American Reading Company

Curriculum Integration Project

Elementary Libraries

Middle & High School Libraries

Program Materials

Software Tools

Professional Development

American Reading Company provides instruction and support for teachers, administrators, and parents, to help maximize program implementation and success.

Training:

Start-Up Training
This introductory training explains the multiple layers of interrelated and integrated instructional systems that comprise the 100 Book Challenge. Teachers and administrators learn the rationale behind and research support for our systematic approach to creating successful, independent readers. Initial training emphasizes key program components and includes in-class demonstrations with teachers’ own students. Instructors give clear descriptions and provide hands-on experience of the essentials of differentiated assessment and instruction, motivation and monitoring, and data collection and analysis.

In-Class, On-Site Support Visits
A 100 Book Challenge master teacher consults with each participating classroom teacher and helps them self-assess his or her level of program implementation using a detailed rubric, working with that teacher in real time to move toward higher levels of effective instruction. In the teacher’s own classroom, the master teacher answers questions, demonstrates instructional techniques, and provides support and encouragement to achieve greater success with students. The school receives a detailed report within two weeks aggregating the implementation data collected during the visit. This report provides a clear description of the school’s overall levels of implementation on ten key program components with recommendations for improvement where necessary, without singling out teachers or classrooms. This report serves not only as a focus for staff discussions and improvement plans, but also helps 100 Book Challenge staff prepare customized follow-up workshops.

Workshop Series:

Strategies for Success
As teachers begin to work with their students utilizing the multilayered 100 Book Challenge structures, many real-world questions arise. This workshop is essential for teachers within the first few months of program start-up. It provides a thorough, in-depth exploration of the ten key program components described in detail in the 100 Book Challenge Implementation Rubric for Stages One and Two. Teachers share success stories, problem solving techniques, and ideas on collaboration.

Reading for Comprehension
Reading means comprehending—making sense of text. This workshop takes participants into in-depth exploration of what it means to read and be a reader—and how the 100 Book Challenge Readers’ Workshop can provide the instructional support to make real readers of all students. Hands-on activities help teachers and administrators create an effective instructional model in each classroom that combines direct instruction, guided practice, independent practice, and assessment. Participants learn how to create a powerful, single, integrated reading system that connects everything to the school’s and district’s core reading program.

Conference Notebook
One-on-one coaching is a powerful instructional tool, and is absolutely essential for struggling readers. 100 Book Challenge Readers’ Workshops provide teachers with daily opportunities to deliver this most effective level of support to students. This workshop teaches teachers how to do it well. Each participant receives a Conference Notebook containing extensive information and black-line masters. Each notebook provides examples of effective assessment note-taking and space for maintaining extensive assessment notes for each individual student. Teachers enhance their own instructional expertise through daily practice to become true reading diagnosticians.

Research Labs™
These workshops teach teachers and administrators how to use the full range of Research Lab materials to turn each classroom into an active learning laboratory. Participants learn how to use the extensive nonfiction thematic book collections and support materials to conduct thematic investigations that build students’ background knowledge and skills in reading, writing, researching, and publishing. Standardized tests now comprise up to 70% nonfiction text. Research Lab workshops show teachers how to make their students successful readers, writers, and consumers of nonfiction texts—and to have fun while doing it.

Leadership Training for Principals and 100 Book Challenge Site Coordinators
Nothing in a school works well without the knowledgeable, direct involvement and support of the principal. Leadership Training immerses each school’s leadership team of principal and site coordinator in the essentials for effecting dramatic gains in student achievement. Hands-on, in-class demonstrations show principals exactly what to expect and look for in a successful 100 Book Challenge classroom. In-depth discussions, problem solving, and sharing of best practices help principals understand and plan for the creation of a truly effective, fully integrated reading system in their schools.

Family Workshops for Parents
Parent involvement makes all the difference in the world for raising successful readers. These Family Workshops are conducted by parents who have raised their children to be readers (sometimes under difficult conditions). Children also attend the workshops to hear about how homes can help students learn to read well, love reading, and use their increasing reading abilities to forge successful life pathways. Leaders of these workshops address real-world issues with compassion and humor that inspire whole-family commitments to literacy.

KidPACE Data Collection and Analysis:

Support Workshops
Teachers and administrators learn to input, track, analyze, and report data through hands-on interactions.

KidPACE Data Collection and Analysis Support Workshops
These workshops are hands-on, real-time events that connect teachers and administrators to everything they need to know and do to input, track, analyze, and report student data. Participants learn how to determine what percentage of students in a school or individual classroom are reading on or above grade level and how many are on target to achieve the specific goals for amount of reading.

KidPACE Site Visits
Data needs to be used in the classroom—regularly and frequently— to be truly effective in helping to shape instruction and support best instructional practices. During these site visits, KidPACE data experts coach individual teachers using the computers the teachers will use. Through hands-on, real-time work, teachers learn to input, review, report, and use 100 Book Challenge data. Site visits help ensure teachers’ and principals’ comfort, understanding, and effective application of the data system.