As part of their effort to raise reading proficiency levels in young students, the Daviess County Public Schools district is hosting a “Renew and Refocus” virtual collaborative course with special guest literacy expert David Liben today.
Liben is an expert in the area of foundational reading and will participate in a question-and-answer session with participants, who will include DCPS elementary school instructional coaches and literacy coaches, as well as educators within the first three years of their teaching careers.
Liben’s knowledge and guidance have been nationally recognized for translating into practical applications for teachers, students and families in the areas of early childhood literacy.
He is an advisor and senior fellow in literacy at Student Achievement Partners — a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving student achievement — and is the co-author of “Know Better, Do Better: Teaching the Foundations so Every Child Can Read.”
Along with his wife Meredith, Liben has published numerous articles and developed training courses for educators, and they serve as consultants for many districts and schools.
Prior to being involved with the common core state standards and helping educators in all settings make the shifts needed so students can thrive, Liben taught and led schools at all grade levels during a 35-year school-based career.
DCPS literacy interventionist coach Shiryl McAdams said there are two goals for this program.
“We want to continue to highlight the importance of foundational learning and its critical role in a student’s future success as a reader and writer,” she said. “We are also committed to providing a more equitable learning experience for our K-2 students that connects our high quality curriculum and the science of reading.”
DCPS has partnered with the Public Life Foundation of Owensboro to raise reading proficiency levels for students by the end of third grade.
“This includes equitable foundational learning experiences for our K-2 students so they have the knowledge and reading behaviors that provide habits of mind to tackle complex text independently,” McAdams said.
The Reading Foundations Collaborative Course was designed to target new teachers within their first three years of teaching, but also provides valuable information, resources and support for educational administrators and those who work in the areas of migrant education and English language learners, as well as teachers and instructional coaches with years of experience.
“We all have the same goal – accelerating student learning – that begins with solid foundational reading instruction,” McAdams said.
