Region 10 ELAR Monthly Updates

Happy New Year!!! Where is the time going?

As a reminder, normally, we publish our newsletters on the first Monday of each month from September - May. Any other necessary communication during the month will come through our ELAR Listserv, so be sure that you have signed up using the button at the bottom of the newsletter.

Our ELAR Cadre meeting is for district coordinators or supervisors of ELAR at the district or campus level. Updates from TEA will be provided as well as updates about services and opportunities from Region 10.

Date: February 14, 2024

Time: 9-12

Location: REGION 10 ESC (ABRAMS)

Physical Address: 904 Abrams Rd

Richardson, TX 75081

Pecan Room

Click on the link below to see the complete list of our face to face and Zoom session PD offerings for Spring 24.

This session will give kinder - second grade teachers practical research-based ideas for teaching writing. Teachers will explore the developmental stages of writing development and the writing process. Teachers will also learn ways to help students write to respond to reading.

Date: January 30, 2024

Time: 9-12

Location: Region 10 ESC

Presenter: Dr. Pearl Garden

Email: pearl.garden@redgion10.org

Location: 400 East Spring Valley Road, Richardson, TX, USA
Twitter: @literacypearls

Preparing students for the rigor of standardized tests can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to equipping your students with the essential skills to excel on the STAAR test's Extended Constructed Response (ECR) items. This session aims to alleviate the challenges by offering practical strategies, valuable insights, and collaborative activities designed to empower teachers with the tools they need to guide their students towards writing exceptional ECRs. Join me for a hands-on, interactive workshop specially crafted to enhance teachers' expertise in teaching ECRs effectively.

Date: January 19, 2024

Time: 9-4

Location: Region 10 ESC

Presenter: Chandra Shaw

Email: chandra.shaw@region10.org
Location: 400 East Spring Valley Road, Richardson, TX, USA
Twitter: @CShawR10

Same great session... Shorter, more convenient location and times offered on January 30, 2024.

Time: 8:30-11:30 AM OR 12:30-3:30 PM

Location: Forney ISD Administration Building, 600 S. Bois d'Arc St., Forney, TX 75126

The Extended Constructed Response (ECR) on the English 1 and English 2 End of Course (EOC) exams set expectations that incorporate text analysis and evidence-based writing that is foundational to students' college readiness. In this session, participants will review strategies to promote text-based thinking before getting "the 411" on how EOC writing expectations align with various college-readiness standards. In order to inform instructional practices around writing, participants will take a deep dive into rubrics and samples of student writing craft. In this interactive workshop, participants will engage in reading and writing experiences that will foster authentic writing growth for increased success on EOCs and beyond.

Date: January 25, 2024 or February 13, 2024

Time: 9-4

Location: Region 10 ESC

Presenter: Jennifer Gunn

Email: jennifer.gunn@region10.org
Location: 400 East Spring Valley Road, Richardson, TX, USA
Twitter: @GunnTexas

While it is important to expose students to test formatted items so that they are prepared for the state assessments, this does NOT have to be a boring and stressful process. In fact, studying for the STAAR 2.0 RLA test can be quite fun and engaging for both students and teachers! In this session, participants will learn strategies to improve students’ conditioning and stamina for STAAR Reading, Constructed Response, and Revising and Editing, and how to organize those activities into a rewarding 2 or 3 week bootcamp which will offer a welcomed break from the old “drill-n-kill” methods used by some which only add to teachers’ and students’ anxiety and frustration levels.

Dates: February 12, 2024 or March 1, 2024

Time: 9-4

Location: Region 10 ESC

Presenters: Chandra Shaw, Jennifer Gunn, & Pearl Garden

Email: chandra.shaw@region10.org jennifer.gunn@region10.org
Location: 400 East Spring Valley Road, Richardson, TX, USA
Twitter: @CShawR10 @GunnTexas

During this session, RLA teachers planning with TRS from across the Region will come together to plan for their next unit. During the first part of our day, participants will go through TRS documents and identify how to utilize them in the planning process, work on unpacking performance assessments, and explore how ITRS can help us include these in our instructional units. During the second part of our day, participants will on planning out daily instruction!

Dates: January 16, 2024 or March 27, 2024

Time: 8:30-3:30

Location: Region 10 ESC

Presenters: Christopher Gray

Email: christopher.gray@region10.org

Location: 400 East Spring Valley Road, Richardson, TX, USA
Twitter: @CGrayR10

Be sure to sign up for the RLA TRS Listserv: https://bit.ly/R10RLATRS

Join us at our 5th Annual Region 10 and 11 Assessment Conference: Spotlight on Success. Sessions will include opportunities to learn from experienced assessment practitioners, engage in best practices, and enjoy the opportunity to network and connect with others in the field. Register today to learn, network, and help shine the spotlight on success! Participants will also have the opportunity to hear sessions from TEA, Cambium, and Performance Reporting.

National Poverty in America Awareness Month aims to bring attention to the issue of poverty in the United States and promote understanding and action towards its alleviation. Poverty affects millions of Americans and has wide-ranging social and economic consequences. Listening to this month's Powerful Education Podcast provides a wonderful opportunity to focus on the importance of the continued need for equity work.

January is National Poverty Awareness month. In this episode, poverty expert Paul Gorski gives us concrete examples of ways that well-intentioned traditions create economic barriers for students and their families, offering guidance on what to focus on instead. Paul helps us reflect on our own ideologies around deficit thinking so that when we say we want to prioritize children’s needs, our actions will match.

Fix Injustice, Not Kids and Other Principles for Transformative Equity Leadership offers a deep dive into the leadership values, commitments, and practices that help educational leaders create and sustain equitable schools and districts. Drawing from their extensive equity and inclusion work with schools, Paul Gorski and Katy Swalwell introduce key components of the equity literacy framework. They then challenge principals, equity professionals, and other K–12 leaders to embrace six guiding principles for meaningful equity leadership:

This book is making its return to our inspiring books list. In it, expert Penny Kittle shows us the power of helping them to focus in and communicate clearly. She does that through the study of “micro mentor texts,” excerpts from acclaimed books, and the decisions authors make to craft those texts so they deeply engage readers. Her book includes dozens of short texts and mini-lessons based on them―as well as many practice opportunities for students and demonstration videos for you.

The Region 10 ELAR team provides literacy support through professional development services, instructional coaching, and technical assistance.

Twitter: @R10ELA

Gr K-5 Literacy Consultant

Email: pearl.garden@region10.org
Phone: 972-348-1318
Twitter: @LiteracyPearls

3-8 Literacy Consultant

Email: chandra.shaw@region10.org
Phone: 972-348-1564
Twitter: @CShawR10

6-12 Literacy Consultant

Email: jennifer.gunn@region10.org
Phone: 972-348-1080
Twitter: @GunnTexas

• September 2023
• October 2023
• November 2023
• December 2023