Literacy

Professional Development

March 11, 2017

4 Tips for Managing RTI

RTI–those 3 letters that just make you want to pull your hair out sometimes. As elementary teachers, we already prep for so many content areas. Sometimes adding RTI to the plate is just too much. At least this is how I felt at times. Managing RTI was just going to send me to the looney bin some years! My reading intervention time was tricky to handle, but after a few years, I felt like I had a good flow.

Tip #1: Create a System

Understanding the RTI process can be difficult. This image shows how it worked in my classroom at my school. This RTI process and flow chart makes it simple for teachers to understand.

When RTI first rolled out at our school, it just seemed too hard to manage. There were so many steps and things to do and sometimes I “just knew” that this sweet little baby needed some extra testing. When it came to doing interventions, I needed a system that was simple to follow. At our campus, this is how it worked. 

I needed it to make sense to me and I needed a process. I can work with a system! I am prepared when I have a system! I ended up creating interventions for my students who struggled with phonemic awareness that followed this system.  If I had identified an area of struggle, set a measurable goal, completed an intervention, and seen immediately that the students were “getting it”, then I would skip other intervention activities and simply do the post-assessment.

Now, you know your kids best and sometimes they get it, but you know it’s not solid so you have to continue to practice. That’s okay and that’s NEEDED.

Tip #2: Make it Hands-On and Engaging for Students

You want them to look forward to it, not dread it. Often times the students who are in your RTI groups for academics can be tricky because from time-to-time they just don’t want to be there anymore.  

At one of my schools, we did RTI time during recess. Once a week the child would miss recess to come work with me and while I loved the time, I didn’t like that they had to miss recess. I never wanted it to feel like a punishment so it was my goal to make it fun!!  I used a lot of songs and games for the kids! Even the assessments were simple and game-like! They worked in partners and we worked in small groups instead of always one-on-one. We sang songs, played cards games, and did lots of things that were quick and kept their attention

Having your students doing fun, interactive, hands-on activities for intervention activities is a KEY to keeping them engaged! So often they struggle, but when it's FUN they will be more successful. These RTI tips are a must-read!

Tip #3: Stay Organized

Sounds easy when it comes to managing RTI, right? Not always; especially when you have multiple students, are doing interventions on different skills, and then have deadlines to meet. How on earth are you supposed to keep it all organized?

With a checklist! Grab this one below FREE.

Click HERE to get it FREE.

Tip #4: Think Outside Your Classroom 

Not every school is blessed with an RTI time in their master schedule; I have worked at both. When you are lucky enough to have that time built into your master schedule, then you can team up with other teachers and work to reach ALL learners. Sometimes a struggle is not simply with the learners who need Tier 3 interventions, but those learners who are on Tier 1 or 2.  Sometimes you just don’t know what to do with them.

For example, with a team of 4 teachers on your grade level, it could look like this:

  • 1 teacher may take Tier 3 kids who need interventions on letter i.d. and sound
  • 1 teacher Tier 3 kids who need interventions on deleting phonemes
  • 1 teacher Tier 2 kids who need re-teaching on a story retelling
  • 1 teacher Tier 1 kids who are ready to move on to enrichment on identifying conflict and resolution

Remember, you have a teaching team so that you can support each other so lean on each other and use each other! You also are all different and have different strengths! Simply put, don’t be afraid to say “No thank you!” to the struggling babies but “Bring ’em on!” to the high achievers.

How do you keep up with managing RTI and keep it all organized? I would love to hear your tips!

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Happy Teaching,

Amanda

EASILY PLAN YOUR K-2 READING SMALL GROUPS​

Want to use the latest research to boost your readers during small groups? This FREE guide is packed with engaging ideas to help them grow!

Hi, I'm Amanda

I’m a K-1 teacher who is passionate about making lessons your students love and that are easy to implement for teachers.  Helping teachers like you navigate their way through their literacy block brings me great joy. I am a lifelong learner who loves staying on top of current literacy learning and practices. Here, you’ll find the tools you need to move your K-2 students forward!

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8 Responses

  1. Love this! I have written a post explaining the RTI process and sharing my district’s resources. I would love for you to check it out!

  2. Do you have any cards for visually teaching how to decode words at difficulty during reading like get your mouth ready> Thanks

  3. I am a PreK-2 Instructional Specialist. I also work with a large Bilingual population, any materials or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

    1. Hi Andrea! I do not have a printable version available at this time, but you have my permission to save the image and then print the image on your own. 😉

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