"Building a firm foundation through Christ-centered education."

 
MCS Elementary Teachers Adopt New Reading Curriculum
 
 
 
Good Afternoon MCS Elementary Parents,
 
After three months of researching, Professional Development by experts and trying new curriculum within their classrooms, our TK-5th Grade Teachers have voted unanimously to adopt a Balanced Literacy based program entitled, The Units of Study in Reading.  The Units of Study is designed by internationally recognized literacy expert Lucy Calkins and her colleagues at The Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP), a division of the Teachers College at Columbia University in New York City. You can read more about the TCRWP at www.readingandwritingproject.org.  More specifically here is some research behind the work: www.readingandwritingproject.org/about/research-base
 
Mrs. Gatchell (K), Mrs. Collier (3rd) and Mrs. Good (5th) would like to share with you their thoughts on the process toward adoption and what they are seeing within their students via video:
 

MCS Teachers Talk Literacy (New Elementary Curriculum) - January 2016 
 
 
The Units of Study in Reading are 100% Common Core aligned and truly tackle the rigorously embedded standards in every area of English Language Arts.
 
The components of Balanced Literacy found in the Units of Study in Reading we will use at MCS can be found on this graphic:
 

 
-click to view-
 
 
To help us better assess our students to guide targeted instruction to individuals, we have also purchased and adopted the Fountas & Pinnell Reading Benchmark System for all teachers. More information on it can be found at this link.  This will enable us to consistently measure fluency and comprehension to pinpoint a student's exact reading level (A-Z +alternate) and then use the Continuum of Reading to identify specific reading behaviors in both Fluency and Comprehension to set individual goals, direct instruction toward, and move them to the next reading level.  All teachers are currently assessing their students 1 on 1 within this assessment system.
 
In addition, our students will be exposed to ROBUST level reading libraries in their classroom for choice based independent reading time at school and at home.  Our classes who are already doing this report amazement around being able to hear a pin drop along with the shouts of joy when it is announced that it is independent reading time. Our Annual Fund donations have helped us begin the ordering process to grow our classroom libraries.
 
The middle of the year is a non-traditional time to change curriculum, but in talking with some of our Elementary Teachers there is so much zeal around, "we cannot wait!" Rest assured that we will make sure we are intentional with the integration of the old/new curriculum and will be strategic in ensuring the students are ready for the next grade level and beyond.
 
Please contact your child's classroom teacher or Elementary Principal, Reggie Biancalani, at [email protected] if you have any questions.
 
 
   
Troy Moore
Head of School
Mariners Christian School
Reggie Biancalani
Elementary Principal
Mariners Christian School
300 Fischer Avenue � Costa Mesa, CA 92626 � T 714.437.1700 � F 714.437.7976