A recent development in public schools in America is the implementation of the intervention model known as "R.T.I.", an acronym for Response to Intervention. This is a very precise, scripted model of interventions that need to be implemented into every classroom in America and are separated by level of intensity into three "tiers." The first tier is really nothing more than everyday instruction being presented through a viable curriculum by a qualified instructor. Tier II are interventions used for students with mild exceptionalities, and those that need some "extra support and scaffolding" in order to meet grade level expectations. These are things like small group and one-on-one instruction within the classroom, IEP accomodations and modifications, alternative assessments and assignments that a teacher adjusts to meet individual needs, etc. These have to be carefully documented for a period of at least 8 weeks before a meeting can be held to discuss entering Tier III, which is even more intensive and usually includes special testing.
As an educator new to the Florida public school system, RTI seemed at first to be something that would be very hard to manage effectively, and an awful lot of documentation. Looking more closely at its MEANING, rather than its SCRIPTING, however, I have adopted a new attitude towards this model. After all, is this not what we ARE or SHOULD BE doing?
Interventions for many are thought of as simple things like prompting or guided reading. What many people in education fail to realize is that reaching and effectively teaching the individual goes much further. The true missing piece in this vast puzzle seems to be very simple...it's the initial step in effective teaching at any level...ready? Wait for it...
...forming and building relationships. This means that each teacher has to be willing to KNOW academically, socially, emotionally and psychologically (I believe this is referred to as the 'whole child') every student in his/her class, even the ones that drive him/her a little crazy!
The caviat is that you have a very small window of time in which to initiate this process because the first nine weeks of school whizzes by and nobody needs or wants to play "catch up!" They shouldn't have to; it's unfair to the student.
Once you have a mental profile of your student, then you begin to inadvertantly (and deliberately) differentiate your instruction for their needs...yes ALL of them! This does take a touch of creativity and some time spent outside of school hours, but the benefits so outweigh the sacrifice when you see the children succeed!
My point here is this...as educators we cannot spend our time (which is already scarce) grumbling about RTI, IEP, 504, document this, data that...we have to learn to embrace the value that these bring to us in our vocation, because teaching is not simply a career, it's a calling. We have to use these as tools to help us become regular thinkers and planners focused on intervention as part of the regular daily lessons, and assessment that is formative and fits the student. These should become a focus of what we want to master so that we can be more effective at bringing our kids what they need, not a soapbox forum making us less effective!
One more closing thought on the attitude you can CHOOSE (FISH PHILOSOPHY...look it up, it's amazing). Are you the teacher that says, "I'm not giving up MY planning period for that kid" or do you share my belief that every minute I am in that school building (not to mention the minutes I am NOT) belong to my students and not to me; planning can be done on MY time not theirs!
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