Goals
Stage: Target Goal
Goal Information
Date: March 31, 2026Attainment Scale:
Starting Point:
Student can infer in informal situations, but cannot yet articulate that inferring is triggered by a question (the author doesn't tell us everything!), and then consists of drawing from the text and combining that with things they know to infer.
Midpoint:
Students can independently complete Activity 5 of the inferring unit progression - when provided with a piece of evidence from the text, students can make a connection to something they know (schema) and make an inference based on those pieces of information.
Target Goal:
By May, 2026, 80% of 15 students in the teacher's classroom will independently complete Level/Activity 10 in an inferring unit utilized by the teacher, recording (1) details from the text and (2) knowledge from their heads and (3) what they infer when those are combined.
Notes
During a personal check-in, Erin shared that Elliott’s Birthday Trip to San Francisco had been, “so much fun!” They did “all the touristy things,” including the Golden Gate Bridge, the aquarium, the Science Museum, an NBA game and a Giants game. She showed me a picture of the three of them and they looked so happy! Nora and Archer were, “happy as clams,” staying first with her parents, and then with her mother-in-law.
When asked about the course, she said, “It’s all done!” We paused a moment to celebrate this momentous accomplishment and that the Seal of Literacy will be on her license. 🙂
I stated that today our purposes were to discuss progress toward her goal and to reflect on the VECTOR coaching experience.
She and the students reached the goal of 12/15 of them being able to pass Level 10 of her inferring unit:Â identifying evidence in the text, combining it with what they know (schema), and making a reasonable inference!
When asked what changes she had seen in the kids, she said she had noticed their willingness to think deeper. She thought that the framework she had used had been really helpful!
When asked what had worked well, she said meeting them where they were. Even though they all progressed to Level 10, they had not all gone at the same pace or path. She had been able to give them what they needed. I said that was a form of differentiation, our goal, but not always our reality.
When asked what she would do differently, she said, “Start earlier.” She believes that it is important for her to begin incorporating explicit instruction about inferring close to the start of the year, even if she is just modeling and they are not ready to do the work themselves, yet.
When asked about stakeholders with which to share her work and success, she named her colleague, Melanie, who also took the course. She talked about how helpful it had been to have someone else in the work with her for support, encouragement, and celebration.
When asked what had been most helpful in the coaching process she said:Â having someone to bounce ideas off of and to talk through the framework and having definite steps to follow.
When asked what she had learned about herself she leaned in and asked, “Is this OK to say? I learned I know what I’m doing.” She said that she had felt OK about her phonics instruction before she began the course, but it was affirming to learn that many things she was doing were backed up by best practices research.
She said she had really enjoyed the second semester, even though it covered areas beyond phonics (a major part of early reading instruction appropriate for her grade level). She described her experiences as a student with reading and how she wants her students to see reading as something much bigger than passing tests!
When asked what area in the course had the most new info, she talked about writing. She wants her instruction to be systematic and explicit, not piecemeal, and she described her writing practices.
We said our “good jobs” and “good-byes” and it was definitely bittersweet for me. It has been my honor and joy to work with Erin across these two courses!