MTSS has been a hot topic of debate in my school. What does MTSS look like? When should it take place? And how often? If you missed last week, here's an introduction to
MTSS Monday!
Although there are many ways in which Multi Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) can look like, here's a glimpse into my school's direction...
We conduct MTSS from 9:15-9:45 am daily. This allows for grade levels to collaborate based on student data during PLCs. We determine which skills need to be addressed and place students into specific classrooms based on their needs. With an entire school conducting interventions at once, a student may move vertically from 1st to Kindergarten to work on sight words or even 1st grade to second grade to address reading fluency. In addition, teachers on each grade level can group into teams for lateral student movement. It's not uncommon to see teachers conducting interventions within their own setting. The collaborating teachers will choose a skill and rotate students based on needs. These interventions continue for 6 to 8 weeks before meeting with the MTSS intervention team. This team includes the classroom teacher, psychologist, speech and language therapist, and the guidance counselor.
Understanding the Tiers...
Tier one includes all students. The instruction for this tier happens daily in all our classrooms. It's daily instruction of content areas as defined by our standards. All students receive this instruction. We typically help student grasp concepts through small groups and conferences.
But what happens when a student continues to struggle?
Interventions are put in place. A student struggling with beginning sounds will receive specific activities during MTSS mornings. Resources include Work Stations, Soar to Success, FCRR, Destinations.
After 6 to 8 weeks of interventions...
A student still struggling will be put up for the MTSS intervetnion team. Data I've collection through assessments are graphed and submitted for review. The team will often suggest additional strategies and resources. A student can possibly be moved to tier two at this time.
What does tier two look like?
Tier two happens during MTSS mornings. This is the additional instructional time needed 3 to 5 times a week (for 30 minutes) with bi-weekly assessments. Since my school happens to be conduct MTSS every day, this instructional time is in place but now we are formally meeting face-to-face in groups of 5. As previously stated, this instruction can happen in the homeroom classroom or with collaborating groups of teachers in which the kids would rotate.
What happens when the gap continues to widen?
After meeting again with the intervention team, students could possibly be placed in tier three groups. This transition doesn't commonly occur within the same school year. Tier three is conducted five days a week with assessment each Friday. Students are to meet at a separate time outside of tier one (general instruction) and tier two (MTSS mornings). This can occur in small groups throughout the day, before school tutoring, or after school tutoring by the classroom teacher. This instruction should be an additional 15 minutes each day with no more than 3 students at a time.
I've been tracking my data this year with Rachelle Smith's Common Core Checklists! Gotta love great resources.
Click the image to link to their post.
Rachelle has checklists for grades K through 2nd
Natalie has checklists for grades 3rd through 5th!
I'm off to catch up on my lost hour of sleep. Happy teaching!!!
