engagement and Impact in Any Setting by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey and John HattieGoal
Effectively teaching developmentally appropriate reading in the remote setting using the Google Suite and complementary appsLearn More
improving the capacity of teachers to provide meaningful instruction to students reading below grade level
school
Orozco AcademyGroup Members
Study Group Leader: Lindsay WesnerStudy Group Members: Joanna Felsenstein, Sarah Nelson, Norma Williams
Text
When Kids Can’t Read: What Teachers Can Do by Kylene BeersGoal
The goal of our study group was to improve the capacity of teachers at our school to provide meaningful instruction to students reading below grade level. Our professional text provided examples of multiple strategies to assess and address student need in the areas of inferencing, comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, spelling, and reader-confidence.Learn More
building student connection and collaboration
school
New Field Primary SchoolGroup Members
Study Group Leader: Tiffany WelshStudy Group Members: Megan Francomb, Katy Spore, Lauren Tauber
Text
The Distance Learning Playbook Grades K-12: Teaching for Engagement & Impact in Any Setting by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie and Connecting with Students Online – Strategies for Remote Teaching and Learning by Jennerifer SerravalloGoal
Original Goal – Create effective instruction that includes an intentional balance of engaging student-led and student-centered tasks in addition to teacher-led instruction (goal: closer to 50/50 teacher-led to student led learning)Final Goal (changed mid-year based on student and teacher identified needs) – Learn about and implement strategies to increase student-to-student collaboration digitally (e.g. in discussion, groupings, project-based learning, etc.).
While working toward our original goal, we dedicated much of our thinking around building student independence, which was critical in the beginning months of the school year. As the school year continued, our priorities and focus shifted to building student connection, collaboration, and talk amongst one another.
Learn More
Incorporating culturally responsive teaching
school
Walt Disney Magnet SchoolGroup Members
Study Group Members: Caroline Mahon, Mary Bush Port-Ginn, Aletha Edwards, Melissa AlbarranText
Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond.Goal
Incorporating culturally responsive teaching into literacy instruction and pedagogy.Learn More
Increasing the level of student engagement in online classes
school
Hibbard G. Elementary SchoolGroup Members
Study Group Leader: Stephanie MichlStudy Group Members: Emily Barnoswky , Sora Lim, Bridget Heneghan, Jessica Hodges, Jin Dokko
Goal
Increase the level of student engagement in our online classes.Learn More
deepening comprehension of nonfiction texts
school
Mount Vernon Elementary SchoolGroup Members
Study Group Leader: Mrs. O’NealStudy Group Members: Mrs. Runaas, Ms. Ma, Ms. Pender-Bey
Goal
As a study group, we want to teach specific reading strategies to deepen comprehension of and provide access to nonfiction texts.Learn More
best practices for Remote Instruction
school
Sidney Sawyer Elementary SchoolGroup Members
Study Group Leader: Abbi EichhornStudy Group Members: Erica Hernandez, Niamh Burke, Maggie Steber, Jennie Vazquez
Text
The Trauma-Sensitive Classroom: Building Resilience with Compassionate Teaching by Patricia A. JenningsGoal
To learn about the best practices for Remote Instruction and ways to incorporate SEL into our instruction.Learn More
