1. Date and Reflection

As a special education teacher working with seventh grade students, I know that a lot of boys aren't too crazy about reading and writing. I also know that a lot of boys struggle with reading and writing. I invited a small group of boys to be part of a group called "Guys Read and Write." We meet one day a week during lunch for a reading day and one day a week after school for a writing day. On reading days I read aloud one of my favorite books for boys: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. On writing days use Fundamentals in the Sentence Writing Strategy. I appreciate that It's a back to the basics, explicit structured approach to sentence writing.

Various teachers within our school district were selected to receive Fundamentals in the Sentence Writing Strategy Curriculum training during the 1st semester of the 24-25 school year and implement the writing strategies within the district to Junior High Students during the 2nd semester.  I found the instructional videos and the Instructor’s Manual not only helpful but also practical, providing a comprehensive curriculum overview that makes me feel fully prepared to jump right into the program’s implementation. The resources in the tutorial's resource section are equally practical and also easy to access.  What has been most helpful, though, is working directly with the on-site coordinator, who has helped to implement the Writing Strategies Curriculum in our building.  

8/14/24
This training was beneficial with giving explicit training on strategies for improving writing.  The videos were helpful to serve as a model when working with students.  It was very helpful to be able to look at the manual as we went along with the modules in Canvas

I participated in a professional development session with 2 colleagues. I found that a review of effective strategy implementation was essential for making a meaningful impact on students with learning disabilities. The Fundamentals in Sentence Writing Strategy provided a strong foundation for sentence composition. 

The introductory videos to the strategies helped me to understand the basics of the SIM.    That mastery of the fundamental skills would lead to sentence fluency which is extremely helpful with our population. 

Our parochial school is now recognizing the need for better differentiation for our students, and I was therefore hired to be a learning consultant for the students who need additional support in reading and writing. I was trained in Wilson as an intervention for our struggling readers, but needed a framework for how to support writers. I chose to enroll in this program to support students who may need to strengthen their foundational writing skills. I am currently six weeks into implementation with small groups and seeing great success! 

I like the order the material is presented in and the strategies to help kids learn it. This will fit perfectly into the beginning of my year in language arts.

I started Fundamentals in Sentence Writing Strategy in June while at the Summer Institute in Montana and I finished today, July 18th. I find the information and the curriculum a must-have for younger grades and for intervention and I look forward to the reamaing Fundamental curriculum.